What the heck is a parry?
 

What the heck is a parry? Every official I have asked has a different definition. I ask because NFHS 12-7-2 says a goalkeeper cannot deliberately parry the ball and then pick it up, unless it has been touched by another player.

I assume you're referencing NFHS here?

Judgment call. Basically, if a keeper controls the ball with his hands (catch and drop, directed punch, etc.), once it goes to the ground he can't pick it up again. The FIFA wording is "releas(ing) it from his possession."

Whether the keeper had control/possession (parried) or not (deflected) is "in the opinion of the referee."

NFHS, sorry for not specifying. Ok, that makes sense. How can any punch be considered control and/or possession?

Most of the time it's moot, since a "parry" usually sends the ball out of the area or out of bounds.

Basically, in the opinion of the referee, if the goalie intentionally touches the ball with his hands, he is considered to be "in possession/control," at least momentarily, and at least for the purposes of the rule.

By rule, touching has to be clearly accidental not to be considered a "parry." It may not make linguistic sense, but it's the way NFHS wants the rule enforced.

In the end, it's a judgment call.

Got it. So if the goalie does anything I deem to be control and/or possession and then touches a second time...BOOM.

The expectation is that it is consider a parry if they could have easily caught the ball but choose to deflect it in a controlled manner instead.

You will almost never see a parry. If you see more than 1 a year, you're living a charmed life.

AremRed,
If you understand the intent of the Law/Rule, enforcement will be easier. WHY would such a Law/Rule even be on the books to begin with? The reason for the Law/Rule is to be able to prevent a goalkeeper from being able to delay.

Let's say a team is ahead 1 - 0 with a few minutes left. The trailing team sends a ball into the penalty area toward the goalkeeper. If the goalkeeper catches the ball. He/She then has six seconds to release the ball back into play. On the other hand, if the goalkeeper intentionally knocks the ball down the ground near his/her feet, the goalkeeper can stand over the ball or dribble around his own penalty area not needing to pick up the ball until being pressured by the opposing team. The six second time period does not start in this case until perhaps 5 - 10 seconds or more after the initial scenario.

As you are trying to determine illegal parry vs. legal play, consider the time of the game, the score of the game, and the level of the game (most younger/inexperienced goalkeepers would never know to attempt to parry). As has been pointed out several times already, an illegal parry is very, very rare indeed. One reason is that if a ball can be easily parried, it also likely could be chest trapped by the goalkeeper.

Good point CMHCoachNRef. Since I asked the question I heard it explained as your said. The keeper wants to be able to pick up the ball to waste even more time. So, in a situation where the keeper could easily catch the ball (or trap it with his chest as you said) he instead gently blocks it to the ground. Where, he assumes, he is able to waste time and still pick up the ball.

This does seem like a ballsy call for an AR or center to make, especially in a close game.

The very first time I called this in six years of officiating was last week.

Of course, middle school girls. Attempted punt, whiff, picked it back up.

Result: IFK from a yard inside the area. Kicker puts it right on net... and it grazes off the keeper's fingers.

Bainsey,
This was not a parry, this was simply a klutzy play by an inexperienced player....