Zero Tolerance Policy

Green Hills Soccer Club Zero Tolerance Policy

Green Hills Soccer Club has adopted the following Zero Tolerance Policy for ALL GHSC age groups and teams.

Coaches, players, parents and all members of the GHSC are expected to uphold this policy and respect the referee regardless of their age or experience.

Zero tolerance violations will be taken very seriously by GHSC and will result in warnings, suspensions, or removal from GHSC fields.

Coaches please read the following policy and review with all players and parents at the start of each season.

For U6, U8 and U11 games GHSC will assign an adult referee to assist and mentor our new referees. On U14 there will be a Mentor assigned as needed to support the newer referees.  Many of these new referees are young and just starting their careers as soccer referees. Please be respectful and support these young referees, and report any Zero tolerance violations to the Referee Assignor.

GHSC ZERO TOLERANCE RULE

Every coach and all spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so undermines the referee’s authority and has the potential to create a hostile environment for players, the referee, and all the other participants and spectators. Consequently, GHSC has adopted the following rule:

No coach or spectator is to address the referee during the game!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

Coaches – Allowable Exceptions:

During the game:

  • Responding to a referee initiating a communication
  • Making substitutions
  • Pointing out emergencies or safety issues

At half time or at the end of the game:

  • A coach can ask a referee to explain a rule(s) in a polite and constructive way.
  • A coach may give polite and friendly feedback to a referee.
  • Absolutely no sarcasm, no harassment, and no intimidation.

Penalties:

  • 1st Minor Infraction – Referee should ignore
  • 1st Serious Infraction – Caution or ejection depending on seriousness of infraction
  • 2nd Minor Infraction – A verbal warning
  • 2nd Serious Infraction – Ejection

Spectators Allowable Exceptions During the game:

  • Responding to a referee initiating a communication
  • Pointing out emergencies or safety issues

Penalties:

  • 1st Infraction – Referee should stop the game and ask the coach to quiet the offending spectator.
  • 2nd Infraction – A verbal warning. Referee should stop the game and ask the coach to warn the spectator that the next infraction will be an ejection or the referee will abandon the game.
  • 3rd Infraction – The referee shall instruct the coach to direct the spectator to leave the field.  The referee should abandon the game if the spectator does not leave the field. If the referee abandons the game, the referee shall file a report with the Referee Assignor, and GHSC may impose a forfeit on the spectator’s team.

Communications among players and referees are governed by the FIFA Laws of the Game