Points of Emphasis for 2022

Soccer's usual Points of Emphasis: DISSENT, KICKOFF, SUBS, CARDS, THROW-INs, "BACK PASS," HEADING, NO SLIDE-TACKLES, OFFSIDE, DROPPED BALLS

Reminders for 2022: Dropped Ball, Throw-ins, Handling Offense

PLEASE! No coach, player, parent or spectator is to challenge the referee’s judgment or calls. Dissent is "public disagreement (verbal and/or physical) with a match official." Offenders may be asked to leave the field (sent off/red carded per Law 12), resulting in a disadvantage to the offending team.  Spectators can also be asked to leave the area. Referees will only interact with spectators through the coaches.

Referees can,  "Ask, tell, remove" - Ask to stop, tell to stop or next time be sent off, remove on subsequent dissent -  anyone challenging a referee.  Dissent will not be tolerated. Coaches, players & subs may per the Laws be shown cards; however, at Rec level, player dissent will be asked to be handled by coaches and may not result in cards being shown.  Coaches will also be asked to remove spectator(s) if necessary; and the game may be abandoned if coaches are unable to support the referees. Referees will report all dissent to referee coordinators and development director.

Coaches, PLEASE bring up concerns only after the match only with the league referee development director or program's designee.  We will of course also be interested in hearing positives and praise, so we can share these too! Please email me (link below)!  Please check this website throughout the season.

Notes on Laws (modified for TRC Rec):

Law 3: Either or Both teams may sub on ANY stoppage at the discretion of the referee (see the "Ask the Ref" tab for more information)

Law 8: The ball is no longer required to be kicked forward during the kick-off.

"DROPPED BALL" procedures changed in 2019: All dropped balls will be "uncontested."  When awarded, a player from last team who legally played the ball will receive the dropped ball at that spot.  Opponents must be 4.5 yrds away.  Ball is in play when the ball hits the ground.  ALL dropped balls inside the PENALTY AREA are dropped to the Goal Keeper regardless of who last played the ball.  Goals may not be scored by the player first playing a dropped ball until touched by ANY second player.

Law 9: The ball is out of play when the ball touches a Referee AND a team starts a promising attack, ball enters goal directly, or the team in possession changes.  Restart with a Dropped Ball procedure.  (play continues for balls hitting referee in all other situations).

Law 12: Yellow (caution) & Red (send off) cards may/will probably NOT be used/shown.  However, a referee may verbalized these sanctions and enforce as if showing actual cards. Coaches, players and subs may ALL be shown cards (new in 2019).

Law 15:  It is NOT illegal for part of the foot/feet to be “over the line” and on the field.  A legal throw-in simply requires that thrower “has part of each foot either on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline.”)

Law 12: Goal Keeper is only penalized for touching the ball with the hands (inside penalty area) after: “it has been deliberately kicked (or thrown-in) to the goalkeeper by a team-mate” (a "back pass"). “Deliberately and kicked” must both be emphasized.  Referees must make a judgment based on level of play and be 100% certain that the player deliberately kicked/passed (by foot specifically) the ball directly to the keeper. The restart is an IFK for the other team from the spot of the infraction, unless it occurs inside the goal area.  Ball would be placed on nearest part of the goal area line parallel to the goal line. This is all the same for a throw-in received directly from Goal Keeper's teammate. As of 2019: A keeper who clearly kicks or attempts to kick the ball but is UNSUCCESSFUL (whiff or mis-kick), the keeper CAN then handle the ball.

Heading: Heading will only be allowed in 11 v 11 matches! This is to comply with age restrictions recommended by US Youth Soccer since 2016. Any Unintentional "ball hits head," will result in immediate stoppage to check player and restart with a dropped ball via the new procedureIntentional heading restart is IFK for the other team.

Handling: (new language for 2021)  Not every touch of a player's hand/arm with the ball is an offense. Handling is an offense if the player deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm, for example moving the hand/arm towards the ball.  Or, if the contact of the hand/arm was considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger for a justifiable body movement for that specific situation.  By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes the risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalized. The upper boundary of the arm is in line with the bottom of the armpit (ball hitting shoulder is NOT handling!). No goal can be scored by an attacker directly from a hand/arm or immediately after their accidental handling (restart would be a goal kick).

Slide Tackles are NOT permitted under any circumstances (including Goal Keeper saves/attempts).  If there is no foul accompanying the slide tackle (no contact nor opponent close by), the slide tackle is an offense restarted with an IFK for the other team.  If there's a foul too, then it's a DFK or PK if inside Penalty Area.  Please, also verbally warn all players there shall be NO slide tackles in this league.

Offside law is complex!  THREE things have to be considered for there to be a whistle for an offside infraction: player position, the moment the ball is played from a teammate, and whether the player in the offside position becomes "involved in play."  There are also THREE aspects to "involved:" interfering with play (touching the ball), interfering with an opponent (forcing a reaction from that opponent), or gaining an advantage by being in that position.  It is not an offense to simply be in an offside position.  One can NOT be offsides (be in an offside position) if starting in one's own defensive half of the field.  One is NOT offside even from an offside position if their opponent passes them the ball.