Question Number: 21068

Law 11 - Offside 4/1/2009

RE: Competitve Under 9

Jim Williams of Robesonia, PA USA asks...

Offsides question. If the other team has ALL their defending players (except keeper) on your half of the pitch and you send an attacker onto their half to wait for a long ball is your player offsides?

Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If that player is ahead of the ball, she is in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

And being in an offside position is not an offense. If the player in OSP becomes involved in play from that position on a ball last touched by a teammate, then she will be offside.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This is one of the coach's myths that absolutely baffles me yet it is widespread. The myth goes that if all the opponents are in your half of the field miraculously Law 11 no longer applies. How this got started I don't have a clue but i hear this question/belief from coaches at least once a season. If all the opponents except the keeper are in your half of the field, and the ball is also in your half of the field, EVERY player of yours that crosses the center line into the attacking half of the field will be in offside position. If the ball is then played to them and they touch it, they will be guilty of an offside offense and an indirect free kick will be awarded your opponents.

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