keeper touching ball

[kansassoccerref]

Jumpball6:

Addressing your questions one by one...

1. The issue of a player heading a throw-in back to the goalie is, to my mind, something of a gray area, one that I would say falls into the realm of YHTBT (You Had To Be There). Given the game context, it could or could not be a call. If the team is using this as a time-wasting tactic (the reason the rule was adopted in the first place), I'd likely give the players a sharp word to knock it off, then enforce on the next occurance (if there is one). Other refs with more experience may wish to weigh in on this.

2. and 3. fall under the same rule, but one (#2) is a correct interpretation while the other is not. The issue is where the BALL is, not where the player's body (or any part thereof) is. As with balls into touch, the entire ball must be over the entire line for it to be out. In #2, the ball stayed in the PA, so you were correct in allowing play to continue. In #3, if the ball did not cross all the way over the goal line, the referee was in error in awarding the corner kick. The call that's REALLY fun is when the keeper catches the ball on the end line, then turns to shield it from an onrushing attacker and carries the entire ball over the goal line. I was involved in a game where a sharp AR noticed that the GK was standing two feet behind the goal line for a PK. She caught the ball, then turned to the side. When she caugh the ball, it was on top of the goal line. When she turned, she carried the ball over the line, giving the team the goal!