SAN DIEGO

SOCCER RULES

 

 

Except as designated below, CIF rules will apply.

 

PLAYING PROCEDURES

 

Sec-1    Team Size / Rosters/ Playing Time

PEE-WEE TEAMS shall consist of seven players. At least five players must be present to start a game.

JV Teams shall consist of nine players and at least six players must be present to start a game. VARSITY TEAMS shall consist of eleven players and at least seven players must be present to start a game. 

All players present should play in every regular season match.  (In both the Varsity & JV divisions, the head coaches will exchange rosters with the opposing coach before each game. All players names that are present at the game need to be noted on the roster.  A player must play in four regular season games in order to participate in the season end playoff tournament. All rosters collected by the coaches are to be turned into your schools AD on a weekly basis).

 

Sec-2    Equipment

No metal spikes of any type will be allowed.  Rubber cleated shoes and plastic screw-in cleats are legal.  Any child with a cast is not allowed to play. 

Varsity teams will play with a size (5) soccer ball. J.V. teams will play with a size (4) ball. The goalie must wear a different color jersey.

 

PEE-WEE: 3rd/4thgraders will use a size (4) soccer ball, while K/1st/2ndgraders will use a size (3) soccer ball.

 

Sec-3    Game time

The game shall consist of two (25) minute halves, running time.  PEE-WEE: The game shall consist of two (20) minute halves, running time.  The clock will only be stopped for serious injuries and official time outs.  

 

Sec-4    Scoring

A goal is scored when the entire ball has passed over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar, provided it has not been thrown, carried, or propelled by hand or arm of a member of the attacking team.

 

Sec-5    Substitution

Open substitutions. Alert the referee when a substitution is requested. Play will be stopped. Goalies may be substituted at any time according to the above restrictions. Any goalie change must be brought to the attention of the officials.

 

Sec-6    Coin toss

The winner of the coin toss at the beginning of the game shall choose whether to start on offense or defense, or which goal to defend.

 

Sec-7    Kickoff

The ball must be kicked forward one revolution (27-28inches) for the ball to be in play. Initial kicker cannot touch the ball again until another player has done so.  Defending player must lineup at least ten yards away from the kick off point.

 

Sec-8    Drop ball

If the game is temporarily suspended for any reason, the game will be restarted by the referee dropping the ball where it was when play was suspended.  No player may touch the ball until it hits the ground. In the event that play has stopped while the ball is in the penalty area, the ball will be dropped at the nearest point outside the penalty area.

 

Sec-9    Indirect kick

Free kick from which a goal can only be scored if the ball is touched by a player other than the kicker, before passing through the goal. Defenders must line up ten yards or more from the ball.

 Sec-10    Direct kick

               Free kick which can lead directly to a goal.  Defenders must lineup ten yards or more from the ball.

 

Sec-11  Penalty kick

A penalty kick is taken from the penalty mark (12 yards from the goal line). All players except the kicker and goalkeeper must be outside the penalty area and at least ten yards from the ball. On a signal from the referee, the kick must kick the ball (no fakes). The goal keeper must remain stationary on the goal line until the ball is kicked. The kicker may not re-touch the ball until another player has touched it; however, any rebound is a live ball.

 

 

Sec-12 Goal kick defense (Pee-wee soccer only)

          When a team has a goal kick, all defensive players must back up to mid-           field. The opposing team can only pressure the ball once the kicking                 team advances the ball outside the box.  The intention of this rule is to               allow the kicking team to advance the ball forward, via a goal kick pass,           and a collection and dribble of the ball by the receiving player.

 

Sec-13  Glued Hand Rule (Girls only)

Girls are entitled to cross their arms in front of their chest in a protective manner and will not be called for a hand ball if the ball strikes them. However, this does not entitle the player to direct the ball with her hands or arms. In this instance a hand ball will be called.

 

Sec-14  Overtime

Overtime will only be used in the playoffs. Regular season games ending in a tie will be so recorded. Overtime will consist of one five minute sudden death period. The first team to score wins. If neither team scores, then a series of five penalty kicks will decide the outcome. Each team will select five separate players to take the kicks. These players must have been on the field when the game ended. If still tied after five kicks, teams will alternate shooters until there is a winner. No player will be allowed to shoot a second time until all players on his/her team have shot once.

 

VIOLATIONS

 

Sec-1    Offsides

A player is offside if he is nearer his opponent's goal line than the ball the moment it is played, unless:

1)           He is in his own moment of the field of play.

2)           There are two opponents nearer or equal in distance to their own goal line than he.

3)           The ball was last touched by an opponent.

4)           He received the ball directly from a goal kick, corner kick, a throw-in, or when it was dropped by the referee.

Violation enforcement - indirect free kick

 

Sec-2    Ball over sideline

Violation enforcement: Throw-in. The thrower must face the field of play with both feet on or behind the sideline on the ground. He shall use both hands equally and throw ball from behind and over his head. No goal can be scored on a direct throw-in. An illegal throw-in results in a throw-in being awarded to the other team.

 

Sec-3    Ball over end line (last touched by an offensive player)

Violation enforcement: Goal kick. Goal kicks can be taken by any player. Ball must clear the penalty area to be in play. Ball cannot be touched by the kicker until having been touched by another player. All players on opposing team must remain outside the penalty area while kick is being taken.

 

Sec-4    Ball over end line (last touched by a defender)

Violation enforcement: Corner Kick. Players of defending must be at least ten yards from kicker. The kicker can’t touch the ball twice in succession.

 FOULS AND MISCONDUCT PENALTIES

 Sec-1      Direct Free Kick Fouls:

1)           Handling the ball.

2)           Holding an opponent.

3)           Pushing an opponent.

4)           Striking or attempting to strike an opponent.

5)           Jumping at an opponent.

6)           Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent.

7)           Tripping an opponent.

8)           Charging opponent violently or dangerously.

 

 

Sec-2    Indirect free kick offenses

Any of the following violations will result in an indirect kick being awarded to the opposition:

1)           A player playing the ball a second time before it has been played by another player at the kickoff, on a throw-in, on a free kick, on a corner kick, or a goal kick(if the ball has passed outside the penalty area).

2)           A goal keeper holding the ball for more than five seconds (after a warning).

3)           A substitution made without reporting to the referee.

4)           Coaches entering the field of play without the referees permission.  Coaches are not allowed on the field and can’t coach from behind the goal.

5)           Dissenting by word or action with a referees decision.

6)           Unsportsmanlike behavior.

7)           Dangerous play.

8)           Offside.

9)           Charging illegally (not violent or dangerous).

10)        Interfering with the goal keeper in any manner until he releases the ball.

11)        Obstruction.

12)        Player leaving the field during the progress of the game without the consent of the referee.

13) HEADING THE BALL

1. Consistent with the U.S. Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is banned for all division players U-11 (for the purposes of the Catholic Sports League it will apply to all kids playing both the JV & pee-wee divisions) in both practices and games. There is no restriction on heading in varsity matches.

2. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a JV or pee-wee division player, deliberately touches the ball with his/her head during a game.

a. The indirect free kick is to be taken from the place where the player touched the ball with his/her head.

b. An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team inside the opposing team’s goal area, must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the player touched the ball with his/her head.

 

Sec-3    Penalty kick offenses

Any violation of section 1 of Fouls and misconduct penalties which occurs in the penalty area will result in a penalty kick.

 

Sec-4    Warnings and ejections

Committing any of the following offenses may result in a warning or ejection:

1)           Any flagrant foul.

2)           Repeated breaking of the rules of the game.

3)           Excessive disagreeing with the referee (i.e., abusive language)

 

Any action to be taken is totally at the discretion of the referee. When cautioning a player, the referee shall note his name and hold up a yellow card. When ejecting a player the referee shall note his name and hold up a red card. Any ejected player may not be substituted for. His team must play short-handed. A red-carded player must sit out the next scheduled game.

 

Additional general rules

1.)  Coaches are responsible for the behavior of their schools parents, fans and players.  Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.  A team may be penalized, a player and/or coach thrown out of the game and/or a team will forfeit the game if the referee deems necessary.

2.)  If a school has two teams in the same division, they can't borrow players from their other team within that division.  If a varsity team is going to be short players, they may borrow players from the same schools JV team, in an effort to avoid a forfeit. No players can be borrowed for playoff games.

3.)  The top 8 teams in the 'A' divisions will compete in the end of season playoff tournament.  There will be two playoff brackets - (teams 1-4) will compete in the gold division and (teams 5-8) will compete in the silver division. If there are less than (8) teams in the division, the top (4) teams will compete in the playoff tournament. 

4.)  If necessary, the following tie-breaker system will be used for playoff seeding.... A) head to head - who won when the teams tied in the standings faced off during the season. B) best win/tie - which team beat/tied the highest ranked opponent.  C) coin flip - A coin flip to determine the higher seed.

5.) Each team should gather in prayer before every match.