Grounded free kick
 

On an onside kick with the ball on the tee, the kicker kicks the top of the ball driving the ball directly and immediately off the tee into the ground so it will take a high bounce. Can R fair catch?
I say it is a grounded kick and cannot be fair caught. A 25 yr white hat says because the ball is on the tee and the tee is touching the ground the ball driven immediately into the ground is not grounded because it hasn't left the ground yet, therefore it can be fair caught

no, he can't fair catch the ball once it hits the ground. invalid fair catch penalty.

Too much going on under that white hat. :rolleyes:

REPLY: Your '25-year' white hat is 25 years incorrect. What you have is a grouinded free kick--just like you said in your subject line.

This is a case of having 1 year of WH experience 25 times. :eek:

Just ask him this simple question. Did the ball come into contact with the ground after the kicker's foot contacted the ball? That answer is a very clear yes in your example.

The ball could even be teed up so that it is resting on the ground before it is kicked but as long as the ball bounces off the ground after it is kicked it is no longer a ball that can be caught but now a ball that must be recovered.

Then what sense does your phrase "into the ground" have? I could see one circumstance in which the WH would be right: if the kicker "squashed" the ball downwards so that it started traveling upwards as soon as (or before) the foot left the ball -- like a pool masse shot or tiddly winks, or shooting a melon seed. Merely topping the ball so that its top, which wasn't directly in contact with the ground, comes into contact with it, is grounding it. Practically speaking, for the WH to be right, the kicker would have to step on the ball rather than toeing it; and then I'm not sure it would satisfy the definition of "kicked"!

Robert

This question raises an important point. Someone, preferably the Linesman, should be focusing directly on the kicked ball to determine exactly each free kick is sent down into the ground, or up into the air.

When this play is executed properly, it would not be surprising that a member of K would draw a flag from another official for, what would certainly look like an apparent KCI foul. An alert Linesman, or other official assigned to that responsibility, would likely be the only official who would be able to correct what would be an incorrect penalty application.

Another little assignment that should be decided during the pre-game discussion.