Just as it has touched everything else in our lives, the coronavirus has altered high school soccer, at least in Massachusetts. Andrew Keh in today's New York Times describes the rule changes there that have affected the way the game is played. No headers, no throw-ins (replaced by free kicks), no defensive walls. Games are no quarters rather than halves. Goalies cannot punt past midfield. Physical contact with an opponent is permitted.
A violation of one of these rules is a "covid foul" and give the other team an indirect free kick.
Phil Silva, coach of Bishop Sheehan, says the rules have slowed down the game because of the number of stoppages for the covid fouls.
It's sad to see the game so drastically altered and especially slowed down, but as Keh reports, most believe playing by these rules is better than not playing at all.
