Soccer: Assistant Referee Mechanics and the Offside Call
Students learn assistant referee mechanics: staying even with the second-to-last defender and raising the flag. It's applied in 5v5 games with offside only in the final zone, building officiating decisions and runs off the ball.
How to play
- Adapted rule: a player is offside if, when the pass is played, they are in the 13 m (14 yd) final zone closer to the goal than both the ball and the second-to-last defender. The assistant shadows that defender along the sideline (3 min).
- 3v2 waves plus a keeper: the assistant tracks the line and raises the flag; a partner behind checks whether they were in line (6 min).
- Two 40x20 m (44x22 yd) fields, each with two teams of 5, a center referee and an assistant on the far sideline; each covers one half (2 min).
- Two 5-minute halves: the assistant holds the flag up until the center whistles (10 min).
- At halftime, two new officials come in from the teams (included in the time above).
- Debrief: each assistant explains one close call (4 min).
Rules
- No offside on throw-ins, corner kicks or goal kicks.
- A player not involved in the play is not called.
- The assistant never whistles: they signal and the center decides.
- Safety: no tackles from behind and no slide tackles.
Variations
Easier
Offside only when the attacker receives behind the last defender, with the teacher helping the assistant.
Standard
13 m final zone, assistant with a flag and center with a whistle.
Harder
The assistant also signals throw-ins and corners and reports fouls out of the center's view.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: assistant on a short stretch of sideline or alignment observer.
- Visual impairment: plays with a bell ball and a sighted guide.
- Advanced players: must get in behind without being offside twice per half.
Learning goals
- Line up with the second-to-last defender to judge offside.
- Communicate decisions to the center referee with the flag.
- Make runs in behind while staying onside.
Equipment for a class of 25
- soccer balls: 3
- goals: 4
- pinnies: 10
- line judge flags: 4
- whistles: 2
- cones: 16
Teacher tip
Assistants tend to stand still; keep cueing short side-steps while facing the field. If you have no flags, tie a pinnie to a short, blunt dowel.
PatioLab has "Soccer: Assistant Referee Mechanics and the Offside Call" and 3999 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for High School
1-2-3 Touch Cooperative Rally
Two groups of three, one on each side of the net, work together to keep the longest rally possible in three phases: one touch, two touches, and three touches per side.
1-2-3-2-1 Running Pyramid Intervals
An interval workout where the fast segments build from 1 to 3 minutes and back down, with half that time as jogging recovery.
1-on-1 Self-Pass Volleyball
One-on-one games on narrow 10 x 20 foot courts where each player must self-pass before sending the ball over.
10-20-30 interval running in pairs
The 10-20-30 method strings together 30 seconds of easy jogging, 20 at a moderate pace and 10 at top speed, in five-minute blocks.
1v1 Ball Volley Matches
1v1 ball volley: singles games on a small court with a low net, hitting the ball over the net and allowing one bounce.
2-on-1 Fast Break with a Chasing Defender
Two attackers push a fast break against a defender waiting at the basket while a second defender chases from behind with a few yards' head start against them.