Header Rules & Regulations
The following is a modification to the U10 Rules of Competition for Iowa. The purpose of this modification is to provide guidance to referees regarding the mandate from US Soccer that Heading the Ball deliberately shall not be allowed at U10 and below. This applies to the age group in general and not to individual players within an age group. Therefore, 10 year-old players “playing up” in U12 matches are not bound by these modifications.
US Soccer communicated the following to all USSF Referees on February 12, 2016:
“When a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an Indirect Free Kick (IFK) should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the Indirect Free Kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred. If a player does not deliberately head the ball, then play should continue.”
The Iowa Referee Committee (IRC) interprets the act of deliberately playing the Ball with the Head at
U10 and below to be similarto “Playing in a Dangerous Manner,” more commonly known as “Dangerous Play,” and punishablein the same manner, by an Indirect Free Kick (IFK). But, while similar, Advantage shall not be played with the exceptions of the first two special cases below. And, the act of deliberately heading the ball shall neverresult in Misconduct at this young age level.
Consider the following:
(1)- APlayer deliberately (but rebelliously) heads the ball into his/her owngoal. The Referee shall allow the goaland must remind the player and the coach that he/she must not head theball intentionally.
Restart play with a Kick-off. (This is exception #1 to no Advantage.)
(2)- APlayer deliberately heads the ball in a defensive maneuver but the ball goes immediately to an attacker who easily kicks the ball into the goal and scores. The Referee shall allow the goal and must remind the player and the coach that he/she must not head the ball intentionally. Restart play with a
Kick-off. (This is exception #2 to no Advantage.)
(3)- A Player repeatedly plays the ball with his/her head deliberately. This is NOTto be considered
Persistent Infringement (Misconduct). Avoid showing Yellow Cards to players at U10 and below. The Referee shall encourage the coach to substitute for this player who is not playing in accordance with the U10 Rules of Competition. Restart play with an IFK.
(4)- A Player denies an opponent a goal or a goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately heading the ball. This is NOTto be considered (Misconduct). Avoid showing Red Cards to players at U10 and below. The Referee shall encourage the coach to substitute for this player who is not playing in accordance with the U10 Rules of Competition. Restart play with an IFK for the attacking team.