Question Number: 22417

League Specific 11/1/2009

RE: High School

Suz of Randolph, VT USA asks...

What is the official end of a high school soccer game? Is it the time clock buzzer going off or the ref's whistle blow? Also, when the clock has been stopped when does the time start again? Is it the refs whistle blow or when the ball is kicked? Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Assuming the clock agrees with the referee's watch - meaning the timer hasn't forgotten to stop the clock when asked by the referee or to add back on time as indicated by the referee, then when the buzzer goes, the game is over.

Time is supposed to start again when the ball is kicked. The whistle is the signal to the kicker that it is okay to kick the ball. The timer is supposed to start the clock when the ball is kicked.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The clock's buzzer signifies the end of time. Not all high schools use a stadium clock. There, the referee keeps time, and the referee's whistle indicates the end of time with the final whistle.

The referee normally will use a hand signal to indicate 'stop the clock' (hands crossed above the head) and a hand signal to indicate 'start the clock' (rotating one arm in a large circle like a clock hand.) The official scorers should start the clock when the ball is kicked, but some look for the two signals from the referee.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

NFHS rules state that the home team school timer shall be the official timer, but if the opposing coaches agree or the state high school association adoption, the head referee may be the timekeeper. Whoever the time keeper is he's supposed to have a visible timing device. Official time may be kept on a stadium clock. The timer is supposed to stop the clock when told by the referee for an injury, penalty kick, caution, disqualification, after a goal or whenever else the referee says to. He's supposed to signal 2 minutes before the end of the first half. Clock is restarted when the ball is put into play. At the beginning of each half the referee blows the whistle but the clock doesn't start until the ball is put into play. Period ends when the buzzer or whistle goes off. The only exception is when a penalty kick has been awarded just before time runs out, just as in LOTG, time is extended to take the penalty kick