Be the Referee: Misunderstood Kick Rule
September 27, 2017
In this week's edition, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl reviews a pair of football kicking rules that are among the most misunderstood at the high school level.
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 – Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
Some of the most misunderstood high school football rules revolve around the kicking game.
At the high school level, on both kickoffs and punts, the rules are unique to what’s seen at the college and pro levels. When a kick breaks the plane of the goal line – it does not matter if it’s a punt or a kickoff – when that ball breaks the plane, the ball is dead under high school rules and it results in an automatic touchback.
And an even more unique set of rules deal with field goals. Under high school rules, whenever there’s a missed field goal, it’s treated just like a punt, so that long field goal that comes up well short and goes out of bounds at the 2-yard line means the other team gets the ball, 1st and 10 at the 2.
Past editions
September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
Be the Referee: Toe the Line on PKs
October 15, 2020
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a change in soccer affecting goalkeeper movement during penalty kicks.
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 - Toe the Line on Penalty Kicks - Listen
Here’s a high school soccer rules change for the upcoming season. Rules for the placement and movement of the goalkeeper on a penalty kick have been rewritten to make it more clear what a keeper can or cannot do.
As in previous years, goalkeepers can move laterally along the goal line prior to the taking of the penalty kick. But new this year, goalkeepers need only have one foot on (or in-line) with the goal line at the time of the kick.
This allows keepers to lunge before the ball is kicked, as long as one foot stays on the line. Previously, the goalie needed to keep both feet on the goal line or in line.
Past editions
10/8: Disconcerting Acts - Listen
10/1: Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen