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Offside Rule was made to Prevent Cherry Picking

If you are new to the game of soccer and just now learning about the Offside Rule; it was put in
place to keep players from cherry picking and just standing in front of the goal waiting for the
ball. Understanding this rule is easier than you think. If your team has control of the ball; there
must be at least two defenders (goalkeeper and a field player or two field players) at the time the
ball is passed to the player closest to the goal. This player can be in the offside position when
they receive the ball, but must be in-line or in front of the last defensive player (generally the
goalkeeper will be playing in back of the last defender). It is the Assistant Referee who is on the
sideline responsibility to remain in line of this situation and help make the offside call. As you
can see below there are situations where offside will not be called. If a player receives the ball
directly from a goal kick, a throw-in, a corner kick, or if a defender touches the ball prior to the
player in the offside position receives the ball. Furthermore, a player can be in the offside
position and not get called for offsides it they do not directly affect the play. One example, a
player takes a shot on goal and the player in the offside position is not in direct line of the shot or
distracting the goalkeeper. If you have any questions about this rule; contact your league referee
coordinator and they can answer your questions or go to our contact us page and we can assist
with any questions you might have.

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