Field safety

Had a parent challenge us today about a stationary object on the field, which created a minor indentation in the field. He insisted that the referees fix it. He demanded that the game not be played until it was fixed. He threatened to not allow his son to play the game.

Remember these things: The safety of the field is the referee's perogative. If the referee determines the field is safe, we play! If not, the unsafe thing gets fixed, removed, etc., or we don't play. Any one person who does not want to play, does not have to play. If you ever determine the field is safe, but a team (coach) refuses to take the field, write a report. Include the circumstances and on what you based your opinion that the field was safe. The league will determine what to do. Most often, they should consider that match a win for the opposing team. To do otherwise would be to invite coaches to walk away from matches when they feel they cannot win them, hoping to play another day.

No one person gets to hijack a match or hold it hostage. Just because one person's opinion is that something is unsafe, does not make it so. It's in the referee's opinion that counts.

The man's son did not play. We started and finished the game with no injuries, few fouls and no cards. The man's team won 5:1. He missed a good game, but that was his perogative.