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- Main Rules
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- 1. Starting Play "The Kickoff" - The match starts
after both teams participate in a coin toss. The winner is awarded their choice of
the initial kickoff or which side to defend (more important in that early morning and late
evening matches). The ball is placed on the center spot, and the player taking the
kickoff kicks the ball forward (over the center line into the kickers' offensive half of
the pitch) so that it rolls at least the length of its circumference (3 times the width of
the ball) before another player touches it. At the kickoff, each team must be on
there half of the pitch. Another player must touch the ball before the kicker may
touch it again. The ball is put into play the same way after each quarter (or half)
and after a goal is scored, with the team that was scored upon getting the kickoff.
The teams switch sides at the half and alternate taking the kickoff at the start of the
quarters and the half (i.e. one team will kickoff at the start of quarters 1 & 3, with
the other taking it at start of 2 & 4).
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- 2. Resuming Interrupted Play - Play is generally interrupted
for three (3) reasons in soccer - the ball goes out-of-bounds, a foul, or an injury.
The player who puts the ball into play can't touch it again until another player has
touched it.Out-of-Bounds - When the ball moves across a sideline or endline (the entire
ball must cross the line), it is considered out-of-bounds. When the ball goes
out-of-bounds it is put back into play in one of three ways, throw-in, corner kick, or
goal kick.
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- a.) Throw-in - When the ball is sent over a sideline the team
that last touched it looses possession, and the other team takes a throw-in from the point
where the ball wen tout of bounds. The player taking the throw-in must throw the
ball over their head with both hands, with both feet touching the ground on or behind the
sidelines. The player's feet DO NOT have to be pointing in the direction that the
throw-in is made. The player is not allowed to throw the ball directly into the
goal.
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- b.) Corner Kick - When the ball is sent over the endline by the
defending tea, it loses possession and the attacking team takes a corner kick from the
corner arc closest to point where the ball went out of bounds. The player is allowed
to kick the ball directly into the goals but this is difficult.
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- c.) Goal Kick - When the ball is sent over the endline by the
attacking tea, it loses possession and the defending team takes a goal kick from the goal.
All attacking players must be outside the penalty area when the goal kick is taken.
The ball must leave the penalty area to be considered in play. The player is
not allowed to kick the ball directly into the goal from a goal kick.
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- 3. Fouls - When a player performs certain actions, which are
considered fouls, the opposing team is awarded a free kick from the spot where the foul
occurred. These fouls fall into two (2) categories based on severity - direct free
kick (more severe) and indirect free kick (less severe).
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- a.) Direct Free Kick - The kicker may score from this type of
kick. When a player commits one of the fouls listed below the opposing team is
awarded a direct free kick:* Hand ball - ball touching any part of the hands or arms of
any player other than the goalie.* Kicking, Striking, Pushing, Tripping, or Holding an
opponent.* Charging at dangerously or from behind (running up the back of/through) an
opponent.
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- Penalty Kick - This is a special application of the direct free kick,
which is used when a defensive player commits a direct foul anywhere in their penalty
area. Any member of the attacking team who was on the pitch at the time of the foul
takes the penalty kick from the penalty spot (half way between the outer edge of the goal
area and the outer edge of the penalty area). The only other player allowed in the
penalty area during the penalty kick is the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper must stand
with their heels on the goal line, and cannot move until the ball is kicked. Once
the ball is kicked, it is in play and the other players may enter the penalty area.
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- b.) Indirect Free Kick - The kicker may NOT score directly from
this type of kick. When a player commits one of the fouls listed below, the opposing
team is awarded an indirect free kick:* Dangerous play.* Obstructing an opponent (i.e.
moving pick).* Player re-starting play touches the ball a second time before another
player touches it after a throw-in, corner kick, goal kick or penalty kick.*
Offside.Offside - Complete understanding and correct implementation of the offside rule is
the most difficult part of soccer officiating. For our purposes we will use it in
its' basic form, to prevent goal hanging (cherry picking). A player should be
considered offside, if when the ball is passed to them in the offensive half of the pitch,
they have fewer than two (2) defenders (one of which may be the goalkeeper) between them
and the goal. Note: The first player to receive the ball from a throw-in,
corner kick, and goal kick or drop ball CANNOT be offside.
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- 4. The Drop Ball - There are two (2) situations which will
dictate the use of the drop ball to restart play, after stoppage for injury and when the
ball goes out-of-bounds with the referee unable to determine which team was at fault.
The referee drops the ball between two opposing players, which compete for
possession. The ball must touch the ground before either player may kick it.
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- Note: For a more comprehensive look into the rules of the game,
go to www.fifa.com.
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