Question Number: 23009

Law 16 - Goal Kick 3/26/2010

RE: Varisty High School

Jon Able of Loganville, GA USA asks...

I would like to know if it is an automatic "yellow-card" offense for a defender, taking a goal kick, to re-set the ball before making the goal kick. The intent of the player was to switch field based on her very brief assessment before taking the kick. The ref in the game called a foul. The player received a yellow card for this offense. Is there a specific rule in the GSHA rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct for this repositioning of the ball? The ref stated it is unsportsmanlike and therefore an automatic "yellow card." The player was not intentionally delaying play or being disrespectful. If there is no such rule then it seems logical the player would only receive a warning for the conduct.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jon
In the Laws of the Game this would not be an automatic caution. The referee has to assess why it is being done and either warn the player not to delay the restart again or caution for delaying the restart of play if he believes that was the case.
You do not mention when this incident happened in the game. Near the end of a game with perhaps players becoming slow to restart in a winning position and with a number of warnings, the defender who has not been warned previously may simply have been cautioned as the final straw in the referee's attempt to prevent delays. Without knowing a great deal about NHFS I doubt that this would be an 'automatic' caution.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

It is not an automatic caution - rather the referee would need to determine if the player is delaying the restart of play.

This does not need to be an intentional act by the player; rather the player simply needs to take an unreasonably long time to get the ball into play.

I would say that placing the ball into position, then picking the ball up and changing the position is an excellent candidate for such a consideration - the player should make her decision one way or another and stick with it.

In such a situation, the referee may choose to ignore it, tell the player to hurry up, warn the player more sternly, or caution the player - there are a number of things the referee will consider in determining such an approach.

This is from the laws of the game; I don't know what by-laws and regulations NFHS has in place.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

NFHS rule 16-3 provides that 'Once spotted, the ball shall be kicked from the ground from any point within the goal area.' Play Ruling 16.1.3 provides that 'once the ball is placed, the ball cannot be moved from one spot to another.'

The rules do not provide for the sanction and do not require a caution for moving the ball. IMO, the referee enhances match management by a public warning that high school rules do not permit the ball to be moved on a goal kick. I advise a caution only if the warning is ignored.

The purpose of the rule is to avoid delaying the restart of the match, and a referee would be empowered to caution without a prior warning if the match situation warrants.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sorry I didn't see this earlier. Nowhere do GSHA, GYSA, or GSSA mandate a caution for this