Teams  

• A team will have 4 players with a recommended maximum roster of 8 players.
• Teams must have an alternate jersey or pennies to wear in case of color conflict.  The Home team, listed first on the schedule, will be required to change.
• Home team will provide game balls.
• The home team is required to supply a parent official.  The official is there to keep the game flowing and make calls when there is any uncertainty on who the ball belongs to.  In the spirit of the league, the players should learn the game well enough where they can make the calls themselves. THIS CAN BE A COACH.  IT IS NOT AN OFFICIAL REFEREE.  ONE PARENT FROM EACH TEAM CAN HELP WITH THIS.  THE PURPOSE IS TO MAKE SURE PLAYERS ARE NOT FOULING AND THE GAME CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT PLAYERS GETTING HURT. THIS DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN OFFICIALLY TRAINED REFEREE. 

Playing Rules

• Normal fouls per FIFA
• No Offside rule
• Playing field will be approximately 35yds x 24yds
• The game clock starts/finishes with the central horn
• Games will be 40 minutes long, with 5 min half times
• No goal keeper
• After a goal is scored there must be a kickoff to restart the game.
• All free kicks are indirect
• A goal may not be scored directly from a kick off
• There are no throw-ins allowed
• All restarts for the ball out of play can be taken as a pass-in or dribble-in,  except corner kicks must be passed-in.
• A pass-in is indirect and must be taken from behind the touch or end line. Once the ball has entered the field, it is considered a dribble-in and becomes in play.
• All penalty kicks will be taken from mid-field. All players must be behind the kicker (open goal with no goal keeper). The play is live once the ball is touched except  in U8 and U9.  At the U8 and U9 age level the ball is live only when the ball bounces off of the goal and back into play.
• Opponents must be 5 yards away from all restarts – including out of bounds restarts.
• Goal kicks are indirect and must be taken from the end line.
• Teams may substitute“on the fly”. Substitutions on and off the field should occur at the center field line from the same touchline as the team is located. “On the fly” substitutions are allowed without waiting for the referees permission to leave or enter the field of play. If a team has more that four players on the field and a goal is scored, the goal shall not be awarded. Any goal scored during a substitution “on the fly” by the defending team shall be allowed.
• “The Crease” – a 2-yard semi-circle around the goal • If a defender plays the ball while he/she is in the “the crease” in front of his/her goal, the opposing team will be awarded a penalty kick from mid-field. The defending team may not form a wall to defend this kick.
• If a member of the attacking team touches the ball in the “the crease”, the defending team will be rewarded an indirect free kick from the top of the “the crease”.
• If the ball stops dead in the “the crease”, the defending team will be awarded a free kick on the top of the “the crease” .

To Reiterate:

We are playing a very close simulation to the real game of soccer. Kickoffs are like normal kickoffs. You may not kickoff to yourself and then shoot or dribble down the field. You must kickoff like any other soccer game. Your teammate may immediately shoot like a normal game. 

Dribble Ins are strictly used to keep the ball on the ground and may only occur during out of bounds situations like a throw in or goal kick. The goal kick must start on the endline.

Corner kicks must be passed and taken like a normal corner kick.

Free kicks are indirect kicks and must be played or touched by another teammate to score. Free kicks cannot be touched to oneself and taken like a dribble in. Remember we are trying to simulate the true game as much as possible.

Please make sure the defensive team is 5 yards or steps away from all dead ball situations. Such as kickoffs, out of bounds on sideline, goalkicks, corner kicks, free kicks. This does not apply on penalty kicks where everyone must be behind the kicker. 

After a goal is scored there must be a kickoff to restart the game. Just like a normal game.  

Questions?

Program Director: Andy Mittler