Offensive player gets a head injury about a yard outside the other team's box. Offense still had possession but ref blows the whistle and stops the clock (high school) because it's a head injury. Player is subbed out, and the ref begins play. The question is:

What's the rules on how/where to restart play in that situation? Do you have the defense drop it all the way back to the offense's goalie?

I believe the rule is a drop ball at the spot the ball was on the field when the whistle was blown. Etiquette would be for the defense to be allowed to kick the ball to the other teams goalie or at least far down the field without applying pressure so the the offensive team gets possession and begins play again.

I think.

HS is different from club/pro. In HS, if you stop play for an injury with a team in clear possession the restart is an indirect free kick for the team in possession at the spot of the ball at the time you blew the whistle. If no team has clear possession then you do a drop ball. The trick is to wait until clear possession is established. It doesn't take long.

Sub rules are also different. If you bring on a trainer or coach the player must sub off. This includes the GK. They cannot reenter on the fly. Must be next sub opportunity. That is very different than club

Why is HS soccer so different from FIFA laws?

No stoppage time in HS is the motivating factor in a lot of the rule differences.

It's mostly the same now. The biggest differences are the injury/restart, throw ins and carding coaches.

Throw in that doesn't enter play in HS is a form of foul throw and turnover. In USSF/FIFA its a rethrow. That's all about time wasting. A team up 1-0 late would just throw it poorly all game.

In HS we card coaches. I think that's not a bad thing. The card is the visible indicator that you have done something wrong and everyone knows it. FIFA you ask/tell/dismiss. That's changing. Several international FAs are trialing a system of carding coaches and there is a proposal to make it part of the Laws for next July. The FA cup and Carabao cup are trials in England. Martin Atkinson carded Sarri the other day against Tottenham.

Actually, the throw-in thing is more about participation, not time-wasting. HS/NFHS wants to maximize the amount of time students participate. The ball out of play is dead time. Also, playes with special needs participate. The throw-in rules are relaxed to the player with one arm can participate without breaking the rules. Throw-in only has to go behind the head in HS. It doesn't necessarily need to have 2 "hands" on the ball and come straight over the head to be legal.

I'm in my first year refereeing and do both local and high school. There are definitely a few quirky differences between the two. As mentioned, I messed up the rethrow a couple weeks ago. Also, the drop ball in high school is new from what I've gathered.

Mathguy- do you ref?

Yes. USSF and NFHS. A couple of years ago I certified in Futsal for a league that started. I didn't recert as the league folded.

Where at? I'm in DFW

BCS