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Soccer Rules
There are 17 laws (or rules) to soccer. This is a simplified introduction to the rules to help parents who have not played soccer understand what is happening in their child's game. For a more detailed and exact explanation, see an official copy of the rules. All of the official rules of soccer start with the phrase "if in the opinion of the referee". The rules in some cases are subjective, but the opinions of the players, coaches, and parents do not count. One of the things that cause confusion is that unlike basketball, not every foul is called in soccer. For example, if your child has the ball and is moving to the goal and is tripped, but keeps his/her balance, you may hear the referee call "play on!" The referee is saying "Yes there was a foul, yes I saw it, no I am not calling it because I am taking away a scoring chance (or any other advantage) from the player that was fouled. This is called the advantage rule. (Some referees may yell "advantage!" instead of "play on!"). If the advantage does not materialize (your child takes two or three off balance steps before falling for example), the referee has the option to stop play, call the play back to the point of the foul, and award the ball to the team that was fouled. The whistle in this case can be delayed several seconds, so be patient.
Law 1 - The Field of Play
The field must be rectangular. The length can be anywhere from 100 to 130 yards long. The width can be anywhere from 50 to 100 yards. The goal opening shall be 8 feet high by 24 feet wide. Lines mark the field of play. The lines cannot be wider than five inches. Nets are not required, but corner flags are (minimum of 5 feet high). Goals must be securely anchored. Each end of the field will have a small box (Goal Box) and a bigger box (Penalty Box).
Note: Youth size fields and goals are not listed in the official rules, but they also vary considerably in size.
Law 2 - The Ball
The ball is spherical. The ball's circumference must be between 27" and 28". The ball must weigh a minimum of 14 oz and a maximum of 16 oz. The ball may not be changed without the consent of the referee.
Youth sizes: U6 and U8 --- size three
U10 and U12 --- size four
U14 and up --- size five
Law 3 - Number of Players
Two opposing teams play a match. There are twenty-two players on the field at once, including both goalies, (eleven for each team). Each team must have a goalie to play; a team must have a minimum of seven players. The side line referee must signal the player before he/she enters the field. The referee must be notified before a team changes its goalkeeper. To substitute the player must go to the midfield line. The referee must signal the player before he/she enters the field.
Modified Rules: U8 plays 6 players maximum while U10 plays 7 players maximum and U12 plays 8 players maximum.
Law 4 - The Players Equipment
*It is required that the players do not wear anything dangerous like jewelry The only exception is an Emergency Medical necklace or bracelet. This really is a safety issue. A girl recently played a game with studded earrings. The ball hit her in the ear and drove the stud into her neck. She developed a staff infection and now is partially paralyzed. The referee was named in the lawsuit. All referees have to be re-certified every year and they have all been told this story. Do not expect a referee to let you daughter play with earrings. There are several pieces of basic equipment that are required. A jersey (provided by league), shorts that the child can run in comfortably, stockings, shin guards, footwear (sneakers are okay, but cleats are preferred). Socks MUST cover shin guards! (YES -- that is a rule!) This is required because the edges of shin guards have caused cuts. The goalkeeper must wear a different color from the other players. If these rules are broken, the player will have to leave the field of play, and may not re-enter without the referee's permission.
Law 5 - The Referee
The referee's job is to insure clean, safe fun. It is his duty to enforce the laws of the game. The referee has the last word, and is not to be argued with! The referee acts as timekeeper, and may add time for injuries or wasted time. The referee may stop play if there is a serious injury, or the referee may let the game go on until the ball is out of bounds if he/she feels the injury is not serious. The referee will make sure that any player that is bleeding leaves the field. The player may not return until the referee has checked to see if the bleeding has stopped. To sum it up, the referee's job is "Fair, Safe, and By the Laws of the Game."
Law 6 - The Sideline Referees
There are two sideline referees called linesman or assistant referees.. The sideline referees decide which team gets a corner kick, goal kick or throw in. The side line referee also determines when (and when not to) call offside. (See rule11). They may also signal a foul. The center referee may overrule calls by the assistant referee.
Note: Club lines (parents) may not call offside or fouls.
Law 7 - The Duration of the Match
The game consists of two 45 minute halves. There is a 10-15 minute half-time in-between halves.
U8 plays four 12 minute quarters
U10 plays two 24 minute halves
U12 plays two 30 minute halves
U14 plays two 35 minute halves
U16 plays two 40 minute halves
Law 8 - The Start and Restart of a Game
To start the game a coin is tossed in to the air and is called by the visiting team. The team that wins the toss chooses which goal they want to attack. The team that loses the toss gets to kick the ball. Kick offs are also used to restart after a goal.
On a kick off, all the players must be in their own half. The team not taking the kick must be a least 10 yards from the ball, outside the circle at the center of the field. The referee will signal and the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward. The player who kicked the ball may not touch it again until another player touches it first.
Dropped balls are used to restart play if the referee stops play for an injury or an unusual situation like a defective ball. The referee drops the ball in-between two opposing players who must wait for the ball to bounce, before they can kick the ball. The ball is re-dropped if either player kicks the ball before it hits the ground. Sometimes the referee will call for a drop ball when it cannot be fairly judged who kicked the ball out of play.
Law 9 - In and Out of Play
If the ball completely crosses the goal line or sidelines, the ball is out of play. If any part of the ball is on the line, the ball is in play. The ball is in play if it rebounds off the goal, corner flag or the referee. FYI: The sidelines are also known as the touchlines.
Law 10 - Scoring
If the ball completely crosses the line between the goal posts and under the cross bar, a goal is scored. After a team scores a goal, the opposing team takes a kick-off in the center of the field. If any part of the ball is still on the line, it is not a goal. The team with the most goals wins.
Law 11 - Offside
Offside is the most controversial rule in soccer. It is easier to understand if you understand the intent behind the rule. The purpose of the rule is to insure that all players are involved in the game. It prevents a coach from telling the players to "go stand at the other teams goal, we will just kick the ball long to you, and then you can slam dunk it in the goal."
The offside rule says that a player is in an offside position meaning he/she is closer to the opponent's goal than to the second to last defender (the goalie counts). The offside rule does not apply if the player is on their own half of the field or if he/she receives the ball directly from a throw in or corner kick. A player dribbling the ball cannot be off sides. Offside is determined at the instant the ball is played, not received. A quick player can be onsides when the ball is played and be 10 yards behind the defense when the ball is received, so a player is not penalized for speed.
A few points on offside.
1) Because a player is in offside position does not mean the referee will call offside. A player who is not involved in the play and is not interfering with the defense will not be called for offside.
2)Offside calls are sometimes delayed, so be patient! If there are two players for example who might receive the ball, one who is in the offside position and one who is not, the referee will not call Offside until the ball is received. If the player passes it to the on sides player, there is no call.
Law 12 - Fouls
When a team commits a foul, the opposing team is awarded either a direct or indirect free kick. Contact fouls result in a direct free kick. The 10 contact fouls that result in a free kick are: kicking, tripping (or attempting to trip), jumping, charging, striking, pushing, holding, tackling by making contact with the opposing player before the ball, or handling the ball deliberately. Indirect free kicks are usually non-contact fouls, which include dangerous play, offside, obstruction, or preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball. Goalkeepers are guilty of a foul if they 1) touch the ball with their hands after it was deliberately passed by their teammate, 2) touched the ball with their hands, from a throw-in by a teammate, 3) hold the ball for more that 6 seconds, 4) lose possession of the ball and touch it again before it touches another player. The referee can give yellow and red cards for misconduct. Yellow cards are cautions. If a player receives two yellow cards in a single game he/she will be ejected from the rest of the game and the next. A red card is an automatic ejection and the player must sit out the next game. The team whose player was ejected may not substitute for that player, and will play with one less player than the other team for the duration of the match.
Yellow Card Offenses
1) Unsportsman-like behavior
2) Dissent
3) Delays Restart of play
4) Persistent infringement of the laws of the game
5) Failure to respect the required distances of kicks.
6) Enters or leaves the field of play without permission of the referee
Red Card Offenses
1) Serious Foul Play
2) Violent conduct
3) Spitting at an opponent
4) Offensive, insulting, abusive language and/or gestures
5) Second yellow card in a match.
Law 13 - Free Kicks
There are two types of free kicks, direct and indirect kicks. For a direct kick, the player taking the kick can kick the ball directly into the goal. For an indirect kick, the ball has to touch another player other than the one taking the kick before it goes into the goal. If the team kicking the ball kicks the ball into their own goal, a corner is awarded to the opposing team. (You cannot score on yourself in a free kick.) If on an indirect kick, the ball goes into the goal without touching another player, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
Law 14 - Penalty Kicks
If one of the direct kick offenses is committed by the defense in the penalty box, a penalty kick is awarded instead of a direct kick. For a penalty kick, the ball is placed 10 yards from the goal line and all the players except the kicker and the goalie have to remain OUT of the penalty box, (the big box). When the ball is kicked, the ball must move forward. If it does not, the kick must be retaken. A penalty kick is a live ball. If the ball rebounds off the goalie and is kicked in, it is a goal. If the ball rebounds off the goal post or crossbar, any one but the kicker can kick the ball in the goal. The goalie on taking of a penalty kick (pk) is restricted in movement - side to side is okay, but forward movement is not allowed until the ball is kicked. If the goalie moves forward before the kick is taken, and the kick misses the goal, then the kick is retaken.
Law 15 - Throw Ins
A throw in is a method of restarting play. A throw in is awarded when the ball completely crosses the sideline. The throw in is given to the opponents of the player who kicked it out. The player who makes the throw must fully bring the ball over their head and keep their feet on the ground. Both feet must be behind the line, or on the sidelines (Note: feet may not be over the line). If they fail to do this, the opposing team is awarded a throw-in. The thrower may not touch the ball again until another player touches the ball. You cannot score a goal by throwing it into the opposing teams' goal. If on a throw in, the ball never fully enters the field of play, the throw in is retaken by the same team.
Law 16 - The Goal Kick
A goal kick is a method of restarting play. A goal kick is awarded when the offensive team is the last team to touch the ball before it goes out in-between the corner flags and the goal post (not in the goal). It is taken from anywhere within the goal box (small box). Note the ball may be placed on the line. The ball must completely leave the penalty box (big box) before either team may touch it. If the ball does not leave the penalty box (big box), the kick is retaken.
Law 17 - The Corner Kick
A corner kick is awarded when a player of the defending team is the last to touch the ball before it fully leaves the field of play in-between the corner flags and goal posts (not in the goal). The ball is placed inside the arc at the corner of the field. The flag may not be moved. The defending team must be 10 yards (minimum) from the ball. The ball is in play when it is kicked and it moves. The kicker may not touch the ball a second time until another player touches the ball. |
Contact Information
Please feel free to e-mail us at info@jysarec.com with any suggestions for our web page.
Or, for any general comments / questions about JYSA soccer, you can e-mail Morgan Nutt at jmorgannutt@nuttcpa.com. We will be glad to hear from you!
Our select Division is JYSA United. The site can be found at united1996fc.com
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