From the President: State of Soccer
September 21, 2012
Petoskey boys and girls soccer coach Zach Jonker, the first-year president of the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association, talked with us Friday about all things MHSAA soccer – past, present and future.
Among topics discussed: Changes in the game since Jonkerd's high school playing days of the 1990s, the boost that comes when the U.S. national team is successful, and the effect the U.S. Soccer Development Academy is having on boys soccer this fall.
Click to see more from this week's MHSA(Q&)A.
PHOTO: Petoskey senior Matt Dankert (20) moves the ball between defenders during a game earlier this season. (Photo courtesy of Dean Viles.)
Be the Referee: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
September 2, 2026
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 Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
We’re on the soccer field today, and the home team has the ball and is on the attack.
The ball makes it around to a forward from the home team, who is on-side and within the penalty area. His shot just misses – going wide for a goal kick.
However, just after the ball crossed the goalline, a player from the away team tackles the home team forward with excessive force.
What’s the call?
Because excessive force was used, it’s a red card for the away team player, which is an automatic ejection. But because it happened after the ball crossed the goalline and not at the time of the shot, it’s still a goal kick for the away team, not a penalty kick for the home team.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen