kickin’ it
with the
ravens
Carleton men’s soccer team
engages the community
Wanna kick around a soccer ball and learn
a few pointers from the captain of Carleton’s
soccer team? Roberto Gutiérrez would love
Get the free kick advantage
it, as would the rest of the university men’s
varsity soccer team.
Smart teams learn the referee’s signals
Head Coach Sandy Mackie is holding clinics
that are open to any local club interested in an
BY Tim BaigenT
afternoon of soccer. It costs $5 per player. The
clinics focus on essential soccer skills and game It amazes me how little time a coach spends explaining the rules of the
tactics as well as emphasize the importance game to his players. After all, a good understanding of the rules gives a
of collective play, such as communication, team a tremendous advantage against less savvy opponents.
teamwork and positive attitude. Maybe the reason is that the coach doesn’t understand the rules that
Following the clinic, the young players, well either. If that is the case, then invite a referee to a training session. Most referees
coaches and parents can watch the Ravens would welcome the opportunity to answer questions in a relaxed environment rather than
in regular season action and assist the team in the heated atmosphere of a game.
by providing out-of-bounds balls to the In my refereeing experience, the biggest misunderstanding is on the rules relating to
players and collecting stray ones during the free kicks. Players regularly get these wrong resulting in the advantage being given to their
game. They also can participate in a penalty opponents.
shootout competition against a varsity There are many things a team needs to do when a free kick has been awarded; however,
goalkeeper during halftime. After the game, before you can work on these you need to quickly identify the type of free kick that the
clinic participants are provided with a hot-dog referee has awarded.
and pop at the stadium’s refreshment stand
and player cards will be handed out, which can ReaD The aRm signal – uP oR Down?
then be autographed by varsity team players. Free kicks are awarded when a foul has occurred, or when
Entering his fifth year with the Ravens, the a technical rule has been infringed. For a foul such as a trip,
soccer captain says that the clinics have been a push or a deliberate handball, a direct free kick is awarded.
very rewarding for the players. The signal for a direct free kick is to blow the whistle to stop
“More importantly, they are highly play. Then the referee points in the direction of the kick for a few
enjoyable for the kids. The clinics have seconds before he DROPS his arm to his side.
made our experience at Carleton that much When a technical rule has been infringed, such as offside or
more memorable and we are very glad to be dangerous play, the referee will award an indirect free kick. The
involved with the community. I truly hope that signal for an indirect free kick is the same as for a direct free kick
the success of the clinics will continue to grow except that at the end of the process the referee RAISES his arm
in the future,” says Roberto Gutiérrez. vertically. The arm is kept vertical until the ball has made contact with
another player after the kicker has kicked the ball.
It is important to identify the type of free kick awarded, because the
player taking a direct free kick can score by kicking the ball straight into
the goal. However, with an indirect free kick, a goal cannot be scored
until it makes contact with another player other than the kicker.
The second player who makes contact with the ball does not have
to be on the same team as the kicker, so goalkeepers definitely need
to know what type of kick has been awarded. I have awarded many
goals when the goalkeeper has handled the ball in an attempt to save
ANELL a shot from an indirect free kick. If he had just let the shot enter the
TEF

ES
net, I would have disallowed the goal and restarted the game with a
CIO goal kick to the defending team!

:
IGNA
T
OP
Referee, Peter McWha signals an indirect free kick.
T
O
PHO
www.Kickabout.ca
ING/suMMer 2008 << Otta
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