At tonight’s JUSA referee meeting, we watched a video produced by the Minnesota State Referee Committee regarding implementing the 2013 changes to Law 11 – Offside, specifically about how a deliberate play by a defender negates the offside position of any attackers.
Everyone MUST watch this video prior to spring season.
We have discussed the offside changes at several previous meetings and have shown many clips and examples. This podcast is well-produced and gives a very clear explanation of how the slight changes in wording from July 2013 affect the way referees, and assistant referees, must judge offside.
In the past, we have put off instituting this change, but starting with our Spring 2015 season, JUSA referees are expected to implement this interpretation of offside. Instructors at other referee associations throughout Cal South will be carrying the message to their referees as well.
If you didn’t attend tonight’s meeting, or if you did and just want to re-watch the video at home with better sound, here is a link to the Minnesota State Referee Committee’s podcast for December.