Please respect your pitches during Winter – Best Practise Advice

For advice in respect of pitch inspections, please be advised of the following that would be considered best practice and should be adopted wherever possible.

The following notes are from the FA guidance document for referees. They are aimed at older age groups, in my opinion, so there are other considerations too. Younger age groups must be protected against severe cold and icy conditions; this is part of your commitment to Safeguarding of Children. The pitches themselves are also part of your consideration as a manager/coach and a representative of Guiseley Juniors. This has been discussed, every year, at management/mangers meetings and guidance must be followed.

The pitch itself

• You have a duty to the pitch you play on. One game can wreck the pitch for many weeks if a game is played on it in the wrong conditions. If you feel a match on your pitch will cut it to shreds and cause long term damage – postpone the game

Pre-inspection

• Be proactive re: the weather and its’ potential impact on your up-coming game(s) – keep an eye on the forecast in the days leading up to your game(s)
• Be positive attend a ground earlier than usual if asked to carry out a pitch inspection where there is a doubt about the safety of a playing surface due to the weather
• When carrying out a pitch inspection, seek to wear suitable footwear so that you can make as accurate an assessment of the playing surface as it would be in a game… get your football boots on if you can. In addition, it is also great to get a football that you can take onto the pitch too… to see the effect any potential surface problem will have on a rolling/bouncing ball

The inspection

• Inspect the field of play on your own and without vested interest opinion (if possible)
• Inspect all areas of the field of play paying specific attention to areas of high traffic ie: goal/penalty areas, the central third of the pitch from goal to goal/penalty area to penalty area. Look to see that the playing surface is safe and/or playable ie: not frozen/icy, not waterlogged, not covered in snow.
• If the pitch is frozen/icy, are there ruts from previous games that would be dangerous ie: they could cause twisted ankles etc if stepped into and/or could cause cuts to legs/arms if slid over?
  If this is so… postpone the game
• If the pitch is waterlogged, does the ball run feely and/or bounce true ie: does it gets get stuck in puddles/not bounce back up having hit the ground?
  If this is so… postpone the game
• If the pitch is covered in snow, are the pitch markings visible and/or does the ball run feely and/or bounce true ie: are the lines covered in snow and /or does the ball get stuck in the snow or gather snow onto it as it rolls/not bounce back up having hit the ground?
  If this is so… postpone the game
• Take your time to assess the current weather conditions and be fully aware of the local forecast for the next few hours. If, as an example, the pitch is close to being waterlogged and heavy rain is falling & will continue to do so… will you be able to finish the game if you were to start it?
  If this is so… postpone the game
• If a delay to kick off is possible, consider this if it means the game can take place ie: if kick off is 10.00am but a delay to 10.30am to allow the temperature to rise will allow to pitch to become safe then consider this (be mindful though of games that might follow yours… this might not be an option available to you). This is especially pertinent in respect of fog-bound pitches; a small delay could allow the game to take place safely
• Having said that, frozen or icy pitches will not become playable in a short space of time… they will need a substantial increase in the temperature to unfreeze – if the weather forecast doesn’t support this happening, postpone the game
• If snow can be removed from the pitch and/or lines in time, consider this as an option. That said; still ensure that the remaining snow (if any) doesn’t prevent the ball from rolling true etc (as above) & that the ball can be seen!
• A different coloured ball (yellow/orange) should be used in this circumstance as a white ball will not be visible

Post-inspection

• Take some time to consider all that you have seen and heard (if relevant)
• If you are in doubt about whether to play the game or not – postpone the game. It is better to postpone the game and be wrong, than play the game and be wrong!
• Make a decision in your mind and stick to it
• Discuss the situation as you see it with the club(s) and explain your decision as to whether the game can go ahead or not. Refer to the evidence you have ie: weather forecasts/actual things you have seen whilst inspecting the pitch
• Do this on the pitch if possible to add weight to your decision
• Be positive in your approach to people who are seeking your opinion and show a degree of empathy if the game cannot go ahead, especially if others disagree
• If the game can go ahead, ensure you remind all those concerned that if for some reason things do change that cause you a real concern for the safety of players and yourself… you do reserve the right to reverse your decision to preserve the safety of the players and yourself. This is just a caveat in case of need; if you are in doubt about whether to play the game or not – postpone the game
• The reference point for your decision is always the safety of the players and yourself. If this cannot be guaranteed for the whole of the game re: the playing surface/pitch conditions then postpone the game
• If you don’t think you will finish the game… don’t start the game