Free Kick Rules
 

In our pre game last Friday, we had a great discussion about Free Kick Rules. One of the two teams playing this night has a history of kicking from one hash and kicking it high across the field about 20-25 yards to the other hash. During our pre-game I mentioned that if K was to do this, R must have the opportunity to catch the ball and it is not a live ball until 1. It has went 10 yrds. and 2. It has touched the ground. We had a great debate about #2 and we are all checking our rules books for the this. Any help would be appreciated.

It is pretty clear you are correct according to 6-1-5. If any kicker recovers or catches a free kick, the ball becomes dead. It belongs to him unless it is kick-catching interference and R chooses an awarded fair catch or unless it is first touching. The kickers may recover the ball before it goes beyond R’s free-kick line if it is touched first by any receiver. Such touching in the neutral zone by R is ignored if it is caused by K pushing or blocking R into contact with the ball or if K muffs the ball into contact with R. Any kicking team member may recover a free kick if it has both touched the ground and goes beyond the plane of R’s free-kick line. The two requirements may occur in any order. If a free kick becomes dead inbounds between the goal lines while no player is in possession, or inbounds anywhere while opponents are in joint possession, the ball is awarded to R.

Remember that, unlike a scrimmage kick where an R player must be in position to make a catch before it can be KCI, in a free kick R does not have to be anywhere near the ball for KCI to be called.

Correct for NFHS. Not true in NCAA.

Let's be a little careful with our terminology. The ball is live as soon as it is legally free kicked. The ball may not be legally recovered by K until it has touched the ground or an R player - as pointed out by others, even touching a free kick before it hits the ground or an R player is KCI under Fed rules. (This was blown by one of our most experienced crews in a sectional final a couple of years ago, so I don't think anyone in our association will forget that rule anytime soon.)