Question Number: 33308

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/4/2019

RE: Rec Under 10

Don of Omaha, Nebraska USA asks...

Can a player under 10 years of age use their hands to protect their head or face from a ball? Is that foul or not since they are prohibited from heading the ball?
Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Don
The prohibition on young players being prevented from heading the ball does not allow for the use of hands to prevent contact with the head.
Now a referee can be generous in allowing raised hands as an instinctive protective reaction on a ball played from close range in Underage. I doubt though that a premeditated raising of the hands to assist in the play would be tolerated by many referees.
It is somewhat like young girls raising their arms in a crossed fashion across the chest for protection while playing the ball with the chest. That is premeditated play using the arms which is DHB. I believe some referees do not call it while others do. Either do not do it or avoid the ball altogether or accept the outcome.
Now players can and do instinctively protect themselves on the ball played from short distance towards them, but they cannot plan to play the ball by deliberately raising their arms while waiting for the ball to come to them.
As regards what should be coached it would be easy if the handling Law was uniformly applied which we know is not. I would certainly say that it is appropriate to coach protection measures in Underage to prevent concussion. The best advice is to coach avoiding the ball through movement. The trade off is that when handling is called that it has to be accepted as a consequence of raised arms used to assist in protection while playing the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Don,
the arm/hands are not used to play the ball unless you are the keeper inside your own penalty area. With the new non heading policy for youth their only legal option is to move the head out of the way. A silly tactic to be sure but the wrap the arms up and over the head on an incoming high or bouncing ball while closing their eyes is not a great deal better. That said, SINCE they award an INDFK for use of the head on purpose, a young player trying to not use the head but uses their arms instead as protection in my opinion as long as they are not batting the ball away or catching it I am liable not to see it as a foul especially at the u-10 level.

The ability for an intelligent player to nod a ball down or forward into their attack path for dribbling with the head was NEVER a danger to youth, it was the high or fast forward kick where the head & neck could be stressed as they often tensed and hunched often closing their eyes. Teaching kids to thigh trap or chest trap at that age is not the easiest for them so a foot trap or getting out the way to let it bounce maybe safe but on a ball headed into goal to duck and let it in seems really weird where as a jump up and take it into the face NOT being able to use the head allows for little else?

My colleague Ref McHugh makes a good point because the handling Law is not uniformly applied & the condition my colleague refers too as premeditated, placing arms over sensitive body parts is actually ok on defending walls at free kicks but to camp out under balls in the field does seem rather odd if other options are available in the time it takes a ball to get there. You certainly cannot move into and towards the ball while doing so as the arms are a hard rebound surface. Yet if a player was to cringe and place the arms or hands over their face or chest or groin and simply stood still allowing the ball to impact against them as long as those arms were not spread to widen the body or make it taller I likely allow play on. Instinctive warding away will always suffer at the opinion of the official whether there was a pushing away versus a protective stance preventing impact and the time, space and necessity of such an action as my colleague is spot on the handling decisions deemed to be unfair be accepted as a consequence of raised arms used to assist in playing the ball..

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Don,
Whatever the merits of the move to ban younger players below a certain age from heading the ball, I'm pretty sure it was not brought in with any intent to allow players to avoid the restrictions on deliberately handling the ball.

Now, if a player, with a fast moving ball suddenly approaching their head (especially if the ball was struck or deflected from close range) raises their hands in an instinctive and involuntary protective reaction that causes contact between ball and hand, the referee should not penalise that. If it was truly involuntary, then it was by definition, not deliberate.

However if the referee believes the player had the time and room to avoid the ball but made a conscious and deliberate choice to block it with their hands, that is an offence. Obviously, part of the equation in deciding between these two scenarios is the age and skill level of the player. An older, more experienced, more skilful player with reactions that have been honed over the years, should be given much less leeway while a younger player can quite often be given the benefit of the doubt.