Using another player's card

9-10 years ago I was refereeing a BU15 game in deep south San Diego east of the 805. I had just pulled into the parking space when a car with two boys pulled up. I recognized the two boys as I walked over to check the teams in, so I had all the players tell me their birthday when I checked them in. Three of the players gave me the wrong birthday including the driver of the car. I did not allow those players to play since the coach and manager could not produce a birth certificate or another form of ID for the players. I wrote a report and sent it in to the league. I heard back from the league a few weeks later that the team actually had four players too old and the oldest was 18. To this day, if I think there is a kid that looks too old I will check both teams in and have them tell me their birthday. I have only found one other boy (Inland Empire team) that gave me the wrong birthday and he ended up being a year too old. Cheating happens and if a manager or coach thinks a kid is too old they need to talk to the referee or challenge it with the league or gaming authority.
 
Surfref said:
To this day, if I think there is a kid that looks too old I will check both teams in and have them tell me their birthday.
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Do you ref in the Southbay area?

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espola said:
I heard rumors he played pro in Mexico for a while.

His little brother was supposed to be a better player, but I lost track of him after seeing his name in box scores for Palomar College.
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I think it was like SD Flash pro, he was down there for about a year after he got done playing with us. His brother was a better player IMO, but a bit of a loose cannon. I borrowed him on numerous occasions, he played on the edge and as a good player he was a constant target.
 
Surfref said:
9-10 years ago I was refereeing a BU15 game in deep south San Diego east of the 805. I had just pulled into the parking space when a car with two boys pulled up. I recognized the two boys as I walked over to check the teams in, so I had all the players tell me their birthday when I checked them in. Three of the players gave me the wrong birthday including the driver of the car. I did not allow those players to play since the coach and manager could not produce a birth certificate or another form of ID for the players. I wrote a report and sent it in to the league. I heard back from the league a few weeks later that the team actually had four players too old and the oldest was 18. To this day, if I think there is a kid that looks too old I will check both teams in and have them tell me their birthday. I have only found one other boy (Inland Empire team) that gave me the wrong birthday and he ended up being a year too old. Cheating happens and if a manager or coach thinks a kid is too old they need to talk to the referee or challenge it with the league or gaming authority.
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About 15 years ago, we were down playing a game at Montgomery Waller. We were a U8 team at the time, there was a U10 game playing before us. It seemed the team we were playing did extremely well when they played at home. With obvious skepticism, we had a couple parents set up camcorders(remember those) and just sat off to the side intently. We kept a close eye on the boys that just played as that seemed to be a common occurrence there. We all sat in amazement as 3 of the boys that just finished the U10 game walked over and sat with the group and proceeded to change into new uniforms. The warmed up, the ref acted like he checked them in, then we played the game. Of course, those 3 dominated the game for them and they won the game. We didn't mind, we had what was needed to prove what was going on. I speak spanish, so I remember shaking hands after the game and just telling the coach that he should be ashamed, we have it all on video, and that we would make sure the right people see it. He instantly went on the defensive, but I just walked away. It was pretty rampant then at that place, soon after they were banned from having games there and they couldn't bring in their own refs.
 
My older daughter just recently played in a tournament and she was playing up a year and they questioned her age. She's 5'5 and a half, age 11. The coach laughed only bc she was his youngest player, I did happen to have ID on me for her but it definitely made me aware that I need to keep her ID on hand for instances like this.
 
Socal United said:
About 15 years ago, we were down playing a game at Montgomery Waller. We were a U8 team at the time, there was a U10 game playing before us. It seemed the team we were playing did extremely well when they played at home. With obvious skepticism, we had a couple parents set up camcorders(remember those) and just sat off to the side intently. We kept a close eye on the boys that just played as that seemed to be a common occurrence there. We all sat in amazement as 3 of the boys that just finished the U10 game walked over and sat with the group and proceeded to change into new uniforms. The warmed up, the ref acted like he checked them in, then we played the game. Of course, those 3 dominated the game for them and they won the game. We didn't mind, we had what was needed to prove what was going on. I speak spanish, so I remember shaking hands after the game and just telling the coach that he should be ashamed, we have it all on video, and that we would make sure the right people see it. He instantly went on the defensive, but I just walked away. It was pretty rampant then at that place, soon after they were banned from having games there and they couldn't bring in their own refs.
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Dang, same field my incident occurred. They had to reschedule and move the venue. I was assigned to the original field and just got moved along with the game to MW field. The team that cheated were not happy with me not letting their players play. I heard the team was kicked out for the remainder of the fall and the coaches suspended. I would not doubt that it still happens there.
 
Surfref said:
Dang, same field my incident occurred. They had to reschedule and move the venue. I was assigned to the original field and just got moved along with the game to MW field. The team that cheated were not happy with me not letting their players play. I heard the team was kicked out for the remainder of the fall and the coaches suspended. I would not doubt that it still happens there.
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I'm just on the other side of the 805, are you sure it wasn't you that asked about my daughters birthdate ;)
 
You know what's really nice.....when you play your team up a bracket and the opposing team in the semis has a questionable player on the roster that only comes on the field to sew up games and you beat them. That is nice. Balls in the net always solves questionable calls and questionable players......
 
My son is 12 yrs old, 5'9, 125lbs - goalkeeper. He plays up on a 2001 team and fits in great because of his size. We get many comments that people dont believe he is 12, but being that he plays up its not an issue. Next season, we are looking to get him back down to his proper age bracket. Should I anticipate issues? He will be even taller by then Im sure. I suspect we will have to bring his documents if his age is challenged?
 
Mid dreams do you have school ids? That seems to be sufficient. My daughter has a MIL ID card that I carry bc I'm scared she'll lose it but I'm not always there when she plays. I put her school ID in her soccer bag as just in case. Has her birthdate and picture on it.
 
Socal United said:
You won't have to. This was at a National League U14 game in Vegas a little over a year ago
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Sorry but the tall kid looks more like a u14 to me than the short kid. He looks 10ish. I could post a pic of my girl just like that. Her towering over an opponent. She can't control genetics anymore than either of the kids in that pic.
 
mommato2girls said:
Sorry but the tall kid looks more like a u14 to me than the short kid. He looks 10ish. I could post a pic of my girl just like that. Her towering over an opponent. She can't control genetics anymore than either of the kids in that pic.
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6'3" not your normal U14, just saying... Our kid was 5'2"
 
5'2 is not a normal u14 either. My kid is 11 and 5'5. That's probably not normal either but its obviously possible. Im sure the kid is aware of his size. I guess I'm just not seeing how it's okay to question kids that are too tall or mature looking, would we all point out how short or small a player is. Hopefully he really was just a tall, developed kid. Either way the kid shouldn't be put on blast, the parents/coaches should.
 
Why is this any different than the gymnastics teams who get caught fielding players who are too young because they are smaller and lighter? No, just because your child is tall doesn't mean they are older, of course. But you have to admit, there may be cheating.... there is always cheating... As you are not cheating, then you will not be caught and there is no reason to worry or to complain because someone is trying to police the actual cheaters, right?
 
I am all for catching cheaters, and I won't lose any sleep over it. But posting a kids pic on a public forum and insinuating he's cheating doesn't sit well with me.
 
mommato2girls said:
5'2 is not a normal u14 either. My kid is 11 and 5'5. That's probably not normal either but its obviously possible. Im sure the kid is aware of his size. I guess I'm just not seeing how it's okay to question kids that are too tall or mature looking, would we all point out how short or small a player is. Hopefully he really was just a tall, developed kid. Either way the kid shouldn't be put on blast, the parents/coaches should.
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I am guessing you have not been around the competitive soccer world very long. That said, 99% of this issue is on the boys side, so it is a nonissue for you. It has to be questioned because unfortunately, it happens a lot more on the boys side than it should. Any coach, parent, or kid that has been on any boys team has run into this issue. Just the last 10 years of coaching for me, I would say there have been a dozen instances of this. As the parent of a girl, this issue has absolutely no bearing.
 
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