SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums SCHSSCA A Question for Officials -- New Rule ?

I saw something yesterday in the Brookland-Cayce/A.C. Flora girls soccer match at Bolden Stadium that I haven't seen before.

B-C was in possession of the ball and an A.C. Flora player got injured. B-C sportingly played the ball out of bounds for the courtesy of treatment for the injured player. However, the Referee awarded an indirect kick for A.C. Flora upon resuming the match and apparently (I was in the stands at the time) the official noted that this was a new rule for 2005-06.

After perusing 89 pages of the NFHSA 2005-06 Rules Book I haven't been able to find this "new rule". Is this something that has been discussed about in length elsewhere?

I'm going to send an e-mail to SCHSL soccer liaison Roger Hazel as well, but wanted to know if other officials or coaches knew of this rule. Thanks!

If it is a new rule, I would miss it on the test! Throw in for AC who should throw it back to BC goalie or defender and let play resume.

Dont know about that area, but I can say that the officials seem to be making their own rules this year and ignoring the "real" rules! Officiating has been horrible this year. If you are out there, YOU SUCK! and, NO, I am not going to officiate, its not what I do, and its not what I want to do! You volunteered, you get paid, you DO YOUR JOB!

My special thanks to a very good lowcountry soccer official who has provided an answer to my question from yesterday! I will let him acknowledge this post if he so chooses, but will let him remain anonymous until then.

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Kyle, I saw where you questioned a call for the restart after an injury. It's been that way for a number of years, at least since I've been reffing HS (4 years).

If the ref stops play for an injury, while a team has possession of the ball, the restart is an indirect kick for the team in possession of the ball. But if he didn't stop play before the ball left the pitch, from your sportsmanship kick out of play, then the restart would be a throw in for the other team.

As always, that team normally gives the ball back to the team that kicked it out. I can't explain why he gave the kick to AC Flora, if they did not have possession. If he wasn't sure who had possession, then a drop ball would be the restart.

Reference NFHS Rules Book, page 59, Rule 13, section 2, article 2, paragraph k and page 37, Rule 9, section 2, article 1, paragraph c. That's one of the quirks of HS rules.

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If the referee stops the game, yes it is an indirect free kick...if the team plays it out of bounds, it is a throw in.....

I was also at the Flora/BC game on Saturday. The call in question was called before the ball was out of the field of play. When the ref blew the whistle, Flora had control of the ball, then the BC player got the ball from the Flora player and proceeded to kick it out. The ref made the correct call, and we as fans should be thankful for the job they do.

Under what circumstances should a ref stop play? I was coaching a game a few years ago when a girl on the opposing team took a ball to the stomach. We had a shot at goal and them ref stopped play AND critized my player for playing the ball out. I personally don't think that is an injury. Play should have continued.

Doesn't matter if you think it is an injury or not. A ref can't try and second guess or they will find themselves on the wrong end of a lawsuit. Refs will always err on the side of caution. If that player stays down or looks in distress they will play safe and stop play.

Good point Bazza. What if a hard ball hits a kid directly in the throat, head, or heart and that the kid stops breathing. No chances can be taken at all in those situations.

Not to digress too much from the original post, but I, too, have a question about another rule. I have searched the high school rule book concerning this topic, and I know where FIFA stands on the issue I'll mention, so excuse my ignorance if I overlooked the answer for what I'm about to ask.

May a player continue to play the ball while he is lying down on his side or on his back? I don't mean merely kicking it. I mean, put his or her leg over it and manuever it in a certain direction or stop the movement of the ball completely?

I never saw this happen all of last year, but it has come up twice this season already. Out of six referees, exactly half have said "no" with the other half being very affirmative in the fact that you may continue to play the ball.

If you can, I say that there should be a motion to change that rule. It could lead to some dangerous situations or career-ending injuries for both players.

Many thanks, in advance, for your thoughts on this matter.