GO Indoor

Under a multiple point system, a team can earn three points for long-distance shots, one point for shootout and powerplay goals, and two points for all other goals. This weighting system rewards a team for offensive merit and makes it easier for a referee to issue penalties, since he knows they will be less likely to dictate the outcome of a game. y first introduction to soccer, in general, occurred relatively late, as I had never been involved with the game in any form until I was in my thirties. At that time I lived in Kansas City, and began attending NPSL games, becoming a fan of the Kansas City Attack. Hence, I "learned" soccer via the professional indoor game. As a result, I do not have some of the biases favoring the outdoor game that many coaches and players my age or older have. I feel very strongly that the fastpaced, high-scoring aspect of indoor soccer produces more entertainment than the outdoor game. One of the reasons the indoor game is so exciting is because of the multiple-point scoring system, including the three-point arch. The multiple-point scoring system provides many benefits. First of all, it rewards a stronger, more accurate attacker with additional points for a more difficult shot and encourages players to take shots from distances fre- M quently encountered in the outdoor game, hence providing an outdoor training aspect to the indoor game. The three point arch also provides a team that may be losing a game by a significant point margin the opportunity to score points quickly, keeping the game more competitive. The multiple-point system impacts penalties as well as goals. Facilities may "weight" the severity of blue-card violations by lowering the values of shoot-out and power-play goals to one point. This in turn allows officials to use the blue card as a game-control tool, without fear of overly affecting the result of the game. In regard to goalkeepers, the fear of being "chipped" for three points as a result of playing too far out of the box helps keep them honest. Lastly, the multiple-point system creates excitement and conversation amongst the fans, keeping the fans more interested in the game, and making their experience more enjoyable. I am aware of the opinion that officials may find it difficult to determine the point value of various goals, but through my experience as an official, as well as the coordinator of our facility's other officials, I have never found this to be an issue. In our six years of operation at Off The Wall, I cannot recall a single incident wherein an official's two-or-three point determination created a significant concern amongst coaches or players. Further, I do not find the rules to be difficult to explain or understand. To simplify the rules, I tell an inquiring patron that the scoring rules are just like basketball. I analogize the shoot-out procedure to that of a technical foul. This explanation seems to clarify the confusion, making the rules seem very simple. As the owner/manager of my facility, I make it a point to listen to any comments patrons may have regarding, amongst other things, the scoring rules. The only negative comments I have received are either from "old school" coaches who begrudgingly play indoor only because Tim Gillespie, Co-Owner, Off the Wall Indoor Soccer, Omaha, NE no one will plow the outdoor fields, or from players who routinely play at my competitor's facility (which has not implemented multiple-point scoring.) In my opinion, indoor soccer is a different game than outdoor soccer, and I am not aware of any good reason to adapt the indoor game to be more like its counterpart. The drawbacks associated with the outdoor game (low scoring, too many draws, too boring) are avoided in the indoor arena, in part by multiplepoint scoring. I am, therefore, an advocate of multiple-point scoring, and recommend its use in the indoor game. Three-Point System c unter o nt o -p i G O A L In d o o r • Dec.-Jan. 2002 • 11

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