SOCCER FIRST

OUTDOOR LEAGUE

RULES AND REGULATIONS

2010 

Law I.  The Ball

The game ball must be provided by the team listed first on the schedule.   The ball should be spherical and the outer casing should be made of leather or other approved materials.

Law II.  Number of Players

        -A match will be played with a maximum of 11 players.
-The maximum number of players on the roster is 18.
-Players can be added to the roster up to the start of your fourth game of  the season.
-If a coach would like to challenge a roster of the opposing team it must be  done before the end of the game at the front desk. (half time would be the  best time to do this)
-A proof of age (D.L., birth cert., etc.) must be available upon request at all  times.
-The minimum number of players a team can field for a game to be played  is 7 for the 11v11 fields and 4 for the 7v7 fields.
-For the Coed Open and Coed +30 leagues, at least 4 out of the 11 players  must be female, excluding the goalkeeper.  Coed +40 must have at least 3  females excluding the goalkeeper.
-Unlimited substitutions can be made, but the referee must be informed of  the proposed substitution before the change is made, and that the change  is made during a stoppage of the game.
-Substitutions must be made from the halfway line.
-A 5-minute grace period, before the game begins, will be allotted for teams  with fewer than 7 players.  Once the team has 7 players the game must  begin.
-Over 40 divisions will play on the 7v7 fields

Adult Teams with Age Restrictions

Coed 30+ - Cannot roster players 26-29 years old. Player must turn 30 this calendar year. 

Adult 30+, 40+ - Teams must adhere to their age restrictions. 

Women 40+ - Can roster 2 female players between 38-40 years old. 

Proof of age (Copy of Driver’s License, Birth Certificate or Passport) must be kept with you at all times. 

Proof of Age & Roster

Where proof of age is required, players must submit proof of age upon request of SoccerFirst.  Games played by ineligible players will be forfeited by offending team. If you would like to protest a roster, you must do it before the completion of the game. You must do this at the front desk and not with the referee.

Teams that use players that are not on the Team Roster will forfeit those games that ineligible players were used.  No additions can be made to a Team’s Roster after the start of the Fourth League Game.

SoccerFirst reserves the right to suspend a team from League Play for the use of ineligible player(s) due to Age Restriction or Non-roster violations.

If your team is looking for a player(s), SoccerFirst maintains a file listing individual players looking for teams. 

Law III.  Player’s Equipment

The basic equipment shall consist of jersey, shorts, stockings, shin-guards and footwear.

A player shall not wear anything dangerous to another player.

Shin-guards are considered mandatory by Soccer First.

The goalkeeper needs to wear colors, which will distinguish him from the other players and referee.

 Law IV.  Duration of the Game

-A game will be comprised of two halves, which are 40 minutes in length.

-There will be a half time of 5 minutes or less.

-Time shall be extended to permit a penalty kick being taken at or after the  expiration of the normal period in either half.

-The duration of the half-time interval may be altered only with the consent  of the referee. 

Law V.  Ball In and Out of Play

            The ball is out of play:

A)    When it has entirely crossed the goal line or touchline, whether on the ground or in the air.

B)     When the game has been stopped by the referee.

The ball is in play at all times, including:

A)    If it rebounds from the goalpost, crossbar, or corner flag into the field of play.

B)     If it rebounds off the referee or linesmen when they are in the field of play.

Law VI.  Offside

A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents’ goal  line than the ball.

He is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than at least two of his opponents.

        It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position.

A player shall only be penalized for being in an offside position if, at the  moment the ball touches or is played by one of his teammates, he is in the  opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:

A)    Interfering with play.

B)     Interfering with an opponent.

C)     Gaining an advantage by being in that position.

A player shall not be declared offside by the referee

A)    Merely because of his being in an offside position.

B)     If he receives the ball direct from a goal kick, corner kick, or throw-in.

Law VII.  Fouls

Slide tackling is not permitted in the Women’s 25+, Coed Open, Coed 30+, and All 40+divisions.  Men's 30+ top division teams must decide on slide tackling before game starts and both teams must agree or there will be no slide tackling,+30 men lower divisions there is no slide tackling.

A player who commits any of the following ten offenses in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or involving disproportionate force:

A)    kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

B)     trips an opponent

C)     jumps at an opponent

D)    charges an opponent

E)     strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

F)      pushes an opponent

G)    when tackling, makes contact with the opponent before contact is made with the ball.

H)    holds an opponent/ spits at an opponent

I)       handles the ball deliberately

Shall be penalized by the award of a direct free kick to be taken by the opposing team from the place the offense occurred.

Should a player of the defending team intentionally commit one of the 10 offenses above in the penalty area, he will be penalized by a penalty kick.

A player committing any of the 5 following offenses:

A)    Playing in a manner considered by the referee to be dangerous, e.g.  attempting to kick the ball while held by the goalkeeper.

B)     Charging unfairly, i.e. with the shoulder, when the ball is not within playing distance of the other players concerned and they are not trying to play it.

C)     When not playing the ball, impeding the progress of an opponent, i.e. running between the opponent and the ball or interposing the body so as to form an obstacle to an opponent.

D)    Charging the goalkeeper except when he is:

                1) Holding the ball

                2) Is obstructing an opponent

                3) Has gone outside his goal area

E)     When playing as a goalkeeper and within his own penalty area:

1)      From the moment he takes control of the ball with his hands, releases the ball after 6 seconds, bouncing or throwing the ball in the air and catching it again without releasing it into play.

2)      Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate.

3)      Indulges in tactics, which in the opinion of the referee, are designed to hold-up the game and thus waste time and so give an unfair advantage to his own team.

Shall be penalized by the award of an indirect free kick.

             A Red Card is an automatic 1 game suspension from playing with the team the player was carded on and the red carded player may not play on any other team for a full week and a day. (i.e. a red card was issued to you on a Friday you are not eligible to play at soccer first on any team till the ninth day which in this case would be Saturday.) So if you are shown a red card on Friday and you are suppose to have more games that night with other teams you must sit those games out and will not be able to play until a week from Saturday.

The management at Soccer First reserves the right to determine if an infraction warrants a more severe penalty (i.e. a longer suspension, expulsion from the league, banishment from Soccer First)

LAW VIII. Throw-in

When the whole ball passes over the touchline, either on the ground or in the air, it shall be thrown in from the point where it crossed the line. The thrower at the moment of the delivering the ball must face the field of play and part of each foot shall either be on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline.  The thrower shall not play the ball until it has been touched by another player.

A goal shall not be scored direct from a throw-in.

LAW IX. Goal-kick

When the whole ball passes over the goal-line excluding between the goalposts, having last been played by one of the attacking team, it shall be kicked directly into play beyond the penalty area by a player of the defending team. If the ball is not kicked beyond the penalty area, directly into play, the kick shall be retaken.

Additional instructions regarding the Laws of the Games

I.  Serious foul play and violent conduct 

A) Serious foul play is when a player infringes the Laws of the Game and  uses intentional violence when challenging for the ball against an opponent.

B) Violent conduct is when a player is guilty of aggression towards an  opponent even when they are   not challenging for the ball. The ball can be  in or out of play. If in play a direct free kick will be sanctioned from the  place where the offense was committed, or a penalty kick if in the penalty  box.

If the ball is out of play, the game will be resumed at the stage where it was  interrupted prior to the offense.

The same rules apply if the violent conduct is directed towards one of his  teammates, the referee, a linesman, or a spectator.

II. Tackling

A tackle from behind, which is violent with little or no attempt to play the ball is  prohibited and will be punished by a direct free kick and an ordering off.

III. Offenses against goalkeepers

  It is an offense if a player:

A) Jumps at a goalkeeper under the pretext of heading the ball.

B) Dodges about in front of a goalkeeper in order to prevent him from releasing  the ball.

C) Who is standing in front of a goalkeeper when a corner kick is being taken,  takes advantage of his position to obstruct the goalkeeper before the kick is  taken and before the ball is in play.

D) Attempts to kick the ball when the goalkeeper is in the process of releasing it.

 IV. Obstruction

A player who has the ball under control within playing distance is not guilty of obstruction.  Any player who intentionally obstructs an opponent by crossing directly in front of him or running between him and the ball or intervening so as to form an obstacle with the aim of delaying his advance must be sanctioned with an indirect free kick in favor of the opposing team.

V.  Jumping at an opponent

A player, who jumps at an opponent under the pretext of heading the ball, shall be penalized by the award of a direct free kick to the opposing team.

VI. Ungentlemanly conduct

While it is not usual for a player to be cautioned for handling the ball or holding an opponent, there is exceptional circumstance in which, in addition to imposing the customary punishment, the referee must caution a player for ungentlemanly conduct in these offenses.

A)    When a player, in order to prevent an opponent from gaining possession  of the ball, and because he is unable to play it in any other way, stops it  with one, or both hands, punches or catches it.

B)    When a player holds an opponent in order to prevent him from gaining  possession of the ball.

C)    When an attacking player attempts to score by illegal use of the hand.

 VII. Free Kicks

A)    The referee shall indicate an indirect free kick by raising his arm.  He shall keep his arm in that position until the kick has been taken and the ball has been played or touched by another player or goes out of play.

B)     Any player who deliberately delays a free kick by the opposing team shall be cautioned.

C)     Any player who prematurely rushes forward from a defensive wall before the ball has been kicked shall be cautioned.

D)    Any free kicks taken by a team from within their own penalty area must exit the area before it is touched again.

VIII. Attitude towards referees

        -Any player who protests a referee’s decision shall be cautioned.

        -Any player who assaults or insults a referee shall be sent off.

        -The captain of a team, although responsible for his team’s behavior, has  no special rights.

IX. Throw-in

        -A throw-in may be taken from a distance of no more than one meter  outside the touchline.

        -Players are forbidden from standing directly in front of the thrower who is  taking the throw-in so as to harass him.

X.  Wasting time

            Any player who wastes time shall be cautioned for ungentlemanly conduct.

Wasting time occurs whenever:

A)    A player:

1)      Feigns injury.

2)      Appears to prepare for a throw-in but suddenly leaves it to one of his teammates to throw-in.

3)      Kicks the ball away or carries it away with the hands after the referee has stopped play for any reason.

4)      Stands in front of the ball when a free kick has been awarded to the opposing team in order to give his team time to organize the defensive wall.

B)     A goalkeeper:

1)      Employs all manners of tactics with the sole intention of gaining time for his team.

XI. Forfeits

A)     A forfeit will be considered unexcused if Soccer First is not notified at least 72 hours in advance.

B)     Any team(s) that drop out of the league after the sign-up deadline will not receive a refund and the deposit is not transferable to another session. League schedules will not be altered as a result of a team dropping out or being suspended.  Opposing team will receive a forfeit win of 3-0.

ANY TEAM WITH A FORFEIT CANNOT ADVANCE TO THE PLAYOFFS

Based upon the definitions above, 1 unexcused or 2 excused no-shows may result in expulsion from the leagues.

League Standings

League standings will be decided as follows:

         Three (3) points for a win – One (1) point for a draw – Zero points for a loss

If teams are tied on points, the standings are based on:

a.       most points

b.      head to head

c.       least goals conceded

d.      goal differential (goals scored – goals conceded = goal differential)

Division champions will be determined by a play-off game between the top two teams in each division.

XII. Field Assignments

  -Daily game schedules can be found on the front window of the Soccer First  building.

 XIII. Rain outs and cancellations

 -Game status can be checked by calling ahead to Soccer first and listening  to the voice mail.

-Games called due to weather that have reached halftime are official  games.

 XIV. Tied Games

These rules are only to be used during playoff games.  If, at the end of regulation, the score is tied, the referee will immediately direct the teams to the center circle to begin penalty kicks. Five shooters from each team must be selected from the players still on the field at the end of regulation time. The first round will consist of 10 kicks, with the two teams taking turns.  If the teams are tied after the first round, another group of kickers will be selected.  The second round of spot kicks will proceed in a sudden death format.