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Referee Game Outline

                                                         (June 9, 2019)

 

  1. Referees and Field of Play

    

A.Referees shall wear yellow or black Referee shirt with black shorts and socks; shirt shall be tucked in; no jewelry is to be worn.

B.Check field and nets as soon as you arrive for conditions that may hamper you officiating.

C.All rule infractions shall be briefly explained to offending player. These players are learning the rules as well as the game.

D.Get game ball (, 10U; #5 for 13U #5) and corner flags from shed before game.

E. Please do not make up rules. Do not let coaches make calls. Control the game; you are the Ref.

 

II.         Players, Players’ Equipment and Ball

           

A. 13U have 7 and a goalie; 10U have 8 and a goalie; and 8U have 6 and a goalie.  The minimum number of players is two fewer than the above, e, for which the minimum is as above.  If one team has at least the minimum but fewer players than the other team, the other team shall play the same number of players as the team with fewer players. There shall be a 15-minute grace period to field a team; as soon as the minimum number of players is present, the game shall commence. *U17 shall play using Futsal rules: no offsides, no throw-ins, no punting, and substitutions are on the fly.

B.Check players’ equipment. Players will have same color uniform, shin pads under socks and no metal screw-in spikes.

 

III.        Duration of Games

           

A.Start all games on time-- teams will warm up until you stop them. All divisions shall play only 25 minute halves with a 3 minute break, except U17 and U13 which play two 25 minute games in a round-robin format.

 

B.Each team is allowed a 1 minute time out per game.

 

C.Substituting will take place only if you are notified and at the center of field. Teams can substitute on all throw-ins for 8U, 10U and 13U.  Any team can substitute on goal kick or before a kick-off or injured player.

 

D.If any team has a seven-point lead at the end of the game, the game is not counted as a win for the leading team but as a tie for both teams.

IV.       Start and Restart Play

           

A.No coin flips (First Team on schedule gets kick, Second Team listed chooses end to attack). Kick-off at center, ball shall travel forward; a double touch on kickoff, opposing team gets indirect free kick.

 

B.Goal kick given when ball kicked over goal line by offensive team. Ball in play until out of penalty area. Corner kick given when ball kicked over goal line by defending team. Drop ball after injury if ball in play at time of stoppage of play.

 

C.Direct and indirect kicks after fouls and off-sides. Indirect kick is not in play unless a kicking motion is used to put ball in play.

 

D.Opponents shall be at least 10 yards away from spot of ball before kick is allowed (kickoffs, free kicks, corner kicks, penalty kicks). Adjust for smaller fields, 6 yards may be good.

 

V.        Off-Sides

           

A.A player is in the off-sides position if he is nearer the opponent goal line than the ball and second-last opponent.

 

B.A player is penalized if he has gained an advantage being in that position at the time the ball is played by a teammate.

 

C.There are no off-sides on a goal kick, throw-in, corner kick or in their own half of the field.

 

D.The off-sides rule applies to ALL levels of play above 6U, except U17.*

 

VI.       Direct Kick Fouls (Goal can be scored without touching another player)

           

A.Kick, Trip, Jumps at, Charges, Strike or attempt to strike, Pushes, Holds, Spits, or Tackles an opponent while attempting to gain possession of the ball, Hand ball (except by goal keeper in penalty area) .

 

B.A penalty shot will be awarded if these fouls occur in the penalty area.

 

VII.      Indirect Kick Fouls (Ball must touch one other player before going in goal)

           

A.Dangerous Play, impeding progress, preventing goalkeeper from releasing ball, double touch of ball.

 

B.Calls against the goalkeeper will be the following:  1.) Holding ball more than 6 seconds.  2.) Touches ball immediately after losing control of it.  3.) Touches ball after teammate deliberately KICKS or throws it to them.

C.On direct and indirect kick, opponents cannot be closer than 10 yards to ball, if player requests 10 yards; play will now start on whistle.

 

VIII.     Penalty Kick (NO penalty kicks for 8U and 10U, make it a Direct Kick

           moving ball to top of box)

 

A.A Penalty Kick is awarded for all fouls inside the Penalty Area resulting in a direct kick

 

B.Place ball on penalty mark with one designated shooter, all other players shall be outside penalty area and behind penalty mark.

 

C.The goalie will remain with heels on goal line until ball is kicked (can move side to side but not forward).

 

IX.       Throw-Ins (8U, 10U, - 2 Attempts, 13U - 1 Attempt)

 

A.Ball thrown from where it went out or within one yard.

 

B.Ball will come from behind the head and pass straight over head with both hands on ball in one full motion.

 

C.Both feet shall be on ground at time ball is released, and feet shall not be fully in field of play.

 

X.        Yellow Cards

 

A.        Yellow Cards shall be given as a caution to a person who infringes on the rules of play in an unsafe manner and where in the referee's opinion a Direct Kick will not suffice.

 

B.        Unsporting behavior and language will not be tolerated, especially at the Referee.

 

C.        Slide tackles will be an automatic yellow card, and is prohibited for ALL divisions.

 

XI.       Red Card

 

A.Red Cards shall be given if a player causes a foul which is violent in nature towards another opponent.

B.Yellow and Red Cards:  take down player's team, name and number and note on game report.

 

C.Coaches and Parents CANNOT receive Red or Yellow Cards. If a coach, parent or other nonplayer observer exhibits behavior that impedes the ability of the referee to control the game, the referee shall follow the FIFA guidelines of Ask-Tell-Dismiss.  When unacceptable behavior occurs, the referee should ask that person to change their behavior to be more suitable.  If the problem persists, the referee should tell that person that if they do not stop, they will be removed from the game area.  If the problem still persists, the person should be dismissed from the game area.  The referee may at any time skip any steps and proceed directly to dismissal if they deem the behavior unacceptable enough.  What constitutes unacceptable behavior is left to the referee’s judgment.

 

XII.      Ball Out of Play, and Goal

 

A.Ball is out of play when it passes totally over the touch or goal lines.

B.Goal is scored when ball is totally over the goal line.

C.A goalkeeper may not score a goal by punting, throwing, or otherwise projecting the ball with their hands into the opposing team’s goal. Should this occur, play will be restarted with a goal kick for the opposing team. A goal may not be scored in this case until another player has made contact with the ball (similar to an indirect kick).

D.A goal cannot be scored from a goal kick. Should this occur, play will be restarted with a goal kick for the opposing team. A goal may not be scored in this case until another player has made contact with the ball (similar to an indirect kick).

 

XIII. Number of Coaches per Team

 

                        There shall be only one Head Coach and one Assistant Coach per team,

                        and only the Head Coach and Assistant Coach may enter the playerbench

                        area or interact with players in game-related matters (e.g., substitute

                        players) during games, or interact with the referee.

 

XIV. U8 Coaches allowed to enter field of play, within designated limits

 

U8 team benches will be on opposite sides of the field from each other, one team on either side of the field. U8 coaches may enter the field of play up to an imaginary line from the corner of each 18 on the side of their players’ bench to instruct their players during a game.

 

XV. Build Out Line rule applicable to U8 and U10

 

U10 and U8 fields have retreat lines that run parallel to the Halfway Line and tangent to the bottom (closest point) of the Center Circle. When the goalkeeper is taking a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the Build Out Line until the ball is put in play. The ball is in play when the ball is kicked and leaves the penalty area. The goalkeeper may play the ball before the opposing team has fully retreated. If a ball strikes an opponent while they are retreating, the ball is in play. After the ball is in play, the opposing team can cross the Build Out Line and play resumes as normal. The Build Out Line will also be used to denote where offside offenses can be called. Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and the Build Out Line. Players can be penalized for an offside offense between the Build Out Line and goal line. Goalkeepers are allowed to punt the ball. ​

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