1. Equipment/Set Up
Teams are responsible for ensuring their kit bag is at every game with a ball, goalie shirt, goalie gloves and extra shirts inside.
2. Uniforms
Teams will be provided with a shirt at the beginning of the season representing the colour of their team. They will also be provided with a goalie shirt and gloves.
Players will need to provide their own shorts, socks, shin pads and cleats. The pitch is grass so please appropriate footwear.
3. Game Time
Games are a maximum of 60 minutes in length and must finish by the end of the permit time . Regardless of when your game begins your game will always end by the allotted permit time.
Captains should keep time during the game and ensure the game ends at the allotted time. There should be a brief five minute halftime period for players to have a drink and switch sides. Halftime should be triggered by captains at an appropriate break in play e.g. a goal kick.
4. Players
There are 7 players per team on the field at one time, including the goalie.
Teams can play with a minimum of 5 players before a forfeit is called.
5. General Rules
In general, standard soccer rules apply to all games. Notable exceptions are listed below:
Substitutions: These can be made at any time during the game but should not disrupt the flow of the game or provide one team with an unfair advantage.
Handball: A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits any part of the player's arm, from the SHOULDER down so long as the arm is away from the body. If the arm is tucked in (e.g. across the chest) it is not considered a handball.
Free Kicks: All free kicks, corner kicks and kick ins are indirect. To score off an indirect kick, the ball must first be touched by another player from the team in possession of the ball. If the ball deflects off a defending player and into the net, it will not count if it has not been touched by another player from the attacking team first.
If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the sidelines, a kick-in is awarded to the opposite team rather than a throw-in.
Playoffs: A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a shoot-out: three players on each team take one shot at a distance of eight paces. Anyone can shoot, including the goalie. The goalie that finished the game remains the goalie for the shoot-out. After three shots, if still tied, teams continue taking single shots with the SAME players until one team has scored (and the other team does not). The order of shooters must be maintained. Please note that playoff games should only be 50 minutes in length for leagues with a 55-minute game slot, in anticipation of needing the extra time to settle a tie.
Sliding: Even if contact is made with the ball first, sliding is not allowed under ANY circumstances. Exception: goalies can slide to make a save or block a loose ball. This should only be done with the safety of all players in mind.
If a player slides to play the ball, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team. If a defending player slides to play the ball and a goal is scored immediately for the attacking team, then the goal will stand rather than pulling the game back for a free kick.
Scoring: To score a goal, the ENTIRE ball must pass over the goal line and into the net. If a discrepancy arises as to whether the ball was in or not, the person deemed to have the "best perspective" will ultimately make the call.
Off-sides: There are NO off-sides. However, a strategy of consistently "cherry-picking" is considered to be unsportsmanlike.
Goalies: Goalies can use their hands ONLY when they are within a "reasonable" distance from their goal. Due to the format of the field, there will not likely be a lined goal crease - please use your best judgment.
A goalie CANNOT pick up a ball with their hands if the ball has been played back on purpose to the goalie by a player on their team. This includes all forms of passing and kick-ins. The only exception is if the player directs the ball back to the goalie with their head or chest - in this case, the goalie CAN pick the ball up with their hands. A violation of this rule results in an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the goalie inappropriately used their hands.
If a goalie makes a save by catching the ball with their hands, they can do one of three things; (a) throw the ball out, (b) kick the ball (out of their hands), or (c) put the ball down on the ground (at which point it becomes a live ball). Please note that if a goalie elects to put the ball on the ground, the goalie cannot choose to immediately pick the ball up again and the attacking team are able to challenge for the ball.
Discrepancies/Disputes: If an infraction is disputed, a kick-in from the sideline is awarded to the offensive team.
If a goal is disputed, an indirect kick is awarded to the offensive team from where the original shot was taken.