Question Number: 30764

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/15/2016

RE: AYSO Region 418 Under 13

John R Ellis of Chicago, IL USA asks...

At the U10-U14 age level, is the Goalkeeper allowed to parry the ball with his feet from outside the penalty area into the penalty area, then pick it up with his hands? The circumstances could be that 1) One of his teammates passed it to him outside the penalty area; 2) The ball was last touched by an opposing team member; 3) The ball was a 'loose ball' for the closest player to regain control of.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
The restriction of the goalkeeper touching the ball with his hands only applies when the ball has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper or to a place where the goalkeeper can handle the ball or move the ball so that it can be handled ie inside the penalty area.
In the case of 1 it is an IDFK from where the goalkeeper touched the ball with his hands inside the penalty area and in the case of 2 and 3 there is no offence as the ball was not deliberately kicked to him. It make no difference if the goalkeeper uses his feet to play the ball first in the case of 2 & 3.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi John,
There is no age difference here.
What is important is not where the keeper receives the ball but how it got to him - if it's a deliberate kick to him by a teammate, or he receives it directly from his team's throw-in (both of these include when the ball is deliberately played into space for the goalkeeper), then it doesn't matter where he receives the ball or what he does with it first, he cannot then handle it inside his own PA.
If he receives the ball from an opponent, or from a contested/uncontrolled ball, then he can certainly receive it outside and bring it into the PA to handle it. He may even receive it in the PA, run with it outside, change his mind, run back inside then handle it.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I think we have a difference of terms here. 'Parry' refers to when the keeper could have caught the ball, but instead directs it to the ground using his hands. We don't see many true parries anymore. They were useful way back when the goalkeeper could only take 4 steps with the ball.

I agree with my colleague that the keeper is not allowed to handle the ball in your first scenario, but is able to do so in the 2nd and 3rd.