How close to the soccer net...

[artra]

Two stories:
A couple of days ago I went to a Jr High Soccer game and was able to shot pretty at will. Hence this wide angle shots #4,#5 http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=654206

Today I went to the same school but a High School game and tried to take the same shots (which pretty much is my 28-75 thru one of the "holes" of the net) and after camping there for a good five minutes someone from the bench yelled at the ref about my position and the ref then stopped the game and asked me to move away from the net a good 10 or so feet.

Comments?
Was I just lucky at the Jr High game?
Was the ref today too strict?
Was I too intrusive?
How close to the net do you usually shoot?

Thanks,
Arturo

[DennisW1]

Two stories:
A couple of days ago I went to a Jr High Soccer game and was able to shot pretty at will. Hence this wide angle shots #4,#5 http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=654206

Today I went to the same school but a High School game and tried to take the same shots (which pretty much is my 28-75 thru one of the "holes" of the net) and after camping there for a good five minutes someone from the bench yelled at the ref about my position and the ref then stopped the game and asked me to move away from the net a good 10 or so feet.

Comments?
Was I just lucky at the Jr High game?
Was the ref today too strict?
Was I too intrusive?
How close to the net do you usually shoot?

Thanks,
Arturo


yes
no
yes
usually anything on the field of play is a no-no

[FOX2PRO]

That ref definitely was too strict. As long as you stay off the field, you should be fine. I've been right on the white line, with no complaints.

[ryant35]

That ref definitely was too strict. As long as you stay off the field, you should be fine. I've been right on the white line, with no complaints.


On the white line is different than sitting behind the net. I was just watching from behind the net once and I was asked to move by the ref.

[bobbyz]

Just do what the ref says.

I have shot pretty close to the net but if ref asks to move, I move, period.

[McBride61]

Go talk to the Refs before the game if you get a chance. Stopping the game will piss a lot of people off. Just ask them how close you can get.

[mrso]

anything that takes away from the game is bad in my mind. No shot is worth ruining the experience for the participants.

[primoz]

Normally on football matches, at least pro level, we are few meters (5+m) behind goal. Only thing allowed just behind goal net are remotes. So yes you were too close. Now I can't say if it's dangerous or intrusive, but you do what referee tells you to do. If he wants you to move, you move. Ok not always, because sometimes you have idiots who would want to move you outside of stadium. But normally grass is off limits for us, so as long as someone doesn't bug you to move to top of tribunes, you do what they say.

[kelbel3]

I've had the same experience.
Some refs let you stay behind the net, others think it's distracting to the players.

[Huskers69]

IMO standing right behind the net would be distracting for the goalie. I'm surprised the coach didn't say anything first. That would be embarrassing having the ref stop the game just to ask you to move.

[cpo13]

Almost all refs will want you away from the net itself for good reason. Players do sometimes end up inside the goal and crash into the net, so having anyone close to the net could be dangerous, (especially if it's someone with a camera who is concentrating on looking through the viewfinder).

In fact, some higher level youth leagues that I've coached in will not allow anyone to stand behind the goal lines, (including parents), although most don't have a problem as long as you don't get too close to the field.

[ChrisRabior]

To go along with what cpo13 said..
I used to coach soccer. Believe it or not, one of the biggest problems we had as coaches during youth games were overbearing parents who wanted to sit behind their son/daughter and coach them. The last thing you want as a coach is to have your goalie distracted by mom or dad, so we'd frequently have the ref boot the parent back to the sidelines.

I'm surprised they let you back that far for the youth game. Our AYSO league won't let anyone stand behind the net OR any closer on the sidelines than the top of the 18 yard line. The only exceptions we'd usually make were the odd press photographer who had zero affiliation with either team, and that had to be agreed to by the ref AND both coaches.

Of course, as said above.. do what you're told when it comes from a coach/ref. It's better to go home with shots from a less than perfect position than it is to go home with no shots at all.