Be the Referee: Soccer Penalty Kick
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
September 16, 2025
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
Be the Referee: Safety in Football
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 7, 2025
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 – Safety in Football - Listen
We’re on the football field today, and the defense has sacked the quarterback in the offense’s own endzone, resulting in a safety. That’s two points for the defense, but what happens next?
Following a safety, the team that was on offense must kick the ball back to the team that was on defense.
The kicking team can either punt it, or drop kick it, with the line of scrimmage being their own 20-yard line. The kick must occur from within one step of the line of scrimmage. And the receiving team must have all of their players at least 10 yards from the line of scrimmage.
Once it’s kicked, play continues on as normal – much like a punt or kick return. But if a team chooses the drop-kick, they could recover the ball once it travels at least 10 yards.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen