Suckered into Coaching Soccer? Brush Up on the Rules with this Quickie Guide
Soccer rules are published annually by FIFA, the world soccer governing body. Most people know that you aren’t supposed to use your hands in soccer. A ball that is kicked and hits a player’s hand or arm is not a hand ball, so the referee must determine whether a hand ball is accidental contact, or if it’s an attempt to gain an advantage. The referee determines if it’s Ball-to-hand (legal), or Hand-to-ball (illegal). Sometimes the goalie can’t use their hands; it’s called the back-pass rule. Goalies cannot pick up a pass that came completely from a teammate. Infraction of this rule will result in an indirect kick from the point of the infraction.
There is certain equipment soccer teams must have. Every player is required to have a jersey, shorts, stockings, shin guards, and footwear. The stockings should cover shin guards, and shin guards should provide a reasonable degree of protection. Players don’t have to have cleats, regular tennis shoes are fine but not recommended, and shoes with front cleats (e.g., football, or baseball cleats) should never be used. The goalkeeper should wear colors that distinguish them from other players, the referees, and assistant referees.
A kick-off is the way a soccer game is started, and restarted. A kick-off is also used after a goal is scored, at the start of the second half, or each quarter for younger teams. The ball is placed in the middle of the field, all players must be in their own half of the field, and the team receiving the kick- off must be at least ten yards from the ball. A throw- in is taken when the ball crosses a sideline and leaves the field, so basically when the ball goes out of bounds. To execute a proper throw- in both feet must be planted on the ground, and the ball must be thrown over the head using both hands.
A corner kick or goal kick is taken when the ball leaves the field across the goal line. The goal kick is taken from anywhere inside the goalie box, and can be taken by any player. The corner kick is taken from the corner nearest to where the ball left the field. Direct and indirect are two primary ways that play is restarted after the referee stops play for an infraction. On a direct kick you can score a goal by kicking it into directly into the goal. On an indirect kick you cannot score. To indicate an indirect kick the referee holds an arm up in the air until a second player touches the ball, on direct kicks the referee doesn’t hold an arm up. A penalty kick results from a contact foul or hand ball by the defending team within the penalty area. During a penalty kick the ball is placed on the penalty mark, 12 yards in front of the center of the goal. All players remain outside the penalty area until the ball is kicked. Players cannot touch the ball twice in a row when putting the ball in play; this is a two-touch violation.
A player cannot kick, trip, charge, strike, push, or hold another opponent. Bumping, while competing for the ball is not a foul, until the hands or elbows come up. The normal consequence of a foul is a direct kick for the opposing team. Punishment is given with yellow and red cards. If a player is given two yellow cards in a game, then it’s equal to a red card. However, a red card can be given without a player receiving a yellow card. When a player gets a red card the player is ejected from the game, and their team must play short one player.
Offsides is the most difficult rule to understand. A player is offside if he is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. Basically, an offensive player can’t be ahead of the ball, and involved in the play unless there is a defender between them and the goalie. Also you can’t be offside if you’re standing on your side of the field.
Another rule is the number of players on the team. There are seven players on a team, but teams may start with five. There is no limit on the number of substitutions. Substitutions can be made during half time or after quarters, after a goal kick is called for either team, after a throw-in is called for your team and at an injury time-out. The last rule is keeping of the time. The center referee keeps game time. Game time is never stopped but runs continuously throughout the half.
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