Arm Pads and mouthgaurds

[Scootermcpie556]

I was reffing informally at a tournamnet for young kids age 8-9. On kid was not wearing elbow pads so I went over and told him that he should put them on and his dad the coach starterd yelling at me that theyy were not necesary and that the kid simply did not like to wear them. Is it required to wer elbow pads at that age? Also, over the course of the 25 min game, I was constantly finding that the kids were not wearing their mouth gaurds. So after tellinglike 10 kids I went to the coaches and said that this is rediculous, if I see it again, I'm going to reward the other team a free clear. What would you do?

[JohnB-6]

If the age group is playing by Federation rules, then tell coach to read rule 1.9.1 h. Yeah, I looked it up, but youth groups are usually stricter about protective gear than the Federation rules, ex: making it mandatory for goalies to wear arm pads. Maybe his league did have a rule saying the kids that age didnt have to wear arm pads, I would check any rules addendum about that.

For the mouth guards, in the upper levels Ill make general warnings before the faceoff for everyone to snap up and get the mouthpiece in. During the game if I see one out, I may do some more preventative officiating, but once I start putting them out for 1 minute NR they learn to keep it in.

For smaller kids I try to make them think a little more, they never hear warnings, they only hear the coach or dad yelling. If there is a dead ball and I see a kid with his mouthpiece out, Ill ask him if he is ready to play... Are you ready? Are you sure? Is there ANYTHING you are forgetting? (I figure they get yelled at enough, so I want to be nice about it) If it gets real bad, Ill tell the coach and make them substitute out so the coach can talk to them, in my area U9 does not serve penalties.

[LaxRef]

Maybe his league did have a rule saying the kids that age didnt have to wear arm pads, I would check any rules addendum about that.

I certainly wouldn't work games for any league that modified safety rules to make them less strict. That's a potential liability nightmare.

. On kid was not wearing elbow pads so I went over and told him that he should put them on and his dad the coach starterd yelling at me that theyy were not necesary and that the kid simply did not like to wear them.

The kids have to wear mouthguards, and they have to wear arm pads. Do whatever you need to to make that clear. "Hey, dad, if he doesn't like wearing a helmet, why don't you have him take that off, too?"

Oh, BTW, I'm not sure that awarding a free clear is the proper penalty here, unless that's a special under-9 rule. NFHS says 1:00 NR penalty.

[NuKoN]

I certainly wouldn't work games for any league that modified safety rules to make them less strict. That's a potential liability nightmare.



The kids have to wear mouthguards, and they have to wear arm pads. Do whatever you need to to make that clear. "Hey, dad, if he doesn't like wearing a helmet, why don't you have him take that off, too?"

Oh, BTW, I'm not sure that awarding a free clear is the proper penalty here, unless that's a special under-9 rule. NFHS says 1:00 NR penalty.


Well, as someone said, there were no penalties for a U9 game

[LaxRef]

Well, as someone said, there were no penalties for a U9 game


Actually, someone said if they're playing by NFHS U9 rules, then there are no time-serving penalties. But the original poster never said what rule set was being used. :monkey:

[Woodenstick]

I occasionally ref the little guys, and no way is anyone playing without arm guards or mouthpiece in. Only a complete moron would let a kid play without arm pads at that age. I (and many other refs) will do an equipment check at the line-up just to make sure everyone has their equipment, especially mouthpieces. Maybe every third game I will catch someone and send him off the field.

And I (and every other ref I know) will call the penalty if we see it during a live ball and warn them during a dead ball. If this is happening a lot, maybe it is because penalties were not called. It may be U9 with fast breaks instead of time served, but they still play to win, and they will get the idea to keep the mouthpiece in after they get a few penalties and their coach lights into them.

[Laxref_36]

I think the officials should stress the safety of the participants is crucial. You as the official, when asked for an explanation, should make statements to the coachs of "I'm only looking out for the safety of both teams players." That is my primary concern.

[A-D-I-D-A-S]

But with a cage protecting your whole face on a helmet, I just don't see why you need a mouthguard. Maybe this has been said before but why is it mandatory to wear a mouthguard if you have a face mask??

[Snake~eyes]

If the kid doesn't like wearing them, then fine, don't make him wear the armpads. Very simple concept, tell the coach, that's fine he doesn't have to wear them. All you have to say is "coach he cannot play without armpads, give me a sub." If he doesn't give you a sub in a reasonable amount of time then just threaten a forfeit. And follow through with said threat.

[Snake~eyes]

But with a cage protecting your whole face on a helmet, I just don't see why you need a mouthguard. Maybe this has been said before but why is it mandatory to wear a mouthguard if you have a face mask??
It's not to protect your teeth, well it is but that's not its only reason. It prevents you from getting a concussion.

EDIT: Some stats from a POE. An athlete is 60 times more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouth guard.

[LaxRef]

It's not to protect your teeth, well it is but that's not its only reason. It prevents you from getting a concussion.

Exactly. It puts a cushion between the lower and upper jaws so that the shock of a hit to the lower jaw doesn't go right to your brain.

BTW, let's stop calling them concussions and start calling them what they really are: brain injuries. Then maybe players wouldn't be as cavalier about them.

[A-D-I-D-A-S]

Ok thanks Lax Ref and Snake Eyes for explaining. I always wear a mouth guard anyways becuase of league rules but never understood why untill you explained it.