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

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 (q)

THE ARM

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAND TO BALL + UNNATURAL POSITION

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

MAKING SELF BIGGER + TAKING AWAY SHOOTING LANE

WALLS: MAKING SELF BIGGER + CONTACT C A B D

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

TAKING AWAY PASSING LANE

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?

HANDLING ORIGINAL CONTACT NOT DELIBERATE CONTACT CONTINUED TO GAIN ADVANTAGE THIS IS HANDLING

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

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

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

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

HANDLING REVIEW DID PLAYER MAKE SELF BIGGER? 1.DID ARM TAKE AWAY SPACE? 2.WAS ARM USED AS A BARRIER? 3.DID ARM EXTEND DEFENDER’S REACH? 4.DID ARM EXTEND DEFENDER’S ABILITY TO PLAY THE BALL?

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

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