Just checking...
 

There is no rule in NFHS that a free kick must travel 10 yards, right? I ask only because (a) several coaches have looked for a flag for this from me in the past two weeks, and (b) an R in a recent game that I was HL for dropped a flag for this. I looked at him askance and asked "What was the flag for?" and he said "The kick didn't go 10 yards." (It was a weak onside attempt that was left untouched in the middle of the field.) The receiving team declined the "penalty" and took over at that spot, so I let it pass and forgot to ask him about it later.

No foul. Restrictions as to who gets the ball and/or who can touch it ... but no foul for simply not kicking it far enough.

No penalty for the ball not traveling 10 yards. I've seen it called many times and asked the official if they just dropped their flag instead of their bean bag by mistake.

REPLY: A free kick that's touched by K before going ten yards is nothing more than 'first touching.' Same as when a kicker is first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone. No foul.

Isn't that a flag, though? I was told to flag that. Maybe that's just if they recover it, but not if the play continues after first touching.

Or should I just beanbag it?

NF "first touching" is not a foul, it's commonly called a violation. Its a bag spot not a flag spot.

Baring any fouls, this spot is where team-R could take over to start their series.

It is surprising a coach would think this is a foul and even more surprised that an official does think this is a foul.

Yep- bag it.

Third-year official who's seen it happen exactly twice.

We're not all perfect. If I was, I wouldn't be here asking goddamn questions all the time.

If you're a wing, though, you should know the procedure and the rules surrounding onside kicks regardless of how many times you've actually seen it. It's called rules/mechanics study and preparation.

If you're not already doing it, you should have a beanbag in your hand for every kickoff in preparation for this scenario when you're working the LJ position (5-man). You don't want to have to go looking for a bag when this happens.

REPLY: O and B...think of it this way. You wouldn't flag K if they were first to touch a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone, would you? No, you'd bag the spot because barring any fouls, R always has the right to begin their series at that spot. But there's no foul for K touching a kick in this manner. This is the same thing for free kicks. K touching a free kick before it goes ten yards is by rule also called "first touching."

First of all, the official that surprised me that this is a foul was the "R" in the original post. If you want to take on the "R" role, you better know what you are doing.

Then you pop off with some $%#^ language probably thinking I was referring to your post. Really shows you want to learn for a third year guy.

If you say you have seen this twice before, then tell me did you even bother to ask your crew members or other officials whether this was a flag or not?

If there were some puzzled looks because they were not sure, then I hope you pulled out the book an re-read chapter 6 and then asked the same question in your chapter meetings.
Maybe those who told you to flag it would stand up to defend their position and be enlightened as to why they think this is a flag.

It's not a bad question, not even a naive question because I believe that the lower level coaches think it is a foul. Sure some of your chapter officials will snicker at you, ignore it you'll get that all the time. But at least you'll get the correct answer as has been provided here and know how to react to play in the future.

All the more reason for me to remember that the first 10 yards of a kickoff are just like a punt. Beyond 10 yards are just like a fumble if the ball has touched a player or the ground.

Great Analogy! Makes a whole lot of sense to me (especially in terms i can understand). Good post, Warren.

...and the ball is still live. Don't kill the play until A secure possesion or B is down.