A&H

Coin toss

afronaut81

afronaut81

Well-Known Member
Level 7 Referee
This is almost trivial really but something I observed when I ran the line today for a ref.
(Usually in my coin toss I ask the Away captain to call heads/tails before I toss it)

My middle today said "Heads for Home and Tails for Away"

I quite liked that as it took away any suggestion of bias from asking one specific captain (not that the coin toss could be predicted anyway)
 
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I give it to the home team and get them to do the toss, so away calls.

Always figured, the home side is welcoming them, so they can do the proceedings and it gets both involved.
 
I do home heads, away tails.
Don't know why I started doing it. Have done away calls. And have done one tosses and one calls.
Like the home heads and away tails though and no one has argued it yet.
 
I always end my pre match captain's chat with 'Away team to call, is that ok?' I've not had one home captain say no yet.
I then toss the coin.
 
I do home team heads away team tails.

I've never done it any other way, never had any complaints or problems because of it.
 
I just started playing in a very low key adult league (coed players limited to AYSO volunteers (refs, coaches, board members), no slide tackling or diving near opponents, no tackling of women unless they are in the attacking third . . . ). Our "coin flip" in the first game was the ref (a former FIFA AR) looking at the two teams, pointing at my team, and saying "let's have you kick off, OK?" . . . guess I can't copy that for my games . . .

(Side note that will seem strange to many across the pond--despite the low key league, we still have licensed NARs . . .)
 
Grayson said:
I do "guess which hand the coin is in"

They never get it right :D
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In about my 8th game I forgot to take a coin out of the car before the game. Ended up doing which hand is the blade of grass in.
Not a problem for the captain's (it was grassroots after all)

I now take 2 coins every game
 
socal lurker said:
I just started playing in a very low key adult league (coed players limited to AYSO volunteers (refs, coaches, board members), no slide tackling or diving near opponents, no tackling of women unless they are in the attacking third . . . ). Our "coin flip" in the first game was the ref (a former FIFA AR) looking at the two teams, pointing at my team, and saying "let's have you kick off, OK?" . . . guess I can't copy that for my games . . .

(Side note that will seem strange to many across the pond--despite the low key league, we still have licensed NARs . . .)
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I got lost deep into the brackets there and couldn't find my was out for a little while 😜
 
Hadn't even contemplated anything other than, home team calls. It's how it always was during my playing days and guess I just carried it over. I don't think I'd ever do heads home tails away, as it's always good fun when the captain gets slated for losing the toss "again", when most of the time it is totally meaningless (unless there is terrible sun or a huge slope).
 
Since in the US our high school rules (which are based on, but still different than, FIFA Laws of the Game) mandate that the visiting captain call the coin toss, for all of my games I flip the coin and have the visiting captain call it before I toss it. The reason I ask for the call before the toss is because about 20 years ago, a National Football League referee misheard the captain's call and awarded the toss to the other team in overtime of a Thanksgiving Day game. The entire nation saw the referee mess up. The beneficiary of the mistake scored on the overtime's opening possession.

I have a variety of coins, but I generally use a colored coin with red on one side and black on the other. I do this because I have the chance of a light-hearted moment if the visiting captain calls "heads" or "tails". I respond with something like, "I can't give you heads or tails since the coin's only red or black."

I never let the coin drop to the ground. I let the coin fall into my hand with my other hand coming over the top of the coin. I do this for three reasons. First, the coin won't end up on its side while in the grass. Second, I never liked it as a captain when I lost the toss after the referee put the coin on the back of his hand, because had he just kept the coin in his hand I would have won the toss (stupid, I know). Third, I don't have to bend over to pick the coin up. I just think it looks more professional to stay upright and have the coin in my hand. Not saying my way is THE way - it has worked many years for me.
 
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I give coin to home skipper, tell away to call, then hold hand out for home skipper to give it back. If he drops it, he picks it up 😂
 
During my training I was told to never let the coin fall to the floor - or if you did to get one of the captain's to pick it up. The reason given that it makes it appear that you are bowing to them when you bend down
 
afronaut81 said:
During my training I was told to never let the coin fall to the floor - or if you did to get one of the captain's to pick it up. The reason given that it makes it appear that you are bowing to them when you bend down
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I remember being told something similar on my course, but i think the reasoning given was more along the lines that it could undermine your authority to be seen running around trying to find the coin etc.

Having thought about it more, I think the reason given for telling the teams home team heads away team tails was because you are asserting some authority from the start by telling the captain what is going on.
 
Always a great place to come this for toss advice! We have some proper experts on here with loads of experience, assessments and promotions under their belts too! You want to know about mouth blowing technique too, straight in there, free advice for the newbies! Keep up the great work!
 
Sheffields Finest said:
Always a great place to come this for toss advice! We have some proper experts on here with loads of experience, assessments and promotions under their belts too! You want to know about mouth blowing technique too, straight in there, free advice for the newbies! Keep up the great work!
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It's all about confidence and control. You don't want to toss too softly, but neither do you want to toss too aggressively. You need to get the toss just right, so that all participants feel valued and included.

As for blowing, it's all about the tongue action.
 
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