Be the Referee: Kickoff Goal
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
September 27, 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 – Kickoff Goal - Listen
We’ve got a 2-1 soccer game at halftime, and the trailing team is set to kick off to start the second half. The teams get lined up and number 11 from the trailing team gives it a healthy boot. It flies, untouched by any other player, and gets past the goalkeeper into the back of the net. They start celebrating, thinking they’ve tied the game at 2. But should they be?
Can a team score directly from kickoff? They can. There are a number of ways soccer teams can score. A goal can be scored directly from a kickoff, a corner kick, and a direct free kick.
Goals cannot be scored from an in-direct free kick or a throw-in. But from a kickoff? Count it!
Previous Editions:
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
Be the Referee: Blocked Kick
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
October 10, 2023
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 – Blocked Kick - Listen
It’s 4th-and-10. Team A is lining up on its 25-yard line to kick a field goal. The kick is blocked backward by Team B, never crossing the line of scrimmage. The kicker is able to scoop the ball up and take off, getting down to the 7-yard line before being tackled.
The next down should be:
- First-and-goal from the 7 for Team A – the kicking team.
- First-and-10 from the 7 for Team B – the defensive team.
- First-and-10 from the 25-yard line for Team B.
If you said 1st-and-Goal for Team A, you are correct. Because the kicked ball never crossed the line of scrimmage, the kicking team is able to pick the ball up and advance it. Because it was carried past the line to gain, it’s a first down.
Previous Editions
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen