club sport 8V8 COED SOCCER TOURNAMENT RULES

We want to stress the importance of safety and fair play. It is far more important that play be safe than the team wins. We will instruct referees to make a call that enforces safety even if it costs a goal or penalizes the offended team by stopping play. Advantage should be used judiciously by the referee for the more experienced players. Red cards for fouls/abusive language (even aimed at own team members), taunting, and serious foul play will be used.

• 8 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD (5 MALES/3 FEMALES) Min 5 -- 4 guys and 1 girl

• ALL GOALS ARE WORTH ONE POINT

• TWO 25-MINUTE HALVES

• THROW-IN'S ARE USED FOR BALLS OUT OF BOUNDS

• TIES DURING POOL PLAY STAY AS A TIE

• NO OFFSIDES

• GOAL KEEPERS MAY NOT DIRECTLY CATCH A THROW-IN FROM THEIR OWN TEAM…  

• GOAL KEEPERS MAY NOT HOLD THE BALL FOR LONGER THAN 6 SECONDS…

• GOAL KEEPERS MAY NOT PUNT OR DROP KICK THE BALL…

COIN FLIP/BEGINNING OF GAME

The team that wins the coin toss at the start of the game will have first choice to kick-off or choose a goal to defend.

KICKOFF

Consists of the ball being placed at midfield.  At the start of the game the ball does not have to travel forward. It is a direct kick, so it can travel in either direction.

ROSTERS AND TEAM SIZE  

Each team shall field no more than 8 players (and no more than 5 guys) at any one time. Rules allow a team to play with 5 people (minimum 1 female). A minimum of 4 players from the team's roster must be present or the team will forfeit the game. Anything less is up to the opposing captain and/or staff member as to what will be allowable. There is no maximum limit to the amount of  females which can be on the field. Everyone must sign in on your team's roster to be eligible and players may NOT play for more than one team in each division unless approved by Club Sport Staff. A forfeit win is counted as 5-0.

TIME  

Play will be divided into (2)  25-minute halves separated by a brief halftime.  There will be a running clock maintained by a referee who will advise both teams when there is one minute remaining in each half.  Any delay tactics, (kicking the ball out of bounds on purpose) will allow the referee (at his/her discretion) to stop the clock.   If for any reason the game should be cancelled with more than half of the game played, the game and the score is considered final.

THE GAMES/SCORING

Pool play games ending in a tie score will be recorded as tie games.  During playoffs & finals, a game tied after regulation will go into overtime.  Overtime will consist of (2) 5-minute sudden death periods.  If neither team scores after the overtime periods, teams will go into a shootout.

SHOOTOUT SPECIFICS:             

1.  Each team selects 5 players (3 males, 2 females)- players don’t have to have been playing at the end of regulation.  A coin toss will decide

which team shoots first.  The referee will decide which goal to shoot at.  Shots will be placed and not dribbled.

2. Teams will alternate taking direct penalty shots from 12 paces off the goal line. (No guy/ girl shooting order is necessary)

3.  The 2nd round is SUDDEN DEATH i.e. 1^st player from Team A scores & 1st player from Team B misses - Team A wins.

NO SLIDE TACKLING:                     

*A slide tackle is defined a player going to the ground to take the ball from an opposing player, or sliding to gain possession of a free ball, within another player's playable area, as defined by the referee.  Sliding to save a ball that is about to go out of bounds or shoot is allowed, but only when another player is not (in the eyes of the referee) in “harm's way” of the slide.

Slide "Tackles" are not allowed at any time. The result will be a direct kick if outside the penalty area, and a penalty kick inside the area.  The goalie in goal at the time of the foul must face the kick. The ball is to be placed at the point of the infraction and to be put in play by any player on the affected team. Slide tackles do apply to Goalkeepers.  Inside the box the goalkeeper is not allowed to slide cleat first into a player that has control of the ball (at the referees discretion).  Outside the Penalty area the goalkeeper is not allowed to slide tackle, same as a regular player, with the same penalties applying.  

SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions may occur at ANY TIME (on the fly)… They must be made near mid field and cannot result in an advantageous play on the ball.

DIRECT KICKS

The ball is to be placed at the point of the infraction and to be put in play by any player on the affected team.  No opposing player is allowed to be within 8 paces of ball prior to kick.  Goals may be scored on direct kicks.  A direct kick is to follow these infractions:   (1) Charging  (2) Roughness (3)Handball (4) Dangerous play/kick (5) Slide-tackles.  Penalties incurred inside the goal box by the defense will result in a penalty kick 12 paces/yards out.  Penalties incurred outside but within close proximity to the goal box will be kicked from the point of infraction.  The defense must stand 8 paces/yards away from the point of infraction (where the ball is being kicked from). 

INDIRECT KICKS

Indirect kicks will occur when:  1.) the goalkeeper touches the ball with his/her hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him/her by a teammate   2.) drop kicks/punts past midfield.  The indirect kick will be taken by the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred.  

OFFSIDES

There are no offsides rules in 8v8 competition…  

OUT OF BOUNDS

Anytime the ball goes over either sideline, out of bounds, a throw- in will ensue.  The person throwing in the ball must throw the ball overhead with both hands and keep both feet remaining on the ground out-of-bounds until the ball is released.

Anytime the ball crosses an end line, a corner kick or goal kick will ensue.

          a.  Last touched by a defender- a corner kick.  Ball is placed on nearest corner and kicked in by offensive team.  Goals may be scored on corner kicks. 

           b.  Last touched by attacker.   A goal kick by the defense.

EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT shall consist of league issued Club Sport shirts. Any deviation from the league supplied shirts must be made in a manner that all shirts remain similar, be the color assigned to the team, and distinctly different than those of other teams. All players MUST wear commercially purchased shin guards. No sharp or metal cleats are allowed. No braces with exposed metal is allowed. Any knee or other braces that may be an issue can be banned per the coordinator's judgment. No jewelry will be allowed (wedding bands and stud earrings are ok). Unpadded hard casts are not allowed. Soft casts can not be heavier than the normal arm.

REFEREES

Referees enforce the rules and maintain safety. They will have the last word. Excessive arguing will result in a yellow card being issued.

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

Club Sport issues yellow cards as a warning and "cooling" off for players who are either dangerous or dissenting. A yellow carded player (even the keeper), must sit out 2 mintues regardless if a goal is scored. If the referee deems a players repeated misconduct to warrant a red card, it will be issued. If a red card is issued the team has to play a man down for the remainder of the game. DURING THE TOURNAMENT, Any player or fan is encouraged to rout for their own team but routing against teams or use of disparaging language is discouraged and could result in penalties of players or dismissals of fans. Any fans of teams may be asked to leave by Club Sport staff. Refusal to leave could result in forfeiture of games.

A RED CARDED PLAYER WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY FOR THE FOLLOWING GAME (or longer based on staff review. Red cards resulting in fighting, extreme abuse, or rough play will result in dismissal from the tournament). IF A PLAYER ACCUMULATES TWO YELLOW CARDS DURING POOL PLAY, THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY IN FOLLOWING GAME (or longer based on staff review).

PLAYOFFS & FINALS  

One team will advance from each pool to play in the finals. Tournament seeding is based on the following criteria: 1) most total points (with 3 for win and 1 for tie), 2) highest goal differential (The maximum goal differential for a single game will be capped at +5)  3) fewest goals allowed, 4) most goals scored, 5) head-to-head play (if any),  7) coin toss.