The Ref Stop

Pump and Guage

Ref_AC

New Member
I'm starting reffing soon, mostly youth. Is there any point in getting a pump & guage to check the pressure for this, and if so, would you recommend actually measuring the pressure before games? Or is a bounce test adequate?
 
The Ref Stop
A gauge can be useful, but it isn't really your responsibility to pump the ball up, and I know of at least one referee that fell out with a club when his pump needle broke inside the ball (yes, that was me 😂). Generally a thumb press and bounce will be enough, if the players aren't happy with the ball you can be sure they will tell you.
 
A gauge can be useful, but it isn't really your responsibility to pump the ball up, and I know of at least one referee that fell out with a club when his pump needle broke inside the ball (yes, that was me 😂). Generally a thumb press and bounce will be enough, if the players aren't happy with the ball you can be sure they will tell you.
Around here in youth games, the home team often provides 2 balls and the visitors 1 ball. I always have captains cross check the game balls at the coin flip, as well as me checking them.
 
Around here in youth games, the home team often provides 2 balls and the visitors 1 ball. I always have captains cross check the game balls at the coin flip, as well as me checking them.
Has it been known for the away team to try to sneak their ball in when the ball has went out of play? Might not mean much, but some coaches like to play with their own balls. (Please don't)
 
Has it been known for the away team to try to sneak their ball in when the ball has went out of play? Might not mean much, but some coaches like to play with their own balls. (Please don't)
Where I am everyone does everything they can to avoid playing with their own balls as they tend to lose about 10 a match!
 
Where I am everyone does everything they can to avoid playing with their own balls as they tend to lose about 10 a match!
Without going too far O/T I now try and grab the ball at the end of the game if the away team is in possession and it is the final whistle... it has been known for them to kick the ball out of the pitch area and rile the home coaches!
 
I'm starting reffing soon, mostly youth. Is there any point in getting a pump & guage to check the pressure for this, and if so, would you recommend actually measuring the pressure before games? Or is a bounce test adequate?
I'd let both teams send their captains and balls to decide the coin toss and first, let both captains exchange balls to check which one is better. I would check both myself. If one ball is flat, I would select the other ball. If both are fit, I would let the team captains agree on one ball, and if both disagree with each other, I'd select one myself. Then coin toss. :)
 
I'd let both teams send their captains and balls to decide the coin toss and first, let both captains exchange balls to check which one is better. I would check both myself. If one ball is flat, I would select the other ball. If both are fit, I would let the team captains agree on one ball, and if both disagree with each other, I'd select one myself. Then coin toss. :)
Competition rules will dictate which team supplies the match ball.
 
Just learning
A word of gentle advice - you have posted about a miniature penalty area in your local youth football, you have generalised about football in USA, you have imposed your thoughts on just about every post in the last couple of months, and you have explained what the laws state (although 99% of readers have qualified as referees)
You are happy to give your opinion about decisions made by international referees in Britain and Europe, although you are "just learning"
Suggestion for you: before deciding on a post, consider (a) Is my post necessary?; (b) Does it take into consideration the audience's knowledge level? ;(c) Am I adding value to the debate by posting?
Thank you.
 
@Tingting

I think the point socal lurker is making is that America is a very big geographical area so generalising that the whole of the US has X problem may not be reflective of the situation in say, Southern California. Even generalising by state may lead to an unfair view of in American Soccer.
We have similar issues in England where experience vary by county FA and even vary by leagues operating within a particular county boundary.
Useful to lead with, "where I am from" 🙂

N.B. back on topic now pls folks.

Some referees, myself included until it broke, carry a guage..it can be useful if you've checked the balls and someone complains but at the same time often it's very obvious if the does not have any air.
If the balls are not up to standard then pass them back to the home club asking for them to be sorted/replaced with another match ball, or you can pump it yourself if you want to, albeit not your responsibility.
 
Where I am everyone does everything they can to avoid playing with their own balls
Where I am it is considered rude to do this in public 🤣

On a more serious note, I carry a small pump. It has earned some brownie points with clubs and teams, lending it to them to pump the match ball. It has also helped me avoid unneccary delays.
 
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