Question Number: 23706

Law 11 - Offside 7/26/2010

RE: AYSO Under 11

Kerry Straub of Madison, Alabama US asks...

Dear Ref,
I have been a ref and coach for a decade or so. However, I was asked the other day about offsides. The scenario is the following: An offending player has the ball and passes the last defender. He/she shoots the ball and it is deflected off the goal post and back to him/her. Is he offsides? The way I read the law is a player is in the offsides position if he/she is past the last defender (not including AND in front of the ball. Therefore, if he/she receives the ball from the goalpost he/she is not in front but behind the ball. Please help
thanks
kerry

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kerry
Very simple answer really. This is not offside as the player has in a way played the ball to himself via the goal post. The player does not meet the fundamental criteria required for offside to be called which is that he is only penalised if the ball is touched or is played to him by one of his team.
It could only be offside if it were a team mate, while in an offside position when the shot was taken , that touched the ball from a rebound off the goalpost. That is gaining an advantage by being in an offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Offside position is judged when the ball last touches a teammate - - not a deflection off the goalpost or an opponent . Moreover, in your situation, since the player who received the deflection is the one who last touched the ball, offside is not possible.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Coach. Offside is ONLY judged at the moment the ball is played by a TEAMMATE. You can never be offside on yourself.

Additionally, a player is never in an offside position when he or she is even with or behind the ball. So, for 2 reasons, offside doesn't apply here.