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Rule Intrepretations

Prone Player in Wall:

It is the opinion of the MISOA State Interpreter in MA and others that in High School soccer; player(s) laying in a defensive wall to prevent the ball from advancing is a "dangerous play" and should be corrected before the ball is in play.  If the player refuses a Yellow Card caution is awarded for unsporting behavior.

Clock Operation:

The clock is stopped with 2min left in EACH period.

At 5min left in the second half ONLY, the clock is stopped temporarily for when the leading team substitutes, then the clock resumes when the ball is kicked and moves until the 2min mark.  This clock stoppage is only for the duration of the substitution.

There is NO added time in NFHS (HS) soccer games.  Clock stoppages allow for injury, time-wasting, and other clock management issues. Time outs are also a coach's tool for clock management.

The referee nearest to the benches SHALL count down the final 10sec of each period in all Central Mass games.  NFHS rule book NFHS Rule 6, sec 2 art 3c page 34

Rule changes 2021~2022

Fall 2022 bring very few rule changes to NFHS Soccer (watch time 3:25min) click the image below for the video covering the changes;

Rule changes ~ '20~'21 (Recap)

Due to Covid-19 impact on the Fall 2020 season; the following is a recap of the NFHS Rules Changes that would have been in effect. (watch time 23:26min) Click the image for the YouTube video;

Assistant Referees Mechanics

When the game format uses a three-person referee crew - each member of the crew MUST watch and understand the video on this site located here AR use of flags and sideline positioning in a 3 referee crew assignment. This is vital as ARs are not to be in the field of play with a flag and have certain signals that the CR needs to understand in non-verbal communications.

The points of emphasis are:

 

  1. Pregame Conference -

    1. ensure players are properly equipped (no jewelry and full sized shin guards) during warmups and throughout the competition.

    2. Coin-toss conference 10min BEFORE kickoff, then introductions and National Anthem

    3. Check field and goals

    4. Politely remind coaches of the technical area - which is the ten yards from the center kickoff spot in both directions.

    5. Referees should meet 45min before kickoff and pregame with one another; ealire communication is strongly advised to coordinate on colors, field location, etc…

    6. Ask coaches if all players on sideline are rostered and elibilble for TieBreaker Kicks.

    7. Medical staff MUST be present during the games

    8. Game administrators are being paid to manage fans, not referees.

    9. Paper copies of the rosters are required

      1. No limit to number of coaches - head coach is responsible for all actions of the bench.​

  2. Micro shin guards are not allowed; must be age and height-appropriate for each player and be worn during warmups

  3. Goalkeepers must have a number on their jerseys. 

  4. Injured players must leave the field if the referee stops the clock; a sub is allowed since we have unlimited subs in HS soccer.

  5. MIAA format - Section 7 - pg #3 - Official timer 

    1. Official time is kept on the field by the referee.

    2. Clock should run down to 2 minutes in each period – except when the referee signals for stoppage – official time is on the official nearest to the benches.  The official with the official time should count aloud the last 10 seconds of each period.

  6. Overtime is (2) 10minute periods Golden Goal/Sudden Victory; a team scores – the game is over.

    1. ​Timeouts - In overtime periods, one per team, per period, not cumulative

  7. TieBreaker PK to decide a winner, no lineup cards are needed, the player taking kick MUST be on the paper roster,

    1. Rostered players on the bench are eligible to take PK tie-breaking kicks. They do not have to be on the field at end of overtime period.

  8. TIMEOUT --- MIAA Handbook 2024 :

    • ​SOCCER TIME-OUT CLARIFICATION  Time outs are allowed - one per team per half, lasting one minute or less from the time the teams get to the side line, they are not cumulative.  

    • Coaches may enter and players must stay on the field.   

    • Privilege for unlimited substitution exists after a time out.  Time out may be called only during a dead ball by the team "owning" the restart in the event of; a penalty kick, a corner kick, a goal kick, a throw in or free kick (direct or indirect). 

    • Time out may be called by either team at a dead ball after a card (red or yellow), a goal, an injury (when time out was called by the official) and a dropped ball.   

    • Time outs may be called one per period in overtime periods - non cumulative.

    • There are no time outs during shoot-outs or penalty kicks. 

    • Time out called during the dead ball time to attend to an injured player:   That injured player May reenter the game after the time out. 

    • Time out called during the dead ball time to administer a Caution to a player. That player may NOT reenter the game after the time out, but must wait until the Next legal sub opportunity after the game has been restarted. 

      • If the restart is a Penalty Kick, then the kicker MUST be someone who was on the field when the foul was called.  

      • Therefore, the referees should ask the team taking the PK to choose a kicker PRIOR to allowing the teams to have the time out (NOTE:  the clock is still stopped during all of this).   

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