RULES OF PLAY

 

STANDARD OF PLAY:  All games sanctioned by this league shall be played in accordance with the latest edition of the “Laws of the Game” as published by IFAB and these Rules of Play.

 

LENGTH OF GAME:

U6, U7, U8               Four 10-minute quarters

U9, U10                   Four 12-minute quarters

U12, U15                 Two 30-minute halves

 

BALL SIZE:

U6, U7, U8               Number 3

U9, U10, U12           Number 4

U15                          Number 5

 

It is recommended that names and phone numbers be written on balls so they can be returned if lost.

 

SPECIAL RULES OF PLAY

NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

U6, U7                     Minimum  4                                 

                                           Maximum 6                                                                             

 

U8, U9, U10             Minimum  5                                                                   

                                 Maximum 7

 

U12                          Minimum  7                                                                   

                                 Maximum 9

 

U15                          Minimum  9                                                                   

                                 Maximum 11

                                                     

1.               There is no mandatory play down rule. (for example, if one team has 7 players and the other team has the maximum allowable of 9, the team with 9 does not have to play with 7.

2.               If a score goes beyond a 4-goal margin, it is recommended that coaches rotate dominate players or play with less.  CYSL is a recreation league, and emphasis should be on learning the game, and good sportsmanship.  A win of 10 – 0 is not good sportsmanship.

3.               A team is allowed unlimited substitutions, at any stoppage in play.

4.               A substitute shall not enter the field of play until he/she has been given a signal to do so by the referee.

5.               No coach, substitute or player is to be anywhere but at his/her bench area during the game. A team’s bench area shall be that area two yards from the touchline and extending 10 yards one way from the half line only.  (Exceptions:  U6 and U7 Divisions)

6.               All spectators are to remain on the opposite side of the field from the coach and players during the game.  This is to keep the coach and players free from distractions.  ONLY 1 COACH AND 1 ASSISTANT are allowed on the coaching side with the players.  NO EXCEPTIONS.

 

PLAYERS EQUIPMENT:

1.               Commercial shin guards are required to be worn at practice and games (no newspaper, magazines, etc.).  Shin guards must be covered entirely by the stocking.

2.               There is to be no jewelry (rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, ankle bracelets or watches) worn during the game.  Jewelry, especially earrings, covered with tape is not acceptable.  Please advise your parents that if they are considering having their child’s ears pierced, to please wait until the end of the season.  Exception:  Medic Alert Bracelets

3.               No barrettes or hair clips.  Players are allowed to wear elastic headbands up to two (2) inches in width. 

4.               Players wearing orthopedic casts, air-splints or metal splints shall not be eligible to participate in the game unless the following procedures are met:

·       Written permission from a physician to play soccer with a cast or splint is provided.

·       Written permission from a parent or legal guardian to play with a cast or splint is provided.

·       Foam padding (minimum ½” thick) is wrapped around the entire cast or splint, and the padding be wrapped in an “Ace” type bandage.  The padding must provide adequate cushioning to render the cast of equal or better softness as a bare arm.

·       Prior to each game, a member of the CYSL Board must review and provide written approval of the padding.  This written approval must be presented to the referee prior to the game.

 

5.               Bandanas may not be worn over the head or as a headband.

 

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT:

1.               Slide tackling is only allowed in the U12 and U15 Divisions.

2.               Charging the goalkeeper shall not be permitted at anytime when he/she is within his/her own penalty area.  When the ball is touching the goalkeeper, no other player may attempt to play the ball except when the goalkeeper is dribbling.

3.               The Grievance Committee shall review all Yellow and Red Card citations and reserves the right to penalize offenders as is deemed appropriate.

4.               Players and coaches must give their names to the referee when being “booked” at risk of further penalty or termination of the game.

5.               A player, coach or substitute, shall be cautioned for any incidental use of vulgar or profane language. 

6.               U6, U7, U8 – during the first three weeks of the season a player who makes an improper throw-in will be given a second opportunity after the referee has demonstrated why the first throw-in was defective.  The player will be given only one additional throw-in.

7.               Additional information is listed in the Participant’s Code of Conduct on the league’s website.

 

GOAL KICKS:

1.               Goal kicks for the U6, U7 and U8 Divisions may be taken anywhere within the penalty area.

 

REFEREE/LINESMAN:

1.        The referee’s judgement with regard to the physical condition of the field and its acceptance for play, to the actual happenings and occurrences related to the conduct of the game and those prerogatives granted to him/her by the “Laws of the Game” shall not be challenged.  Touching, grabbing or pushing an official is a misdemeanor, punishable by law, and is cause for dismissal from the league.

2.               Upon completion of the game, the referee will deliver any report of ejection to the CYSL Board within 24 hours.

 

OFFSIDE:

1.        Offside is called in the U9 through U15 age divisions.

 

HEADING THE BALL:

1.               U6 – U12 Divisions:  Heading the ball is not allowed in practice or games. Dangerous play will be called for deliberate heading and an indirect free kick will be awarded to the other team.

2.               U15 Division: Heading the ball is allowed in games but should be limited during practice.

3.                Concussion information is available on the CYSL website.

 

 

SPECIAL RULES – U6 and U7 DIVISIONS:

1.               Teams shall not use goalkeepers or allow any players to remain positioned in front of the goal during play.

2.               Scores shall not be kept.

3.               No penalty kicks or direct kicks.  On penalty kicks, the ball will be placed at the closest point on the line forming the penalty area, and the kicking team shall be awarded an indirect free kick from that position.

4.               If a foul occurs within the penalty area the ball will be spotted at the closest point on the line forming the penalty area, and the kicking team shall be awarded an indirect free kick from that position.

5.               Offside shall not be called but no offensive player shall be intentionally stationed in an offside position to gain an advantage.

6.               On free kicks and corner kicks, the opposing players must stand at least 4 yards from the ball.

7.               When a goal kick is awarded, the opposing team will retire to the halfway line and remain there until the team taking the goal kick moves the ball out of the penalty area.

 

SPECIAL RULES – U8, U9 and U10 DIVISIONS:

 

1.               Under the “Laws of the Game” as published by IFAB, Law 12, Sending-Off Offenses for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity are amended as follows:

“The first time a player infringes the Law, he/she may be warned or issued a caution depending on the judgement of the referee.  A Red Card may not be issued, and the player may not be sent off for his/her first offense.”

 

2.        CYSL Build Out Lines

 

A build out line is a physical line painted across the field from sideline to sideline.  The build out line is placed equidistant between the penalty area line and the halfway or center line, as shown below: 


CYSL Field

The purpose of the build out line is to promote player development – allowing a team to play the ball out of the back in a pressure-free (or less pressured zone) at the start of goal kicks and when goal keepers have possession of the ball.

 

Once a goal kick has been called by the referee or once the goalkeeper takes possession of the ball, the defending team (the team without the ball) should immediately run behind the build out line.

 

No player of the defending team may cross the build out line until the ball has been put back into play and the ball has left the penalty area. When the goalkeeper is in possession of the ball, the goalkeeper may put the ball in play at any time and they do NOT have to wait until the defenders are all behind the build out line first.

 

For U9 and U10, the build out line, and not the halfway or center line, is used to denote offside violations.  In other words, an attacker cannot be penalized for offside in the zone between the halfway line and the build out line, only in the zone between the build out line and the end line (goal line.)  There is no offside violations called in U7/U8.

 

For U9 and U10, goalkeepers may not punt or drop kick the ball.  The referee will call this a penalty, resulting in an indirect kick for the opposing team.

 

The no punting rule is intended to encourage teams to use their foot and passing skills to play the ball up from the back of the field, to not simply give possession of the ball to the opposing team, and finally to discourage heading the ball at the U9-U10 ages.