Question Number: 26720

Law 16 - Goal Kick 9/4/2012

RE: Academy (pre-Select) Under 11

Philip of Atlanta, Ga USA asks...

On the goal kick:

Is the kicking team allowed to place the ball in the goal box, set up to kick it, then pick it up and run it to the opposite side of the goal box and put the ball in play from there with a legal kick?

Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Philip
The only issue here is the high possibility of delaying the restart of play. If it is done for genuine reasons and there is no time wasting intent on behalf of the kicker then it is a non issue and the referee allows the kick to be taken.
If it is done for time wasting purposes, the kicker is cautioned, the time taken is added on and the kick is then taken as normal.
At U11 a player could have forgotten the coach's instruction of a goal kick such as taking kicks from one side of the goal area or perhaps got instruction to kick the ball out to perhaps to a dominant side.
In NFHS games once the ball is placed, the ball cannot be moved from one spot to another..

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

A team is generally expected to put the ball back into play quickly. Referees are taught to be proactive about efforts to delay the restart of the match by telling the players that once they spot the ball on a goal kick, they should kick it. If a player ignores a warning, the player may be cautioned for delaying the start of play.

Under high school rules, moving the ball after it is spotted at a goal kick is expressly forbidden (for the same reason). The only penalty under the rules, however, is to retake the goal kick. So, it effectively leads to the same result. Referees should be proactive. If a player ignores a warning, the player may be cautioned for delaying the start of play.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Phillip. Always happy to see questions from home.

For a long time we were taught not to allow the ball to be picked up and moved once it was placed on the ground for a goal kick. Now we are taught no harm no foul.

I used to work U Littles and always got a chuckle when a coach would tell his player to use this tactic as if no one in the world had ever done it. Virtually every time I saw this happen, the opponents would simply move with the ball. The team taking the goal kick never gained any advantage.

Just another silly coach's trick