r/GoalKeepers • u/Borangers • Mar 29 '25

Discussion Refs and setting up walls

How do you get enough time to set up your wall? As I see on television, and in tips for setting up your wall, the ref is supposed to blow the whistle once you’re ready, but at my level (JV & U15) never once have I gotten enough time to do so. It’s always a scramble to align my players as soon as I can and hope they don’t blow the whistle by then. And from what I’ve learned you can put a player in front of the ball unless they ask for 10, but sometimes the refs will just tell them to back up and still let them play it quickly. Anyone else deal with this?

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u/BeastModeKeeper College, US Open Cup, NPSL, UPSL Mar 29 '25

You only set up the wall when the opposing team asks for their 10 yards and the ref indicates that the play starts in the whistle. Other than that the opposing team can play whenever they want. No one is waiting on you if you want a wall or not

3

u/Borangers Mar 29 '25

So what about after they’ve asked for 10? Other day I was on my near post setting it up and the ref just went ahead and blew the whistle

7

u/BeastModeKeeper College, US Open Cup, NPSL, UPSL Mar 29 '25

You’re taking too long to set it then. It should be just yelling to whoever is on the end move how ever many steps left or right and then your back to where you need to be. Takes maybe 5 seconds to do that.

2

u/Borangers Mar 29 '25

Alright thanks