Question Number: 15683

Law 9 - The Ball in and out of Play 6/2/2007

RE: Rec Adult

Christian Tyrrell of Hartford, CT USA asks...

I just want to confirm a call. The goalie clearly stopped the ball from entering the goal. The goalie then got up and put down the ball to kick it away from the goal area.

As the goalie placed the ball down to kick it, the opposing coach was yelling for the attacking player to challenge the ball in the goal area before the goalie could kick it away.

Questions: Doesn't the goalie making a save make the ball a dead ball until s/he kicks it away?

Is the ball still alive and still playable by the attacking team if the goalie puts the ball down is setting up to kick it away (after a save)? What is considered a valid "release" to resume play?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

1. Absolutely NO! 2.ABsolutely Yes. Not to pick at you but you should know this. If you don't, someone did a poor job of training you. Once the keeper lays the ball on the ground, he has released control and the ball may be challenged for. The opposing coach was correct in telling his players to challenge the ball. The only exception is some states have modified the Law ay U-8 and U-10 that allow the keeper to maintain control even if the ball is on the ground.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the keeper puts the ball on the floor it's there for all to play AND the keeper can't use his hands until another player touches it! If the keeper has the ball in his hands his opponents allow him to release it from his hands.

You state your level of play is "recreational adult". This might mean a bunch of guys running about and kicking the ball before sitting around having a beer to highly competitive players serious about what they're doing. Recreational leagues have been known to, really, screw around with the Laws so the number of lawsuits pending is manageable. To answer, correctly anyway, what a rec league does is nearly impossible from this vantage point. Perhaps asking the league secretary, scheduler or what-have-you will yield a more complete answer.

Regards,