# Question about a Yellow Card



## Calisoccer11 (Nov 28, 2016)

I've been meaning to ask my fellow posters who are refs this question:  Why would a ref issue a yellow card to a player for saying, "I Go!".  This has happened more than once!  The ref never gives an explanation.  I don't get it--this is what they have been taught to say when communicating with their teammates in the event one or more players on their team are going for the ball.  

Can someone explain this?


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## coachrefparent (Nov 28, 2016)

This is strange. Are you saying different referees are issuing yellow cards for this in different games? How many times has it happened? How old are the players? Is this in another language / could it be interpreted as meaning something different? Did you confirm with the referee whether any warnings were given before the yellow card was issued? Is it just yelled in general, or is your player yelling at an opponent as they are both attempting to play the ball (ie. to distract, scare or intimidate an opponent)?  Why hasn't your coach directly asked the referee for an explanation after the match?

These are just a few of the myriad considerations a referee must evaluate in making the decision to issue a yellow card (presumably) for unsporting behavior. Knowing only what you posted, I presume that if your team is getting yellows "more than once" for this behavior, they probably need to look at their conduct. Its always a possibility that the referee just doesn't like your team and is giving yellow cards for perfectly sporting behavior, but I doubt that.


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## Calisoccer11 (Nov 28, 2016)

coachrefparent said:


> This is strange. Are you saying different referees are issuing yellow cards for this in different games? How many times has it happened? How old are the players? Is this in another language / could it be interpreted as meaning something different? Did you confirm with the referee whether any warnings were given before the yellow card was issued? Is it just yelled in general, or is your player yelling at an opponent as they are both attempting to play the ball (ie. to distract, scare or intimidate an opponent)?  Why hasn't your coach directly asked the referee for an explanation after the match?
> 
> These are just a few of the myriad considerations a referee must evaluate in making the decision to issue a yellow card (presumably) for unsporting behavior. Knowing only what you posted, I presume that if your team is getting yellows "more than once" for this behavior, they probably need to look at their conduct. Its always a possibility that the referee just doesn't like your team and is giving yellow cards for perfectly sporting behavior, but I doubt that.


It has been my son that has gotten the yellows.  He got one last year for this reason and one recently.  This last one the ref said, "Don't say that!"  My son asked, "What am I suppose to say?".  The coach asked as well.  The ref did not respond.  He is 11  and is very much into playing the game and not about intimidation.  My guess is that it was a language thing - the ref was Hispanic - but since I'm Hispanic also, I could not think of a bad word that would even rhyme with this.  I was wondering if this was something refs were disallowing as it could be confusing/distracting for a younger player.  

If it happens again, I will directly ask.  After the game, I usually just want to get out of there...especially in a heated game.  Thanks for your response!


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## coachrefparent (Nov 28, 2016)

I also recall reading some referee advice that if the player is yelling "I got it," or "leave it," etc. to an opponent, trying to trick that player into thinking its a teammate telling them, that many referees consider this to be deception. My guess based upon your further explanation is this is what the referee is calling. A bit thin in my "book", but I'll try to find a cite/link.


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## coachrefparent (Nov 28, 2016)

Here are a few links to some unofficial explanations, commentary, and interpretations:

http://asktheref.com/Soccer Rules/Question/7996/

http://www.asktheref.com/Soccer Rules/Question/30846/


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## Calisoccer11 (Nov 28, 2016)

Thank you....At least I have an explanation for my son now.  I will explain it to him.  It's a tricky thing - I don't think most younger kids are thinking of ways to be deceptive in the heat of a game but maybe that ref he had some different experiences.  I will still not discourage him from saying that though....he really is just calling off his teammates!!


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## espola (Nov 28, 2016)

Calisoccer11 said:


> I've been meaning to ask my fellow posters who are refs this question:  Why would a ref issue a yellow card to a player for saying, "I Go!".  This has happened more than once!  The ref never gives an explanation.  I don't get it--this is what they have been taught to say when communicating with their teammates in the event one or more players on their team are going for the ball.
> 
> Can someone explain this?


If the referee thinks you son is trying to deceive or distract an opponent, he can be cautioned for unsporting behavior.  If he is just communicating with his teammates the ref should get off his high horse and go back to school.  I first heard this about 20 years ago but I thought it had been purged by now.


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## coachrefparent (Nov 28, 2016)

Calisoccer11 said:


> Thank you....At least I have an explanation for my son now.  I will explain it to him.  It's a tricky thing - I don't think most younger kids are thinking of ways to be deceptive in the heat of a game but maybe that ref he had some different experiences.  I will still not discourage him from saying that though....he really is just calling off his teammates!!


Not sure how old your son is, but young players are a lot more savvy and tactical than many give them credit for (or their parents really know what they are doing but feign lack of knowledge). Competitive players as young as 8 years old learn the "tricks of the trade," from flopping, set play gimmicks, and verbal baiting of opponents. 

As a parent and coach (and ref), my suggestion is to try hard to objectively evaluate the play. I have never seen this called (where the player is "just communicating with teammates"), which leads me to still believe some gamesmanship is going on if your son has received yellow across multiple years for this conduct.


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## baldref (Nov 29, 2016)

for the caution and subsequent idfk, it would need to be fairly blatant that the player is trying to verbally deceive an opponent. standing behind an opponent and saying "i got it" or "leave it" or even "i go" in an effort to have the opponent not play the ball. players are supposed to, and are allowed to communicate with team mates using language such as that. so, again, it would need to be very obvious to me that there's no other explanation for the call out, for me to issue a caution. but i have no doubt it does happen, even at younger ages.


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## Calisoccer11 (Nov 29, 2016)

baldref said:


> for the caution and subsequent idfk, it would need to be fairly blatant that the player is trying to verbally deceive an opponent. standing behind an opponent and saying "i got it" or "leave it" or even "i go" in an effort to have the opponent not play the ball. players are supposed to, and are allowed to communicate with team mates using language such as that. so, again, it would need to be very obvious to me that there's no other explanation for the call out, for me to issue a caution. but i have no doubt it does happen, even at younger ages.


Well, this most recent time, I saw the play.  My son was going for the ball and another teammate were going for the ball and opponent was kind of in the middle.  I know I'm biased but I know my kid and he was not trying anything deceptive.  Just calling off his teammate.  It would seem to be such a hard call to make but at least now I know what the ref can be thinking.  
Thanks everyone for your replies!


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## GunninGopher (Nov 29, 2016)

Calisoccer11 said:


> Well, this most recent time, I saw the play.  My son was going for the ball and another teammate were going for the ball and opponent was kind of in the middle.  I know I'm biased but I know my kid and he was not trying anything deceptive.  Just calling off his teammate.  It would seem to be such a hard call to make but at least now I know what the ref can be thinking.
> Thanks everyone for your replies!


Based solely upon what you describe I would not recommend that your son modify his play. It sounds like a pretty harsh call to me. You've mentioned that it has happened more than once, so you're smart to keep an eye on it.

In my opinion, the referee owes the player (particularly a young player) an explanation of what the call was if the player doesn't understand. Have your son politely ask next time if it happens again. Also consider the call within the context of the game. Has the referee been warning him or other players about similar or other unsporting behavior?

Note that I didn't say that the referee owes the coach an explanation during the match.


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## Just a Parent (Nov 29, 2016)

Calisoccer11 said:


> I've been meaning to ask my fellow posters who are refs this question:  Why would a ref issue a yellow card to a player for saying, "I Go!".  This has happened more than once!  The ref never gives an explanation.  I don't get it--this is what they have been taught to say when communicating with their teammates in the event one or more players on their team are going for the ball.
> 
> Can someone explain this?


There is no explanation.


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## Just a Parent (Nov 29, 2016)

espola said:


> If the referee thinks you son is trying to deceive or distract an opponent, he can be cautioned for unsporting behavior.  If he is just communicating with his teammates the ref should get off his high horse and go back to school.  I first heard this about 20 years ago but I thought it had been purged by now.


It was never there. I can only guess where you heard it.


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## espola (Nov 29, 2016)

Just a Parent said:


> It was never there. I can only guess where you heard it.


First heard it 98-99 or so.  Son's teammate's older sister was cautioned for "I got it" at an Orange County summer tournament.  I didn't think it was legit then, but the story comes back every few years, so apparently some referees still call it.


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## Just a Parent (Nov 29, 2016)

espola said:


> First heard it 98-99 or so.  Son's teammate's older sister was cautioned for "I got it" at an Orange County summer tournament.  I didn't think it was legit then, but the story comes back every few years, so apparently some referees still call it.


Heard it in the sixties from the sports master, but since he was neither coach nor referee, didn't think much of it. First heard it from a referee in 1970 and asked for documentary proof. As far as I'm aware, he's still looking for it.


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## timbuck (Nov 30, 2016)

This seems very strange.  Especially if it has happened on multiple occasions. 
The word "I go" or "Mine" by themselves shouldn't have any issues. 
Was it screamed/yelled in a strange or threatening manner?  Even so, it seems like it would be a very strange call.
Was it the same ref each time?


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## coachrefparent (Nov 30, 2016)

Troll alert.


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## Calisoccer11 (Nov 30, 2016)

timbuck said:


> This seems very strange.  Especially if it has happened on multiple occasions.
> The word "I go" or "Mine" by themselves shouldn't have any issues.
> Was it screamed/yelled in a strange or threatening manner?  Even so, it seems like it would be a very strange call.
> Was it the same ref each time?


No is wasn't a threatening manner....I mean, maybe this ref heard him say it multiple times throughout the game and thought he was trying to be deceptive.  He plays center mid and is pretty vocal on the field.  This just happened at League Cup recently and the first time it happened was last year...I don't remember game and/or ref.


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## watfly (Nov 30, 2016)

It appears the ref invoked unsporting behavior for "verbally distracts an opponent during play".  Seems weak to me... obviously hearing "I go" was distracting to the ref.


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## HouseofCards (Nov 30, 2016)

Calisoccer11 said:


> Well, this most recent time, I saw the play.  My son was going for the ball and another teammate were going for the ball and opponent was kind of in the middle.  I know I'm biased but I know my kid and he was not trying anything deceptive.  Just calling off his teammate.  It would seem to be such a hard call to make but at least now I know what the ref can be thinking.
> Thanks everyone for your replies!


Have your son say his name, "John's ball!"

Problem solved.


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## espola (Nov 30, 2016)

HouseofCards said:


> Have your son say his name, "John's ball!"
> 
> Problem solved.


The rule of thumb I heard most recently was that if you say "I got it" and don't at least try for it, then that is intentionally deceptive.

Or your team could have a secret word, like "omaha".


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## GunninGopher (Nov 30, 2016)

espola said:


> Or your team could have a secret word, like "omaha".


That's been taken by Payton Manning!!


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