<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2">The following is taken from the USSF 2007 Advice to Referees. For the complete 79 page document, please visit:</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><B> http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Laws-of-the-Game.aspx</B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="3"><B>12.20 BALL KICKED TO THE GOALKEEPER</B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">A goalkeeper infringes Law 12 if he or she touches the ball with the hands directly after it has been</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">deliberately kicked</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2"><I> to him or her</I></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2"> by a teammate. The requirement that the ball be kicked means only</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">that it has been played with the foot. The requirement that the ball be "kicked to" the goalkeeper</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">means only that the play is to or toward a place where the ‘keeper can legally handle the ball. The</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">requirement that the ball be "deliberately kicked" means that the play on the ball is deliberate and does</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">misdirected.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">NOTE: (a) The goalkeeper is permitted to dribble into the penalty area and then pick up any ball</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">played legally (not kicked deliberately to the goalkeeper or to a place where the goalkeeper can easily</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="2">play it) by a teammate or played in any manner by an opponent.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000A0" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="4"><B> (b)</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000A0" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="4"><I> This portion of the Law was</I></FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000A0" FACE="Helvetica" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="4"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000A0" FACE="Times New Roman" FAMILY="SERIF" SIZE="4"><I>written to help referees cope with timewasting tactics by teams, not to punish players who are playing within the Spirit of the Game.<BR>
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</I></B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2">We will discuss this on Wednesday night...<BR>
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scott</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"></FONT></HTML>