FAIRFIELD SPORTS
SOCCER RULES
(AGES 7 THROUGH 13 YEARS)
INTRODUCTION. All players, coaches, and parents will adhere to the Fairfield Sports Youth Soccer Honor Code.
1. THE FIELD OF PLAY.
a. The field of play shall be 38 yards by 65 yards for the 7- through 10-year-old players and 45 yard by 75 yards for the 11- through 13-year-old players.
b. No coaches or fans will be permitted to stand behind the goal line during play.
2. THE BALL.
a. A Size 4 ball shall be used.
b. The ball must be properly inflated (~10 psi) and be firm to the touch.
c. The ball may be changed only with the referee’s permission.
3. PLAYERS.
a. There may be no more that seven (7) players on the field of play for either team. One player from each team must be designated as a goalkeeper. The goalkeeper’s attire shall be such that he is easily distinguishable from his teammates.
b. Should a team only have seven (7) players, the coach may elect to play six (6) players with one (1) substitute or play all seven (7) players on the field. The opposing teams coach should play the same numbers of players. Once the game has started the number of players on the field may not be changed. A game may not start unless each team has at least six (6) players. The minimum number on the field shall be six (6) players including goaltender.
c. The Coach shall play each member of the squad at least 2 full quarters of the game.
d. With the exception of extreme circumstances, no substitutions will be made except during the breaks between quarters.
e. A substitute shall not be used to replace a player that has been sent off the field by a referee.
f. Only players on the team’s roster shall represent that team on the field.
g. For 7- through 8-year-old teams only, no player may be the goalkeeper in more than two (2) quarters per game.
4. PLAYERS’ EQUIPMENT.
a. The referee (and coaches) must inspect player’s equipment before the start of each game.
b. A player is not allowed to wear items that could cause injury to himself or other players. (Examples of these items are rings, earrings, bracelets, hard hair clips, and necklaces.)
c. A player must wear shorts, socks, shin guards, soccer shoes, and a team shirt. Shinguards must be ENTIRELY covered by the stockings/socks, shall be made of a suitable material (rubber, plastic, polyurethane or similar substance) and shall afford a reasonable degree of protection. Fairfield Sports Association will provide the team shirt and socks. All players must wear the same color shorts.
d. The goalkeeper’s shirt must be distinguishable from those of his teammates.
e. Players with long hair must tie it up and back with an elastic-type band.
5. THE REFEREE.
a. The referee shall actively encourage good play and discourage marginal behavior.
b. The referee acts as timekeeper and record keeper.
c. The referee shall enforce these rules, but may let play continue and not call a foul if he thinks that it is an advantage to the fouled team. The referee should indicate his decision, within 3 seconds of the foul, and say “advantage, play on.” If the advantage does not develop, the referee shall stop play and penalize the original offense.
d. No one is allowed on the field of play without the referee’s permission.
e. The referee may caution and send players off the field.
f. The referee’s decisions are final.
6. THE ASSISTANT REFEREES.
a. Each team shall be responsible for supplying an assistant referee. (Linesman)
b. The Assistant Referees signal:
· When the entire ball has gone out of play.
· To indicate a corner kick.
· To indicate which team is entitled to a throw-in.
7. DURATION OF THE GAME.
a. The game shall be divided into four 12-minute quarters.
b. Substitutions may be made during quarter breaks as necessary in order to conform to these rules.
c. Quarter breaks will be 2 minutes in length.
d. Half-time breaks will be 5 minutes in length.
e. No overtime play is allowed. Tied scores will remain tied.
f. If a penalty is awarded and then time runs out, the referee shall allow the penalty kick to be completed.
8. START AND RESTART OF PLAY.
a. Kick off. A kick off is taken at the center mark to start a game, to restart play after a goal is scored, to start the second half, and to start each quarter.
· At the beginning of the game, choice of ends shall be determined by the toss of a coin. The team winning the toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half of the match. (First two quarters.)
· The other team takes the kick-off to start the match.
· The team which wins the coin toss will kick-off the beginning of the 2nd and 3rd quarters.
· Teams will switch ends of the field at the beginning of the second half.
· The team scored against kicks off after a goal is scored.
· The teams will alternate kick-offs after quarter breaks.
· During a kick-off, all players must be in their own halves of the field and, with the exception of the two players taking the kick off, outside the center circle.
· The player kicking off may not play the ball again until it touches another player of
either team.
· The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward into the opponent’s half of the field.
· A goal may be scored directly from the kick-off.
b. Dropped Ball. A dropped ball is used to restart the game after the referee stops the play for any reason other than a rule being broken.
c. Free Kick. A free kick is used to restart the game after the referee has stopped the game for a foul. A free kick may be “direct” or “indirect.”
9. BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY.
a. A ball is deemed out of play when:
· The entire ball is completely outside the edge of the goal line or the side line, or
· The game is stopped by the referee.
b. The ball is in play at all other times.
10. METHOD OF SCORING.
a. A goal is scored when the entire ball goes completely over the goal line, between the goal posts, and under the cross bar.
b. Any player may score goals.
c. Any player scoring a goal in his own goal is a score for the opposing team, except when taking goal kicks, corner kicks, penalty kicks, or a kick off.
11. OFFSIDE.
a. There is no offside rule; however, no player may play in an obvious offside position, in front of or near the goal, such as a “designated scorer.”
b. Coaches are asked to prevent players from “camping out” in the opposing team’s goal area.
12. FOULS AND MISCONDUCT.
a. There are two types of fouls: penal and non-penal. A penal foul is punished with a direct free kick. A non-penal foul is punished with an indirect free kick.
b. Penal fouls include:
· Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent.
· Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent.
· Striking an opponent.
· Pushing an opponent.
· When tackling an opponent, making contact with the opponent before making contact with the ball.
· Holding an opponent.
· Directing foul language at an opponent, referee, coach, or fan.
· Deliberately handling the ball, with the exception of the goalkeeper inside his penalty area. Note that handball occurs when a player deliberately and consciously tries to control the ball with any part of the hand or arm. (See Rule 18.)
· Spitting at an opponent, referee, coach, or fan.
c. Non-penal fouls:
· Conduct that the referees deem to be dangerous but unintentional, such as a high-kick.
· Deliberately blocking the progress of an opponent.
· Unnecessary roughness on the goalkeeper.
· A non-personal foul may be called on the goalkeeper if the goalkeeper wastes time holding the ball or handles the ball after receiving the ball from a teammate, intentionally, by throw-in or pass.
d. Yellow card warning. The referee shall caution a player for unsportsmanlike behavior, dissent, continual breaking of the rules of the game, deliberate time wasting.
e. Red card “sending off.” The referee shall send off a player for serious foul play, violent conduct, offensive language, receiving a second yellow card. Substitutes may not be used to take the place of any player that has been sent off for the remainder of the game.
13. FREE KICKS.
a. Free kicks are either direct, for penal fouls, or indirect, for non-penal fouls.
b. A goal may be scored from a direct free kick by kicking the ball directly into the opponent’s goal.
c. A goal may be scored from an indirect free kick only if the ball touches at least one other player.
d. The referee shall indicate an indirect free kick by putting one arm straight up.
e. The free kick is taken from the location of the original offense.
f. Opponents must be at least 10 yards from where the ball is to be kicked, until the ball is kicked.
14. PENALTY KICK.
a. If a player commits a penal foul in his own penalty area, the opposing team shall be awarded a direct free kick from the penalty spot.
b. All players with the exception of the defending goalkeeper must be at least 10 yards away from the penalty spot and be outside the penalty box.
c. The defending goalkeeper must remain on the goal line until the ball is kicked.
d. The ball is back in play as soon as the kick is taken.
15. THROW-IN.
a. A throw-in is taken to restart the game after the ball goes out of play past the touchline. It is taken where the ball crossed the line.
b. To go out of play, all of the ball must completely cross the outside edge of the touchline, either on the ground or in the air.
c. A player may not score a goal by throwing the ball directly into his opponent’s goal.
d. Opponents must be 5 yards away from the throw-in spot.
e. Both feet of the thrower must be on the ground when the throw is made, either on or outside the touchline.
f. Thrower must use both hands. Both hands must be above the thrower’s head.
g. Thrower must be given a second chance should he commit an error the first time. Otherwise, the opposing team is awarded a throw-in at the same spot.
16. GOAL KICK.
a. A goal kick is taken by any player to restart the game, after the ball goes out of play past the goal line (unless a goal is scored), when the ball is last touched an attacking player. A ball is out of play when all of it has completely crossed the outside edge of the goal line, either on the ground or in the air.
b. A goal kick may be taken anywhere within goalkeeper’s box.
c. Opposing players must stay outside the penalty box.
d. The ball is in play once it leaves the penalty box.
e. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick.
17. CORNER KICK.
a. A corner kick is taken by any attacking player to restart the game after the ball goes out play past the goal line (unless a goal is scored), when the ball last touched a defending player.
b. To go out of play, all of the ball must completely cross the outside edge of the goal line, either on the ground or in the air.
c. The ball is placed in the corner arc, nearest to where the ball went out of play.
d. Opponents must be at least 10 yards away from the ball when it is kicked.
e. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick.
f. The ball is in play once it is kicked.
18. HANDLED BALL.
A player shall have committed a handled ball violation if the player deliberately controlled the motion of the ball using any part of his arm, from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers. The player must have INTENT to be a handled ball. Unintentional contact is NOT a foul. Example: Ball strikes player on the arm and the ball falls to the player’s feet in which he/she gains control. NO FOUL. Reasoning- Player did not initiate the action. The questions to consider the call are as follows:
· Did ball hit arm? Or
· Did arm hit ball?
· Did player have INTENT to handle the ball?
19. TEAM ACTIVITIES.
a. Each team is limited to three (3) team activities per week.
b. A team activity is defined as:
· A team practice, or
· A team game.
c. Any team officially scheduled for more than one game in a week may increase that week’s team activities to four (4).