What steps should you take if there is a serious injury?

 

 

Our thanks to Colt Simpson (Referee) for his time and effort in writing this article for YELonline.com

 

If a serious injury occurs during your game, then make sure you stop play straight away and signal for the manager/coach to enter the field of play to treat the injured player.

 

You should stop your watch so you know how long you had played up until the injury occurred. Make sure you give the player enough space and talk to the manager about the severity of the injury at the appropriate time.

 

If the injury is serious then the team might need to call for an ambulance. If this is the case, then you should speak to both managers about how they feel about abandoning or continuing the game, also take into account the light in the winter months.

 

If the injury doesn’t require an ambulance you should still consult with the managers about how the players are feeling because as the referee you are responsible for the safety of the players and if some players don’t want to continue then you should take this into account.

 

Remember: this is Youth Football; players safety and welfare are your first concern as referee. If in doubt call the game off.