Specific Pointers–Officiating 8U

Please refer to the specific 8U Division Guidelines for detailed info.
The 8U game is all about the kids getting out there and having FUN. In order for that to happen, it’s essential to keep things FAIR and SAFE for them. And that’s where we come in (!!!).
Laws of The Game–for the over-achievers out there, it is always nice to be able to recite The Laws of The Game at a cocktail party, or when explaining a call to an upset coach…but it’s not absolutely required to officiate at the 8U level. When you move up to the older divisions, however, having a working knowledge and understanding of the LOTG is very helpful and you will want to read them and keep abreast of important yearly changes. (Plus, you’ll get invited to more parties.)
Field Set-up–remind the coaches and parents (of both teams) if they are the first game of the day, that it is their responsibility to get the field set up (goals, nets, flags). Equipment found in storage shed.
Field Break-down--remind the coaches and parents (of both teams) before they all leave, if they are the last game of the day, that it is their responsibility to get the field taken down and equipment returned to the “sheds” (goals, nets, flags).
Combos for storage sheds–will be available from the Field and Safety Director at: fieldsafety@ayso20.org or your Team Manager (?)
8U–Field of Play and Players. It like a small soccer field with a few modifications (note the “big box” instead of a penalty area, no penalty mark, no goal area—more on this later), and we play a small-sided soccer game (7 v 7). It sort of resembles real soccer, as much as fourteen (14) excitable 7-year olds chasing after a ball can. Get ready to have some fun!
8U–Substitutions. Substitutions can only occur at the substitution break midway through the 1^st half, during halftime, at the substitution break midway through the 2^nd half, and any time there is an injury. The ref is in charge of finding that moment midway through each half to stop play and allow for the sub-break; KEEP YOUR CLOCK RUNNING during these substitution breaks. Coaches keep track of their own Game Cards (players, subs, goalkeepers, score) and submit them to the Division Commissioner after the game (by photo submitted via phone).
“3/4 Rule” It’s the Coach’s job to follow and uphold to the “3/4 rule.” If you (Referee or AR) get the feeling that a player is sitting out for half the game or more, make sure to remind the coach; it usually means someone is playing the whole game and that is not following the “3/4 rule.” Probably just an oversight?
8U–Injuries. At this age, these speeds, this insanity, kids will go down with the occasional boo-boo. Err on the side of caution and stop play (blow whistle) immediately and check on the downed player. (First, take a quick peek at who has the ball when you stop play, so you know who gets the “Drop Ball” restart after you’ve tended to the injured player.) Maybe wave the coach on to the field to check on their player. Try not to have parents running onto the field unless it’s obviously a very serious injury, obviously. Restart with a Drop Ball, unless there was a foul and you are awarding a Free Kick for the offence.
8U–Fouls. It’s a lot of random, bordering on kooky, movement. Kids running into each other (accidentally), a lot, plus these are faster moving projectiles with more energy than the 5u/6u/7u ages. There is so much bumping around that it’s hard to say who did what, and therefore hard to easily call fouls…but you do need to blow the whistle and stop play when you sense a foul has been committed. Don’t let them get nuts out there. Slow them down. Tell them to be careful. Remember there are spectators (parents and grandparents) out there whose little baby just got blown up… Keep things safe and (relatively) under control. Let the spectators know you’re looking out for the players’ health and welfare.
More on Fouls. Hey, even if the physical contact is accidental (?), if it was unfair or unsafe it’s still a foul and needs to be called… You don’t have to make a big deal about it: just blow your whistle to stop play and get things under control, use your words and let them know (in a nice way, with a smile) what not to do (we don’t ever want to shame them), point in the direction the free kick will be taken, and award the Direct Free Kick to the opponents. Get the players set up for the free kick (usually needing to back up the opponents 8 yards) if they need help (they usually will), get yourself into position where you think things might be headed. Since you’ll usually be giving instructions on what to do and who should be where (interjecting yourself into the free kick process) you’ll need to blow the whistle, so they know to take the free kick restart (since they won’t know what’s going on).
Never come down hard on them verbally, or place a hand on the player, when making your point. You are a teacher, not a disciplinarian. Stay objective.
8U–Common Fouls at this age. Usually accidental/unintentional, but still a foul: trip, kick, handball, bumping/barging/impeding one another. Occasionally intentional: kicking, pushing, barging/impeding, holding (pulling), tripping, handball. In EITHER case, if it looks or feels unsafe or unfair to you, you should blow the whistle (call the foul), point in the direction of the forthcoming free kick, and restart with a Direct Free Kick (direct because it can be kicked directly into the goal, and it was a physical contact foul).
“Doubtful/Trifling”–not all contact is unfair or unsafe, so it shouldn’t always be called a foul, and there is a lot of contact in soccer! Hey parents: Soccer is a contact sport! NOT all contact is an offence/foul ! Don’t call it unless you’re sure it was a foul or it was enough contact that exceeds trifling, and has become unfair or unsafe—these should be called !
Handball Offence: if intentional or deliberate, call it. These will be easy to recognize. At these ages look for the “deliberate” attempt to bring the hand/arm towards the ball. If they have made themselves “unnaturally bigger” and touch the ball with their hand/arm, you have to call it. The penalty for a handball offence is a Direct Free Kick. The area from the bottom of the armpit to the hand is considered the anatomy of a potential handball.
Not a Handball Offence: protecting themselves from an oncoming fast, close ball. Wave it away and say “no foul.”
Not a Handball Offence: If unintentional, if not deliberate, if they haven’t made themselves bigger, let it go. Let the game continue. Not a foul. Don’t stop play for unintentional handballs (for the most part). To save yourself some sideline mumbling, announce loudly and make a ‘waving-off’ signal: “No handball offence, no foul, not deliberate, unintentional. Keep playing”
- You will frequently run into players, coaches, and spectators that think every time the ball touches a hand/arm, it’s a “handball!” NOT TRUE, and spelled out in the recent updates to The Laws Of The Game (see Law 12.1). These folks may not be up to date on the most current version of the LOTG. Back in the day it could have been a foul, but not anymore. Sorry.
8U–Indirect Free Kick situations: these are the “less serious,” and non-contact, scenarios that are infrequent but worthy of spotting and calling. You should keep an eye out for, and remember to call, technical transgressions during restarts like “double touches.” Also keep an eye out for “playing in a dangerous manner” but not making physical contact—like high kicks, or a player playing the ball while they are on the ground and while other players are nearby) which will earn an IFK for the opponents. We also award IFKs when a player heads the ball deliberately (can’t do this in 12U or younger), or if the goalkeeper punts the ball (can’t do that in 10U or younger)–these are USSF rules and PDI rules that are age-specific, not the Laws of The Game. IFKs are also used in Offside Offences, but we really don’t call Offside in the 8U division games, anyway (see below).
8U–No Penalty Kicks. No Penalty Area. If there is a foul in the “Big Box” (we don’t call it the penalty area) that would normally be a “PK” in real soccer, in 8U you are going to just award a simple Direct Free Kick to the attackers, which will be taken from the outside edge of the Big Box. There isn’t a “penalty area” or a “penalty mark,” so there are no PKs. The defenders get to form a “wall,” but they must be 8 yards away from the person taking the kick.
8U–No Goal Kicks. No Goal Area. If you have a “goal kick” scenario, it is taken from the outside edge of the “Big Box” since we don’t have/use “goal areas.” Opponents need to be 8 yards away from person taking the kick.
8U–Goalkeeper Offences (IFK Offences). We don’t want to penalize goalkeepers for making goalkeeper mistakes, really. At this age, and this being everyone’s first entre into goalkeeping, we offer a lot (like almost 100%) of leeway on those offenses that would otherwise garner an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) for the opponents at the older age levels (i.e., deliberate pass-backs, picking up the ball after releasing it from their possession, etc.). Just remind them verbally what to do (or not to do), and maybe wave off the annoyed opponents/coaches/parents with an… “It’s ok, let’s just pretend that didn’t happen.” Remember, you are a teacher here. We’ll worry about following the letter of the Laws Of The Game (hopefully) towards the end of the season, and when they get up into 10U and older, for sure.
8U–speaking of goalkeepers, please protect them. These are just little kids, probably begrudgingly put into the goal against their better judgement. In the heat of the moment, opposing attackers don’t know when or why to back off, so use your words loud and clear and quickly. When the keeper has the ball (or even gets close to retrieving it), tell everyone to back off and be careful (“Keeper’s got it!”), erring on the side of caution! Attacking opponents are supposed to leave the goalkeeper alone when the keeper has control of the ball (which technically includes having the ball between one fingertip and the ground). Attackers are likely to keep kicking away at the ball and somebody is going to get hurt. So, when that little brave (terrified) keeper goes to try and get/stop the ball, be nearby and inform opponents to back off, please, even if it means using your whistle to stop the feeding frenzy. If you use the whistle to stop things, restart with a Free Kick for the defending team.
8U–Throw-ins. TI’s are introduced at this age, and they will be ugly. Please give them a large margin for error. Use your words and remind them about their feet, what to do, etc. If it’s a bit whacky, just let play continue. If it is really wacky, give your whistle a little toot and let them try again with a verbal pointer. If their second attempt is lousy, I’d suggest just letting play continue. We don’t want to be stopping play more than is absolutely necessary. This is not the time to be teaching them how to do throw-ins; let the coach work on that during the week. This is a time for them to get as much playing time as possible. You can bust their chops (a little bit) when they get to 10U. Besides, throw-ins are not as game-critical as most coaches and spectators think they are. Play on!
8U–No Offside, basically. You probably won’t have ARs for most games, and on top of that Offside is considered too “advanced” a concept for 7-year olds to work with. If there is a blatant scenario of “cherry picking,” use your voice and encourage the player to come back to where the fun is. If a goal is scored in a cherry picking scenario, wave it away (gently disallow the goal) and give the goalkeeper a “goal kick” from the outside edge of their “big box.”
8U—Minimum Required Distance: On the following starts and restarts (KO, CK, GK, DFK, IFK) opponents must be a minimum of eight (8) yards away. On TI’s, opponents must be at least two (2) yards away. On DB’s, all players (teammates or opponents) must be 4.5 yards away. Use your words and remind the players to back up on these situations.
Blow Outs–If the game is getting out of hand, remind the winning coach what the score is (subtly) and see if they cant take the kids’ foot off the gas a little bit.