[Mini/Midi] U11 - "Free Kick"

[didds]

we may have discussed this before so apologies if we have..

I got asked this week about U11s "free kick" awards

"Red have been awarded a free kick. Can they kick to touch like a grown up penalty?
Do red get the free throw from where the ball went out?"

in effect whether it meant

* "free kick" as in the full laws "free kick" or
* actually meaning a "penalty kick" as per full laws

and the nuance this brings to kicking for touch.

anybody any suggestions/ideas ?

my basic advice to the guy was toi treat it a a "free kick" as per the full laws, so oppo throw at any subsequent free throw with no gain in ground from direct kicks outside the "22". But I agree with him that not everybody will take this approach.

My take is that the focus is keeping the ball in hand wherever possible and so to encourage teams with a "free kick" to not just advance through kicking as there is plenty of opportunity to do so in later age groups... but I am not definitive


I also advised him to raise the question with his RDO and local refs society, with the caveat its unlikely they will know either but may well be able to signpost. I also suggested laws@rfu.com .

didds

 

[Phil E]

My take is that the focus is keeping the ball in hand wherever possible and so to encourage teams with a "free kick" to not just advance through kicking as there is plenty of opportunity to do so in later age groups... but I am not definitive

didds

Exactly. They have deliberately sanctioned Free Kicks rather than Penalty Kicks for a reason.

 

[mcroker]

my basic advice to the guy was toi treat it a a "free kick" as per the full laws

This is also our interpretation - PK gets introduced at a later age grade.
We're also consistent with you on the reasoning behind it.

 

[Flish]

Correct, it's a normal free kick, if the kick goes to touch they lose possession, I think the only 'penalty' at U11 is for high tackle / foul play and that's a free pass not a kick

 

[didds]

that all makes sense to me.

So - seocndary question noqw related to tactical approaches and game understanding.

What use a a KICK at U11 that cannot be used to gain ground with own possession after it (CF full PK) or score a goal from (3 points). ? As opposed to a free pass anyway?

I can think of one possible use. Well, two with the second being clearing from one's own "22" for some territorial gain directly, or by bouncing it to touch first of outside the 22m. Both losing possession however.

didds

 

[mcroker]

Well their positional play isn’t great, so a kick to space can be an attacking weapons about 25% of the time, and a gift to the opposition for the other 75%...


...but that’s all about learning.