Overtime Penalties

[BlueJaysLaxFan]

When officiating a varsity game that goes into overtime, do you hold back on calling certain penalties, or have a different level of tolerance?

My varsity game today went into overtime, and since the periods are 4m in length I try to heed the advice of more senior officials to walk a fine line between not calling penalties if possible, and if a penalty must be assessed then to do so. I assessed a very obvious UR on B (in front of me), and A was able to score during the next minute of OT play. On the way off of the field the JV coach (who was in the stands) intercepted us and challenged my call, with his reasoning being that it was OT and it is unfair to call penalties (and of course the other usual statements of it was not really a penalty). IMM (and my partner's), the penalty was fully justified even for OT.

So, how have you handled penalties in OT?

[stripes182]

A foul is a foul no matter when it happens. That said, I do loosen up slightly in overtime. My general rule of thumb is that if I'm not absolutely certain there was an advantage gained unfairly or that there was definite potential for injury, I'm not throwing the flag. IMHO, overtime is not the time to get overly-technical. I tend to lean on the advantage/disadvantage perspective.

[3rdPersonPlural]

Consistency is important to a well officiated game. By the 4th Q teams should be able to grock what passes your smell test and what doesn't.

Come OT, just keep your envelope as it has been since halftime, and if a team violates that envelope, then so be it.

In my limited experience, LOTS of OT games are decides by over aggressive kids who commit penalties that result in goals. Just tell the kids that we're still playing lacrosse, and that the envelope of legality is not changing because this is extra time.

Then if a kid goes nuts, ding him and let him stew over the fact that his behavior cost his team the game.

I've been in too many games where a man up goal decides the game, so I've taken to calling the teams together at the scorer's table before OT faceoff and telling them that they've had 4 quarters to figure out what our (the refs) envelope is, and that is going to remain constant in the OT. This little gesure keeps kids in game mode and generally keeps the game at equal strength.

[MElaxRef]

Good advice, 3PP.

If we start changing the envelope because it is OT, then we'll start changing the envelope because it is the last minute or two of the 4th period. Keep following that logic and we'll be officiating the score throughout the game. Bad scenario!

Be consistent across the crew and throughout the game. Easy to say, hard to do.

[BlueJaysLaxFan]

This is good advice which is consistent with some other feedback I received in conversations I had with some other senior officials locally after my last couple of games this week. It also helps me understand that I did call a fair game and can continue to do so in future OT situations.