The Coach's Corner is a place for coaches to seek answers and clarification on things they may be wondering.

The forum is hosted as a google group, feel free to start a conversation directly here.

Periodically, the questions placed there will be answered and updated here on the website for easier viewing. 

Question: On a throw in, does the attacking team need to fall back?

Answer: Assuming your team plays in an age division that enforces the buildout line (find out in Rules and Policy), yes.  Any restart of play for the defending team, that occurs in the region of buildout line to end line, requires the attacking team to fall back to the midfield line.  Restarts of play include: throw-ins, free kicks, and free throws.  Moreover, on any goalie save the attacking team must fall back.

Question: Did we do away with drop balls ? I know after Covid we started doing them again but wasn’t aware that it is now an in direct kick ? 

Answer: We do dropped balls in SSI - but a goal may not be scored directly off the dropped ball.  In that sense, it can be considered like an indirect kick.

Question: As a coach volunteer why do I have to sign a letter agreeing to follow and be held responsible for my actions and parents actions?

Answer: Firstly, SSI is an non-for-profit comprised entirely of volunteers and appreciates all the effort given from everyone.  However, it is general procedure for any organization comprised of volunteers to have rules, regulations and contracts.  It is important that coaches in SSI accept responsibility to abide by the rules and enforce them within their team.  Moreover, coaches must also be background checked and complete documentation such as the 'Safe Sport' documentation.

Question: Why is there a water break during the game even if our team is over the substitute minimum?

Answer: If any of the 2 teams, at the scheduled game start time, has 2 or less substitutes, we must have a waterbreak in the first and second halves.  This is regardless if additional players showed up during the match.  The waterbreak rule is highly important to follow for the safety of the players to ensure nobody suffers any consequences from dehydration and/or exhaustion.  In addition to the substitute rule, when the temperature and/or humidity reaches high levels there must also be a water break.

Question: Why can’t my player play both on an SSI team and a Travel team?

Answer: SSI is a league for recreational players only.  Travel players tend to place commitment to their travel teams and we do not want to encourage removing spots for recreational players by accepting travel players.  Moreover, during game conflicts of travel and non-travel games the travel players have to choose which team to play and this is simply unfair to both teams.  Unfortunately, no travel players permitted and if SSI finds a player in violation the player will being removed from the team, the team/club/coach may be penalized, and a report may be filed to state soccer associations.

Question: Why must a player stop playing if he/she tells you he/she is fine and his/her parent agrees  an injury is not a concussion?

Answer: To SSI, safety is first.  We follow all applicable guidelines given my the CDC with regards to concussions and take every injury seriously.  We are not doctors and we cannot chance anything.  The NHL/AFL have similar rules.

Question: Why are handballs called some time and not, other times?

Answer: Handball punishments are, in general, at the referee's discretion and can be regarded as the most contested and vague rules in soccer.  A handball is, simply put, when the ball touches a player's hand/arm (tips of the fingers to shoulder) illegally and there are guidelines for referees to follow that help them determine if a handball contact was illegal.  

According to the Premier League, a player will be penalized if the hand/arm us clearly away from the body and outside the body OR the player clearly leans into the path of the ball and the ball travels some distance OR the ball touches a hand/arm that is raised above the shoulder.

It is important to remember that not every contact between the ball and the hand/arm is a handball.  It may also be ruled as a ball-to-hand or ball-hand indicated it is not to be penalized.  An example could be a player kicked the ball into a player's hand that was at his/her side.

The referee, when making a decision, will also consider whether the infraction occurred in an attacking or defending scenario.  In an attacking scenario, the handball is usually a handball if a goal is scored of the attacking hand/arm or if an attacking player touched the ball in the immediate moments before the infraction.  In a defending scenario, it is usually not a handball if the ball makes contact with a defender's hand/arm in the attacking area from a deflection or a teammate's clearance.