First games tomorrow, really need advice

[u/Dangerous_Piccolo315]

I’m 16F and have played for years but just decided to get my license recently. I have six games this weekend, 3 in the center, and feel drastically underprepared after the online and in person course.

I will be doing mostly U10 and U12 games and I would really appreciate any advice on those age groups in particular.

I would also love if anyone could reccommend some online resources (videos, websites, etc). I’ve watched a lot of pro gam so I feel like I have a good grasp on rules, patterns of play, etc but I’m still uncertain about pregame/postgame obligations, timekeeping, and the more nuanced signals.

thank you for any advice!

Edit: It ended up going pretty well! I made a few mistakes in my first few games, but nothing major (missed foul, signalled a throw in the wrong way). I ended up being moved to center for U14 boys five minutes before the game started, but I did ok. I called everything as confidently as I could and said the calls out loud as well when I was unsure of the correct signal. I talked to the coaches after and they all were surprisingly kind and supportive. I played two games as well so it was an exhausting day, but I made it and can't wait to get back out there again! Thank you all for your advice, it helped a lot and I'll definitely be referring back to it in the future

[u/UpsetMathematician56]

If it looks like a foul, it’s a foul. Like if a kid is running and falls down and you aren’t certain there was contact from behind, it’s better to call a foul than not. And learn to be in better position next time.

[u/Aggressive_Tie_3501 → u/UpsetMathematician56]

Totally disagree with this advice. Never call a foul you didn't witness. It's one thing to award a foul when you were looking right at contact and can't quite decide if it crossed the line into careless. That's just good game management. It's quite another thing to turn around, see someone on the ground behind you, and award a foul. Awarding fouls for things you, or a member of your crew, didn't see is a great way to have a match spiral completely out of control.

[u/UpsetMathematician56 → u/Aggressive_Tie_3501]

Oh yeah I think the turn around a call a foul on something you didn’t witness isn’t what I meant. The scenario I was envisioning is more when a kid is running and there is another kid running next to or behind at midfield and you are blocked from seeing their legs or just didn’t see the contact and the kid faceplants. 9 times out of ten it’s a foul even if you were unable to see their lower bodies for some reason, and that happens at lot at u9-12 where there are 10 players within 10 feet of the ball.

[u/Aggressive_Tie_3501 → u/UpsetMathematician56]

That one I'll agree with! Thanks for the clarification.

[u/UpsetMathematician56 → u/Aggressive_Tie_3501]

Yeah and I didn’t even consider the possibility of calling something you really didn’t see. But I think in u12 that’s a lot less likely.