MODIFIED PLAYING RULES FOR SUMMER LEAGUE PLAY Table 1 BALL SIZE PLAYERS GK FIELD GAME LENGTH MIN ROSTER MAX ROSTER U5 U6 3 4v4 No 20x30 4 x 8 Min 6 10 U7 U8 3 5v5 Yes 30x50 4 x 10 Min 7 12 U9 U10 4 5v5 Yes 30x50 4 x 10 Min 7 12 U11 U12 4 7v7 Yes 45x70 2 x 25 Min 8 16 U13 U19 5 7v7 Yes 45x70 2 x 25 Min 8 16 SUBSTITUTIONS 1. Unlimited substitutions may be made "on the fly" during the game. The only time substitutions will delay the restart of the match is after a goal has been scored and before the ensuing kick off. 2. All substitutions must be made from center line. Players exiting the field must do so at center line BEFORE another player enters the field at center line. 3. After receiving a caution, that player will be immediately substituted for before play has been restarted and cannot return to the game until the next actual stoppage of play. PLAYER EQUIPMENT Player equipment must conform to FIFA with the following exceptions: 1. Footwear Tennis shoes or soft cleated soccer shoes. 2. Shin Guards must be worn underneath the socks at all times during the game. 3. Permanent Numbers on jerseys must be at least 4 high 4. Jewelry is not allowed unless it is a medical alert necklace or bracelet which must be taped down for safety reasons. 5. If there is a conflict of jersey colors, the home team will change color. Goalkeepers will wear a different color than either team or each other. 6. Teams are responsible for providing their own uniforms and equipment. REFEREES 1. There will be a single Center Referee assigned to each match that is a current certified USSF Referee. The match cannot be played without a current certified USSF Referee and will be rescheduled should one not be available at the scheduled game time. 2. The referee has the full authority over the match as described in the Laws of the Game.
DURATION OF GAME 1. The game shall be played in accordance with the times listed in Table 1. 2. There shall be a half time break of five (5) minutes. 3. The clock will keep rolling and the games will start on time. If teams are not ready, ready to play at game time, the clock starts anyway. 4. All U9 U19 matches ending in a tie will be decided by sudden victory Penalty Kicks from the Mark meaning that each team will get a kick from the penalty mark. If Team A makes it and Team B makes it, then both teams will go again until one team has scored one goal more than the other from the same number of kicks. The U9 U19 games cannot end in a tie. THE START OF THE PLAY 1. The ball is considered in play when it is kicked and moves. Kick offs may go in any direction. 2. The player who has first kicked the ball may not touch it again until it has been touched by another player. BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY 1. Play will be restarted by the appropriate throw in, corner kick, or goal kick as applicable in accordance with the Laws of the Game. METHOD OF SCORING / STANDINGS / PLAYOFFS 1. A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal. 2. Official scores will not be kept for U5 U8 age groups. 3. Scores for U9 U19 age groups will be entered in the system by league officials 4. The league will utilize the following point system to determine standings Win Tie Loss 3 Points 1 Points 0 Points 5. Each U9 U19 team will play eight games and accumulate as many points as possible during those games. The top two teams in each age group / gender will get to play for the Championship Title in a finals match at the end of the season.
6. Tie breakers in the standings will be utilized in the following order: a. Head to Head b. Number of Shutouts c. Goal Differential (up to 3 points per game) d. Fewest Goals Allowed e. Fewest Yellow / Red Cards f. Kicks From the Penalty Mark 7. Protest of games are not allowed and will not be considered. The score as determined by the referee at the end of the match shall be final. OFFSIDE 1. There is no offside and a player in the offside position when the ball is played will not be penalized for being in the offside position. FOULS AND MISCONDUCT 1. Conform to Laws of the Game with the following exceptions: a) Slide Tackling in NOT permitted except for the goalkeeper in and around the penalty area and will result in an automatic caution for the player committing the offense (Yellow Card). Note: Since a slide tackle is treated as a foul, referees may allow for an "advantage" to be given in lieu of calling the foul when appropriate. b) Sliding to keep a ball in the field of play is allowed, unless there is another player playing the ball. It will be at the discretion of the referee to issue a caution (yellow card) if the referee deems the player to committed an infraction by slide tackling. c) Any player receiving a Red Card will be required to miss the next game. Any player receiving 3 Yellow Cards will be required to miss the next game. Coaches must provide a sit out form to the center referee prior to the start of the game that the player has missed d) Intentionally heading the ball is NOT permitted at any age level in this league. This league is promoting the use of a player s feet to play the ball. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a player is caught intentionally heading the ball. e) If a player is sent off for fighting or extreme violent conduct, that player is suspended for the remainder of the season. f) Any player receiving more than two (2) red cards or four (5) yellow cards in a single season will be required to appear before the Director of Coaching at a disciplinary hearing in order to continue playing in the current and/or future seasons.
FREE KICKS 1. Conform to Laws of the Game with the following exceptions: a) Opponents must be eight (8) yards away before the kick is allowed on 7v7 and 5v5 matches. b) Free kicks will not be awarded at the U5 U6 age groups and the referee will drop the ball on the field instead and allow play to continue from there. PENALTY KICK 1. Conform to Laws of the Game except penalty kicks will not be awarded at the U5 U6 age groups and the referee will drop the ball on the field instead and allow play to continue from the spot of the infraction. LEAGUE SCHEDULE 1. The league will not accept special requests for scheduling. If a conflict arises and a team cannot play, the team that can play will be awarded a 3 0 forfeit win. 2. Games will be played on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. Your team may have multiple games per week. 3. Rainouts will be rescheduled if at all possible. There must be an end date to the season at some point in time and it just may not be possible to get all games played in the weather does not cooperate. AGE DIVISIONS / BRACKET FORMATION 1. Teams will be divided into groups using even number years. This means that U5 teams will play U6 teams, U7 teams will play U8 teams, U9 teams will play U10 teams, and so on. For teams U15 and older, the league director will keep the age groups together as best as possible depending on the teams that have signed up. This may mean that a high school age group is formed. 2. Players may play up but they cannot play down under any circumstances. This means a U9 player cannot play on a U8 team no exceptions. 3. Teams can be coed and will play in a boys division if a coed division is not available. 4. Players must have paid all player fees and listed on the game sheet prior to participating. 5. Any team that withdraws within 2 weeks to the season starting, shall not be entitled to any refund.
TEAM PARTICIPATION / FORMATION Teams must be registered and formed in accordance with North Texas State Soccer Association (NTSSA) Bylaws. Upon registration, teams will be defined as the following: U5/U6 RECREATIONAL TEAMS U5/U6 players will not be placed on formal teams and instead show up on assigned game nights for jamboree style soccer. This gives the greatest flexibility to us to create teams based upon the current attendance and player ability. U5 U6 individual players should sign up and participate as individuals and not teams, however, U5/U6 Coaches with current risk management check are encouraged to help facilitate these informal games. U7 U10 RECREATIONAL or ACADEMY TEAMS All U7 U10 teams will be classified as Academy Teams and be issued an Academy Roster regardless of their classification in Fall or Spring Seasons. A Soccer Academy is a group of Under 7 through Under 10 registered NTSSA recreational players who desire to participate with other players without following the recreational team formation rules. Soccer Academy teams are not considered registered teams, and therefore do not have to follow recreational team formation rules. U11 U19 RECREATIONAL TEAMS U11 U19 teams that have been typically considered Recreational, will register as a Recreational Plus team. NTSSA allows dual registration of youth players for the purpose of recreational plus soccer. For a dual registered player, the player s recreational team shall be considered the player s primary team and the recreational plus team shall be considered the players secondary team. Players may be assigned to Recreational Plus teams by any NTSSA recreational team formation method (Rule 4.8). Additionally, member associations may consider requests from Recreational Plus players to play together on a team. U11 U19 COMPETITIVE TEAMS U11 U19 teams that are NTSSA Registered Competitive Teams will be considered a Competitive Team as normal. Team Formation rules for Competitive Teams apply. U11 U19 COMPETITIVE COED TEAMS Competitive and Recreational Players may form a Competitive Coed Team that plays in a coed or boys bracket. Coed brackets are not guaranteed in this league and Competitive Coed teams should expect to play in a boys bracket. If a coed team has more than 50 percent of its players also registered as competitive outdoor players, the coed team shall be classified as a competitive coed team. For proper age players U 11 and older. NTSSA allows dual registration of youth players for the purpose of coed soccer. For a dual registered player, the player s same sex team shall be considered the player s primary team and the coed team shall be considered the player s secondary team.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER REGISTRATION U5 U6 individual players should sign up and participate as individuals and not as teams. Players will not be formally assigned to teams and may be placed with different players each session of the season. U7 U10 individual players can sign up and if enough players are available to form a team for their age group/gender, then a team will be formed. Current teams that are signed up for the league may be asked to take some of these pool players but coaches are under no obligation to do so. Any player that is not placed on a team will be given a full refund. U11 U12 individual recreational players (that are not currently rostered to a NTSSA team) can sign up and if enough players are available to form a team for their age group/gender, then a team will be formed. Current teams that are signed up for the league may be asked to take some of these pool players but coaches are under no obligation to do so. Any player that is not placed on a team will be given a full refund. U11 U12 individual competitive players must register and play with their competitive team unless they are signing up to play on a Competitive Coed team. CSA is not forming Competitive Coed Teams, but will allow a formed Competitive Coed Team to form and register players.