Crossed Arms on Headers

[Wreave]

Saturday, BU14 game. Three players go up for a header, two from one team, one from another. Both players on the purple team have their arms crossed in front of their chests, in an X. One of the purple players makes contact with the red player in the air, and appears to give a push with the crossed arms. I whistled for a foul and awarded a direct kick to red. As is my habit, I spoke briefly to the fouling player about the crossed arms.

At half, the coach came up to me. He is a fellow referee, of the same grade, with a little more experience, more a coach than a ref, but a good guy. He asked me about what I said, and I clarified that if the player goes up with his arms crossed, that's fine, but if he pushes someone with them in the air, that's not. He stated that the crossed arms were "for protection". It was no big deal, and we let it go at that.

However, I'm curious what you see and what your thoughts are. I would not like to see players going up for headers with crossed arms. It seems like it would lead toward pushing at a minimum, and possible more football-style contact. I would think the players should make their jump and keep their arms out of the play.

Thoughts on how this should be called and what I should look for? I feel fine about this particular call, but am thinking about the future when players go up for headers with their arms in a protective shield like that. If no contact is made, I guess I don't care, but if contact IS made, how heavily should the arm position be weighed in determining whether to call a foul, and on whom?

[Statesman]

If a player gains an unfair advantage from using their arms in any manner then it is a foul. There's nothing wrong with crossing your arms and jumping for a ball inherently, though. But, like you said, if the arms are used to push then it's a foul.

Not sure why the players feel they need to protect their chest on a header, though... I'd be more worried about my head!

[billf]

You did what's right. Protection is one thing, commiting a foul under the guise of protection is another.

[macheath]

You did what's right. Protection is one thing, commiting a foul under the guise of protection is another.

A chorus of agreement. If the arms in this case are used to push, and you don't see it as trifling, its a foul. We don't allow pre-emptive strikes to qualify as protection.

[whitehound]

If a player gains an unfair advantage from using their arms in any manner then it is a foul. There's nothing wrong with crossing your arms and jumping for a ball inherently, though. But, like you said, if the arms are used to push then it's a foul.

Not sure why the players feel they need to protect their chest on a header, though... I'd be more worried about my head!to this day I have a 3/4 inch lump in my chest from a broken rib that I got from a charge. I am a goal keeper do I couldnt have crossed my arms over my chest but I sure understand the instinct.........very similar to raising your cleats into thier teeth when they get near.............I know its is not nice but I have scars!!! :)

[GKbenji]

If you played at any decent level at all, or had a good coach, you will know that crossing your arms over your chest is not how you "protect" yourself when going up for a header. I don't know what kind of coach taught that to the purple team--probably one who doesn't have a lot of soccer experience. Call the push.

[Grizzlierbear]

If you played at any decent level at all, or had a good coach, you will know that crossing your arms over your chest is not how you "protect" yourself when going up for a header. I don't know what kind of coach taught that to the purple team--probably one who doesn't have a lot of soccer experience. Call the push.
I agree, In order to gain height you need to use those limbs more in an upward motion to be sure. I notice crossed arms not in a mummy wrap fashion but rather as a warding off of a backing in player . It amazes me at times when I see players going straight up and the fellow backing in gets the call as the referee sees the defender as over the top rather than the attacker as backing in. Yet if the arms are crossed to ward off the backin often there is a wall push and why is the push with the hands worse than the backwards running motion of a charge?

[vabeacher]

A related pet peeve of mine are the chest traps with both arms extended straight forward with palm facing up. I can see how putting your arms straight out will help a player form a concave chest to help control the ball. But, if I see any contact with an arm (either before or after the ball is played by the chest) I will call handling. Often players will attemp to direct a chest trap in a certain direction by moving their shoulders at the time of the trap. Again, if I see that it is the shoulder directing the ball and not the chest, I'll whistle it. I've gotten a lot of grief from players about this.

[Wreave]

Thanks all. This is very helpful.

I guess the short version is, when players go up like that, they invite the ref's attention, and are very likely to get called for a push if the other player makes contact.

[blind_clown]

Is this bad jumping technique or are they playing the player? Higher level of play, lean more towards option 2 and calling playing in a dangerous manner, pushing, or striking. Option 1 can still be playing in a dangerous manner, or a careless push or strike, depending on how it happens.

[whitehound]

A related pet peeve of mine are the chest traps with both arms extended straight forward with palm facing up. I can see how putting your arms straight out will help a player form a concave chest to help control the ball. But, if I see any contact with an arm (either before or after the ball is played by the chest) I will call handling. Often players will attemp to direct a chest trap in a certain direction by moving their shoulders at the time of the trap. Again, if I see that it is the shoulder directing the ball and not the chest, I'll whistle it. I've gotten a lot of grief from players about this.have you read the latest ATR which redifines what is the hand and what isnt? might save you some trouble. the reason you get grief is because we all dont call it the same way.

[animatestate]

Kinda off subject, but wow, how do you head with your full ability with your arms crossed? Not to be rude to US Youth Soccer, but some coaches teach this and allow it and I don't know why. You wanna get everything into your vertical leap and it is not physically possible to do that with arms crossed.

Hehehe, what you should have told those players were, " . . . oh, and don't cross your arms when you go for a header."

[whitehound]

Kinda off subject, but wow, how do you head with your full ability with your arms crossed? Not to be rude to US Youth Soccer, but some coaches teach this and allow it and I don't know why. You wanna get everything into your vertical leap and it is not physically possible to do that with arms crossed.

Hehehe, what you should have told those players were, " . . . oh, and don't cross your arms when you go for a header."
The only thing I can think of is somebody told them to do it to avoid a handling call. I won't call handling if your hands are plastered to your body........who knows?