Question Number: 3937

Law 18 - Common Sense

RE: 7 to 8 year old leauge

george of Jackson, georgia butts asks...

If a shot is made by a striker and is in the air when the whistle blows but goes into the goal does it count? I know in basketball if a shot is made at the buzzer it does. The referees on the feild gave it to us and then took it back because they said they didnt know the ruling

Answer provided by Referee Stacy Kalstrom

In soccer, when the whistle blows, for any reason, the ball is dead or considered "out of play". Therefore, in the situation you present a goal cannot be allowed...My advice to any referee would be to not blow the whistle to end the half or the match when a shot has been taken and it's still possible to score a goal. Law 5 tells us that the referee acts as the timekeeper and Law 7 tells us that the referee at his/her discretion may add time for any time lost. SO even if actual time has expired and you need to keep all games going on schedule, as the referee you can surely rationalize a few extra seconds in a match to let the flight of the ball finish...Good luck with your playing. Have fun and remember the referee is there to help ensure that both teams have fun and play fair.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Hi George, Ref Kalstrom is correct, no goal. Sounds like your referee lacked a little thing pilots call situational awareness. This is like common sense only it allows one to know what is going on all around. Unlike common sense, this can be learned, just a matter of looking around to see what?s going on. Our referee probably fixated on a beeping watch, looked down, lost his situational awareness, then blew to end the match. Sorry, stuff happens. ..An aside, the very newest referees usually draw the games at the level you are coaching. They are given a chance to learn in a, usually, low intensity match. Sometimes the referee?s learning curve is very steep, indeed! Give the new referee a chance, perhaps he will be a member of the International Panel twenty years from now. When he is, remind him of this lost goal...Regards,