Dumb Soccer Coaching Rules Question (1 Viewer)

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Seriously, I played youth soccer all through high school and have now been coaching kids soccer for six years, and I think I've just realized that my understanding of a particular rule may be wrong. Here's my question:

On a goal kick, is the kicking team allowed to leave defenders inside the penalty area?

I never see any teams leave defenders in there, other than the goalkeeper and the player taking the kick (if that's someone other than the keeper). But the rules seem to only talk about the non-kicking team being excluded from the area. Can I leave even more defenders in the penalty area during goal kicks?

I realize this is a dumb question for most teams because, why would you want them in there? I know they couldn't touch the ball until after it leaves the penalty area. But I coach rec league girls and every ####### goal kick is a tense situation because of the possibility that our player will kick the ball on the ground straight to an opposing player on the edge of the penalty area, who then takes a few dribbles and scores.

If in fact I can leave defenders back there, I've probably cost our team dozens of goals over the years by not knowing the rule.

 

[trogg78]

Yes, you can leave defenders in the box. I keep my defenders in the box on goal kicks.

 

[The Gator]

Have the keeper play it out wide towards the sideline to the right or left back. Work your build up from there.

What age are they?

 

[NewlyRetired]

We were talking about something tangential in the US Soccer thread a couple of weeks ago.

Depending on what level and affiliation the kids are playing, US Soccer is changing the rules regarding goal kicks for the youth players to encourage teams to play out of the back and not just have the strongest legged kid kick it as far as he can which is useless for development at that age.

There are a whole bunch of changes that I think will come into affect in 2016 for youth soccer across the US (again depending on affiliation).

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Have the keeper play it out wide towards the sideline to the right or left back. Work your build up from there.

What age are they?

They're U12, which sound way too old to be worrying about stuff like this but it's girls rec league and a lot of these kids still can't kick the ball far. We tried working in practice on kicking towards the sideline, and that's a possibility. I'd just like a variety of options. Leaving an extra defender or two in the box could at least spare us that worst-case scenario.

 

[AcerFC]

The kicking team is allowed to be in the box

The shark move is to keep them outside, play wide like Gator said and if they feel the offensive players are coming hard and will steal the ball, step into the box and touch the ball before the offensive player. Ball will go back for a rekick

Of course there is only so many times in a game that this can work if you have an official who actually knows anything about the game. But most officials dont so rinse and repeat until you get it worked out

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Yes, you can leave defenders in the box. I keep my defenders in the box on goal kicks.

I never see any teams do this. Is it common where you are? Ever have an issue with a ref not knowing the rule? I feel like I need to come to the game tomorrow prepared with an annotated rule book.

 

[AcerFC]

Yes, you can leave defenders in the box. I keep my defenders in the box on goal kicks.

I never see any teams do this. Is it common where you are? Ever have an issue with a ref not knowing the rule? I feel like I need to come to the game tomorrow prepared with an annotated rule book.

teams rarely do this because us coaches are so concerned with teaching proper ways to move the ball from the back

If you leave players in the box, you are taking away options. You may be a step or two ahead on defense, but you have the ball.

 

[trogg78]

Yes, you can leave defenders in the box. I keep my defenders in the box on goal kicks.

I never see any teams do this. Is it common where you are? Ever have an issue with a ref not knowing the rule? I feel like I need to come to the game tomorrow prepared with an annotated rule book.

I see teams go both ways. We are in U8 playing 6v6. Teams that don't leave a defender in the box risk an easy goal when the ball gets stolen since the keeper isn't in front of the goal. I've never had a ref tell defenders to leAve the box on a goal kick.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Yes, you can leave defenders in the box. I keep my defenders in the box on goal kicks.

I never see any teams do this. Is it common where you are? Ever have an issue with a ref not knowing the rule? I feel like I need to come to the game tomorrow prepared with an annotated rule book.

teams rarely do this because us coaches are so concerned with teaching proper ways to move the ball from the back

If you leave players in the box, you are taking away options. You may be a step or two ahead on defense, but you have the ball.

That's probably true in most levels of soccer. My guess is that most teams in girls rec league don't do it because they don't know the rule. The "kick it right to an opposing player" problem is CONSTANT in our games. I'd say it happens at least a couple times a game.

 

[The Gator]

lengthy PM sent

 

[AcerFC]

lengthy PM sent

lame

we all want t know

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

lengthy PM sent

lamewe all want t know

Sorry, my team will crush your team now.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

I'm shocked the Maestro didn't clear this up for you.

 

[The Gator]

lengthy PM sent

lamewe all want t know

Sorry, my team will crush your team now.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

Fatguy> remember in your post game speeches to the kids to reiterate that they were the better team regardlessif they win or not. The larger the loss, the bigger the luck factor was in the other team winning /Mourinho

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

Fatguy> remember in your post game speeches to the kids to reiterate that they were the better team regardlessif they win or not. The larger the loss, the bigger the luck factor was in the other team winning /Mourinho

I never say we were better but I do always try to put a positive spin on things, even when we get slaughtered. Our first game this season we were losing 4-0 until we managed to score in the closing seconds to finish with a 4-1 loss. My whole speech was about how awesome it was that we kept fighting to the end and how that paid off with an awesome goal.

 

[walnutz]

The kicking team can have players inside the 18 yard box. However, the ball must leave the 18 yard box area to be played. If it does not leave the area and is played then the kick is to be re taken. If it is plaed again by the goal keeper the restart is a indirect free kick to the opposing team. This is as stated in the Laws of the Game. Leagues can modify the competition rules in different ways but regardless the ball still must leave the penalty area before it is played.

 

[Hu-Tang Clan]

Fatguy> remember in your post game speeches to the kids to reiterate that they were the better team regardlessif they win or not. The larger the loss, the bigger the luck factor was in the other team winning /Mourinho

I never say we were better but I do always try to put a positive spin on things, even when we get slaughtered. Our first game this season we were losing 4-0 until we managed to score in the closing seconds to finish with a 4-1 loss. My whole speech was about how awesome it was that we kept fighting to the end and how that paid off with an awesome goal.

Did you give everyone a participation ribbon/trophy too?