Proper restart

[refnrev]

Had a HS tourney yesterday. 4 boys games and 1 girls. Fed rules. I had a first and want your feedback. In game 1 at the whistle for a kick off defending mid runs into the center circle before the ball is touched by the offense. I whistle and call for a rekick. My partner, a grade 6 USSF and IHSA official -- very good, too, I might add -- states that since it was encroachment we would restart with an indirect from the spot of the encroachment. Makes sense, however, I have always just seen the kick retaken from center of the circle. Which is actually the proper restart. I guess thinking about it leads me to go with the IFK at the spot of infraction. Yay or Nay?

[PSidbury]

Originally Posted by refnrev

defending mid runs into the center circle before the ball is touched by the offense.

The ball had yet to be touched, so a kickoff did not occur and play was never initiated.
This might be an exercise in splitting hairs, but since play had not legally started, can it be encroachment?
I'm sure you could caution if constant infringement occurs, but again the kickoff and game has yet to start.
Wave the midfielder back and start the game with a kickoff per 8-3.

Thanks,
Paul

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by refnrev

Had a HS tourney yesterday. 4 boys games and 1 girls. Fed rules. I had a first and want your feedback. In game 1 at the whistle for a kick off defending mid runs into the center circle before the ball is touched by the offense. I whistle and call for a rekick. My partner, a grade 6 USSF and IHSA official -- very good, too, I might add -- states that since it was encroachment we would restart with an indirect from the spot of the encroachment. Makes sense, however, I have always just seen the kick retaken from center of the circle. Which is actually the proper restart. I guess thinking about it leads me to go with the IFK at the spot of infraction. Yay or Nay?

You might reconsider your opinion of your partner. He is dead wrong. The correct restart is a kick-off. There is no rule that permits an IFK following an encroachment situation in either NFHS or USSF play on any free kick other than a PK. If play is stopped or prevented from being restarted due to the infraction, the original kick is always retaken.

Your partner completely made up his own ruling in this case. That kind of officiating doesn't deserve your respect and admiration, no matter what his USSF grade or state certification level. Please don't emulate his lack of rules knowledge.

[VaWVref]

By rule, a restart must be in accordance with the reason for the stoppage.
The scenerio stated in the original post was that the restart was a kickoff (following a goal or the start of a half). Since the restart had not properly taken place, the ball touched (moved forward) by the attacking team encroachment can not occur. The defending could be cautioned for Delaying the Restart, but not the encroachment. \

Again, the ball must be put into plat with a kick off.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by VaWVref

By rule, a restart must be in accordance with the reason for the stoppage.
The scenerio stated in the original post was that the restart was a kickoff (following a goal or the start of a half). Since the restart had not properly taken place, the ball touched (moved forward) by the attacking team encroachment can not occur. The defending could be cautioned for Delaying the Restart, but not the encroachment.

Again, the ball must be put into play with a kick off.

We agree that restarting with a kick-off is proper and that a caution may be given to a defender. It is only the reason for that caution that we debate.

What you wrote above (and I put in red) is not my understanding of how the USSF/FIFA or NFHS rule works, but I'll do some checking with the big boys and report back.

[ref47]

don't have my hs rule book with me, but fifa lotg:

law 8, kick-off, infringements:

if the kicker touches the ball a second time ... .
for any other infringement of the kick-off procedure: the kick-off is retaken

[CecilOne]

The OP asked about NFHS. What is so difficult about the Penalty in Rule 8, IFK at the spot of the foul? Where is the NFHS rule citation that says no penalty for infractions when the ball is not in play?

BTW, the words encroachment and caution do not appear in Rule 8.