Be the Referee: Soccer Goal?
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
May 19, 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 Goal? - Listen
Soccer is mostly played with the feet — but can a team score by throwing the ball into the goal?
On a throw-in from the sideline, the answer is no. The ball cannot be thrown directly into either goal and count as a goal. If Team A throws it into Team B’s goal, Team B now gets a goal kick. If Team A somehow throws it into their own goal, then Team B would be awarded a corner kick.
And a goalkeeper cannot score by throwing the ball the length of the field into the opponent’s net. If that happens, it’s a goal kick for the opponent.
But what if the goalkeeper throws the ball into his or her own goal?
Under NFHS rules, that is a goal. The ball is live, it crossed the goal line, and the goal is awarded to the opposing team.
Previous 2025-26 editions
May 6: Fair or Foul? - Listen
April 28: Wrong Green - Listen
April 21: Injured Runner - Listen
April 14: Officiate Michigan Day - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 3: Over the Back - Listen
Feb. 24: Wrestling Out-of-Bounds - Listen
Feb. 17: Backwards Skiing - Listen
Feb. 10: Faking Being Fouled - Listen
Feb. 3: Bowling Pins - Listen
Jan. 27: Ski Gates - Listen
Jan. 20: Cheer Judges - Listen
Jan. 13: Basketball Over the Back - Listen
Jan. 6: Bowling Ball Bounces Out of Gutter - Listen
Dec. 9: Puck on Goal Netting - Listen
Dec. 2: Goaltending vs. Basket Interference - Listen
Nov. 25: Football Finals Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 18: Volleyball Libero Uniforms - Listen
Nov. 11: Illegal Substitution/Participation - Listen
Nov. 4: Losing a Shoe - Listen
Oct. 28: Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
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
Performance of the Week: Grayling's Jordan Peters
September 12, 2024
Jordan Peters ♦ Grayling
Junior ♦ Soccer
Peters is anchoring a record-setting defensive effort as Grayling is off to an 8-0 start for the first time and has put together a streak of eight straight shutouts also for the first time in program history. The most recent win, 1-0 over Elk Rapids on Monday, was the Vikings’ first over the Elks since 2009. Grayling is unranked, but Elk Rapids entered this week No. 14 in Division 3.
A varsity keeper since freshman year, Peters has played a major role as Grayling has improved from 9-12-1 in 2022 to 17-6-1 last season to building high expectations with its start this fall. Peters has been in net for the entirety of every game this year, and the eight straight shutouts are tied for the 14th-longest individual scoreless game streak by a keeper in state history. Peters also wrestles and made his Division 3 Individual District Semifinals at 157 pounds last season, and he ran primarily hurdles and on the 400 relay for the track & field team last spring.
@mhsaasports ⚽️POW: Jordan Peters #soccer #grayling #shutout #winner #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports ⚽️POW: Jordan Peters #tiktalk #questiontime #part2 #alfredo #icecream #thumbsupemoji #LedZepplin #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
PHOTO Grayling keeper Jordan Peters, far right, readies to make a stop against Elk Rapids. (Photo courtesy of the Grayling athletic department.)