Question Number: 22046

League Specific 9/21/2009

RE: NFHS High School

Dave E of Clarkston, WA USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 21993

NFHS Substitution

Dennis,

Please allow me to rephrase my original question:

Both teams have substitutes who have checked in and are waiting at the half way line. Then, the ball goes out and the blue team gets the throw-in.

The blue team wants to do a quick throw-in right for tactical reasons, i.e., they have several teammates forward with few defenders. Stopping for substitutions would allow time for the defenders to get into place.

The USSF Guide to Procedures (p.40) allows referees to deny the substitution process in this scenario because the blue team has a strong attack setup and doing the substitution would deny them their initiative.

Question: Does NFHS Rules also allow referees to deny the substitution process under the same scenario for high school matches?

I have read through the NFHS Soccer Rule 3, Section 4 and cannot determine if I should do the same thing in high school matches.

Thank you in advance for re-addressing this issue.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Under NFHS rules, the coach may not withdraw a substitute AFTER the referee beckons the substitute onto the field. (3.4.1, Situation). But, I see nothing that would prohibit the coach from withdrawing the substitute BEFORE the referee beckons. It seems that the referee could delay beckoning the substitute to see if the coach withdraws her. (Note: just my opinion; state rules interpreter(s) could differ. There is a strong preference in high school to allow students the opportunity to play.)

As a practical matter, the quick throw in may occur before the scorer has an opportunity to signal, and the referee may be wise to 'not see' the substitutes at the halfway line. But, the scorer may also be using a horn or signal to announce the substitution, and it may be difficult as a matter of game management for the referee to 'ignore' something as loud and obvious as an air horn.

Under the laws of the game, it is much easier for the referee to let a quick throw-in occur because there is no such obvious indicator. But, be careful how you read the USSF Guide To Procedures. The referee cannot deny a team the right to substitute because it is advantageous for the other team to take a quick throw-in. It says 'Does not permit the substitution if the substitute is not prepared to enter the field or if the team in possession on the restart is prepared to restart quickly.' The USSF Advice To Referees, however, is clear that the referee does not have the right to deny a substitution except where the substitute had not reported to the appropriate official before the stoppage in play or the substitute is not ready to enter the field. (ATR 3.5). The difference is that the referee will not permit a team to use a substitution to delay the restart, but the referee isn't denying a substitution to grant the throwing team a tactical advantage. (In my area, league rules have been added in unlimited substitution matches to permit the referee to deny a substitution for tactical reasons.)

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 25521