Question:
the goalie has possession of the ball and punts the ball not very far about a yard away can she pick it up again while the ball is in the air…and nobody touches the ball? does it make a diffrence if it touches the ground?
USSF answer (April 10, 2009):
If the goalkeeper releases the ball from her hands and kicks it away and it hits the the ground, the ball is in play for everyone and the goalkeeper may not pick it up again until some other player has played it. We have a difficult time picturing a punt that the goalkeeper kicks only one yard yet is able to catch in the air. Seeing as this is clearly impossible, it did not happen — at least for purposes of this particular case — and there is no infringement of the Law.
