If I ruled college soccer, I would have the clock stop during stoppage time in the last two minutes of games.
As a sports broadcaster for Keene State Athletics, I have acquired knowledge for many sports that I once thought I would never have a desire to know.
I have always been a huge sports fan and now have an understanding of sports like volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse and of course, soccer.
One of the things that perplexes me the most during soccer matches is the last two minutes.
Especially when a team is only trailing by one goal and the clock is still running even when there is stoppage in play.
Kyle Bailey / Photo Editor
Professional soccer has a clock that runs for two forty-five-minute halves and adds in stoppage time for when there is a card given out or for injuries.
Stoppage time is at the discretion of the referee and it is usually a few minutes so that each team is given a fair chance, even if they don’t always agree with the referees.
When the game reaches its 90- minute mark, the extra time is put on to make up for the lost playing time.
The college game also has two forty-five-minute halves but the clock counts down and stops for injury time-outs.
However the clock does not stop at any time when a yellow or red card is given out by the referees to players, when the ball goes out-of-bounds or when players are getting ready for corner kicks.
Even when there is a free kick opportunity for teams, the clock should be stopped once it gets under two minutes.
The referees can tell players to speed up if they feel that they are taking too long to get ready to continue play.
It always frustrates me when I am calling a game and the ball goes out-of-bounds and the clock keeps on running.
The players have to chase it down and then take the time to throw it back in.
The clock should not start up again until the ball is back in-bounds and play resumes.
This is much more noticeable when there is a corner kick.
It takes a player valuable seconds to get to where they need to be on the corner, and the other players have to get set up so they are ready for the corner kick.
If the clock were stopped in a scenario such as this, it would give each team enough time to get ready without having to rush.
The team who is winning uses the strategy to take as much time getting the ball back in play because they know that they just have to run out the clock.
This works out perfectly for them, but is a huge disadvantage for the losing team.
In college basketball, for example, the clock stops for in-bound plays in the last minute of the game.
The clock does not start again until the ball is back in play and a player has touched the ball.
This gives players some extra time to decide what they want to do in a crunch time situation.
If I ruled college soccer, I would make the clock stop during stoppage time in the last two minutes of the game.
The reason I would make it the final two minutes and not one is because the field is much bigger than a basketball court, which only stops the clock in the final minute.
If this rule was to be put in place it would give players more time to set up a play and the game would be fairer for each team.
Mike Miezejeski can be contacted at mmiezejeski@keene-equinox.com
