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[Baldy]

"Boys Soccer Ejection Modificaitons:

Affective Spring of 2011:

An athlete that receives a red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language recieves a three game suspension.

Teams which accumulate two red  cards for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language receive probation status, with a letter sent to the athletic director and principal.  An additional incidence of red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language eliminates the team from post season."

What do you think?
     Not enough
     Just right
     over the top

[EWSoccer64]

The real net effect of these rules will be that referees will be ever more reluctant to pull cards.
And the game will deteriorate, rather than be cleaned up.

another aspect of the "law of unintended consequences"........

[hulabaloo]

Speaking of not pulling cards.  Had a questionable scenario in our game on Monday.  Kid scissor kicks/karate kicks a kid in the face.  Yes the ball was somewherr near by, but dangerous play.  Whistle blew.  Ref yells at my son who questions that a card should be given (DS words).   Slightly checks on the player who was not down long but definitely got hit in the face.  Finally walks length of the field and talks with kid who did the kick.  It was first major foul by the kid.  DS mentioned he puched someone in the game at another time.

Interesting tidbit about this.  Yeah I know refs make mistakes, it is all not black and white , etc, etc.  Not really on the ref just the scenario.  Before the game heard center explaining to ARs this is HS. You have club playes, rec players and kids who don't play soccer outside of HS.  After that followed so we like to let things play on.  So I agree with the play on stuff.  Nothing like a game full of fouls and stoppage.  In the back of my mind I'm going well did he not give the kid a card because he thought he was in the never played or rec category.  I wanted to yell out he is a premier player and knows better.  Card him. LOL  If you knew the kid you would just know.  Good kid just doensn't think it through quickly enough.  So It may be that less cards are given in HS because they just think the kids don't know better.

Finally for benefit of the ref the game never got out of hand.  Good physical play and good match up.

Now watch I just jinxed by DS, who has a tough team ahead tonight.  He'll get red carded.  LOL

[basketballdad]

Going to disagree with my friend EW about the consequences of the new ejection. Having dealt with changes in rules from the WIAA as a football and basketball coach and also as a basketball and now soccer official I understand the intent. When you look at ejections from the WIAA website soccer is either the highest by far or close every year. I would guess (and I don't know this for sure) that there has been an increase in one or more of the following: cards, ejections, and injury. The WIAA, much more so than  club sports, (not picking on soccer specifically), has a much higher sensitivity and responsibility regarding the issue of player safety.

In the high school varsity games I have worked as an AR the centers did an outstanding job of letting them play but controlling the game. As officials in WIAA sanctioned games we will err on the side of safety generally speaking. Like anything else once an example is set by one team not getting to go to post season others will clean it up if they were playing too physical. I don't think the penalties are too harsh at all.

[EWSoccer64]

I was a HS official for several years as well.   Referees know the consequences of the cards they hand out.
What is the consequence for fouling out of a Basketball game?   You play in the next game.
What is the consequence of picking up two yellow cards?  You are suspended for the next game, you get a visit to the AD and/or principal, you may be suspended from school for a day. 
You foul out twice in a BB game and play in the next game.
You pick up two red cards and you are done for the year.

A red card, even a soft red card is dealt with by WIAA and considered in the same light as being ejected from a baseball game or from a football game.
Cards are used in soccer as a referee control mechanism much more than ejections are in baseball or football.

BBDad, compare the number of players that foul out in Basketball to the number of double yellows.  I think that would be a more accurate measure.

[hulabaloo]

"Boys Soccer Ejection Modificaitons:

Affective Spring of 2011:

An athlete that receives a red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language recieves a three game suspension.

Teams which accumulate two red  cards for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language receive probation status, with a letter sent to the athletic director and principal.  An additional incidence of red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language eliminates the team from post season."

What do you think?
     Not enough
     Just right
     over the top

As a parent of a player I think it is a little over the top.  Sometimes things just happen in the heat of the moment.  My DS is really not the kind to get a card.   He has recieved some yellows in club and maybe a JV game BUT in the heat of the moment yeah he could go in for a hard tackle that could be considered Violent Conduct.  He would be devistated with a 3 game suspension.  I'm okay with one game suspension and then ratchet it up if additional yellows or red.  I guess if you look at it on the other side though if he broke some poor kids leg which could easily happen in a hard tackle then 3 game suspension seems like nothing.  As for the Post game suspension also seems hard.

I guess I wonder when does the ref determine it to be violent.  At the end of the game or when the card is written up.  I would also so say at least for my DS team I bet you none of the kids know about this rule.  I would even question the coach.  Which I'll do tonight.  Good rapor going with him as I volunteered to be picture taker.

[Old Dog]

"Boys Soccer Ejection Modificaitons:

Affective Spring of 2011:

An athlete that receives a red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language recieves a three game suspension.

Teams which accumulate two red  cards for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language receive probation status, with a letter sent to the athletic director and principal.  An additional incidence of red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language eliminates the team from post season."

What do you think?
     Not enough
     Just right
     over the top

As a parent of a player I think it is a little over the top.  Sometimes things just happen in the heat of the moment.  My DS is really not the kind to get a card.   He has recieved some yellows in club and maybe a JV game BUT in the heat of the moment yeah he could go in for a hard tackle that could be considered Violent Conduct.  He would be devistated with a 3 game suspension.  I'm okay with one game suspension and then ratchet it up if additional yellows or red.  I guess if you look at it on the other side though if he broke some poor kids leg which could easily happen in a hard tackle then 3 game suspension seems like nothing.  As for the Post game suspension also seems hard.

I guess I wonder when does the ref determine it to be violent.  At the end of the game or when the card is written up.  I would also so say at least for my DS team I bet you none of the kids know about this rule.  I would even question the coach.  Which I'll do tonight.  Good rapor going with him as I volunteered to be picture taker.

This is so stupid. Football, 15 yard penalty, basketball a "T". God forbid you put other sports under the same BS

[basketballdad]

EW I have to disagree with your analysis. A yellow card in soccer is more like a intentional or flagrant foul in basketball. It is not like just a personal foul. You did something a little extreme but it doesn't warrant an ejection. A red card is more like getting two technicals in basketball. YOu have to sit out, get a visitation from the AD, and a WIAA report goes in. Depending on what caused the technicals you can get more than one game. Also officials have some discretion. I have been officiating in games where a player does something stupid and drops a profanity directed at his play under his breath. That is much different from dropping a profanity at an official, coach, or opposing player loud enough for everyone to hear. I have never seen a red card for violent conduct yet in watching and officiating high school soccer so I am thinking you would have to do something pretty stupid to get one.

[Soccer Wonk]

As a parent of a player I think it is a little over the top.  Sometimes things just happen in the heat of the moment.  My DS is really not the kind to get a card.   He has recieved some yellows in club and maybe a JV game BUT in the heat of the moment yeah he could go in for a hard tackle that could be considered Violent Conduct.  He would be devistated with a 3 game suspension.  I'm okay with one game suspension and then ratchet it up if additional yellows or red.  I guess if you look at it on the other side though if he broke some poor kids leg which could easily happen in a hard tackle then 3 game suspension seems like nothing.  As for the Post game suspension also seems hard.

I guess I wonder when does the ref determine it to be violent.  At the end of the game or when the card is written up.  I would also so say at least for my DS team I bet you none of the kids know about this rule.  I would even question the coach.  Which I'll do tonight.  Good rapor going with him as I volunteered to be picture taker.

A "hard tackle" isn't Violent Conduct. It falls under a different category, Serious Foul Play. Generally speaking, Serious Foul Play occurs in the context of making a legitimate soccer play.

Violent Conduct is for slugging someone, the infamous New Mexico Lobo "hair pull", the Zidane head butt ... something that occurs outside of a normal soccer play.

Corrections welcome from the referees.

[Redkard]

The new rule applies Foul and Abussive Language and Violent Conduct.

There are a total of 7 ways to get a red card in a soccer game.  The new rule focus on two of the seven. The two mentioned above are considered the worst of the bunch.  Physical violent conduct will be obvious to all watching. Verbal foul and abussive language directed at someone will be obvious as well. 

Lets not worry about what a referee might do when these types of events occur.  Now that we know what the punishment may be; hopefully the coaches will be aware of the new rule along with those of us who read this forum.  Let us council players how not to behave during a game and this will not be an issue.

Wait until your kids are lucky enough to play in college, where they are really tough of the language thing.  At that level if referees do not deal with the foul language, they are at risk of not working future games.  Bad language has no part in our game.  Neither does violent conduct.

[Hit_the_Heifer]

EW I have to disagree with your analysis. A yellow card in soccer is more like a intentional or flagrant foul in basketball. It is not like just a personal foul. You did something a little extreme but it doesn't warrant an ejection. A red card is more like getting two technicals in basketball. YOu have to sit out, get a visitation from the AD, and a WIAA report goes in. Depending on what caused the technicals you can get more than one game. Also officials have some discretion. I have been officiating in games where a player does something stupid and drops a profanity directed at his play under his breath. That is much different from dropping a profanity at an official, coach, or opposing player loud enough for everyone to hear. I have never seen a red card for violent conduct yet in watching and officiating high school soccer so I am thinking you would have to do something pretty stupid to get one.

EW has the better of the argument.......Consider the following.......

Example 1:

Quarterback drops back, receiver running a post route.  Safety bites on the play action.  Receiver gets behind safety.  Quarterback launches ball.  Sure touchdown.  Safety grabs the receiver to prevent a sure touchdown, i.e., interferes with clear goal scoring opportunity.  What specific sanction is applied to the safety who prevented the touchdown?  Although I do not attend HS football games on a regular basis, my understanding is that this penalty does not result in an ejection.  

In HS soccer, attacking central midfielder hits flighted long ball over the top of opposing teams central defenders.  The forward runs on to the long ball and is headed in one v. one against the keeper.  Central defender grabs the forward to prevent him from the goal scoring opportunity.  Per HS rules, the referee is required to eject the central defender for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Example 2:

In HS basketball, shot is taken.  Ball is inside the cylinder and in the process of going through.  Defending team reaches inside the cylinder and prevents ball from going through the hoop.  What is the sanction for the offending player?  The player is not assessed a foul, nor is the player ejected.  In HS soccer, shot is taken.  It is flying into the goal.  Defender reaches out hand prevents the ball from going into the goal.  Per HS rules, the referee is required to eject the offender.

With respect to the question originally posed, the rule change, on its own, is not the issue.  The issue is how the referees will apply the rule, particularly the abusive language rule.  I refd HS soccer for many years, and I worked with a ref who would eject kids for the slightest use of "foul" language.  On the other hand, I would typically eject a kid only if he shouted something out very loudly (and "damn" and "hell' didn't constitute absuive language in my book) or if he directed "abusive language" toward me ("go F**K yourself, ref" was the one I distinctly remember).   

[Str8red]

The "regular" soccer laws have seven reasons for a sendoff: unsporting behavior, violent conduct, serious foul play, spitting, denial of a goal by handling, denial of a goal-scoring opportunity by fouling, and a second caution.

But HS adds a couple extra wrinkles.

A player who takes his shirt off after a goal, or who does anything else to attract prolonged attention to himself -- running up to the stands, or an elaborate, choreographed post-goal celebration -- can be sent off. This is a caution for unsporting behavior everywhere else.

And a player who taunts an opponent can be sent off. This, likewise, would be a caution for unsporting behavior -- "match disrepute" -- under the FIFA laws.

Experienced referees know already that a single red card can cost a player post-season honors such as being named to the all-league team. But they also know that if a player has to go, he (or she) has to go.

I don't have a problem with the additional sanctions for red cards for violent conduct and language. These are exceptional circumstances and the WIAA is completely right to adopt an almost-zero tolerance policy.

[momlovessoccer]

I do not like this new rule. To me, it is fresh on the referees mind, which makes them more apt to pull the card. I have seen more cards than usual in our first 4 games than I saw in all of my son's P1 season this past season. I feel the referees really need to know the rule and pull the red only if it is a violent hit.  I am all for a red card that is substantiated by a violent hit. But, what I am seeing is that they aren't calling it that way.     

"Boys Soccer Ejection Modificaitons:

Affective Spring of 2011:

An athlete that receives a red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language recieves a three game suspension.

Teams which accumulate two red  cards for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language receive probation status, with a letter sent to the athletic director and principal.  An additional incidence of red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language eliminates the team from post season."

What do you think?
     Not enough
     Just right
     over the top

[Otter]

High School for years has struggled with how to treat Cards (yellow and red) from soccer since they do not exist in other sports such as football and basketball.  Unfortunately this leads to an "overemphasis" on the importance of cards in soccer and that is just something you have to accept if you participate in High School Soccer.  It is a much bigger deal in Boys HS Soccer than in Girls HS Soccer.

These new "points of emphasis" revolve around areas that are entirely within the control of the individual player.   Since the Coaches know about these “points of emphasis”, then they should convey this information to their players in order to be proactive.   

Violent Conduct generally involves misconduct when the ball is not at the location of the misconduct (or has already left) or one player simple punches or violently kicks or steps on someone (and yes this is an oversimplification of Violent Conduct).  If the ball is there and the player is "challenging for the ball", a nasty red card tackle will be Serious Foul Play rather than Violent Conduct.

Regarding "Foul, Insulting and Abusive Language", again this is entirely up to the player.  If the player can't control themselves and they scream or say something that the Referee can hear, then they have by their own actions provided the Referee a valid reason to send them off.  Most referees try to be as flexible as possible regarding Foul, Insulting and Abusive Language and usually give the player the benefit of the doubt.

Another way to look at these two items is to consider that the athletic field is an "extension of the classroom".  Would these types of behavior be accepted in the Classroom?
 

I do not like this new rule. To me, it is fresh on the referees mind, which makes them more apt to pull the card. I have seen more cards than usual in our first 4 games than I saw in all of my son's P1 season this past season. I feel the referees really need to know the rule and pull the red only if it is a violent hit.  I am all for a red card that is substantiated by a violent hit. But, what I am seeing is that they aren't calling it that way.     

"Boys Soccer Ejection Modificaitons:

Affective Spring of 2011:

An athlete that receives a red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language recieves a three game suspension.

Teams which accumulate two red  cards for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language receive probation status, with a letter sent to the athletic director and principal.  An additional incidence of red card for Violent Conduct or Abusive Language eliminates the team from post season."

What do you think?
     Not enough
     Just right
     over the top

[Redkard]

Let me say this.

If you player is lucky to play in college (2yr or 4yr school) next year the rule is much tougher for the player and the referee.  There is a zero tolerance rule there on language and the rules are similar with reference to the number of cards per player per season minus the ban for post season play.  Usually the player who might be banned is important enough to effect whether or not their team moves on to post season play or not.

This past year college referees were told if we did not deal with foul language we would not be able to work future contest.  This is from the schools that we serve.  Yes the president of the fine institutions that we serve.  Thus the focus should not be on the referees; but the schools that your son or daughter may attend.  They are tired of being embarrassed by childish behavior on the field by those who are supposed to be representing them.

As far as the new rule is concerned.  In my two games this year while obtaining rosters (from coaches) and during the coin flip (with players) I've asked; "are you aware of the new emphasis on Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language?  If so have your players/teammates be careful".  Enough said.  They know I know what's going on.  I know they are aware of the new rules.

So far the games have been hard fought and clean.  The attitudes and the Dissent from those on the field has been minimal.  In two games I've given three yellow cards; one for Dissent and two for Unsporting Behavior (reckless tackles).   Both games got interesting near the end becasue of frustration; an area where we need to spend more time on.  We must learn to be humble in victory and to lose gracefully.

Don't worry about the referees, we will know what to do.  Violent conduct and/or Foul and Abusive Language are rare events.  When they do pop up they have a monumental effect on the game.

Instruct you players to just play the game with skill, desire and passion and everything will be alright.....

[Oneblindmouse]

As far as the new rule is concerned.  In my two games this year while obtaining rosters (from coaches) and during the coin flip (with players) I've asked; "are you aware of the new emphasis on Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language?  If so have your players/teammates be careful".  Enough said.  They know I know what's going on.  I know they are aware of the new rules.

Don't worry about the referees, we will know what to do.  Violent conduct and/or Foul and Abusive Language are rare events.  When they do pop up they have a monumental effect on the game.

Instruct your players to just play the game with skill, desire and passion and everything will be alright.....

I agree completely with Redkard, as far as the referees are concerned, there is nothing new here.  The new consequences happen outside of the referee's jurisdiction and should have no impact on how we manage a game.  If the coaches are worried about these new "points of emphasis" then they had better start drumming it into the players, not concerning themselves with what the refs are doing. 

As high school referees we are instructed to remind the team captains that this game is considered an extension of the classroom, and as such they are to behave accordingly.  This type of behavior should not be acceptable in the classroom and therefore it is not acceptable on the pitch.  If the powers that be have decided to levy heavier consequences, then so be it, we are just issuing reds and yellows, not dishing out the added consequences.

[Old Dog]

As far as the new rule is concerned.  In my two games this year while obtaining rosters (from coaches) and during the coin flip (with players) I've asked; "are you aware of the new emphasis on Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language?  If so have your players/teammates be careful".  Enough said.  They know I know what's going on.  I know they are aware of the new rules.

Don't worry about the referees, we will know what to do.  Violent conduct and/or Foul and Abusive Language are rare events.  When they do pop up they have a monumental effect on the game.

Instruct your players to just play the game with skill, desire and passion and everything will be alright.....

As high school referees we are instructed to remind the team captains that this game is considered an extension of the classroom, and as such they are to behave accordingly.  This type of behavior should not be acceptable in the classroom and therefore it is not acceptable on the pitch.  If the powers that be have decided to levy heavier consequences, then so be it, we are just issuing reds and yellows, not dishing out the added consequences.

So HS sports are an extension of the class room. I don't think soccer folks have a problem with that. What they want is equal treatment. Work a HS Football game like its a extension of the class room and see what happens.

[swinginrichard]

The real net effect of these rules will be that referees will be ever more reluctant to pull cards.
And the game will deteriorate, rather than be cleaned up.

another aspect of the "law of unintended consequences"........

Everyone else banter all you want...the end result, EW is correct, bad rule.

[switch]

As far as the new rule is concerned.  In my two games this year while obtaining rosters (from coaches) and during the coin flip (with players) I've asked; "are you aware of the new emphasis on Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language?  If so have your players/teammates be careful".  Enough said.  They know I know what's going on.  I know they are aware of the new rules.

Don't worry about the referees, we will know what to do.  Violent conduct and/or Foul and Abusive Language are rare events.  When they do pop up they have a monumental effect on the game.

Instruct your players to just play the game with skill, desire and passion and everything will be alright.....

Better yet, go to the cafeteria.  Redcard could give many red cards.  How about at the dances where they are grinding each other--more red cards. 

And do two soft yellows qualify here?

As high school referees we are instructed to remind the team captains that this game is considered an extension of the classroom, and as such they are to behave accordingly.  This type of behavior should not be acceptable in the classroom and therefore it is not acceptable on the pitch.  If the powers that be have decided to levy heavier consequences, then so be it, we are just issuing reds and yellows, not dishing out the added consequences.

So HS sports are an extension of the class room. I don't think soccer folks have a problem with that. What they want is equal treatment. Work a HS Football game like its a extension of the class room and see what happens.

[Redkard]

It is not the rule itself.  It is the punishment that goes along with it.

There has been a history of Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language over the past few years.  Enough that there has been a rumor that HS Boys Soccer may be dropped all together.

With this new approach they are giving boys soccer an opportunity to change their ways (ironically like giving the sport a yellow card).  The sport has either change their ways or take the ultimate punishment; no longer exist (like getting a red card).

I applaud the WIAA for at trying to find a solution to rid the sport of the two items that are bringing it into disripute (Violent Conduct and Foul And Abusive Language). 

Are we going to sit and say that they are wrong?

Are we going to educate our players to watch their mouths and not to hit anyone off the ball?

[EWSoccer64]

Redcard,
The same sort of problems exist in other sports, but they are not dealt with as severely.

It is not the rule itself.  It is the punishment that goes along with it.

There has been a history of Violent Conduct and Foul and Abusive Language over the past few years.  Enough that there has been a rumor that HS Boys Soccer may be dropped all together.

With this new approach they are giving boys soccer an opportunity to change their ways (ironically like giving the sport a yellow card).  The sport has either change their ways or take the ultimate punishment; no longer exist (like getting a red card).

I applaud the WIAA for at trying to find a solution to rid the sport of the two items that are bringing it into disripute (Violent Conduct and Foul And Abusive Language). 

Are we going to sit and say that they are wrong?

Are we going to educate our players to watch their mouths and not to hit anyone off the ball?

[Redkard]

I agree that other sports have their problems.

But I have never heard of those other sports being on the verge of being dropped if their behavior doesn't change.

[EWSoccer64]

I agree that other sports have their problems.

But I have never heard of those other sports being on the verge of being dropped if their behavior doesn't change.

That is because they are not penalized for the exact same behavior the way soccer is.

Soccer has been in ttrouble and under the microscope with the WIAA for at least a decade now, that I am familiar with.  I heard about it when I first started coaching HS, back in the mid 90's.    There was oh so much concern and noise being made about how soccer had so many more ejections than other sports. 

Let's face it, you foul out in Basketball and nothing happens.  You get called for persistent misconduct in soccer and it is a yellow, followed by another yellow.  And that is a day suspension from school and more meat for the grist among the WIAA folks who do not have a clue about how soccer is played.

In football, you make a tackle badly and you get a 15 yard infraction for a face mask or a late hit.  In soccer it is a red card and might be called "violent conduct".    And the player in football might (or might not) be yelled at by his coach, the AD never heard about it.   In soccer, the player is suspended from school and sits out up to 3 games.  And more fuel is provided to the clueless WIAA folks' bonfire for soccer.

And on the flip side, some referees become gun shy about awarding cards that are deserved because they all know of the penalties that the players will incur.  And presto, the games get out of hand, more injuries and then serious major offenses happen, further blackening soccer's eye.

In HS football and Baseball there is trash talking all the time between opponents, it is rarely if ever noticed by the officials.  In soccer, it is more noticed.   Should it happen?  No.
But that is not the point.  The point is that soccer has rules that use yellow and red cards as part of the game, as a mechanism of control by officials, to a degree that is orders of magnitude different from other sports, and the WIAA idiots do not have a clue about that aspect, and they apply the same cookie cutter approach to soccer that they do to badmitten and bowling.

Hell, when was the last time you saw a cross country runner ejected for tripping, pulling a jersey, stomping a foot, or deliberately punching an opponent in the back?  Yet if you believe this sort of stuff does not happen - or that there is no "foul and abusive languange" being shared amongst those athletes, then you need to start talking to some of these students on an honest level.

[Treefort]

 Coaches should be more accountable.  All coaches see and hear what is going on, when then say nothing theys say volumes. 

[EWSoccer64]

Coaches should be more accountable.  All coaches see and hear what is going on, when then say nothing theys say volumes. 

You would hope that a coach would see and hear everything that is going on, sadly the truth is far from that......

[Treefort]

That explains alot!

[FanInRed]

I agree that other sports have their problems.

But I have never heard of those other sports being on the verge of being dropped if their behavior doesn't change.

That is because they are not penalized for the exact same behavior the way soccer is.

Soccer has been in ttrouble and under the microscope with the WIAA for at least a decade now, that I am familiar with.  I heard about it when I first started coaching HS, back in the mid 90's.    There was oh so much concern and noise being made about how soccer had so many more ejections than other sports. 

Let's face it, you foul out in Basketball and nothing happens.  You get called for persistent misconduct in soccer and it is a yellow, followed by another yellow.  And that is a day suspension from school and more meat for the grist among the WIAA folks who do not have a clue about how soccer is played.

In football, you make a tackle badly and you get a 15 yard infraction for a face mask or a late hit.  In soccer it is a red card and might be called "violent conduct".    And the player in football might (or might not) be yelled at by his coach, the AD never heard about it.   In soccer, the player is suspended from school and sits out up to 3 games.  And more fuel is provided to the clueless WIAA folks' bonfire for soccer.

And on the flip side, some referees become gun shy about awarding cards that are deserved because they all know of the penalties that the players will incur.  And presto, the games get out of hand, more injuries and then serious major offenses happen, further blackening soccer's eye.

In HS football and Baseball there is trash talking all the time between opponents, it is rarely if ever noticed by the officials.  In soccer, it is more noticed.   Should it happen?  No.
But that is not the point.  The point is that soccer has rules that use yellow and red cards as part of the game, as a mechanism of control by officials, to a degree that is orders of magnitude different from other sports, and the WIAA idiots do not have a clue about that aspect, and they apply the same cookie cutter approach to soccer that they do to badmitten and bowling.

Hell, when was the last time you saw a cross country runner ejected for tripping, pulling a jersey, stomping a foot, or deliberately punching an opponent in the back?  Yet if you believe this sort of stuff does not happen - or that there is no "foul and abusive languange" being shared amongst those athletes, then you need to start talking to some of these students on an honest level.

Agree with EW - the WIAA's new rules seem to be from the amateur handyman who only owns a hammer, so all "problems" are treated like nails.  They don't account for the fact that soccer's card system is designed with a much more sensitive trigger mechanism than the penalty system of other sports.  Upshot is that the smarter HS refs out there are having to be creative - they know the severe off-the-field consequences of handing out a red card for the HS boys now, so they end up coming up with new measures like what I heard about a couple of weeks ago from a HS asst coach:  after a bad shove and a little attempted retaliation, instead of a red card, the ref showed a yellow and then ask the offending player's coach quietly to keep the player off the field for the rest of the game - he also informed the opposing coach about it, so he knew the boy was being shown off for the duration.  The asst coach (of the opposing team) told me later that it was probably the best decision since the boy just made a bad judgment call - the coaches on both sidelines didn't want the kid to face anything more than a send-off.  The kid missed the rest of the game, and got a chance to cool off.  For those who've dealt with adolescent boys, you know they can get heated up quickly during competition but they also cool off quickly and usually understand/regret their actions.  In a FIFA/WYS game it would have been a red card, but under the new HS rules, a red card would have been overkill since the boy would have had to face a lot more unnecessary punishment.

[Futbol Frenzy]

The 2011 WIAA Representative Assembly proposed amendments have been revised, finalized and posted. Voting on the amendments will begin April 1, and conclude April 15.

There is a proposal to change the  APPEAL PROCESS FOR EJECTION FROM CONTEST.  Scroll down to Amendment #7; sorry, copy & past wouldn't work. 

http://www.wiaa.com/NewsDocs/N151/11-Amendments%20with%20changes%20following%20winter%20coalition.pdf

[EWSoccer64]

I really do not see any great benefit in expanding the appeal process for ejections.   On the other hand, it does not seem to do major harm.

[justaparent]

Looks like we have our first school in trouble already:

http://gigharbor.patch.com/articles/two-strikes-gig-harbor-boys-soccer-appealing-second-red-card

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/30/1605851/blindsided.html

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/30/1605839/going-the-distance-one-bad-apple.html

http://gigharbor.patch.com/articles/boys-soccer-gig-harbor-appeal-unlikely-to-succeed

I was at the Gig Harbor Game and did not see what caused the send-off.