BOYS SOCCER – RED CARD/EJECTION DATA

YEAR	TOTAL = PLAYERS + COACHES + FANS
2019	118 = 111 + 7
2020	84 = 79 + 5
2021	116 = 110 + 6
2022	111 = 97 + 14
2023	165 = 155 + 5 + 5
2024	57 = 53 + 2 + 2 (as of 9-25-24)

The better all involved know the rules, follow the rules, and enforce the rules, the fewer cards issued and improved, higher-quality play occurs. Red cards for violent conduct, taunting, and insulting-offensiveabusive language/gesture (profanity) should be minimal. Sportsmanship, proper behavior, and language can be expected and carried out by all participants. Coaches, team captains, upperclassmen can set the tone and hold themselves and everyone else on their teams accountable. Officials can set the tone at the beginning of contests during the pregame meetings with coaches and captains by establishing their expectations for behavior, language, and play and issuing cards when appropriate early in games. Clearly setting expectations and following them creates a positive playing environment. Also, addressing unsporting conduct including reckless play, profane language, and dissent when it occurs early in contests can be proactive and preventative for rougher play, harsher language/dissent, and potential injuries later in games.

31 Red Cards this season have been direct Red Cards:
1 = exhibiting violent conduct
1 = taunting
7 = committing serious foul play
10 = using insulting, offensive or abusive language or gesture
12 = denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity

Teach, role model, prioritize, and expect good sportsmanship!

Cards can be issued after the conclusion of a contest if warranted while officials are leaving the field of play and its immediate surroundings.

NFHS/KSHSAA Soccer Contests are education-based. For teaching and learning purposes, communication between the officials and the head coaches is imperative. Explanation, not debate or argument, of carded situations should take place.

Taunting/excessive celebrating in front of/near an opponent’s team area should not be allowed and should be addressed immediately with appropriate disqualifications/cautions.

2024-25 NFHS SOCCER POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Stopping a Promising Attack
The inclusion of the considerations for a promising attack serves as a crucial clarification in the rules, specifically addressing what was previously referred to as “tactical fouls”. While the considerations are clear for obvious goal-scoring opportunities, promising attacks may be more difficult to recognize. The strategy of tactically fouling with the aim to interrupt the attacking team's progress without necessarily denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity is a form of misconduct. Sections 7 and 8 in Rule 12 highlight the importance of discerning the nature of these types of tactical offenses for consistent and fair officiating.

Like DOGSO situations, fouls that stop a promising attack (SPA) might not be severe in nature, but the offense’s impact on the attacking team’s potential needs to be recognized and dealt with accordingly. Officials need to understand the nuanced dynamics of play and maintain a tactical awareness of the advancing phase of play to recognize SPA incidents. Referees are tasked with evaluating multiple factors to determine the promise of an attack, encompassing elements like player positioning, ball control, defensive presence, skill, and the pace of the game. Importantly, any foul that unfairly stops or interrupts a promising attack is considered misconduct, warranting a caution and a yellow card for the offending player. If SPA occurs within the offender’s penalty area, and the foul is an attempt to play the ball, the player is not cautioned if the referee awards a penalty kick. In other SPA circumstances inside the penalty area (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball, etc.) the offending player must be cautioned.

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Rod Garman, Administrator
(785) 273-5329
rgarman@kshsaa.org

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