Question Number: 18238

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/12/2008

RE: High School

joe miller of hampstead, uSA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18221

I may be imagining things but when Chuck Fleischer first responded I am pretty sure he had a different answer that what's posted now if I go to the site. Did he change it? I seem to remember him saying in high school and everywhere but the US it could not be played with the hands and he even sited a rule but now the answer doesn't say this. If indeed this did occur, it would have been nice to receive another email saying so. Please advise so I know I'm not going crazy. Thanks

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You're not going crazy. Apparantly in most areas of the world, the keeper may not handle the ball if directly kicked to him by a teammate if it just glances off or is touched by another player. Here in the US, USSF has taked a frim stand that once tha ball touches ANY OTHER PLAYER, the keeper is free to handle the ball. Of course, your question deals with High School where the rules set forth by US Soccer do not apply. Someone else will have to answer what the High School folks say about this.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Joe, your eyes do not deceive you, I did change my answer. The fault is mine for reading what I was thinking about at the time and not what you asked. What you wanted to know is if a deliberate kick to the goalkeeper by a colleague hits an opponent on the way is he able to use his hands. The answer should have been of course he can. I believe it says that now and I apologize for not ticking the block on my close question page that generates another e-mail to the questioner. I make mistakes, we all do -- that's how we learn. The idea is learn from your mistakes and that lesson is most a difficult one, it would seem.

Regards,