Question Number: 15788

Law 10 - Method of Scoring 6/13/2007

RE: Select Under 13

Bruce Cramer of DePere, WI USA asks...

I do not know if this is a regional rule but I need clarification since my son is a goalie and he has gotten three different answers during a game on the same issue.

For the U12 teams on short sided fields, the referees have told the goalies that on a punt they can not punt the ball accross the field to the other 18 yard box. This seems to directly conflict with Law 10 Method of scoring on a free kick. The issue that my son had was each ref had a different spin on what the rule is.
The first game he was told it had to be on a fly to the 18 yard box, so he made sure it bounced before it went into the box. The next game, the ref stated that any ball that is punted from the goalie to the 18 yard box that was 'untouched' would result in a goal kick by the other team. If the ball, was punted but never goes into the 18 yard box and goes along the sideline this was would not result in a goal kick for the other team. The next game, he was told that there is an imaginary line and it does not matter if it is in the box but anywhere past the 18 yrd box untouched would result in the goal kick. The last two times the small changes in the rule were not discussed prior to the game but during the game and my son was just a little frustrated. So were we since we thought we asked the clarifying questions prior to the game.

What is the rule? Thanks,

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

This is a myth! Unless, of course, some do-good-er league has so decreed. Because there are three versions of this I tend to believe the referees concerned are just making this up. Why, who knows?

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee MrRef

On 15 Jun 2007 one of our readers sends in:

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct: Conform to FIFA with the exception that an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the center spot on the halfway line if a goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball in the air from his/her penalty area into the opponents penalty area.

lotg for small sided games - us youth soccer.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 15804