club sport 8v8, 7v7 & "Super 7" SOCCER RULES Revised 09/10

In all leagues 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. Red card offenses will be filed in writing and may be enforced by a possible disqualification for one or more subsequent game.

KEY POINTS:

• TWO 25-MINUTE HALVES

• TIES DURING REGULAR SEASON STAY AS A TIE

• PLAYOFF TIES DECIDED BY OVERTIME & SUDDEN DEATH SHOOTOUT

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

• GOAL KEEPERS MAY NOT PUNT OR DROP KICK THE BALL… Keepers must throw the ball or play it to the ground.

• THE BALL will be regulation #5, properly inflated, without loose flaps/panels. The league does NOT provide balls.

PLAYER RULES, PICKUPS, ELIGIBILITY, AND TEAM SIZE  

• Minimum players to start is listed above. 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. 

• Teams may pickup up to one player at no penalty in order to field a minimum team number. Any pickups in addition to this will result in a 1 goal penalty per player if brought to the officials attention BEFORE the game, HOWEVER AT NO TIME CAN A TEAM PICKUP PLAYERS OF A CERTAIN SEX TO ALLOW FOR SUBS IN THAT SEX. If a team has the correct number of players to play in either sex, no pickups are allowed. If an existing pickup player is found to be used DURING the game, a 2 goal penalty will be assessed. If more players from your team show up to allow subs in that sex, the pickup player must be removed. 

• All players must be signed in on a Club Sport team for that particular day/night on a waiver form. Failure to do so, even if discovered after the fact, could result in a forfeit. A forfeit win is counted as 5-0.

• All players, including added players, must sign their team's roster/waiver BEFORE the end of their team's final regular season game in order to be eligible to play in the tournament. If a player is not signed in on the roster by then, they are not eligible for the tournament. Playing with ineligible players may result in a forfeit. This call will be made by TBCS staff.  It is the responsibility of the team captains to make sure all players in their line-up card are eligible players for all games.

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.

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. The clock will stop only during prolonged injury time-outs. 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 (i.e. 2nd half has started), the game and the score is considered final. If half or less of the game is played, the entire game will replayed from the beginning. In certain instances the official has the power to shorten game times should games be running behind.

THE GAMES/SCORING

Regular season games ending in a tie score will be recorded as tie games.  During playoffs, 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. All goals in a shootout are worth 1 point.

2. Teams will alternate taking direct penalty shots from the spot. (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.

SLIDE TACKLING: 

The IS slide tackling in MEN's or WOMEN's ONLY - not in coed. No sliding or slide tackles in COED. In coed, a slide is defined as going down with both or one leg to the ground to get the ball - it does not have to be a slide tackle and the ball does not have to be in possession of an opposing player, within another player's playable area intentionally or not. 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. If a slide is near a player, intentional or not, a foul will be called. Coed goalies must lead with the hands or body when going for the ball near another player. If the referee calls you for a slide "tackle" and issues a yellow card you may receive a 2 minute yellow card. 

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. If it results in an advantage the play can be whistled dead and a free kick will be called for the other team.

FREE KICKS - Any TBCS soccer leagues played on Full Size (24'x8') goals will have both direct kicks and indirect kicks. This is usually for the 8v8 and "Super 7" leagues. All leagues on small size goals (i.e. 12'x6' goals) will ONLY HAVE NO DIRECT FREE KICKS unless it's a penalty kick.

DIRECT KICKS (for games on full size goals only)

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 (for games on small size goals all kicks are indirect)

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 (indirect kick from top of box).  The indirect kick will be taken by the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred.  

PENALTY KICKS

PK's will be awarded at the referee's discretion on whether the foul stopped a goal or a scoring chance. Due to the small field sizes and possible congestion of players, the goal box may have no bearing on whether the foul warrants a penalty kick. Anyone can take the penalty kick. The goalie in goal at the time of the foul must face the kick. In leagues where female goals are worth 2 goals, penalty kicks by women are also worth 2 points (but not in a shootout).

GOAL KICKS

GOAL KICKS are taken from within the penalty area and must leave the area before being touched by another player. The opposing players do not have to give any room off the ball as long as they are outside of the box - it is up to the goalie to back the ball off any required distance.

OFFSIDES

There are no offsides rules in this competition…

OUT OF BOUNDS

Anytime the ball goes over either sideline it is out of bounds. Games on full size goals will have throw-in's. Games on small size goals will have kick-in's. Re-starts should be from the field of play within 1 yard of the point where the ball left the field.  

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. Corner kicks are only direct on full size goals.. 

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 along with the league coordinator. 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. If a yellow card is issued the player (even the keeper) is sent off and can not return for 2 minutes and your team plays a man down, no matter if a goal is scored during the 2 minutes. 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 (In Coed the team must play down a player of the same gender that was red carded) and the player may have to sit at least one additional game, pending review by the league. A red card player will automatically miss a 2nd game of any doubleheaders for a given night. Excessive red cards or dangerous play may result in expulsion from the league. Any player or fan is encouraged to rout for their own team but rooting 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.  

ADDING TO YOUR TEAM 

If you have NOT paid the team price, Club Sport has the right to add to your team until you reach the advertised minimum number of players. If you wish to have less you may buy extra roster spots at the membership rate. If you wish to have more you may, you just need to advise the TBCS office prior to league payment to reserve spots.  If your team is making a team payment, after the first week members may only add to the team for no charge by contacting the Club Sport office prior to game day. Any additions made at the field to rosters with team payments will be $10 a player, regardless of membership status.

REFUNDS 

TBCS is not responsible for any refunds at any time during the season. If a party cannot continue the season, is the responsibility of that party to replace themselves on the roster if they so choose. They must also notify the TBCS office of the change.

TOURNAMENT  

All teams make a single elimination tournament with seeding based on regular season standings.  If a team plays 8 games, their 8th game will not count toward the standings. 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), 6) coin toss.