Rules for High School Soccer Teams

Possessing and Advancing the Ball

• The object of soccer is to pass the ball through the other team's goal (each goal is worth one point.) This is done by controlling and advancing the ball using any part of the body except the hands and arms. Thus, the ball can be struck with the feet, head, chest, torso, and legs. The movement of the ball down the field by means of the feet is known as dribbling. The ball may also be "passed" in the air or on the ground from one player to another. Players from both teams may compete freely for possession of the ball, or attempt to score (a "shot on goal") at any point on the field. The only player who is permitted the use of the hands (within a boxed area around the goal) is the goalkeeper, who is the team's last line of defense.

Number of Players and Positions

• Each team consists of 11 players. Each player is generally assigned a beginning "position" which is an area on the field that designates a specific role in the team's plan of defense or attack. The positions are as follows: goalkeeper, fullback, halfback (or midfielder) and forward (or striker.) Players may of course move out of position when necessary.

Fouls and Penalties

• The game is officiated by three referees who have the responsibility of calling fouls, awarding penalty kicks, and preventing unsportsmanlike conduct. Common fouls include inadvertently kicking another player in pursuit of the ball, use of the hands, or defensive tackling from behind. The consequence of a foul is usually a "free kick" awarded to the opposing team. Fouls of a more deliberate nature can draw a "yellow card" from the referee. The most serious kinds of fouls merit a "red card" which results in automatic ejection from the game. A second yellow card also results in ejection. If a defensive foul is committed in the "penalty box" (the area immediately surrounding the goal) the consequence is a "penalty kick," or a point blank shot on goal with only the keeper defending.