High School Soccer Rules For Goalies

The National Federation of State High School Associations, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, sets rules for soccer goalkeepers at the high school level. NFHS rules do not depart in a radical way from goalkeeping rules promulgated by FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, but they do account for situations more likely to be seen among high school squads that swap goalies and field players than on mature teams.

Jerseys and Equipment

As in soccer at the youth and adult levels, you must wear a different color to the field jerseys of your team and your opponent. The jersey must display a number different from any other teammates' numbers on the back of the jersey as well as on the front of the jersey and your shorts. You cannot wear a replica jersey with, for example, a pro team's logo and insignia. The rules state the jersey cannot bear any patch, emblem or insignia for a soccer club or sponsor; only your school logo is permitted. Your shorts can be a different color from your teammates' shorts. A revised rule allows your goalie socks to be a different color to your teammates' beginning with the fall 2012 season. You can wear a head protector or soft-billed baseball cap or visor.

Substitutions

A substitute goalkeeper can come in after reporting to the scorer's table. Or you as goalie can change places with a field player when the clock is stopped or if another substitution takes place, provided each of you can quickly change into an appropriate jersey. A coach can also decide to sacrifice defense and send in an 11th field player for the goalkeeper to join the offensive attack, but the player must be designated as a goalkeeper and wear proper attire.

Fouls

You cannot throw or kick the ball at an opponent or push an opponent with the held ball. You cannot be shoulder charged or challenged for the ball once you have possession of the ball in your hands. If you place the ball on the ground and begin to dribble, you can be shoulder charged legally by an opponent. A shoulder charge occurs when an opponent goes shoulder to shoulder with you and pushes you away from the ball to gain control of it.

Legal Play

You cannot parry the ball, which means touching it with the heel of the palm or fingertips and then handle it again until another player touches it. If a teammate deliberately kicks the ball to you in what is called a back pass, you cannot handle it; pass it to a teammate or kick it downfield.

Timing

You have six seconds from the time you gain control of the ball in your penalty area to release the ball into play. You can hold the ball, bounce it or throw the ball in the air and catch it. You cannot touch the ball again after you release it into play until it has been played or touched by a teammate outside the penalty area in front of the goal or by an opponent inside or outside of the penalty area.