West United Soccer

What is offsides? What are the rules pertaining to offsides? How can it be used as a strategy? Often time, this rule is mistaken more or has had more controversy than any other rule. In fact, a player is not offsides in and of itself. A player is only offsides when certain conditions occur and the referee feels that the play is unfair. This should peak an interest in learning more about the rule.

This ruling is one of the most mis-understood in the game. However, if it's understood by the players and coaches, it can actually be one of the great strategies of the game. Players, coaches, and fans (parents) get more frustrated about this rule than almost any other. (See the Rules of the Game)

Offside rule:

• A player is not offsides by default. The player is in offsides position:
• if he is nearer the opponent's goal than both the ball and the second last opponent and
• if he is in active play or interferes with active play

A player is not in an offside position if:

• he is in his own half of the field of play or
• he is level with the second last opponent or
• he is level with the last two opponents

The long description of the ruling.

If you look up the phrase "cherry picking" in Wikipedia it defines this action as the "case of harvesting cherrires, or any other fruit, [where] the picker would be expected to only select the ripest and healthiest fruit." This is used as a metaphor (example) in many other occaisions to position yourself in the best position to gain the most advantage. Another term that describes this tactic is loafing. It's not fair for someone to sit at the other end of the field and wait for the ball to be passed to them without anyone guarding them.

There are exceptions to offsides and these are the occasions in which it pushes the envelope of the rules and are permitted strategies. This is also when the frustration occurs because players, coaches, and fans don't understand when it's OK to receive a ball which appears to be unfair advantage, but has really become a well strategized and well positioned play.

When is this kind of positioning NOT offsides?

The straight of it is this: off-sides is the rule that doesn't permit "cherry picking", but if the game is played right, you can take advantage of "great plays" that put people in great positions to score, and off-sides is not called. We'll now describe these.

A player is offsides when he is caught between the goalie and the last defender when the ball is kicked in a forward motion directly to them. This is unfair advantage and is against the fair-play rules.

When is it ok for a defender to be the only person between the last defender and the goalie?

• When the ball is played backwards by someone on their own team
• When the ball is touched by a member of the opposite team
• On a corner kick
• When the ball is not kicked directly to them and are not considered part of the current play