All individuals (coaches) responsible for a team and its spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so will undermine the referee’s authority and has the potential of creating a hostile environment for players, the referee and other participants and spectators.

No one is to address the referee except as allowed below:

Coaches and Managers
During the game:
May respond to a referee initiating a communication
May ask for substitutions
May point out emergencies or safety issues

At halftime or at the end of the game:
May ask a referee to explain a rule(s) in a polite and constructive way
May give polite and friendly feedback to the referee
Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment, or intimidation is allowed in any conversation with the referee

Penalties:

1st minor infraction – The referee should ignore

1st serious infraction – Caution or ejection depending on the seriousness

2nd infraction – A verbal warning

3rd infraction – Caution/Ejection

4th infraction – Ejection

Spectators
During the game:
May respond to a referee initiating a communication
May point out emergencies or safety issues

At the end of the game:
May ask a referee to explain a rule(s) in a polite and constructive way
May give polite and friendly feedback to the referee
Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment, or intimidation is allowed in any conversation with the referee

Penalties:

1st infraction – Referee should stop the game and ask the coach to quiet the offending spectator.

2nd infraction – Verbal warning. Referee should stop the game and ask the coach towarn the spectator that the next infraction will be an ejection or the referee will abandon the game.

3rd infraction – The referee shall instruct the coach to direct the spectator to leave the field. The referee should abandon the game if the spectator refuses to leave the field. If the referee abandons the game, the referee shall file a report and notify the Cape Cod Harvest Cup Referee Coordinator.