Understanding Handling (High school)

[gobbo]

I recently tried to find current information regarding handling in high school soccer and found out it costs $5.99 to download the current rules. Can someone help me understand the current high school rules for handling. Specifically what constitutes handling, what is the penalty for handling in the box and when would one show yellow or red cards for handling in the box? Also in the photos below(frame by frame) hands in chest w elbows tucked in, would this be considered handling? It occurred inside the 18 so what would be the correct interpretation?

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[p_malinich]

Great question, gobbo. I've found a decent breadth of opinion in that area.

The pics are a little grainy for my bifocals, but they appear similar to a situation that was called against us in the Quarterfinals last year. It was a free kick & a player in our wall pulled his arms up to protect & got called for handling. PK gets made & we're down 1-0 very early (and eventually lost).

[Steven Gerrard]

In high school soccer, if the arms are raised to the chest before the kick is taken, then no call is made. If he raises his arms after the kick is taken, then handling is called. Others can correct me if I am wrong.

Of course, location (inside 18, outside 18) is irrelevant.

Sorry for the short response. Others can provide more depth. Gotta get to the office.

[time2retire]

Steven, the whole "moving the arm to a new position after the ball is kicked" being called handling has gone away in the past 3-4 years. The rationale is that handling was often being called by non-USSF referees when players were actually protecting themselves from a close, hard shot.

Gobbo, save yourself the cost of a Rules book. Simply download Advice to Referees and see Section 12.A.9 on page 45. An updated version was uploaded yesterday by US Soccer. Link: ussoccer.app.box.com/s/ruqcsf0671k1bcf6dzwf/1/1669152048/14721474430/1

A caution can be shown if the referee deems it Unsporting Behavior. An example can be deliberately handling the ball to prevent an attack (not an obvious goal scoring opportunity - see below).

If the handling occurs and it denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity, the player is sent off. An example is Suarez (Argentina) in the 2010 World Cup. If the ball is definitely not going into the goal or there is definitely no goal scoring opportunity, this player is not sent off.

In your example we do not see how far the shot is taken or its speed, so we cannot accurately determine the validity of a handling offense.

[gobbo]

Close range, shooter was also in the box and hard struck. If players hands were not on chest, the ball would have struck his chest. Thx for the link!

[gobbo]

Thanks t2r. I have the rule and it would seem to me that the above would meets the criteria for not being called handling. Unless I'm missing something?

12.A.9 Handling the Ball


A handling offense should not be called if:
• the ball moves to the hand. • the ball strikes the hand unexpectedly. • the player reflexively moves the hand to protect himself or herself when the ball
is coming in at speed and/or from a short distance away.
• the hand is held in a position deemed normal for players of that age and/or
experience level.
• A player does not unfairly control or direct a ball that initially made contact with
the player’s hand entirely accidentally.
• the ball contacts a hand which is not being held away from the body at a restart
in order to make the player bigger.
A handling offense should be called (in the absence of the above factors) if:
• a player touches the ball with an object held in the hand (e.g., shirt or shinguard). • a player makes contact with the ball using a thrown object.
For purposes of recognizing the occurrence of a handling offense, hand includes the entire arm up to but not beyond the shoulder joint.

[cardsinhand]

Can you post a video?

[laffysoccermom]

So if a player puts up her hands to protect her face, should that be a call?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using proboards

[cardsinhand]

Feb 27, 2014 13:08:07 GMT -6 laffysoccermom said:

So if a player puts up her hands to protect her face, should that be a call?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using proboards

Depends on the distance and speed of the ball but generally if you can move your hands up, you have time to move your body. All is also factored on the skill of the players involved too.

[gobbo]

I'll see if I can get the video.