Question Number: 26085

Law 11 - Offside 3/20/2012

RE: High School

Bart Carter of Huntsville, AL USA asks...

When a player is in an offsides position as the ball is played, when does this player become eligible to participate in the play and not be offsides. For example, let's say a ball is played through the defense as the player in question is in an offsides position. The player waits for the defender to get even with him. Is he eligible to participate in the play or will he be ruled offsides? And if he is still offsides, what must he do to be able to return to the play without penalty? Thanks for your help.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Short answer is that there's nothing this player can do to cancel out his offside position.

Offside is effectively reset every time a teammate touches the ball, or when the defence control the ball (without immediate pressure from the offside attacker). So, aside from waiting for the defence to control it, the player would have to put himself back into an onside position and wait for another teammate to touch the ball.

If the ball has been put through and he's in an offside position, there's nothing he can do to put himself back onside.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bart
There is only three ways a player can become onside again
A. The ball goes out of play
B. The opponents gain complete control of the ball without interference form the player in an offside position.
C. A team mate in an onside position commences another phase of play by playing the ball

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

High school rules match TLOG. A player in offside position becomes eligible to participate in play if: (a) ball goes out of play; (b) defense gets clear possession and control of the ball; or (c) the player is in onside position the next time the ball touches a teammate.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The important thing to remember is there is NOTHING an offside positioned player may do once the ball is played by a teammate to put himself onside.. Put another was, there is nothing he can do to reset offside.

Such a positioned player may not participate in play until offside has reset. How may offside be reset?

1. When the ball goes out of play
2. When possession of the ball is taken over by the opponents
3. The ball is again touched or played by a teammate

In #3, if the formerly offside positioned player is now onside when the ball is touched or played by a teammate, he may participate in play. Of course, if he's still in an offside position, he may not legally participate, in play.