Hello Blayze soccer family! This week’s newsletter is going to focus on one of the most fundamental, yet vital elements of a soccer game – the kickoff! ⚽Some players may think it’s just a tap-the-ball-and-go situation, but there is more to it than that.
Blayze coach Mike Semenza will take you on an exploration of the rules of kickoff and strategies that players can use.
What is The Kickoff?🦵⚽
The kickoff starts each half of a game. It also restarts the game after a goal. If one team kicks off at the beginning of the game, the other team kicks off in the second half. When a team scores a goal, the opponent takes the kickoff to restart the game.
Rules of Kickoff📏
1. The game begins with a coin toss.🪙 The team that wins the coin toss gets to decide if they want to kick off first or they can choose their side of the field. Whatever they choose for the first half reverses for the second half.
2. All players must stand in their respective halves of the pitch at kickoff. This ensures fairness in starting play.
3. For the game to officially start, the ball ⚽needs to be stationary on the center mark. The referee will signal, with a whistle, to put the ball in play. Once the ball moves, it is in play. Fun fact, you don’t have to move the ball forward!
4. Can you score a goal at kickoff? If the ball makes it way into the opponent’s net without any other player’s interference, it is a valid goal.🥅
5. The opposing team must respect the distance of at least 10 yards 📏during the kickoff. This ensures there’s no immediate pressure on the team taking the kickoff.
6. No second touch. This can be tricky. The player initiating the kickoff is not allowed to touch the ball again until another player has played it. If they accidentally touch it a second time, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick from the point of the infringement.❌
7. If there are any infringements during kickoff, like the ball not moving forward or an opponent venturing inside the center circle too early, then the referee will simply ask for the kickoff to be retaken.🦵
Knowing the kickoff rules is important, whether you are a player, coach, referee, or parent/fan. It ensures the game starts fairly with both teams getting an equal chance.
Do you have a question that you want answered? Reply to this email with your question and you might see it answered in our next newsletter!
Article of the Week: 8 Simple Soccer Rules All Players and Parents Should Know
Soccer is a complex sport, but the overall objective is to get the ball into the other person’s goal. Here are 8 basic rules that all players, and parents, should know to help make the soccer experience more fun for all.
