Water breaks

Water Breaks should be 30 seconds to a minute at most.  Teams should stay on field grab a drink and get back to playing soccer.  What we all pay thousands of dollars to see.

But what I saw this weekend is that the referees used this "water break" to shorten the game causing them to work less.

The referees let the team's leave the field completely for 5 minutes.
The assistant refs huddled IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD for jokes and laughter.

The referees did not add time back so 30 min games (that should have been 35 minutes) were actually 25 minute games.

I saw Marvelous 8pm game in the nice weather treated with the same water break.

Whoever is in charge of the referees needs to be fired.  This is a joke. REFEREE REFORM 2015

I have a feeling they have the breaks in their to, as dome say CYA from lawsuits. Total agreement on quick 30 seconds or have water stations/bottles around the field. If a drink is needed grab it and go. Just like the big boys do.

5 min water breaks and players off field, ok, a little overkill on this issue. the tournament directors and officials set the rules for those in tournaments, so maybe they were just doing what was dictated to them by the league.....................and i'm guessing it was. can't believe there's still complaining about this but give the refs a break unless you are certain they're the ones making the call.

Actually, I am glad they had the unnecessary water breaks. The tournament put a requirement in for the water breaks. A game at 2:30 may actually benefit whereas an 8:00 game really doesn't. Sounds ridiculous at face value but I like the fact that all teams are playing by the same rules. Each team has an extra 2 chances to regroup. While I believe the safety issues can and should be addressed by the liberal substitution rules in place, my prime concern is that everyone plays by the same rules. I don't want one game to have advantages that others aren't offered. A level playing field should be the goal.

Looking at his avatar, I'd say ItsMeAgain prefers 30 minute water breaks interrupted by 5 minutes of soccer.

CUZete90 wrote:Looking at his avatar, I'd say ItsMeAgain prefers 30 minute water breaks interrupted by 5 minutes of soccer.

its meant more as a shot against the cry babies on this forum but when you get to my age and have the issues i do they definitely come in handy.

ItsMeAgain wrote:5 min water breaks and players off field, ok, a little overkill on this issue.  the tournament directors and officials set the rules for those in tournaments, so maybe they were just doing what was dictated to them by the league.....................and i'm guessing it was.  can't believe there's still complaining about this but give the refs a break unless you are certain they're the ones making the call.

It's getting beaten to death. But it seems like it could be fixed with just stopping the clock. It's not like they are scheduling these games weeks in advance.

Agree to have water breaks but think it should be done within a span of a minute and without the teams leaving the field.

I would be upset too if the teams left the field and the refs gathered in the middle of a field for a 5 minute break after just 15 minutes of play.

And i would be even more upset if the time wasn't added back!

knowssoccerstuff wrote:

ItsMeAgain wrote:5 min water breaks and players off field, ok, a little overkill on this issue.  the tournament directors and officials set the rules for those in tournaments, so maybe they were just doing what was dictated to them by the league.....................and i'm guessing it was.  can't believe there's still complaining about this but give the refs a break unless you are certain they're the ones making the call.

It's getting beaten to death.  But it seems like it could be fixed with just stopping the clock.   It's not like they are scheduling these games weeks in advance.  

i could personally care less. i'm just telling the op to lay of the refs pow wows during them since they not the decision makers.

I bet that conversation sounded like Boomhauer and Josh Hamilton conversing. "This dang 'ol Texas heat, man!"

GoogleSoccer wrote:Water Breaks should be 30 seconds to a minute at most.  Teams should stay on field grab a drink and get back to playing soccer.  What we all pay thousands of dollars to see.

But what I saw this weekend is that the referees used this "water break" to shorten the game causing them to work less.

The referees let the team's leave the field completely for 5 minutes.
The assistant refs huddled IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD for jokes and laughter.

The referees did not add time back so 30 min games (that should have been 35 minutes) were actually 25 minute games.

I saw Marvelous 8pm game in the nice weather treated with the same water break.

Whoever is in charge of the referees needs to be fired.  This is a joke.  REFEREE REFORM 2015

OH the wonderful water break discussion. I like this one a lot more then the player or no player discussion.

I agree the rules need to be the same for all. So have no real problem with the break in theory. Need to protect the kids. I do have a problem if the game was already shortened by 10 minutes a half to add in another 5 minute break just seems crazy. It got so bad at the 8 PM game that I told my kids to stay on the field during the break. Since every time we got off the field we screwed up when we got back so had to try to figure the best way for us to play with the crazy water breaks ( it finally worked in the 3rd game but way too late) I gave them a ball to kick around since nobody really looked tired or hot playing in 75 degrees under the flood lights. Then was told by the refs that you can't kick the ball during the break. It's much better to have the kids stand around get tight muscles and then be asked to go at 100% after sitting around. MMM pure genius I thought. But I am not from this state and believe that you can get used to the weather if you prepare for it. Though fox news disagrees with me. I also think we should be monitoring players to be sure they can handle the heat and sub as needed (the unlimited sub rule allows that) oh the crazy north Texas softening of the folks. I used to think Texans were tough. Were from Texas they used to tell me. But the CYA principal is really the reason for the water breaks. If I were the league I would probably do the same. (Probably not but they would never make me league director I have too many crazy ideas)

Here is a novel idea. Roster sizes can be what 22. Sign folks you intend to play. Play the kids as other kids get tired. If a water break is given keep them on the field make it 30 seconds maybe 1 minute at most. Have them moving and get them back out there to play. I think it's safer in that situation then having them come to a complete stop slow their heart rate then be asked to go back out there again.

Oh well it's only going to be hot till October so going to have to start with water break training for the next tourney. I just wish the rules were all the same so I could figure out how to work it into the training regiment.

Marvelousmar wrote:OH the wonderful water break discussion.  I like this one a lot more then the player or no player discussion.

I agree the rules need to be the same for all.  So have no real problem with the break in theory.  Need to protect the kids.  I do have a problem if the game was already shortened by 10 minutes a half to add in another 5 minute break just seems crazy.  It got so bad at the 8 PM game that I told my kids to stay on the field during the break.  Since every time we got off the field we screwed up when we got back so had to try to figure the best way for us to play with the crazy water breaks ( it finally worked in the 3rd game but way too late)  I gave them a ball to kick around since nobody really looked tired or hot playing in 75 degrees under the flood lights.  Then was told by the refs that you can't kick the ball during the break.  It's much better to have the kids stand around get tight muscles and then be asked to go at 100% after sitting around.  MMM pure genius I thought.  But I am not from this state and believe that you can get used to the weather if you prepare for it. Though fox news disagrees with me.  I also think we should be monitoring players to be sure they can handle the heat and sub as needed (the unlimited sub rule allows that) oh the crazy north Texas softening of the folks.  I used to think Texans were tough.  Were from Texas they used to tell me.  But the CYA principal is really the reason for the water breaks.  If I were the league I would probably do the same. (Probably not but they would never make me league director I have too many crazy ideas)  

Here is a novel idea.  Roster sizes can be what 22.  Sign folks you intend to play.  Play the kids as other kids get tired.  If a water break is given keep them on the field make it 30 seconds maybe 1 minute at most.  Have them moving and get them back out there to play.  I think it's safer in that situation then having them come to a complete stop slow their heart rate then be asked to go back out there again.  

Oh well it's only going to be hot till October so going to have to start with water break training for the next tourney.  I just wish the rules were all the same so I could figure out how to work it into the training regiment.  

IDK. "Back in the day", we'd be outside all day long in 100+ heat playing soccer, then riding bikes, then whatever. Find a garden hose once in a while and drink out of it.

But maybe the water breaks are due partly to being educated more about the danger
But due mostly to the litigious society we're all a part of.

This just in: LH mandated the water breaks so #Mansfield13 could compete. All other teams had enough subs to keep things going!

Now you know the "rest of the story"....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

#Mansfield13

Referees that implemented water breaks were only doing what they had been mandated they do by tournament officials.  Not sure what the girls implemented but I worked the boys qualifiers and we were required to have a 5 minute water break. We didnt have a choice but to implement or risk losing all our games for the rest of the tournament and other action. Before you blame it on referees "shortening" the game maybe see what the qualifiers were requiring the referees implement.  That being said almost all referees thought it was a little silly to be having 5 minute water breaks with a running clock, the teams thought the same.  I think 1-2 minutes is plenty of time longer is not really necessary.  Like with any job/work sometimes you have to do what your upper management (the assignors, Athletic trainers etc, leagues) tell you to do. I know when I played we didnt have water breaks, or if we did they were brief stay on the field type of thing. Also as for even having water breaks on the later or earlier games they had to keep the games consistent, it makes it so everyone has water breaks so no one can say oh we didn't have water breaks or we did have water breaks and it affected the game results

Well said. It wasn't the refs most refs I spoke with thought it silly the league thought it silly. The lawyers well thats the problem. I still remember common sense and think thete are other ways to do this rather then a five minute break and then saying stand around. Now the Mansfield 13 situation. They played well I was pulling for them I personally thought they had the scariest attack out of all the sides in the tourney. Going in I punched one ticket the PC champs and the side that was playing the most consistent soccer. Winning plenty of tourneys in.the process. The rest was wide open with the favorites showing well. Mansfield lost their cool and if you lose your cool on a hot day bad things happen. Keep on working. Congrats to three. Sometimes you need some luck thats how soccer go. Anway there is always another match. Ayses this weekend should be fun. Stay hydrated another novel idea.

Just so this thread can continue on life support, a tidbit from the TD for the Texas Summer Classic (AYSES) being played this weekend:

2 water breaks per half with no clock stoppage. Also, vendors, food, and music. It should be noted that each half is 35 minutes, so there's an extra 5 minutes for that 2nd water break.

Let the debate.

Just to chime in and provide my 2 cents; the reason for the water breaks late in the evening is to make all matches evenly played. It may seem silly to take a water break but in reality they are making all the games evenly timed.....or at least that is the intent as far as I have been told in the past.

If there is a water break, the game is fair.
If there is not a water break, the game is fair.

In each case, each team has an equal chance to win.

Water breaks don't determine a tournament winner.

I disagree 100%.

DallasMessi wrote:If there is a water break, the game is fair.
If there is not a water break, the game is fair.

In each case, each team has an equal chance to win.

Water breaks don't determine a tournament winner.

I disagree 100%.

Not that your comments were directed toward me, but 2 water breaks per half borders on idiocracy. Especially, if they're 5 minutes each. Neither team derives an advantage, but I'm betting this is the result of an outcry for TD action in advance of 106 degree temps on Saturday/Sunday. Pendulum almost always swings too far in cases such as this one.

Since we are playing in the Ayses tourney this weekend I will start with the Water Break training just to be sure and figure out how best to run the session.

We have an 1.5 hour session today in the shade and it starts at about 7:30 So my thought is. We will warm up for about 10 minutes have a 5 minute water break and do that throughout the night making our 1.5 hour session Maybe 50 minutes of work. ( Haven't done the math) I think if we get used to all the stop and goes we might stand a chance this weekend. Parents may think I have gone mad though but its all about preparation.

Marvelousmar wrote:Since we are playing in the Ayses tourney this weekend I will start with the Water Break training just to be sure and figure out how best to run the session.

We have an 1.5 hour session today in the shade and it starts at about 7:30  So my thought is.  We will warm up for about 10 minutes have a 5 minute water break and do that throughout the night making our 1.5 hour session Maybe 50 minutes of work.  ( Haven't done the math)  I think if we get used to all the stop and goes we might stand a chance this weekend.  Parents may think I have gone mad though but its all about preparation.  

I'll see you at the water cooler (right next to the DJ playing music) on Saturday.

Here's a strategy! If your up a goal or two stretch the second water break out as much as possible if you don't have allot of subs.

http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/assets/1/15/Heat_Hydration_GuidelinesUSSF.pdf

I love the strategy and we have 7-8 subs this weekend. And if were up going into the second water break at the 30 minute mark. Can we request the ref just call the game at 30. Instead of drinking water for 5 minutes?

Marvelousmar wrote:I love the strategy and we have 7-8 subs this weekend.  And if were up going into the second water break at the 30 minute mark.  Can we request the ref just call the game at 30.  Instead of drinking water for 5 minutes?

Must be why they call you Marvelous, now that thinking.