In the past season, the Hollister girls soccer team recorded a 13-5-1 record, 8-3-1 in Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division play. It was their best league mark since 2018-19 and landed them in third place. The Balers advanced to the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
The Hollister boys team had many great moments during the season but fell a bit short of goals in league, ending at 5-8-6 overall, 4-5-3 and fourth place in Gabilan play.
Both teams saw league rivals advance far in CCS, NorCal and CIF State post-season play. On the girls side, league champ Salinas won the CCS Division II title and the NorCal Division III title, finishing second in the CIF State Division III.
On the boys side, Gabilan champ Everett Alvarez was second in CCS Division I play, won the NorCal Division I title and finished second in the CIF State D1.
When the Balers and their rivals resume action in the fall of 2026, they will see some rules changes and modifications. The Rules Committee of the governing high school sports body, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), has approved 13 rule changes for next season. The updates came from a meeting in Indianapolis Feb. 9-11 and the Rules Committee suggestions were approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The biggest change is a new process for distributing cards to improve communication and game management. Other key changes include penalty kick encroachment, a longer time limit for goalkeepers to release the ball and clarifications on equipment and electronic devices.
“This year’s updates represent another exciting step in our ongoing effort to modernize the NFHS Soccer Rules Book,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Soccer Rules Committee. “With major rewrites to Rules 13 and 14, we’ve made significant progress in creating a resource that is clearer, more intuitive, and easier for coaches, players and officials to use.”
New process for yellow, red cards
Amended language states that officials shall hold a yellow or red card and indicate the substitute, coach or bench personnel being cautioned.
If there’s an ejection, and the reason was receiving a second caution in the same game, the referee shall show a yellow card indicating the subsequent caution followed immediately by showing a red card. The referee must then direct any player shown a yellow or red card to leave the field of play.
Additionally, the official must “notify both coaches, the scorer and other official(s) of the nature of the misconduct after showing a yellow or red card to a player, coach or bench personnel.”
Kickoffs, fouls and more
All players, except the player taking the kickoff, must be on their half of the field or the kickoff shall be retaken. In addition, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opponent if the offensive player who took the kickoff touches the ball after the kick before it is played or touched by another player on either team.
A player shall not charge into, or challenge, an opposing goalkeeper who is controlling the ball with their hands. Outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper has no more privileges than any other player.
Under the rule changes, the goalkeeper will have eight seconds instead of six before releasing the ball. A corner kick will be awarded if the goalkeeper holds the ball past eight seconds instead of an indirect free kick.
By including “other verbal offenses” as an indirect free kick foul, officials have more flexibility when disciplining verbal offenses: they are now considered fouls at a minimum and may rise to the level of misconduct depending on the circumstances.
Language was added to considerations for dangerous play that include actions preventing a nearby opponent from playing the ball for fear of injury.
The restart rule regarding free kicks is broken into distinct categories, outlining when and where free kicks are awarded, and detailing how they are to be taken. It also specifies the correct restart locations and provides guidance for officials on managing these situations.
The update incorporates restart procedures for scenarios involving outside agents, offenses occurring off the field, thrown objects, individuals entering the field illegally, players leaving the field without permission and offenses that occur outside the field of play.
Penalty kicks
Wording is changed to ensure that encroachment is penalized only if the offense has a clear impact on the penalty kick. Goalkeepers will now receive a warning for a first offense rather than an immediate caution, acknowledging that such infractions often stem from mis-anticipation.
Regarding the kicker on a penalty kick, the revisions continue to allow deceptive movements and stutter-stepping during the run-up; however, the change strictly prohibits feinting once the approach to the ball is completed.
Finally, in rare instances where both the kicker and goalkeeper offend simultaneously during a penalty kick, the kicker is penalized, as the kicker’s illegal feinting is typically the catalyst for the goalkeeper’s infraction.
Clarifications for uniform and equipment
The word “dark” was added to clarify that the home team must wear socks that contrast with the away team’s solid white socks. Additionally, mouth protectors, if worn by players, should not serve any function other than to protect the teeth or mouth.
Additionally, there were modifications to state that no athlete participating in a match is permitted to wear any type of audio or video device to record, transmit or livestream, aligning with other NFHS rules books. State associations may further restrict electronic devices.
A complete listing of the soccer rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Soccer.” The print version of the 2026-27 Soccer Rules Book will be available for purchase in late May at NFHS.com, and the digital version will be available via NFHS Digital at NFHS.org.
