Outdoor Soccer Rules

INTRAMURAL OUTDOOR SOCCER CAPTAIN'S MEETING - There will be a mandatory team captain's meeting that MUST be attended by a representative, captain or co-captain preferred, from each team. Each team MUST have a representative present. If a team is not represented they waive their right to veto any schedule change proposed at the meeting, and may forfeit their right to future schedule change requests. Bring along this sheet for a reference to discuss the different items. Schedules will also be handed out at this time. TERRIER CARDS - It will be necessary and mandatory for all members of each team to present a Terrier Card in order to play. No exceptions will be made for participants without their Terrier Card. All cards will be returned once the team’s jerseys are returned to the supervisor on site. CANCELED, POSTPONED AND RESCHEDULED GAMES - We generally will play games in any weather except lightening. We will usually not make a decision on cancellation before 4:00 PM on day of the game and then will try to hold off as long as possible if there is a chance of playing. If games are cancelled before 5:00pm, teams will be notified via email to the listed captain. We may wait until later in the season to see how many games we have to reschedule and what times are available to reschedule them. Rescheduled games may be at any time and can't be guaranteed that they will be at times you prefer to play. If games are postponed by the Intramural Supervisor, they will be continued at the point of interruption, unless the game is over half completed where it will be considered an official game. JEWELRY/HATS - NO player will be allowed to wear necklaces, rings, watches, jewelry, earrings, barrettes, hats, etc. Players are not allowed to cover jewelry with tape or “BAND-AID”. **Do not take valuables to Intramural games and leave them unattended. There has been money, jewelry, etc. stolen while persons participate. Intramural Supervisors are not allowed to keep valuables for individuals during the games. SLIDING – This is a no sliding league. As explained in the rules to follow, sliding is not permitted by any player, other than the goalie in his or her box. CLEATS – Cleats will be allowed in IM soccer. RULES OF THE GAME: A. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A team shall consist of six players including the goalkeeper (the goalkeeper must wear a shirt of contrasting color). A team may begin a game with five players, one of which must be a goalkeeper. B. GAME LENGTH: The game consists of two 20-minute halves (running time). There will be a three (3) minute half-time interval. Additional time is added for the taking of a penalty kick at the end of a half. The clock will only stop at the discretion of the referee for an injury. C. REQUIRED UNIFORMS: Teams must have coordinating shirts. Each player must have a number on the back of his/her shirt. No player is allowed to wear the same number as a teammate. Jersey numbers will be recorded on the score sheet before each game. Players will not be allowed to tape numbers on their shirts, but they may use a permanent marker. BU Intramural Sports will provide numbered jerseys if a team do not have their own. Players must wear regular sneakers, or soccer shoes. No jeans or boots allowed. D. TIME OUTS: There are no time-outs permitted in Intramural Soccer. E. OFFSIDE: There is no offside rule in Intramural Soccer. F. SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions may be made with the consent of the referee: a. Prior to a throw-in, in your favor. If the team with the throw subs, the other team may also sub. b. Prior to a corner throw- in your favor c. Prior to a goal kick, by either team. d. After a goal, by either team. e. After an injury, when the referee stops play, by either team. f. At half-time. g. When the referee stops play to caution a player for the first time, the cautioned player MUST be substituted, prior to the restart of the game. When the referee stops to caution a player for the second time, the player must leave the game and the team is not permitted to sub for him/her. h. The substitute only enters the field of play after the player being replaced has left AND after receiving a signal from the referee. i. The substitute only enters the field of play at the halfway line and during a stoppage in play. j. No substitution may be made on the fly. Any players who sub on the fly may be subjected to cautioning by the referee. k. Changing of goalkeepers may only be made during dead ball situations. l. No substitutions will be made during free kicks. G. TIE GAMES: Tie scores in regular season play will be decided by teams alternating five (5) kicks from the spot; kicks will continue in sudden death format if the game is still tied after five kicks. During the playoffs, if the score is tied at the end of regulation the following procedures will occur in successive order until a winner is determined: a. Two 5-minute sudden death periods. Teams will switch sides following the first sudden death period. b. 5 kicks from the spot (12 yards away) per team. c. A continuation of kicks from the spot in sudden death format. ***The players on field at the end of extra time are the first to take the penalty kicks. The teams will alternate kicks. H. THE GOALKEEPER: a. The goalkeeper will be permitted use of the hands to play the ball within the marked penalty area. The goalkeeper may possess the ball for six seconds before putting the ball back in play. Once the goalkeeper has released the ball, he/she cannot pick up the ball until an opposing player touches it or until one of his/her teammates touches the ball outside of the penalty area. b. A goalkeeper may not punt or drop-kick the ball; if he/she does so, the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free kick, taken from where the offence occurred. c. Only the goalkeeper will be allowed to slide, but must occur inside the box. d. The goalkeeper must begin their slide within the box but may end it outside of the box. An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences: 1. Controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before releasing it from his possession 2. Touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession and before it has touched another player 3. Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate 4. Touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate 5. If the goalkeeper handles the ball outside the box, it is a DIRECT Free kick. The ball must be inside the box for legal touching. I. SLIDING: No sliding tackles are permitted. Sliding is defined as showing no attempt to stay on your feet. Sliding of any sort results in a direct free kick to be taken by the opposing team, taken from where the offense occurred. Any player (besides the goalkeeper) slide tackling will receive a yellow card. Any player that slides with the intent to break up a goal scoring opportunity will be given a red card the opposing team will be awarded a penalty kick if it happens inside the box. You may not play the ball while on the ground at all even if completely by yourself. J. THROW-INS: a. A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball before the ball crossed the touch line. A throw-in will be taken from the point where the ball crossed the touch line. A throw-in is indirect. After taking a throw-in, the same player can not touch the ball again until it touches another player. An illegal throw-in will result in a throw-in from the same location for the opposing team. The player throwing the ball must not step over the line, but he or she may touch it. b. A corner throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball before the ball crossed his own goal line (not within the goal). The offensive team puts the ball in play by a throw-in from the corner of the field nearest the point where the ball went over the goal line. A corner throw-in is indirect. Should the player taking the corner throw cheat up the sideline to get an advantage angle with which he or she can easily throw the ball into the goal, the referee may award an indirect free kick from the spot of the offense. K. DIRECT FREE KICKS: Awarded to the opposing team, from where the offense occurred, when a player commits one of the following fouls: a. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent b. Trips or attempts to trip an opponent c. Jumps at an opponent d. Charges an opponent in a careless or reckless manner, or with excessive force e. Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent f. Pushes an opponent. g. Makes contact with the opponent before touching the ball when tackling to gain possession of the ball. h. Holds an opponent. i. Spits at, or on an opponent. j. Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area). k. Sliding If you ask for space, then you must wait for the whistle to be blown before taking the kick. L. INDIRECT FREE KICKS: Awarded when an opponent is guilty of any of the following: a. Trying to kick the ball held by the goalkeeper b. Impeding the goalkeeper from releasing the ball c. Obstruction d. Goalkeeper carrying the ball more than six seconds e. Dangerous play (includes slide tackles and “high kicks”) f. Playing the ball a second time before it is played by another player after a kickoff or free kick g. Improper substitution h. Dissenting by word or action with a referee’s decision ***Kicker must wait for the official’s whistle ONLY IF FIVE YARDS IS REQUESTED. *** For both direct and indirect free kicks, the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player. Failure to meet these requirements will result in an indirect free kick awarded to the other team. M. GOAL KICKS: Awarded when the ball crosses the goal line (not within the goal), having last been touched by an attacking player. The defensive team puts the ball in play with a kick taken within a 3-yard radius from either goal post. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick. N. PENALTY KICKS: Awarded if any of the direct free kick offenses is committed by a player inside his own penalty area. The kick shall be taken from a point 12 yards from the goal line, directly in front of the midpoint of the goal. Only the goalkeeper shall be permitted to defend against the penalty kick; all other players must remain outside the goalkeeper box. The kicker must wait for the official’s whistle. O. MERCY RULE: If a team is ahead by 7 goals at any point in the game, the game will immediately end with that team being declared the winner. CO-REC RULES: All the above rules apply to co-rec competition with the following additions: 1. During co-rec play, there must be an even number of men and women on the field, including the goalkeeper. A co-rec team playing with five players may play with three men and two women or with three women and two men. 2. During a shootout the teams must alternate the gender of the shooter. Caution-able Offences (yellow cards) A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following seven offences: • unsporting behavior • dissent by word or action • persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game • delaying the restart of play • failure to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in • entering or re-entering the field of play without the referee’s permission • deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission A substitute or substituted player is cautioned if he commits any of the following three offences: • unsporting behavior • dissent by word or action • delaying the restart of play Sending-off Offences (red cards) A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off if he commits any of the following seven offences: • serious foul play • violent conduct • spitting at an opponent or any other person • denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area) • denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick • using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures • receiving a second yellow card in the same match Advantage The referee may play advantage whenever an infringement or offence occurs. The referee should consider the following circumstances in deciding whether to apply the advantage or stop play: • the severity of the offence: if the infringement warrants an expulsion, the referee must stop play and send off the player unless there is a subsequent opportunity to score a goal • the position where the offence was committed: the closer to the opponent’s goal, the more effective it can be • the chances of an immediate, dangerous attack on the opponents’ goal • the atmosphere of the match The decision to penalize the original offence must be taken within a few seconds. If the offence warrants a caution, it must be issued at the next stoppage. However, unless there is a clear advantage, it is recommended that the referee stops play and cautions the player immediately. If the caution is NOT issued at the next stoppage, it cannot be shown later.