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This feature was created to help coaches, referees, players, parents, and spectators get answers to questions about refereeing from the Region 13 Referee Staff.
Use the text box below to submit your question(s) about calls made, or not made, during a recent game. In addition, your questions may be about Region 13 policies, such as whether or not slide tackles are allowed (Yes, they are, provided they are done correctly), or about how many quarters a player may play in goal in a U10 game. While all questions and answers will be treated confidentially, those of general interest will be posted below for others to benefit from, without the names of those who submitted the questions.
Q: Easy one i hope- Background: AYSO girls under 12, all stars, region 13. How many quarters can the same goal keeper play in goal? All four? Thanks, Chris
A:
Many regions have policies that may differ from those in other regions, one of which imposes a cap on how much of a match any player can log as a Goal Keeper. Region 13 rules dictate that a player can not play more than 1/2 of a game in goal. Area 1C has no such rule.
If a referee chooses to ref an Area sanctioned game such as a play-through or All-star match, they can not apply regional rules to Area games. There are no restrictions as to how much of the game a player can play in GK in an Area sanctioned game.
Also, a referee can not impose his will and force a coach to play a player less or more during a game, whether it is a Region 13 game or an Area game. A referee can inform/suggest/recommend but can NOT force a coach to play a player more or threaten to terminate a game if the coach does not cooperate. The referee would then report the violations to his/her RRA and copy Gil Acedo, Area Referee Administrator.
Q: Testing Question
A: So here is the test answer.
Q: How does the high kick read in the rule book?
A:
There is no "high kick rule" in soccer. The words "high kick" can not be found written any where in the Laws of the Game. Law 12 refers to a player playing in a dangerous manner. What this means is that if any player were to take an action that was dangerous to another player, say by putting their foot in the face of an opponent, or that was dangerous to themselves, by lowering their head to the level where kicking feet are in order to head the ball or by placing their legs on top of the ball while lying on the ground and preventing an opponent from playing the ball for fear they will injure the prone player, then that player is playing in a dangerous manner; then the referee will stop play and award an Indirect Free Kick to the opponents. It's commom sense, if a player is endangering the safety of another player or is risking their own safety, that is a foul.
Q: In U14 can a ref take away a corner kick for taking too long to set up? How much is too long? Does he have to warn the team first? I have never heard of this. I cannot find it in the rules. How the does High kick rule read?
A:
Let's take your second question first:
If one were to read the Laws of the Game (LOTG) from cover to cover, the words "high kick" or "lying on the ground" would not be found. A "high kick" is not illegal and it is a myth that it is illegal for a player to play the ball while lying on the ground. Law 12, which refers to "Fouls and Misconduct", states that a player must be punished if they are guilty of playing in a dangerous manner. If during play a player were to raise their foot high enough, say face level, that it could be considered dangerous, then the referee would stop play and award an Indirect Free Kick to the opponents. This would nearly always be called in the younger levels but rarely in game where older players are playing. When a player is on the ground while playing the ball and his action prevents the opponent from playing the ball for fear of injuring the player on the ground, the opponent gets the IFK.
Now, let's cover the Corner Kick question. You don't give any details, so I am going to provide my own. I imagine the Corner Kick was going to take place near the end of the half or the game, or maybe time had already run out when the ball went over the Goal Line, last touched by a defender. The LOTG require time extended for the taking of a PK, but not a Corner Kick. It is a myth that the half or game can not end on a Corner Kick. It can. I bet the Referee was allowing time for the Corner Kick to be taken after the end of the half or game and despite the warnings of the Referee, the attackers were taking too long so the referee ended the half or game without the Corner Kick being taken.
If the situation was different, please let me know. I hope this helps.
Q: Two opposing players are vying for the ball as they run down field. One player uses her shoulder and hip to force the other player over so she can gain control of the ball. The other player looses balance and falls down. Should this be a penalty call?
A:
The Laws of the Game allow reasonable shoulder-to-shoulder contact as players challenge for a ball. This doesn't mean that a player can run into an opponent and knock them off of the ball, but shoulder contact is permissible, either as they "push", with equal force, their way downfield, or in a staccato fashion.. This is called a fair charge. You asked though about "shoulders and hips". It's difficult to make a fair charge with the shoulders and use the hips to legally push an opponent at the same time.
You will find that boys will use the shoulders more while female players push more often with the hips. A push with the hips may often be illegal, whether performed by a male or female player, and should be whistled as a foul if you deem it is cheating.
Remember, as 2 players vie for the ball, one player falling down does not necessarily mean that the one left standing committed a foul, but it will be difficult convincing the coach and/or parent of the player sprawled on the ground that it was a fair charge, and maybe it wasn't, but that's up to the referee to decide. Soccer was, is and always will be, a contact sport.
Q: A goalkeeper intercepts a ball from an attacker outside his penalty area. He dribbles with his foot outside the penalty area, into the penalty area. He then picks up the ball with his hands in the penalty area. Is there an infraction? If so, is there an indirect or direct kick awarded to the other team?
A:
In the scenario you described there no violations of the Laws of the Game. A Goal Keeper can intercept a shot or pass played by an opponent outside the Penalty Area, dribble the ball with his feet into the Penalty Area, and then pick the ball up with his hands. Nothing illegal there.
The problem occurs when the ball is deliberately kicked by a teammate of the Goal Keeper to the GK or where the GK can play it. GK handling inside the Penalty Area when the ball was deliberately kicked by a teammate to the GK will result in an Indirect Free Kick to the opponents where the handling occurred, even if the GK were to dribble the ball with the feet into the PA before the handling. The same punishment would occur if GK handling were to occcur after receiveing a throw-in directly from a teammate: IFK.
By the way, GK handling violations inside the Penalty Area are NEVER punishible by a Penalty Kick; it would alwys be an IFK. GK handling violations outside the PA would always result in a Direct Free Kick.
Q: 3/2/09 This is for Al Prodi but I lost his link. Vince explained to me on Saturday that a pass back to the keeper by a defender and the keeper handles the ball is in indirect kick for the attacking team. I'm sure Vince is right, but I still don't get why this handling penalty isn't a direct kick.
A:
If a ball is kicked (the term "pass back" is not entirley accurate) by a teammate to the goalkeeper or to a spot where the goalkeeper can play it, and the goal keeper handles it inside the penalty area, the restart is an Indirect Free Kick. Handling violations by a Goal Keeper inside the penalty area will never be punished by a Penalty Kick. Never.
Handling by a Goal Keeper outside of the penalty area is punishable by a Direct Kick, so it depends upon whether the handling occured inside or outside of the penalty area.
Q: A recent game was one ref short so I volunteered to be an AR. However, because I did not have my shirt, the center ref said that I was considered a parent volunteer ref and therefore not qualified to indicate off-side, even though I have a Regional badge. He told me to only indicate when the ball went out of bounds and the direction of play for the throw-in. Needless to say, the center ref missed a few obvious off-side calls, but I did what I was told and I did not "pop my flag". Is it true that a parent ref is forbidden to call off-side? Seems unreasonable; if I were the center ref, I would allow the parent to indicate off-side but would waive it off if I thought it was an incorrect interpretation of off-side.
A:
Technically a "club-ref" can ONLY indicate when a ball has exited the field. The referee can deviate from this policy and recognize additional signals from the club-ref, such as signaling direction or off-side, but it is against policy.
Q: Dear ref - I had a situation in a U9 game where the goalie stopped a shot and picked up the ball and while still in the penalty area tossed the ball up in the air to drop-kick it. Instead of kicking the ball, however, he caught the ball again before it touched the ground, and then tossed it up again and drop-kicked it. Is this considered a double-touch, and what (if any) infraction is there?
A:
Technically this could be considered a double touch and punishable by an IFK, but let's look at a couple of things first. Law 5 mandates that the referee will not whistle any infraction that is considered to be trifling. If it is your opinion that the GK was deliberately wasting time then warn the GK not to do that again. If you see it happen again, award an IFK to the opponents at the spot of the infraction. If on the other hand you believe the GK is simply having a difficult time getting this punt thing right, ignore it; it is a trifling offense. One other thing, I wouldn't whistle this in a U9 game, at least not before having a brief but stern one-on-one conversation, at eye-level, with the GK in the event of repeated events.
Q: how long is the length and the width of a soccer field
A:
According to the Laws of the Game:
Width: Minimum: 50 yards; Maximum: 100 yards
Length: Minimum: 100 yards; Maximum: 130 yards
Q: I was told by another referee that a recent change prohibits the keeper from handling ANY ball last touched by a teammate. I believe [and still believe] that the rule is that the keeper cannot handle a ball "intentionally directed" by the teammate to the keeper. can you clarify? thanks in advance.
A:
Law 12 states that an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opponents if a goal keeper were to "touch the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate."
I have seen many a ball deflected or squibbed off of a defender's foot that the keeper touched with her hands that was not deliberately kicked to her by a teammate. In the event this were to happen, keep your whistle silent and let them play.
By the way, a ball that is deliberately headed or chested back to the goal keeper can be legally handled by the keeper inside the Penalty Area, so long as trickery is not involved. Perhaps you should direct this referee to this website for some much needed education.
Q: I have recently seen some players that are agressive around the goal keeper at the U12 level. The GK is on the ground trying to put the hand on the ball and the attacker is kicking at the same time. If it is considered dangerous play do you caution with a yellow and award an IFK? If contact and goalie kicked a DK? At this level would you consider a red card? At this level if a player is sent off do they play short or a substitute is brought in?. Several questions in one,Thanks
A:
If Sarah Palin were my Assistant Referee she would say I am truly a maverick when it comes to this point.
Q: Offside? A player in their defensive half of the field kicks the ball far down field in the air. Their teammate, an attacker--onside before the kick--races to receive the ball when it comes down, passing the 2nd to last defender. Foul?
A:
No. A player who was onside when the ball was last touched or played by a teammate can not be offside if he becomes involved in play.
Q: During the playoffs we have had tie games extended due to penalty kicks to decide the winner of games. This has delayed the start of the games despite doing the coin toss off the field and having players stay on the field during the"quarter breaks". Do we still need to stay on time or do we have flexibility. The losing team feels like they are being rushed and are not being given a fare chance
A:
Unfortunately, games do not always start or end on time, which delays the subsequent games unless they are shortened. If every game was played to its full length even though they were started late, then it would only be unfair to the teams playing the last game of the day, because they would run out of daylight.
Perhaps a seperate goal could be set up for Shots from the Penalty Mark so that the next game could get started. Please suggest that to your division coach.
Q: My team has received a 79 in sportmanship. No one has every approached me and said why we have gotten such a low number. If we are doing something incorrect why have we not been told?
A:
This is more a forum for the discussion of questions regarding the Laws of the Game, so I will forward your question to the Regional Referee Administrator, but I will attempt to answer your question.
I am assuming you are the coach and that you were caught unawares as to the number of sportsmanship points you are left with, as points are deducted when a team exhibits poor behavior. ? The Laws of the Game state that "a coach is authorized to convey tactical instructions and he must return to his positions after giving these instructions. Also, the coach and other occupants of the technical area must behave in a responsible manner."
If you, your players and your spectators complied with these laws during the season and never stepped out of line (not even once), never argued with the referee and always exhibited good sportsmanship, you would be awarded 3 sportsmanship points during the match as "Meeting Expectations". If the referee had to warn you or your spectators during the match you might have lost a point. If you, a spectator(s) or a player was cautioned or sent-off, you might have lost all 3 points. If this happened repeatedly, over many games, you might be all the way down to 79.
Coaches are not kept apprised regarding their sportsmanship points. Good sportsmanship is expected of all AYSO participants, without threat of punishment, such as placing lower in the standings. They and the team must exhibit good behavior and sportsmanship at all times, on their own, and a coach who doesn't will know if they are the guilty party. If a coach is constantly arguing with the referees, or the spectators and players are, and it is not controlled by the coach, then the coach should be aware of this on his or her own, without an AYSO official telling them they must behave better.
If this is not your situation, if you never argue with the referees and the spectators are always positive and encouraging, then you don't deserve this poor ranking and you have been wronged, it should be mentioned to your division coach if you feel your behavior has not been out of line over not just one game, but many. But first, look at the nearly completed season, did referees have to speak to you about your behavior, or your spectators' behavior more than once? You may find your answer there.