AY Honors/Soccer/Answer Key

1. Know the basic rules of soccer.

Soccer is played between teams of even numbers (at the professional level, eleven), and the object for each team is to control a ball and place it into the opposing team's net. The team that scores the most of these goals, wins. Note that matches may also end in a draw. Players may control the ball with any part of their body except their hands and arms, with the exception of one player on each team designated the goalkeeper, who may handle the ball within a certain "penalty" area in front of the net that he is guarding.

Like in basketball, contact between opposing players with the intent of causing harm to a player or disrupting his team's strategy is not allowed. A referee observes the game and stops play for any such fouls, and in the event of a foul, orders a free kick of the ball from the spot where the foul is suffered by the team whose player suffers the foul. A foul committed by player in his own penalty area results in a penalty kick from a designated spot in front of the goalkeeper and the goal. Fouls may also be given for unsportsmanlike conduct. At the referee's discretion, he may also "book" a player for a malicious foul by awarding a yellow card, or a red card for more egregious offenses. Two yellow cards or one red card results in the player's expulsion from the game, in which case the ejected player cannot be replaced.

Free kicks may also be awarded in the event that a player or players are found to be offsides, in which offenders place themselves ahead of the ball as well as the last opposing field player. The disallowing of offsides is to prevent players from camping out in front of an opponent's net.

Other stoppages include throw-ins, where a ball that has traveled beyond the boundary of the playing field is thrown back into play by the team whose opponent last touched the ball, goal kicks, where a ball that has traveled beyond the end line of the field is returned to play by the goalkeeper if the attacking team is the last to touch it, and corner kicks, where a ball that has traveled beyond the end line is kicked back into play from the nearest corner flag by a field player whose opponent last touched it.

2. What is the meaning of “Good Sportsmanship?”

Conduct and attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, and grace in losing.

5. Describe the different skills required at each position.

BASIC POSITIONS: The number of players who play on the field varies greatly by age and league, and can range from 5 per team to a maximum of 11 per team.

Goalkeeper ("GK").

   There is always just one Goalkeeper per team. The Goalie's job is to defend his team's goal and he usually stays close to his goal. You can identify the Goalie because he wears a different colored shirt or a vest over his shirt. As long as he is in the "Penalty Box" he can use his hands to pick up the ball, but if he comes out of the Penalty Box he cannot use his hands. (This is a very simplified description, read "Goalkeeper" in the Dictionary for more details). Except for "Throw-Ins" and to pick up the ball in "Re-Start" situations, the Goalie is the only player who can legally use his hands.

Fullbacks ("FB").

   Fullbacks play closest to their goal (which is the goal their Goalie defends). Along with the Goalie, they have the primary job of stopping the opponents from scoring. However, to a degree, every player should be a "defender" when the opponent has the ball. One way to teach this is by teaching the concepts of "First Defender" and "Second Defender".

Midfielders ("MF").

   The Midfielders play between the Fullbacks and the Forwards. They are often in the "Middle Third" of the field. There can be "Offensive Midfielders" who play closer to the Forwards and "Defensive Midfielders" who play closer to the Fullbacks, as below.

Forwards ("F").

   Forwards play closer to the opponent's goal, which is the goal guarded by the opposing Goalie. The Forwards are the primary scorers, although Midfielders sometimes score and at older ages Fullbacks even occasionally score.

6. Know the meaning of and the Referee signals for the following:

a. Off sides

A player is in an offside position if that player is nearer to the opponent's goal line than the ball, unless the player is in her own half of the field of play, or there are at least two opponents as near to their own goal line as the opposing player. A player shall be declared offside and penalized for being in an offside position only if at the moment the ball touches or is played by a teammate, the player is, in the opinion of the referee, interfering with play, or seeking to gain an advantage by being in that position.

b. Holding

Preventing the movement of a player by obstructing with the hands or grabbing parts of the uniform

c. Corner kick

A direct free kick taken from a corner area by a member of the attacking team if the ball goes out-of-bounds across a goal line and was last touched by a member of the defending team.

d. Indirect kick

A free kick that cannot score a goal without the ball first being touched by a player other than the kicker. It is also a specific penalty called for minor infractions.

e. Direct kick

A type of "free kick" given after severe fouls such as hitting or kicking. A free kick that may score a goal directly; that is, without the ball first being touched by another player.

f. Goal

There are two definitions: The metal or wooden structure which is at the center of each end line & for adult play is 8 yards wide & 8 feet high; also, a "goal" is scored when the ball totally crosses the end line inside the goal.

7. Define the following terms:

a. Advantage

A clause in the rules that directs the referee to refrain from stopping play for a foul if a stoppage would benefit the team that committed the violation.

b. Booking

There are 2 colors of "cards" which the referee will hold up to indicate serious fouls or behavior which won't be tolerated. He carries these cards in his shirt pocket, so if he reaches for his pocket it's a bad sign for the player who committed the foul. These cards are about the size of a playing card and one is yellow and the other is red. When a card is to be given (it isn't actually given to the offending player, it is actually just shown to him and to everyone else) the referee will stop the game, call the player over, hold up the card and write the player's name in his notebook. This is called "booking" the player and when it happens the player has been "booked", (e.g., "she was booked"). Any time a Yellow or Red Card is shown, a "direct" or "indirect kick" will also be awarded.

c. Clearing

(aka Clear the Ball). The first priority of defenders is to "clear the ball" (i.e., kick the ball) out of the "Danger Zone" (i.e., out of scoring range). If the ball is in front of your goal and in scoring range, the Defenders should "clear it" because a turnover would give the opponent a scoring opportunity.

d. Corner Arcs

The small arc at each corner of the field.

e. Cross

To "cross the ball" means to kick the ball from the side of the field across the field toward the area in front of the opponent's goal in order to create a scoring opportunity. A cross is a "square pass" to the area in front of the goal

f. Dribble

(aka Carrying) A player can dribble with any part of the foot. "Control dribbling" is usually with the inside or outside of the foot. "Speed dribbling" is often with the top of the foot (i.e., the "laces").

g. Drop ball

Dropped Ball: A dropped ball is used to restart the game after a temporary stoppage in play due to an infraction other than a foul. The referee drops the ball onto the ground between two opposing players. Play restarts when the ball touches the ground.

h. Drop kick

A "half-volley" by a goalkeeper (he is the only one who can hold the ball to drop it).

i. Dummy

Any type of feint or deceptive move.

j. Half volley

Kicking the ball the instant it starts to bounce up after it hits the ground.

k. Touch

A player's ability to control, use, and feel the ball

l. Volley

To kick the ball while it is still in the air.

m. Heading

A player using their head to pass, receive, shoot or "redirect" the ball.