Just started doing indoor games after a long layoff. Rec leagues for now, hopefully get some high level amateur games down the road. Several questions. 1. Can the keeper bounce the ball in the penalty area without being deemed to have relinquished possession (for double touch purposes)? 2. Can the keeper dribble the ball in to his penalty area and then pick it up? 3. The Illinois State Referee Committe has instructed us to call penal fouls and two minutes for illegal substitution in the following scenario: Penalty box is opposite from benches. Player A is serving two minute penalty, and instead of exiting at the expiration of said penalty onto the field, he simply walks around one goal and to his bench while his team substitutes a player on from the players bench. Does anyone else face a similar scenario and/or have similar rules? What if Player A exits the field from a door opposite the bench while his team substitutes Player B for him from the bench without a penalty being served ("normal" substitution)?
1) Yes, he can bounce the ball. 2) Yes, he can dribble in and then pick up, provided the ball has not been passed back to him by a teammate with his feet. 3) This is a house rule, you would have to check with them. However, I'd say that sounds like it is exiting without permission, so maybe a caution.
Actually, #3 was given us to by the instructor at the Illinois Indoor Certification test. Not sure if its "house" specific, although they did use the Odeum inVilla Park as an example. We were told that players must exit and enter from the bench area, or else its a 2 minute penalty for illegal substitution/trickery.
Better check on No. 2. Our rules state that a GK cannot handle a ball in which he/she has possessed outside the penalty area and moved into the penalty area. Free kick for other team is at top of the arc. No. 1: Bouncing is permitted. No. 3: In our arena, there is no separate penalty door or penalty box. Penalized players just sit on the bench anyway.
Do you have an exit door OPPOSITE the benches, though? Most arenas do. Interesting scenario last week. Player A exits from the door opposite her bench (to use the nearby bathroom, LOL!), and her teammate replaces her from the bench door. I stop play and call a 2 minute penalty. All the referees present agreed with me. In fact, if you stop and think about it, it makes sense, as if all entries/departures aren't made from the bench area, it might give one team an advantage.
Neither of our two local arenas have door(s) opposite the benches, just a semi-circular substitution area where the handover must take place. We rarely have to call any infraction (2 minute penalty). Keeper possession is the same as outdoors, but our pitch is marked much the same, with a PA & GA. But no punting so a bounce is pretty pointless. No back in Blighty, 5-a-side, indoors or out, was a little different; GK couldn't touch a ball outside area (which generally was an arc), or indeed, even leave the area and an outfield player couldn't touch inside or enter. No balls over head height. Low (5') and wide (12') goals. Generally no walls. Different game entirely. Much more futsally.
Our arena has one door on the opposite site, near one of the red lines, where you enter the field. It's also very close to the communal area where people mull about the building. We don't use it as a penalty box. So, basically, penalized players just go to the bench and I have to make sure the penalized player doesn't come back on. Haven't had a problem in approx. 1 season of indoor, so far. If I ever saw a team try to take advantage, yes, that would be a penalty.