ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

GENERAL INFORMATION MECHANICS
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GENERAL INFORMATION

Goal kicks are one of the more common restarts.  Since the objective of the game is to put the ball into the goal more often than your opponent, it makes sense that the offensive team would put the ball across the goal line frequently.

Dropping zone - Referees must position themselves to see the next significant action.  One concept that helps most referees understand that principle is to learn about the dropping zone, or where the referee expects a long kick will return to a playable height.  Goalkeeper punts, corner kicks and goal kicks are the three most common incidents where referees see that concept in action.  You can start reading the best position to assume during the pre-game.  Watch who warms up by taking a series of long kicks, such as corner kicks to warm-up the goalkeeper.  While the goalkeeper wants a variety of placements to test agility and coverage, you can take a hint regarding the kicker's leg strength.  Watch the goalkeeper take some pre-game punts.  Do most of them cross the halfway line?  If so, that is a clue to you for your coverage during the game.

Click on picture for a video clip about a goal kick

Lead Referee Positioning - The lead referee should be position where they can see the landing zone of the ball yet still be able to quickly move to a position even with the second-to-last defender to judge offside.  Depending upon the age group and the typical kicking distance of the person taking the goal kick, the lead referee may need to be position nearer the center line of the field towards the touch line or down further along the touch line and move less into the field.

Trail Referee Positioning - The trail referee should move to the top of the goal area "to check for proper placement" of the ball.  If the goalkeeper is taking the goal kick, then "moves to a position to judge offside.:  During those times when one or more attackers are near the top of the penalty area, the assistant trail referee should move to the top of the penalty area to verify the ball is properly put into play, i.e., passes wholly outside the penalty area before it is touched by a player on either team.  If the ball is touched by a player on either team, it must be a retake of the goal kick.  The ball never entered play.

 Wasting time - Once a goal kick is awarded and the team winning by a slim margin places the ball on the ground in preparation for the restart, they should kick the ball from that location.  If the ball "then is moved unnecessarily to another location," the referee should warn the team to stop indulging in delaying tactics.  Top referees use their personality to prevent problems.  A kind word with a team captain or team leader in the midfield might work.  Making eye contact with the goalkeeper and gesturing as if to say, "You and I both know you're doing that to waste time and if you do it again, what other options do I have?" may be enough to get the message across.  If the team persists after the warning, you may caution and show the yellow card.  Think before you do that.  Make sure you don't show the yellow card to a person on the losing team.  Is a caution the best way to handle the problem in a game with the score 8-0?

Untouched ball crosses the kicking team's goal line -  From a goal kick, if either due to wind or a mis-kick on the ball, the ball crosses the kicking team's goal line untouched, there are two possible courses of action.

If the ball crosses wholly over the goal line before it leaves the penalty area, the restart must be a retake of the goal kick.  The ball never entered play - it never departed the penalty area.

If the ball crosses wholly over the goal line after leaving the penalty area, award a corner kick.  The ball legally entered play as soon as it passed outside the penalty area and into the field.  Thus, a live ball played over the goal line last touched by a member of the defending team equals a corner kick.

 

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MECHANICS

Goal kick

Younger-age goal kick - referee positioned properly

 Action on the field:

The goalkeeper is taking a goal kick.  The game is being played by older age players who are able to kick the ball farther.

Lead Referee Responsibilities:

Read the play and find the dropping zone.  Anticipate where the ball will land and get a proper angle to look through the players rather than looking at player's shoulders or backs.  The chances of contact between attackers and defenders in the middle of the field is increased.  It is more likely that players will go up to either flick the ball to a teammate or to head the ball clear.  You need to be able to determine whether or not the jumps are legal or if any fouls or misconduct occurred during the challenge.  You must have an open lane to a position to judge offside.

Trail Referee Responsibilities:

Move to the top of the goal area to check proper ball placement.  If players are near the top of the penalty area, observe the ball wholly cross outside the penalty area before it is touched.  Move laterally to stay even with the second-to-last defender.  You also need to be prepared to help the lead referee with fouls and misconduct in the middle of the field.

 Action on the field:

A younger age player, someone whose leg strength limits the distance of a kick to about 12-15 yards, is taking a goal kick.

Lead Referee Responsibilities:

The proper alignment for a lead referee allows you to look across the field at your partner.  You want the ball between you and the trail referee most of the time.  Since all the white attackers are in their own half of the field and the kicker's leg strength limits their ability for a long kick, it is advisable for the lead referee to come into the other half of the field, where all the players are and where any issues must happen

Trail Referee Responsibilities:

The primary responsibility of the trail referee for young players is to assure that the ball completely leaves the penalty area.  If it does not, stop play and have the kick retaken.  If the problem persists, you may have to recommend to the coach that a different player take the kick.

 
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