PAYSL Zero Tolerance Policy

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Referee Abuse Prevention Policy

US Soccer has updated guidelines regarding Referee Abuse starting March 2025

PAYSL Zero Tolerance Policy

Physical violence or physical abuse of any person will be cause for permanent suspension from PAYSL facilities and legal action may be filed.

Unsportsmanlike and unacceptable conduct by players, coaches, referees, or spectators will not be tolerated at any time on Pflugerville Area Youth Soccer League (PAYSL) fields, surrounding areas or public forums like websites or social media.

Unsportsmanlike and unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following actions towards any player, coach, referee, spectator, club or club representative:

  • Booing, ridiculing, using sarcasm, intimidation or any other remarks gestures that are inappropriate and demeaning

  • Using profanity, racial slurs, or other abusive language or gestures directed at an individual

  • Threatening physical violence through words or gestures

  • Throwing of any object onto the field or surrounding areas

  • Aggressively questioning a referee before, during or after a game by any person who is not a coach

  • Stepping onto the field, or intentionally disrupting play during a game

  • Displaying excessive signs of dissatisfaction with a referee’s decision

  • Aggressively confronting any club representative, coach, team manager or referee before, during or after training or a match. Follow the 48 hour rule before confronting a coach, club representative, or referee assignor.

  • Bringing or consuming alcohol at training or games, or using tobacco or alternative tobacco products at or near the playing fields.

  • Publicly posting images, videos, audio recordings, or comments on social media of another person from the club that are deemed in the sole discretion of the PAYSL Board of Directors to be offensive, critical, or demeaning to that person or the club as whole.

  • Refusing to comply with a request, excessively arguing, verbal harassment, threatening, or committing physical violence against a PAYSL Officer on Duty, club or league representative, referee, or coach.

First Infraction

If, in the sole discretion of the referee or appropriate PAYSL representative, a first infraction is considered to be minor, then a verbal warning may be given. In the case of a minor infraction by a spectator at the fields, the referee or club representative will ask the coach to warn the spectator. If, in the sole discretion of the referee or appropriate PAYSL representative, the first infraction is more serious, then the person will be asked to leave the fields immediately (outside of perimeter fence if applicable) and a two week suspension will be issued. If the ejection occurs after a game, the ejection will be enforced on the next scheduled game. If the person refuses to leave or returns before ejection period is completed, the referee will leave the field, the game will be abandoned, and the police may be called.

Second Infraction

The person will be asked to leave the fields immediately (outside of perimeter fence if applicable) and a two week suspension will be issued. If the ejection occurs after a game, the ejection will be enforced on the next scheduled game. Failure to leave the fields, or returning before authorization has been given, will result in the referee leaving the field, the game will be abandoned, and the police may be called. If the ejection is the second ejection by the same person during a season, then the person may not return to PAYSL facilities for the remainder of the season AND the following season. Furthermore, the person will not be allowed to coach any team at PAYSL in the future.

Ejection

When an ejection occurs, all referees and/or PAYSL representatives involved must complete an incident report outlining reasons and/or circumstances for the ejection. The person ejected and any witnesses will also have an opportunity to file an incident report if they choose to do so.

The person ejected may appeal to the PAYSL Board of Directors.

Furthermore PAYSL will enforce STYSA’s guidelines for Misconduct of players, parents and coaches.