Question: Rules for headers

You'll see a huge variety in this call. At the youth levels, it tends to be call strictly as MassRef has mentioned. As you get to higher and higher levels, it gets to be more and more about getting to the ball.

I know that you see a LOT of guys doing running headers and going up and over opponents to head the ball and then landing on or making contact with the opponents in the pro game like English Premier League. What it seems to me is that if the player has played the ball before the contact with the opponent occurs, the referees tend not to call a foul.

 

If shoulder contact is allowed with the ball at your feet then it should be allowed with the ball in the air. I judge:
-whether or not the players are playing the ball or the player. Almost always the foul will come when the player looks at his opponant instead of the ball.
- I also watch for undercutting and for players jumping over the back of an opponant who is in position to play the ball.
-watch for the raised elbows
-watch for the pushing in the back and elsewhere before and during arrival of the ball
-PERHAPS the biggest tip is DONT WATCH THE BALL. Figure out where it is going to fall and watch the players in that vicinity.

 

The tip about not watching the ball is, in fact, as Mr. Burns would say "eeeeeeeexcellent!" I was taught to use the first few minutes of the game to take the measure of the keeper's ability to clear punts and goalkicks and as soon as the ball crosses the goal line or is picked up by the keeper you backpedal like mad to the vicinity where the ball is likely to land - take one peek to check for direction - and then watch the landing area. Even the toughest call is a lot easier to sell if everyone knows you were in the right position to make it.

Jim

 

One way to tell that MR is not Ed is that he writes in complete sentences. One can actually tell what MR is saying, well sometimes, anyway.

One of the interesting points on the heading discussion is the old myth that only a vertical movement was legal. I think this comes from the old schoolboy soccer rules which had a lot of silly things like "high kicking" and a player could not legally play the ball with his head below their waist. NFHS when they originally revised their rules left some of these old vestigal rules in, such as the throw-in had to be performed with equal force. Slowly they seem to be disappearing, but I know a few old-timers out there who still call this nonsense even when told not to at interpretation meetings.

 

The biggest thing to remember is the #1 rule in soccer: nobody has the right during dynamic play to an unchallenged ball (dynamic play meaning while the ball is moving about the field, not while in the keeper's hands or during a restart).

This applies to a free ball in the air. Players have the right to play that ball without threat of an unfair challenge. When two players are going up, you have to judge their actions -- do they do anything that prevents the other from a fair play on the ball? Whether you are coming in vertically or from an angle doesn't matter.

Use the following criteria:
1) Is the play for the ball 50/50, meaning both players have a chance of playing it?
2) Are both players jumping for the sole purpose of hitting the ball with their head?
3) Is any one player hindered by the other in his attempt to play the ball?

Initially you have to determine whether both players really do have the potential to play the ball. It doesn't have to be a dead 50/50 of course, but at least both must have a reasonable chance of success. If not, whomever doesn't really have that chance is guilty of jumping at the opponent.

If it is a 50/50 ball, then you have to look at the intent of the players. If one player is shorter then there is no way he will head the ball first unless the taller player mis-times his jump. If the taller player doesn't, then you can see if perhaps the shorter player will tug on him or prevent his upward movement to "climb" him to the ball. The same holds true for one player going vertical and the other coming in from the side -- if that player coming from the side feels he is beat, will he change his jump to carry him into his opponent?

That leads you to the third question -- does the action of one player hinder the ability of the other player to play the ball? Does one player use his arms on his opponent to his advantage? If so then you are looking at holding or pushing. Does he jump in such a way to unnerve the opponent in fear of his safety? If so you are looking at reckless jumping and could warrant a caution.

What it all boils down to is whether both players are going for a genuine play on a free ball or not. Remember, just because there might be contact between them it doesn't necessarily equate to any kind of a foul. Most of the time the contact is natural and completely within the Spirit of the Game. Hold your whistle for a few seconds and evaluate the entire sequence of play, notice the reaction of the players, and try to put yourself in their position. If you feel one player did something to unfairly prevent his opponent from a play on the ball, call it!