Question Number: 27775

Law 15 - Throw In 9/16/2013

RE: high school High School

Larry Kap of Middletown, PA USA asks...

Was there ever a time in any type of soccer anywhere that you could kick a ball in instead of throw a ball in that had gone out of bounds over the touch line?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
One has to back before 1882 for the original kick in instead of a throw in.
In 1994 FIFA was keen to experiment on a kick in and an experiment was tried with 2nd division senior leagues in Belgium and Hungary, and a junior League in the UK. Designed to add an extra dimension to attacking play, teams looking to return the ball from the touchline were given the option of taking either the conventional throw or, by the agreed signal of the raising of an arm, a kick in.
The proposal caused widespread controversy among coaches and the media, who were to give it thousands of column inches throughout the season, with many fearing an increase in the long ball tactic. It was so unpopular with some that one manager was reported to have forbidden his team to exercise the kick-in option, threatening to sack any player who did.
The experiment never went any further.
The kick in is an integral part of the Futsal game though.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

I remember when I played small-sided games as a young player we used a kick-in. Sometimes it's used in small-sided tournaments as well which adopt their own rule variations.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

We had this in our U9/U10 travel league a few years ago. They went back to throw-ins. But they still don't have goal kicks - the keeper gets the ball in his hands.

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

See Question: 28636