Be the Referee: Ball Hits Soccer Referee
October 1, 2020
This week, MHSAA Assistant Director Brent Rice explains a a change in soccer rules for when a ball makes contact with an official during game play.
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment - Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
We’ve all seen it before in a soccer game. A ball is kicked up the field, but ricochets off an official and leads to a goal scoring opportunity.
In the past, an official would swing his arms to indicate “play on.” A new rule, though, would stop play immediately and restart with a Drop Ball.
New in high school soccer for the 2020-21 school year, when a ball touches the referee which leads to a promising attack, the referee must blow his whistle to stop play and start with a Drop Ball. He should ALSO give a Drop Ball in two other instances: when the ball hits the official and possession changes or when a ball hits the official and goes into the goal.
Past editions
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen
Be the Referee: Soccer Shootouts
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
October 18, 2022
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Soccer Shootouts - Listen
It’s tournament time for boys soccer, and that means the return of the shootout. In the regular season, games can end in a tie. But postseason games need to have a winner. If a game is tied at the end of regulation and the 20-minute overtime period, we move to a shootout.
Each team gets five attempts from the penalty spot, alternating between teams. If after five attempts, the teams still remain tied, it moves to one kick for each team until the tie is broken.
Now what happens when a kick is stopped by the keeper but has enough spin on it to roll back across the goal line?
That’s a goal. A shootout attempt isn’t complete until the ball stops moving, goes out of play or the referee stops play. Just because a goalie initially stops an attempt does not mean the play is over.
Previous Editions:
Oct. 11: Safety in End Zone - Listen
Oct. 4: Football Overtime Penalty - Listen
Sept. 27: Kickoff Goal - Listen
Sept. 20: Soccer Timing - Listen
Sept. 13: Volleyball Replays - Listen
Sept. 6: Switching Sides - Listen
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen