Simple Soccer Rules

  1. No hands

    Unless you’re the goalie or are attempting a throw-in, you’re not allowed to use your hands in play. In soccer, hands refer to anything from your fingers to your shoulders.

  2. Throw-ins

    When the ball crosses the sideline and goes out of bounds, a throw-in is taken by a member of the team who didn’t kick it out. The player will plant both feet on the ground, using both hands to throw the ball straight overhead and back into play.

  3. Goal and corner kicks 

    These are taken when the ball is kicked out of bounds behind the goal line. If the offensive team kicks it out, the defensive team takes a goal kick from inside the goal box. If the defensive team kicks it out, the offensive team takes a corner kick from the corner nearest to where the ball left the field.

  4. Direct and indirect kicks

    Every kick is considered an indirect kick unless it comes from a foul or hand ball. You can score on a direct kick by kicking the ball directly into the goal, whereas on an indirect kick the ball must be touched by another player before you can score. 

  5. Game in play

    So long as the ball is on the field inside of bounds, the game is considered in play. The only exception to this rule is if the referee calls for an infraction or offside (offside is applicable to ages 11 and older only).

  6. Fouls

    It’s the referee’s or coach’s responsibility to monitor safe play and fouls, but, in general, the intent is to go for the ball, not the player. You can’t kick, trip, jump at, charge, strike, push, or hold an opponent. If a foul does occur, the team who was fouled gets a free, direct kick at the location of the foul. 

 

Detailed Soccer Rules

Start of Match

  1. Players must check in at registration table / Roster Submitted prior to start of match

  2. Teams line up shoulder to shoulder in middle of field facing each other

  3. 1 Captain from each team selected to ROCK PAPER SCISSORS for who receives the ball, the winner chooses:

    1. 1st Possession

    2. Ball at 1/2 time

  4. Fees / Tuition must be paid prior to competing

    1. Teams face penalties for violations

  5. Waivers must be fully completed and submitted by each player prior to competing

Sportsmanship Grades

Players or teams who receive a negative grade or cards will have:

  1. A meeting with league commissioner

  2. Points deducted from their final score

  3. face possible suspension or expulsion from the league

3 = EXCEPTIONAL

2 = GOOD

1 = WARNING / NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

0 = UNSATISFACTORY


Yellow Card = WARNING / NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Red Card = UNSATISFACTORY

Jerseys / Uniforms

  1. Teams must have jerseys with numbers and matching or similar colors (Private Teams)

    1. Youth Jerseys provided by League Commissioner

  2. No jewelry

  3. No pockets with Shorts

  4. Players must wear mouthpiece the entire game or purchase one from the League Commissioner

Clock / Time

  1. The clock runs continuously except for timeouts or injuries.

  2. Each team receives 2 timeouts per half.

    1. 1 minute per timeout

  3. 20 Minute Halves / -

    1. Two (2) Total Halves / 1/2s (All Ages)

    2. Five (5) Minute 1/2 Time

Game Play

4v4 / 5v5 - NO GOALIE

7 vs 7 - GOALIE


Start of Match

Games are started and restarted with a kick-off. A coin toss determines which team starts play. The starting team chooses which goal to attack in the first half of the game with the other team kicking off, and the reverse happens at the start of the second half. Kick-offs generally happen at the start of a match, or when extra time is begun, or after a goal is scored. When a game is restarted, players must be positioned in their team's half of the field, the ball is placed at the center mark. After a goal is scored, the kick-off is given to the other team.

The Ball In and Out of Play

In Play includes when the ball bounces off the goalpost, crossbar or corner flag post, or rebounds off referees while on the playing field. The ball is considered Out of Play when it has completely crossed the goal line or touch line while either on the ground or in the air, or when the referee stops the game

Fouls and Misconduct

Three (3) kinds of kicks are awarded to a team whose opponent committed a foul or act of misconduct: a Direct Free Kick, a Penalty Kick, and an Indirect Free Kick.

  1. A Direct Free Kick is awarded to a team whose opponent committed a careless, reckless, or excessively forceful offense by deliberately kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, striking, pushing, or unlawfully tackling their opponent. Offenses punishable by a Direct Free Kick also include holding, or spitting at an opponent, and deliberately handling the ball (unless by the goalie within his own penalty area). A Direct Free Kick is taken from where the offense took place.

  2. A Penalty Kick is given to the team whose opponent committed one of the above offenses within his own penalty area while the ball is in play, regardless of the ball's position.

  3. An Indirect Free Kick is awarded the team whose opposing goalkeeper committed an offense within his penalty area. Offenses include: controlling the ball with his hands for longer than six seconds, touching the ball after releasing it but before another player has touched it, touching the ball with his hands after it was kicked to him by a teammate, and touching the ball with his hands after receiving a direct throw-in from a teammate. Indirect Free Kicks are also awarded to opponents of players who are unsafe, who impede an opponent's progress, who try to prevent the goalie from releasing the ball from his hands, or players who commit another offense that warrants a caution.

Throw-Ins

A method of restarting play, a Throw-In is awarded to the opponent of a player who last touched the ball before it completely crossed the touch line, on the ground or in the air, however a goal cannot be scored directly from this restart. The ball is thrown back in from the point at which it left the field of play.

Corner Kick

This restart method is awarded to the opponent of the defending team who last touched the ball before it completely crossed the goal line, on the ground or in the air, without scoring a goal. It is taken from inside the corner arc closest to where the ball crossed the line.

End of match

Teams line up shoulder to shoulder in middle of field facing each other to say good game to each other, wave or handshake OK)

Scores / stats and Sportsmanship Grades submitted to League Commissioner

 

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