kick ball or nothing?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by coach41

A simliar question on a kicked ball but not exactly as the original poster had it:

I was playing pickup ball with friends today and there was a low pass that got past me. It was rolling on the ground in such a way that there was no way I was going to be able to save it with my hands without diving. We were playing outdoors and no way I'm diving on concrete!

HOWEVER, I was able to outrun the ball a couple of steps before it got to the sideline. I never extended my leg or anything but just let the ball bounce off my leg and then I picked it up. My friends were saying it was illegal.

I'm a official and know the "intent" rule. So theoretically, my friends were right. But conceptually, I let the ball bounce off my body.

What do people think? Kicked ball or no kicked ball?

Illegal. You deliberately put your foot in the path of the ball in order to play the ball. The fact that you got there before the ball is immaterial. If you had been there before the ball was thrown thar direction (or were on an established path) , you would be legal. It is all about intent.