Never seen nor had it happen to me. I frankly don't see DBs as that big of a deal. A few things that I think help avoid Rs getting hit: Drop the ball from the proper height: waist level of the players. I see many refs drop from closer to chest level, which makes it more likely they will kick it before it hits the ground (thereby sending it up) and that if they do let it hit, it will bounce up higher (again increasing the chance it goes up). Have a hand on top of the ball when dropping. This not only provides a protective barrier on a ball kicked immediately up, it also is a slight visual barrier that may delay them processing the ball is falling slightly, again increasing the chance it lands. (Many do this by having a hand under and over; I usually palm the ball over and simply release. The obvious: step back immediately on release. Don't let them be so close you know they are going to get it before it hits the ground. Distrct them right before/as you drop. (E.g., saying "and don't kick me," and dropping it before you finish the sentence. And perhaps most advisable, when appropriate, encousrage the uncontested DB.
I know this was discussed recently, but is the correct mechanic to blow the whistle and then drop the ball, or drop and blow? Whistling first makes more sense to me. Either way, I forgot to do so this past weekend.
I do it more or less simultaneously ... after telling the keeper she can pick it up, and asking her to give me a chance to scamper back up the field before she punts it.
Ask yourself when the ball is in play. And what happens if you blow your whistle once the ball is in play? Or put another way, if the restart after an injury is a throw in, do you whistle before or after the throw? . . . though I watched a colleague do it wrong just last week.
A whistle is not required prior to a dropped ball. It is required to restart play after an injury or substitution. That being said, if you do blow the whistle, do it before the ball touches the ground. The ball is in play once it touches the ground. So, if you blow the whistle after it touches the ground, what do have to do? Stop play and restart with...a dropped ball
I really like the incomplete sentence when you actually drop it part. Saturday, I had a stoppage for an injury in a college women's game. As the injured player is hobbling off, the defending team is saying "It's our ball, right?" "College rule, I gotta do a drop ball. But nothing says how close the other team has to be when I drop it." "Gotcha!" "I may be old, but I'm sneaky."
Okay, what's your solution then? NFHS thinks they have it figured out... the team "in possession" (ITOOTR) when you stop play gets an indirect free kick. Seems to make sense, right? Except... In CO a few years back, state championship game. In overtime, blue is attacking about 30 yards out from the opponent's goal, when a blue player goes down away from the ball with a cramp or something. Play is stopped for the injury, blue had possession so they get a free kick. Except that a free service from 30 yards out is far, far different than the dynamic run of play. Of course, blue serves the ball in, gets headed home, and wins the title. Opposing coach goes ballistic, perhaps with reason even though the rules are the rules. Better than a drop ball? Not in my book.
By the way ... have we stopped objecting to the term "drop ball?" And does that mean we may now also say "hand ball" without fear of opprobrium?
Giving an IDFK will occasionally create other issues (as in your example) but it will still be a better solution most of the time. But I think my preferred idea is to allow (as NFHS does) the referee to give the re-start to one team and play is then restarted with the ball in the hands of that teams keeper.
A good contested drop ball is like a good jump ball in basketball: completely unexpected. If you surprise them, they'll be too worried about the ball to do anything stupid.
Probably the part about the HS restart being given to one team resulting in the ball in the keeper's hands. It doesn't - it results in an IFK.
There's nothing that says that the whistle has to be exactly when the ball is put into play, just that is must occur. I'll often blow the whistle several seconds before the drop ball. Generally: whistle, then explain to the players whats up, and then drop it. I have found in my experience that if I blow just as I'm dropping the ball, people tend to be more confused about whether or not the ball is in play than if I wait a few seconds and then just drop it. You of course should not blow the whistle after the ball hits the ground, because then you would be stopping play that has already been restarted.
Ah sorry about that, badly worded. The NFHS reference was with respect to the deciding which team gets the re-start part. The ball in the hands of the keeper part was the idea.
Had a youth tournament yesterday (tody was cancelled due to weather) and I had a dropped ball to give to the GK and what do you know - she asked me if she can pick it up. Immediately thought of this thread. I'm glad she did and not just played and assumed she couldn't. I will remember to let them know in the future.
I'd humbly suggest that in youth games we should always tell the keeper what he or she can do before we drop the ball. Takes no time, makes us look human, and avoids potential disaster.
+1 on that ... and the thread serving to remind me of the "Give me a chance to get back upfield before you punt it please" trick. I used that to good effect three times last weekend. Also the drop-it-while-you're-still-talking trick ... that one works like a charm on a contested dropper.
Your saying that if a team has possession outside the opponents' eighteen, and play is stopped for something that would presently require a dropped ball, we would instead restart with the ball back in the attacking teams PA? That's not any better than the defending team kicking it fifty yards into the other team's half.