INDIANAPOLIS,
IN (February 17, 2016) — A new interpretation of the offside rule in
high school soccer is among the rules changes approved for the 2016-17
season.
The new language regarding offside in Rule 11-1-4 is one
of two major changes recommended by the National Federation of State
High School Associations (NFHS) Soccer Rules Committee at its January
25-27 meeting in Indianapolis. All rules changes were subsequently
approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
“The rules are in fairly
decent shape,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and
officials and liaison to the Soccer Rules Committee. “The committee
wasn’t looking to make wholesale changes. They were looking at existing
rules and making sure they reflected today’s trends in the playing of
the game.
“Offside is one call in soccer that was identified in
the annual NFHS survey as being incorrectly administered,” Wynns said.
“This change makes offside more understandable and should result in
better administration of the offside rule.”
Previously, an
attacking player who was in an offside position at the time that the
ball was played by a teammate, could be penalized and ruled offside when
the ball was deflected by or rebounded from a defender to the attacking
player even though the defender tried to play the ball.
The new
rule changes this situation as the attacking player in an offside
position when the ball was kicked by a teammate who gets a rebounded or
deflected ball after it was deliberately played by the opponent (except
from a deliberate save), is no longer offside and is not considered to
have gained an advantage.
“An example of this new rule would be
if attacking player A1 kicks the ball to teammate A2 who is in the
offside position behind defender B, and defender B jumps to play the
ball but is unable to control the ball as it touches the top of his/her
head and deflects to Player A. In this situation, since B played the
ball, A2, although in an offside position, is not offside,” Wynns said.
“One important point to remember about offside is that being in an
offside position does not mean that a player is offside. To be offside, a
player must be involved in active play, interfering with play or an
opponent, or seeking an advantage.”
A change in Rule 14-1-4 now
mandates a penalty for a violation by the kicker prior to taking a
penalty kick to be the same as a violation by any other member of the
attacking team. Previously, a violation by the kicker prior to taking
the penalty kick resulted in the kick being retaken. The rules committee
felt that all attacking team violations during a penalty kick should be
treated equally.
“An example of a violation by the kicker in a
penalty kick situation is an interruption of movement in the approach to
the ball,” Wynns said. “Previously, this violation would result in a
verbal warning and a rekick. Under the new rule, the ball can be kicked
and the result is the same as any other attacker violation. One result
might be that the goalkeeper saved and held the ball. In this case, play
will now continue, where previously a rekick would occur. The committee
wanted to be a little more consistent with penalty kicks.”
A
complete listing of all rules changes will be available soon on the NFHS
website at
www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top
of the home page, and select “Soccer.”
According to the 2014-15
NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, soccer is the
fifth-most popular sport for boys with 432,569 participants and the
fourth-most popular sport for girls with 375,681 participants. A total
of 11,838 schools offered boys soccer in 2014-15 and 11,502 schools
offered girls soccer.
Bulletin Board
