All matches will be played in accordance to current FIFA Laws of the Game, FIFA.com except for the following CREST Sports rules. THE PLAYERS Seven players on the field per team including goalkeeper. A team may start a game with six roster players to avoid a forfeit. When the seventh player arrives, they may enter the game at the next dead ball. If a team has six players in attendance the opposing team must also play with six players unless they have a full team in attendance of fourteen or more players. If a team has less than six players the game will be considered a forfeit. The coaches will come together to split the players in attendance to make two even teams. The made up teams must be mixed; not just giving the other team 1-2 players to make up the difference. The match will be played as a scrimmage friendly. 20- minute halves running clock will be in effect. All players listed on the team roster must be listed on the official score sheet (coach will provide player s first and last names with uniform numbers before the first league game). It is the responsibility of the coach to inform league coordinator, supervisor and scorekeepers of non-playing players and reason for benching. Parents must be notified before any removal of playing time. SUBSTITUTIONS Substitutions will only take place every five game time minutes. At this time, the coach must clear their bench (all players currently out of the game must be put in). In the event of an injury, yellow or red card a player may be taken out of the game before the five-minute mark. Game clock will run during substitutions. Coaches must have their substitutes ready before the next substitution period. Delay by coach will result in a warning the first occurrence and yellow card on the second. Each player must sit out at least one substitution period in each half unless the team has seven players or less in attendance.
Sample for 1 st half: 20:00-15:00-Game Start (1 st 7 players to start game) 15:00-10:00-First Substitution Period (2 nd 7 players that are on the bench) 10:00-5:00- Second Substitution (1 st 7 players that started game) 5:00- Half- Third Substitution Period (2 nd 7 players- that are on the bench) Sample for 2 nd half: 20:00-15:00-Game Start (1 st 7 players to start game) 15:00-10:00-First Substitution Period (2 nd 7 players that are on the bench) 10:00-5:00- Second Substitution (1 st 7 players that started game) 5:00- End- Third Substitution Period (2 nd 7 players- that are on the bench) Late arriving players will be included in the next substitution period. Late arriving players are not guaranteed their full playing time. If players arrive with less than five minutes left in the half/game they are not guaranteed any playing time in that first half or game. UNIFORMS Each player must have matching uniforms to their teammates and be consistent with the uniform number recorded for that player at the start of the season. Penalty: 1 Point per player out of uniform to the opposing team. Exception: Supervisor may waive due to previously reported lost uniform. Uniforms must be tucked in at all times. Due to safety purposes, no denim pants, jeans, jean shorts, cargo shorts will be allowed in any match. Shorts or athletic pants without pockets are required. Shin guards are required. Appropriate soccer footwear or athletic shoes are required. No metal studded shoes allowed. Casts, splints or body braces made of hard materials are not allowed, unless padded to the satisfaction of the program supervisor.
No earrings! Taped earrings are not allowed at any time. Headbands and wristbands will be allowed. Plastic bands, metal bracelets and rings will not be allowed. Medical bracelets will be allowed however must be covered completely with a wristband or athletic tape throughout the match. No necklaces of any kid will be allowed. Religious accessories if covered where it cannot harm or injure another player will be allowed at the discretion of the supervisor. REFEREES Enforce the FIFA Laws of the Game and all CREST Sports rules. Two-person referee system will be used. The authority of the referees starts when they have entered the field of play. All decisions of the referees will be final so far as the result of the game is concerned. Referees will include a summary of their game results to the program supervisor, including all pertinent information, such as results, misconduct, unruly spectators, injuries etc GAME LENGTH A match will consist of two twenty minute halves with a running clock. Overtime period will not be held for elementary school matches or for regular season middle school matches. During middle school playoffs overtime will consist of one ten-minute golden goal period (first team to score wins). If no team scores during the overtime period a penalty shootout will occur where coach selects 5 players and a goalie to kick who are currently in the game when the overtime period has elapsed.
If tie occurs the penalty shootout will be repeated until a winner is determined to advance. Half-Time will be three minutes between halves. At half-time the referees and coaches will have a meeting at the scorer s table to discuss any rule interpretations. No time outs during a match. If a coach causes a delay, referees will issue a yellow card to the coach and give a 10 second runoff to his team to start game play. Violation of rule will result in the ball put into play by the opposing team. In the event of extreme heat, referees will call hydration time outs every 7 minutes. If the heat is determined by league supervisor to be unsafe, the game will be called and made up at a later date. STOPPAGE TIME Towards the end of the match the scorekeeper will hold the clock with one second remaining. It is the referees responsibility to calculate how much time has elapsed during the match due to restarts, injuries etc. and inform both coaches approximately how much extra time will be added. The referees will keep the clock on the field. The time must be within a minute or be called on the next restart as it is the responsibility of the referees to inform scorekeeper to hold the clock during injuries and other stoppages. This rule is in play so the match is not called when a team is attacking or before the taking of a corner, indirect or direct kick. POINT SYSTEM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL MATCHES Middle school league will have the following point system applied to game results to determine post-season playoff seeding. o WIN = 3 POINTS o TIE = 1 POINT o LOSS = 0 POINTS
TIE BREAKER FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL MATCHES-REGULAR SEASON At the conclusion of the regular season the following procedure will be used to determine playoff seeding: o Head to Head o Record vs. like opponents o Coin flip START GAME All games will begin at the scheduled time. As soon as the previous match is over, the following match s coaches will report to the scorer s table and report their starters for the next match. Players will take the field and prepare for the kickoff. PITCH Desired pitch dimensions for all matches will be 75X40 yards. Due to construction, pitch improvement projects, changes in pitch markings or available space, adjustments to dimensions may be made at any time by the program supervisor. HEADING THE BALL 1. Consistent with the U.S. Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is banned for all division players 5 th grade and below in both practices and games. Heading for players in 6 th grade and above is limited to a maximum of thirty (30) minutes per week with no more than 15-20 headers, per player. There is no restriction on heading in matches. 2. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a player in the 5 th grade or lower, deliberately touches the ball with his/her head during a game. 3. 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. OFFSIDE There is no OFFSIDE during all matches.
TACKLING No slide tackling allowed. First occurrence a verbal warning will be given. Second occurrence will result in a yellow card. Third occurrence will result in a red card for unsafe play. RED AND YELLOW CARDS / SPORTSMANSHIP Players issued a yellow card must sit out for five game time minutes, players may resume the next substitution period. Players issued a red card must sit out the remainder of the match and the following match on the game schedule. All red cards will be reviewed by program supervisor on a case by case basis. Coaches issued a yellow card will serve as a warning. The next card will be a red and the coach will be ejected. The game will continue with an alternate coach finishing with the team. If no coach is available, the match will result in a forfeit and end the game. DIRECT FREE KICK AND INDIRECT FREE KICK FOULS Reference of Fouls and Their Consequences: DIRECT FREE KICK FOULS Handball Tripping an opponent Holding a players clothing or body. Pushing an opponent from front or behind Charging an opponent from front or behind INDIRECT FREE KICK FOULS Obstructing an opponent/ player Goalie taking too much time Playing dangerously Intentional headers Elementary league only.
City of Santa Monica Human Services Division, C.R.E.S.T. Programs Code of Conduct CREST is dedicated to cultivating an environment that promotes and encourages positive youth character development. Use of profanity, demeaning language, and/or behavior that is perceived as aggressive or threatening to participants, spectators, or staff is unacceptable in any program area. Adults affiliated with a child participant exhibiting these behaviors may be asked to leave the program area and their child participant could be subject to withdrawal from the program. Policy: Upon the first occurrence, a CREST program representative will immediately speak with the individual exhibiting the unacceptable behavior. The policy will be reviewed and the occurrence will be documented and logged. Upon the second occurrence, the CREST program representative will escort the individual away from the program area. The second occurrence will be documented and logged. Upon the third occurrence, the CREST program representative will remind the parent of the policy and their child participant will be subject to withdrawal from CREST program(s). The third occurrence will be documented and logged. Parent or guardian will be contacted and provided with documentation about the consequences of program disruption. Program fees will not be refunded. When necessary, City staff will call the Santa Monica Police Department for the safety of children, spectators and staff.