SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Waccamaw vs. BE: Goal or Foul?

Chief is right, this is a great discussion of a relavant and important topic. Personally, I did not read any of the earlier comments by Chief or others as an attack or criticism of the BE players or coaches. The use of terms like "wreckless" were a direct reference to the various rules (FIFA, NFHS and SCHSL) rules that may be applicable to the play.

I do not have a dog in this specific fight, but I have raised a keeper (graduating this year, god willing) and trained many keepers over the years. While this does not make my opinion worth anything more than any other opinion here, it helps define my perspective.

Coach Chass' opinion is closest to mine and undoubtedly better organized and expressed than I would have done, with one addition. While I believe that referees should "protect a keeper", it is impossible to remove any possibility of injury. A good keeper (such as the Waccamaw keeper) will intentionally put him/herself in situations that increase the chance of injury. My wife stopped going to matches years ago because she cannot stand watching our son stretching out, diving or standing up to 10 players charging at him (sometimes his own teammates).

The BE player did not raise her cleats, push, wrecklessly charge or in any way foul or endanger the keeper before making a play on the ball (whether she reached the ball first or not). As a good keeper does, the keeper went down to block or collect the ball and she was necessarily in a more vulnerable position than a field player that would have remained on his/her feet. It is true that the BE player should be mindful of the position of the defender, but that does not mean that a diving or sliding keeper enjoys a "bubble" of protection and the offense has to back off.

Also, as stated by others before, it was very commendable of the referee to both allow the play to continue (no quick whistle - the ensuing play may not have resulted in a goal) and discuss the play with the AR after play had been stopped (in this case, the goal).

It is unfortunate for both teams that the game ends on a play that knowledgable fans, players and coaches may not agree, but well done by both teams and the referees.

Chief,

Good comments, and I completely agree that it is the officials' responsibility to "reel in" the players when intensity turns into an unacceptable level of risk. You've made some very good points; I've also looked at this from a different perspective on many occasions when I've seen my keeper battered and bowled over on similar plays and had to wonder whether this was the time she wouldn't be able to bounce back up and keep playing. Part of it, of course, is her willingness to put herself in harm's way to make the save, and I have seen keepers called and cautioned for putting themselves in the path of a hard-charging attacker. In this case, I just think there split-second difference between a playable ball and one that is "too close" to the keeper to challenge; the forward made the decision to commit to the ball as soon as it was played, and the keeper made the decision to step into her oncoming path to make the save. I think you could make a case for either side, foul or no foul, and even a case for dangerous play on the keeper's part for the way she came into a charging opponent high and open...in this case, for right or for wrong, both officials seemed to agree that it was a playable ball and the forward either had the right to challenge for it or was not reasonably able to alter her path in response to the keeper's motion.

You're right...this has been a good debate, and sometimes it's a difference of opinion and perspective that gets people to actually THINK...and that's always a good thing.

another thing to consider...i have seen players go out of their way to avoid contact at the last minute and get hurt more than if they would have continued with the original hit (of course, that is an assumption on my part)

imagine this forward, at top speed, veering to one side at the split-second before contact with the keeper...i can see her being (accidentally) tripped up by one of the defenders and cart wheeling over the keeper, only to land on her head. many other possible, worse injuries come to mind.

i see many people at games who feel that every single time two players run into each other, a foul should be called. remember, soccer is a contact sport. nobody wants to see a player hurt, but it happens.

btw, this is not an opinion on the play in question, merely additional food for thought (if you don't like the taste, just spit it out)

keep em in 2-A. I want another shot! From playing boys soccer 10 years ago to coaching girls now,"every" season in both have ended against them. It gets old, but I aint scared so let em stay at least one more year. Sorry to change the subject.

I think to begin with boys games are called tighter than girls games..I see more fouls allowed with girls..I hear the statements that the B.E. player touched the ball first so that makes it okay..Let's say after the goal and the game resumed a player passes the ball up field and the player has to reach over waist high to kick the ball..At the same time an opposing player goes to head this ball away..The ball gets kicked down field barely missing the opposing players head..What happens? Foul!! Dangerous play on the high kick..But the player touched the ball first..Does that make it okay?

A comment was made that the players cleats were not up..I don't think there is no intention on either player to foul..It was just two players doing what they were trained to do and a foul resulted from it..When a player does a high kick and no one is close..it's not a foul but when others are involved it becomes one..If you were the coach for the keepers team..Would you argue it? Or if a foul was called would you argue that there was no foul?

People keep bringing up questions and thoughts, so I thought I'd post the link to this still shot. It's blurry, so I circled the striker's foot, the ball, and the keeper's hands in coordinated colours to help any of you stodgy ol' folk who can't see ;-).

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/2515/bewaccamaw.png

Is this a similar foul?

The forward runs into the keeper, who has control of the ball, and kills the bottom of the Keeper's boot with his face.

OUCH!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byLfdQPkG8w