Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen

We have a soccer “You Make the Call” for you today.

A player is lined up to take a penalty kick. His shot gets past the keeper and hits the post, rebounding back to him. Since the keeper dove to stop the shot, he has a wide-open net, and calmly sends his second attempt straight to the back of the net.

Good goal?

It is not. After a penalty kick is taken, the kicker can only play the ball again after the goalie or another player touches it. A ball kicked off the post and directly back to the original kicker cannot be played.

In this instance, the goal is not awarded, and the defending team is given an indirect free kick at the spot of the infraction.

If the original P-K had glanced off the keeper first, then hit the post and back to the original kicker who scored, then it would have counted.

Previous 2025-26 editions

Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen