Needham Tournament

[Unregistered]

Show me a sideline where someone yells "it was handling the ball AND with certainty, the player WAS able to remove their hand from the path of the soccer ball without inflicting possibility of undue harm to his.her person."

It don't happen folks. Nor should it... The real question is if the player committed said foul.. Frankly it is missed alot. As I said, as long as its called equally good or equally bad, that's more important to a game. Consistency...

Now can we move on, please?

NO. It isn't missed a lot. It is intentionally not called a foul a lot because most of the time, contact with the hand is not a hand ball.

[Unregistered]

If you can just humor me for a minute as I really don't know the complete rule, but when is it considered legal to 'protect' yourself by lifting your hand to deflect the ball? If there is a free kick from 30 yards out and it's headed right at a defenders face on the wall, could he lift his hand to protect his face? Certainly he just move his head as simply as his hand, no?

From the USSF advice to referees...

"Moving hands or arms instinctively to protect the body when suddenly faced with a fast approaching ball does not constitute deliberate contact unless there is subsequent action to direct the ball once contact is made. Likewise, placing hands or arms to protect the body at a free kick or similar restart is not likely to produce an infringement unless there is subsequent action to direct or control the ball. The fact that a player may benefit from the ball contacting the hand does not transform the otherwise accidental event into an infringement."

[Unregistered]

If you can just humor me for a minute as I really don't know the complete rule, but when is it considered legal to 'protect' yourself by lifting your hand to deflect the ball? If there is a free kick from 30 yards out and it's headed right at a defenders face on the wall, could he lift his hand to protect his face? Certainly he just move his head as simply as his hand, no?

Player moving hand to protect face, after ball has been kicked from 10 yards away, would be ruled handling by most referees, because it's deliberately moving the hand into the path of the ball.
If player in a wall already has hands up in that position before the ball is struck, many referees would not call it a foul if the kick then hit that arm, if the arm was unmoved. Some refs might call it a foul, on the basis that the hand is in an unnatural position.
Outside of free kicks, when players are in much closer proximity to each other, a reflex reaction to lift your hand in front of your face as the opponent strikes the ball is not handling.

Look, players know they can't handle the ball. So it stands to reason that most contact between ball and hand/arm is not deliberate, and therefore no foul.

[Unregistered]

The refs are the ones who get worked up over terminology. "Handling" and "Laws" vs. rules. And if you dare offer an opinion on anything pertaining to officiating they always answer "go get certified". They are a sensitive bunch.

Some people just enjoy wallowing in their own ignorance.....As a coach I have to constantly remind my parents to please don't say anything to the refs especially when you are completely clueless of the rules. Every year there is a new crop of parents yelling boot it and handball, Blaming the refs coaching from the sidelines....Human nature I guess.

[Unregistered]

M is a club hopper! He will be off to the next club that offers him something better! No loyalty!

[Unregistered]

talking soccer

M is a club hopper! He will be off to the next club that offers him something better! No loyalty!

Ditto! But more like a runner not a hopper! Wow does he move fast.

[Unregistered]

Ditto! But more like a runner not a hopper! Wow does he move fast.

He moved quick enough when he refused to bring his team to an award ceremony after they lost. Tournament director was floored that he acted that way and the message it sent to his girls.

[Unregistered]

He moved quick enough when he refused to bring his team to an award ceremony after they lost. Tournament director was floored that he acted that way and the message it sent to his girls.

Give it a rest. You are too desperate. Everyone sees through your agenda.

[Unregistered]

Some people just enjoy wallowing in their own ignorance.....As a coach I have to constantly remind my parents to please don't say anything to the refs especially when you are completely clueless of the rules. Every year there is a new crop of parents yelling boot it and handball, Blaming the refs coaching from the sidelines....Human nature I guess.

Definitely, and once people certify b/c they think they can do a much better job than the refs they are seeing, people quickly realize that it's a much tougher job than what they originally expect. If you're doing 5+ games in a day back to back w/o a break, you're not going to be on your toes as much as if you are doing only a set of 2 or 3. Sure, intellect factors into the job somewhat; if you're a dedicated soccer fan that is an advantage. Good fitness gives you an advantage. But quite a bit of it is work ethic. If you can't follow basic administrative functions like report your games in 24 hours or repetitively show up to games 15 minutes or less before kick off (except in the instances where the schedule doesn't permit showing up 30 minutes beforehand w/ switching fields) or repetitively decline assigned games, you won't be reffing for too much longer even if you are a star in making the right calls.

[Unregistered]

Give it a rest. You are too desperate. Everyone sees through your agenda.

I'm glad everyone sees through my agenda, which is to call out a classless coach. Is that clear enough for you?

[Unregistered]

It's all completely clear to us what your agenda is. Very pathetic. Trolling TS and throwing stones won't help keep players that are looking around or attract others. Move along.

[Unregistered]

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.....

[Unregistered]

It's all completely clear to us what your agenda is. Very pathetic. Trolling TS and throwing stones won't help keep players that are looking around or attract others. Move along.

People call out an adult for being classless and teaching young kids to be poor sports and it's an agenda? Who's the pathetic one? If someone wants players I'm sure they can pick up the phone. This is about a coach not recruiting.