HANDLING

1. HANDLING • We thank FIFA and U.S. Soccer for much of this material, which has been adapted to the high school game. • Don Muenz, OHSAA Director of Soccer Officiating Development

3. HANDLING, THE FOUL • “DELIBERATELY HANDLING, CARRYING, STRIKING OR PROPELLING BALL WITH HAND OR ARM” NF 12.2 • “HANDLING”: DELIBERATE PLAY WITH HAND OR ARM • HAND OR ARM MUST MOVE TO BALL or • ARM MUST BE IN UNNATURAL POSITION NF 18.1.1(q)

4. THE ARM

5. WHAT “DELIBERATE” MEANS “DELIBERATE FOUL”: PURPOSELY PLANNED ACT: TO DISRUPT GAME + TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE NF 18.1.1(g)

6. JUDGE VERY CAREFULLY • STUDY SHOWED THAT IF HANDLING WAS NEVER CALLED REF WOULD BE CORRECT 78% OF THE TIME • HOW CAN WE BE SURE Of WHAT WE CALL OR DON’T CALL?

7. HAND PLAYS THE BALL • THIS IS THE EASIEST OF THE CRITERIA • IF THE HAND PLAYS THE BALL = FOUL • IF THE BALL PLAYS THE HAND = NO FOUL

8. HAND TO BALL? HAND MOVES TO BALL: BALL MOVES TO ARM: NO FOUL ↓ DELIBERATE HANDLING↓

9. MORE ON HANDLING DELIBERATE HANDLING BY CATCHING THE BALL NO HANDLING: BALL DEADENS ON CHEST

10. MORE ON HANDLING DELIBERATE HANDLING: SIDE OF SHOULDER GOES TO BALL NO HANDLING: CLAVICLE OR TOP OF SHOULDER GOES TO BALL

11. MORE ON HANDLING DELIBERATE HANDLING: SHOULDER MOVES TO PLAY BALL NO HANDLING: BALL IS DRIVEN INTO ARM

12. MORE HANDLING CRITERIA • ARM OR HAND IN UNNATURAL POSITION + • BALL MAKES CONTACT, THEN • “DELIBERATENESS” SUPPLIED BY POSITION OF HAND/ARM • THIS IS A DELIBERATE FOUL

13. HAND TO BALL + UNNATURAL POSITION

14. MORE HANDLING CRITERIA • MAKING SELF “BIGGER” • TAKING AWAY OPPONENT’S SPACE • DENYING PASSING LANE • ARM AS BARRIER • DEFENDER OCCUPIES MORE SPACE BY EXTENDING REACH • DEFENDER EXTENDS ABILITY TO PLAY BALL, BENEFITTING FROM EXTENSION

15. MAKING SELF BIGGER + TAKING AWAY SHOOTING LANE

16. WALLS: MAKING SELF BIGGER + CONTACT C D A B

17. MORE ON HANDLING DELIBERATE HANDLING: BALL STRIKES LINKED ARMS IN WALL NO DELIBERATE HANDLING: BALL STRIKES STATIONARY, UNLINKED ARM AT THE PLAYER’S SIDE

18. TAKING AWAY PASSING LANE

20. REACTION TIME……… THE SHORTER THE REACTION TIME, THE LESS LIKELY A HANDLING OFFENSE • BALL FROM CLOSE DISTANCE • BALL OUT OF PERIPHERAL VISION • FAST-MOVING BALL • WAS REACTION PURELY INSTINCTIVE?

21. HANDLING • ORIGINAL CONTACT NOT DELIBERATE • CONTACT CONTINUED TO GAIN ADVANTAGE • THIS IS HANDLING

22. MORE ON HANDLING DELIBERATE HANDLING: SHOULDER MOVES TO PLAY BALL NO HANDLING: BALL IS DRIVEN INTO ARM

23. No Foul! Deliberate???? • Ball strikes player on arm - and - ball falls to player’s feet and he/she gains control and advantage … • Reasoning… • Player did not initiate the action

24. EXAMPLES OF NONHANDLING • MISSED TRAP STRIKES ANKLE AND POPS INTO HAND • TWO PLAYERS JUMP STRAIGHT UP FOR A BALL, BUT JOSTLING CAUSES BALL TO STRIKE AN ARM • ARMS AT THE SIDES WHEN PLAYER TURNS AND BALL STRIKES ARM

25. HANDLING REVIEW • WE MUST SEE “DELIBERATENESS” • IF NOT DELIBERATE, CANNOT BE HANDLING……PERIOD

26. HANDLING REVIEW DID PLAYER MAKE SELF BIGGER? • DID ARM TAKE AWAY SPACE? • WAS ARM USED AS A BARRIER? • DID ARM EXTEND DEFENDER’S REACH? • DID ARM EXTEND DEFENDER’S ABILITY TO PLAY THE BALL?

27. HANDLING REVIEW • IS ARM IN UNNATURAL POSITION FOR THE TASK AT HAND? • THIS SUPPLIES “DELIBERATENESS”

28. Sufficient Time to Avoid Contact = High Likelihood of Offense Handling OffensesReview Gray Area (Not Immediately Clear) Held Up in Air or Away from Body = High Likelihood of Offense Referee Must Exercise Judgment: • Amount of Distance or Time to React • Position of Player’s Hand or Arm • Directing Ball After Initial Accidental Contact Advantage Taken (Control or Push Away) = Handling Offense