Soccer Rules and Positions

Forwards

Forwards spend most of the game in the offensive end of the field. Their primary responsibility is to attempt to score and to push the ball towards the net. They are usually a team's most accurate shooters.

Rule Violations

Handball This violation occurs when the ball is intentionally touched by a player on any part of the arm to gain an advantage. Tripping This violation happens when a player intentionally uses his or her feet to knock down another player or knock them off balance to gain an advantage. Sliding from Behind A slide tackle is an attempt to gain possession of the ball by sliding through it while another player is in possession. This is a legal maneuver as long as it is done from the front or side. However, it is illegal to slide tackle the ball from behind another player. Obstruction This violation results when one player shadows another player to prevent the player from gaining access to the ball. Illegal Contact Any contact with another player that is thought to cause bodily harm is a violation. Such contact includes hitting, grabbing, pushing, or otherwise unfairly assaulting the opponent in order to gain an advantage.

Defenders

In general, defenders are responsible for stopping the other team from advancing the ball towards the goalkeeper. There are several types of defenders: Fullbacks: These defenders play on the outside areas of the field and try to keep the ball away from the center of the field. Stopper: This defender is a team's first line of defense when the ball is coming up the middle of the field. Sweeper: This defender is the last line of defense before the ball, coming down the middle of the field, reaches the goalie. The team's most talented defender usually is assigned to play the sweeper position.

The Center Circle

In the middle of the soccer field is the center circle. This circle marks the center of the field as well as the area where kickoffs take place. A kickoff occurs at the beginning of the game and the start of the game's second half. Kickoffs also occur after each goal is scored. Kickoffs are made from inside the center circle, on the midline. During a kickoff, all players on the field, with the exception of the two players performing the kickoff, must stay outside of the circle until the ball is touched.

Penalties

Penalties occur when a player or players break the rules of the game. Penalties are completely at the discretion of the game officials, which means officials call penalties as they see them; and what one official considers a penalty, another may consider fair play. As with any sport, you should be aware that the element of human error in officiating is part of the game. With the fast-paced action that takes place in a game of soccer, there are usually many penalties. Most rules violations will result in a free kick for the other team. A free kick is taken from the spot of the penalty. There are two types of free kicks: With an indirect free kick, a goal cannot be scored unless the ball first makes contact with another player from either team before crossing the goal line. With a direct free kick, the ball does not have to make contact with any player; it may be kicked directly into the goal for a score.

Boundaries

The boundaries of an outdoor soccer field are composed of sidelines and end lines. When the entire ball crosses a sideline or end line, it will be called out-of-bounds. When the ball crosses the sideline, the team that last touched the ball loses possession and the other team gets a throw-in from the spot where the ball went out of bounds. When the ball crosses an end line, there are two possibilities: If the defensive team last touched the ball, the offensive team gets a corner kick. The corner kick is taken from the corner of the field, inside the arc on the side of the goal where the ball went out of bounds. If the offensive team last touched the ball, the defensive team gets a goal kick, which is taken from the 6-yard box on the side of the goal where the ball went out of bounds.

Goalkeeper

The goalkeeper, or goalie, is the one player on the field who is permitted to touch the ball with his or her hands. The goalkeeper can and does use any part of his or her body to stop the ball from entering the goal. Positioned directly in front of the goal, a goalkeeper needs to have quickness, agility, and good eyesight.

The Goalie Box

The large box in front of the goal is known as either the goalie box or the 18-yard box. This is the area of the field where the goalkeeper is permitted to touch the ball with his or her hands. Outside of this area the goalkeeper is treated as any other player and may NOT touch the ball with the hands without incurring a foul.

Midfielders

These players are responsible for both offense and defense. Midfielders need to be very quick and skillful. They must also have a high level of endurance, because in the typical course of a game, midfielders run back and forth between the 18-yard box of their own team and the 18-yard box of the opposition.