So knowing what you are doing out there is what you define as Sportsmanship? If that's the case. most of these youger teams should get no points as they are still just learning the game!

The referees have poor sportmanship?? The referee is there to call the game not to be a sporting fellow. If you have a problem with how the game is being called then step up and become a referee. To accuse the referee of poor sportmanship is just silly. Just because you don't like the calls doesn't meen he's displaying poor sportmanship. He is not a competitor. But it look real easy from the touchline. It's not. Referees make mistakes just like Coaches and players. Referees put up with an unbelievable amount of nonsense and inappropriate behavior. Referee assaults have increased dramatically this season. No referee deserves to be touched for calling a less than perfect youth game. This thread is about Sportmanship, not referees. Poor officiating is never an excuse for behaving inappropriately.

If the coach who is red carded is the only coach on the sidelines, then the team must take a forfeit. Another parent CANNOT assume duties as coach unless they are a card carrying coach and/or trainer.

Yes some referees are good some are not so good. Has the crop been worse this year, maybe. The referees deserve respect, you may not like the calls but respect the position. I have seen referees yelled at and cursed at by players, coaches and parents. If they want to be respected, give red cards out, show you are in charge. I have never seen a ref touched, but that should be an automatic red card. Show you are in charge.

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Well, most of the refs I have gotten have been ladies or gentlemen, offering a smile and a handshake before the game and speaking to the players and their AR’s with respect, even some humor. There will always be a few that do not, but that is what the evals are for – to point them out.

But a ref needs to only communicate with a hand signal or the whistle and nothing more. If you expect a description or discussion every time you don’t know what happened, you need to realize you are not entitled to one. All the ref has to do is point direction and that will tell you what kind of kick it is or who has the throw. When a coach starts to yell at a ref for an explanation of a call, that’s when you may get that attitude because you don’t know you are not supposed to get one.

Who said this had anything to do with not liking how the game is called. Making mistakes is expected and has nothing to do with sportsmanship. I'm talking about the refs that communicate poorly, have an attitude if spoken to and bully young players and/or their own AR's, which I have seen.

At younger age groups I think it should be more than a whistle and pointing a hand, especially when there is apparent confusion.

Don’t agree. If a ref points towards your goal after a whistle with their hand level to the ground, that’s a direct kick for the other team and you are on defense. If the hand points towards your goal first and then the ref raises it up over their head, then that’s a indirect kick for the other team. It really doesn’t matter if the foul was a trip or a kick, a push or a hold, its still a direct kick. There is no need for any explanation. Refs point to the corner for a corner kick, the goal for a goal kick, and point direction for a throw in. That’s why they use the signals.

But I do know refs will talk to the players real fast, while we at the sidelines don’t even see it, telling them what they did. “You tripped him” or “that was a push” is all the players need. If the game stopped every time for an explanation of what the call was soccer games would become as long as baseball games!