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This section covers "restarts", including the kick off, free kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, and goal kicks.

Here is a printable version - right click and save target on your computer, then print  (3.8mb, may take a while)

KICK OFF (at the start of each half and after a score)

Taking the Kick Off

The ball must roll forward on the first touch, and must touch another player next.  Our play is to:

  1. Start with forwards on the ball, midfielders on the half line, defense up, with one long kicker 10 yards behind the ball.
  2. The left forward touches the ball forward then sprints deep left, the right forward plays the ball back to the long kicker.
  3. The ball is then kicked deep into space on the left side, hopefully not too close to a defender.
  4. The left outside midfielder is also sprinting toward the ball.  The right forward sprints toward the top of the penalty area.

Defending the kickoff

  1. The right forward sprints to the space behind the ball, to cut off a back pass. 
  2. The left forward and stopper quickly attack the ball. 
  3. Everyone else picks up marks.

 

TAKING A FREE KICK IN THE OPPONENTS HALF

A free kick is awarded for a foul, and may be one of two types:

DIRECT - You may score directly without the ball touching another player.  The referee's arm will be down.
INDIRECT - The ball must touch a second player before it can score.  The referee's arm will be up.

For all free kicks, start with these 4 steps:

  1. The closest Long Kicker, probably a midfielder,  will organize and take the kick.
  2. Place the ball near where the foul occurred, it is okay to error a bit on the goal side.
  3. Unless you are taking a quick kick to catch the defense off-guard, ask the referee to make sure the defense is 10 yards away.  Point to the defense and loudly say:  "10 yards please".
  4. Check the referee to see if it is DIRECT (arm down), or INDIRECT (arm straight up):

INDIRECT SIGNAL (WHEN READY TO KICK)

Taking a Free Kick WITHIN scoring distance of the goal, and the opponents ARE NOT holding an offside line:

  1. One forward will be in the goal mouth near the goalie, and who moves to the ball as it is kicked.
  2. The other forward and three of the midfielders should be spread out in the penalty area.
  3. The kicker and 2 others form a line across ready to put clears back in.
  4. If INDIRECT, have a player next to the ball touch it just before you:
  5. SHOOT HIGH ON GOAL!!

Taking a Free Kick WITHIN scoring distance of the goal, and the opponents ARE holding an offside line:

  1. The two forwards and three of the midfielders should be spread out along the line ready to sprint on the kick.
  2. The stopper should be ready to put the ball back into the goal if it is cleared out.
  3. If INDIRECT, have a player next to the ball touch it just before you:
  4. SHOOT HIGH ON GOAL!!

Taking a Free Kick NOT WITHIN scoring distance of the goal, and the opponents ARE NOT holding an offside line:

  1. The two forwards and three of the midfielders should be spread out in the penalty area.
  2. The kicker and 2 others form a line across ready to put clears back in.
  3. DRIVE IT HIGH INTO THE PENALTY AREA!!

Taking a Free Kick NOT WITHIN scoring distance of the goal, and the opponents ARE holding an offside line:

  1. The two forwards and three of the midfielders should be spread out along the line ready to sprint on the kick.
  2. The kicker and 2 others form a line across ready to put clears back in.
  3. DRIVE IT HIGH INTO THE PENALTY AREA!!

Here are two diagrams that show free kicks more clearly:

   

 

DEFENDING A FREE KICK IN OUR DEFENSIVE THIRD

A free kick may be taken quickly, without waiting for the referee or for us to get organized.  So mark and setup quickly: 

  1. The 3 closest players immediately form a wall between the ball and our goal, about 8 yards from the ball.  The kicker is allowed 10 yards, so the referee may move you back further.
  2. The forwards quickly move into the wall, freeing up two in the wall to go mark players.
  3. The wall should move left or right as the goalie demands, to block the path to the near post.
  4. On an indirect kick the center wall player rushes the ball as it is touched.

Wall Diagram

 

CORNER KICKS

Taking the Corner Kick

  1. One forward will be in the goalmouth near the goalie, and who moves toward the near post as it is kicked.
  2. One forward is just inside the penalty area on the ball side.
  3. Three midfielders are in a line just outside the penalty area, ready to sprint in on the kick.  The middle player in line runs to the far post, getting in the way of the defender at the front of the line.  The other 2 players run to the ball.
  4. The Long Kicker and 2 others will form a line across ready to put clears back in.
  5. The Long Kicker kicks the ball in front of the penalty mark, and drops back.

Defending the Corner Kick

  1. The 2 outside midfielders guard the posts and stay until the goalie has the ball or the ball is cleared.
  2. One center midfielder drops back to the goal line 10 yards from the kicker.
  3. The other center midfielder and two forwards form a line across, ready to mark or start the attack.
  4. The 2 fullbacks, the stopper and the sweeper pickup marks in the penalty area.
  5. If they have 2 players in the corner, our forward drops back to help break up the play.