General

All persons responsible for a team and all the spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so will undermine the referee's authority and has the potential of creating a hostile environment for players, the referee and all the other participants and spectators.

Addressing the Referee

No one is to address the referee during the game except as allowed below.

1.            Coaches and Managers

A.            During the Game:

i.              May respond to a referee initiating a communication
ii.             May ask for substitutions
iii.            May point out emergencies or safety issues

B.            At halftime or at the end of the game:

i.              May ask a referee to explain a rule(s) in a polite and constructive way
ii.             May give polite and friendly feedback to the referee iii. Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment or intimidation is allowed in any conversation with the referee.

C.            Penalties:

The following penalties may be issued on the field at the sole discretion of the referee:

i.              A verbal warning: The referee shall stop the game and remind the coach of the zero tolerance policy.
ii.             Ejection: The referee shall instruct the coach to leave the field. The referee shall abandon the game if the coach refuses to leave the field. If the referee abandons the game, the referee shall file a report and the governing body may impose a forfeit on the offending coach’s team.

2.            Spectators

A.            During the game:

i.              May respond to a referee initiating a communication
ii.             May point out emergencies or safety issues

B.            Penalties-

The following penalties may be issued on the field at the sole discretion of the referee:

i.              A verbal warning: The referee shall stop the game and instruct the coach to quiet the offending spectator.
ii.             Ejection: The referee shall instruct the coach to direct the spectator to leave the field. The referee shall abandon the game if the coach refuses to follow the instruction of the referee or if the spectator refuses to leave the field.

If the referee abandons the game, the referee shall file a report and the governing body may impose a forfeit on the offending spectator's team