Soccer Terms

Prior to kickoff: The kickoff is determined by a coin toss. The captain of the visiting team calls it in the air. The winner chooses which goal they will defend or they may elect to choose kickoff in the first half. If the second option is chosen, the captain of the opposing team decides which goal they will defend.

Kickoff: The kickoff is kicked from the center point on the center line. The ball must roll one complete revolution before any player on either team can touch it. After this, it is free to the first player that gets to it.

Hand ball: A hand ball is when a player other than the goalie touches the ball with any part of their arm from the shoulder to the fingers. Sometimes the call will not be made if the player that committed the hand ball, or his team, did not get an advantage or possession.

Obstruction: These calls are made very seldom. Obstruction is when a player stops another player from getting the ball by running in their way purposely without any intent of going for the ball.

Foul: A foul, as in basketball or football, is an illegal play. Knocking a player down, tripping them, or grabbing their jersey are all examples of fouls. They can result in free kicks as well as a yellow or even red card if the play is dangerous enough.

Yellow card: A yellow card is issued when a player commits a foul that is considered dangerous to the opposing player. If two of these cards are accumulated during the course of one game a red card will be issued and the player must leave the game. A yellow may also be issued if the player holds the ball out of bounds too long in order to waste time at the end of the game if their team is winning. There is no set limit of time that can be spent holding the ball. The referee is in charge of deciding how much time is enough.

Red card: A red card is the most serious punishment in the game of soccer. The player that receives the card will be kicked out of the game. In high school soccer the referee has the final say in whether or not player must miss the next game. The coach of the team may also enforce a team issued code of conduct that says the player will miss a set number of games. Red cards can be issued to a player that has already received a yellow card and commits another foul. Excessive arguing may also be grounds for a red card. Purposely hitting the ball with your hand or hitting the ball while the goalie has it in his hands are also red cardable offenses.

Offside: An offsides call will be made if an attacking player has two or less defending players between him and the goal he is attacking. The call will not be made if the player that is in the offsides position does not interfere with the play. A player cannot be offsides on their own half of the field.

Free kick: Any time that any foul or handball is committed, the other team receives a free kick. When taking these the other team must be at least ten yards away. After three or four warnings the player closest to the referee that is not far enough away may get a yellow card. If the kick is awarded close to the goal, 25 to 30 yards away from the goal, the other team will usually form a "wall". Sometimes the ball will be sent directly into the wall on the first kick and after that the players in the wall will be a little more cautious in the forming of their "wall".

Penalty kick: This is the direct result of a foul in the large box, or penalty box. The referee will mark off 12 paces from the center of the goal line. The goalie of the team that committed the foul will have to try and stop the kick from the person that the other team chooses to take their free kicks. These can also be the result of a hand ball. The goalie cannot move until the kicker takes their first step.

Goal kick: When the ball is kicked over the end line by a player attacking that end a goal kick is awarded. This means that the goalie of that end may kick the ball from the box in front of the goal.

Corner kick: This is awarded when a player kicks the ball over the end line that he is defending. There are four corner flags on the corners of the field. A player from the other team kicks the ball from the corner closest to where the ball went out at.

Direct kick: This means that a free kick can go directly into the goal off of a free kick.

Indirect kick: This means that a player cannot kick the ball directly into the net. It must be touched by at least one other player from either team before the ball can be kicked into the net.

Out of bounds: Unlike basketball, the ball does must be completely over the line to be called. The call can be made before the ball even touches the ground. A player can be standing out of bounds and not be called if the ball is still not out.