La Mesa Indoor Soccer Rulebook
PART A
ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
A1. PLAYER REGISTRATION
A1-1 Waivers and ID Cards
A1-2 Identification
A1-3 Player Eligibility
A2. TEAM REGISTRATION
A2-1 Roster Restrictions
A2-2 Next Season Registration
A3. PAYMENTS
A3-1 Team Deposits/Payment Schedule
A3-2 Individuals Payment Schedule
A3-3 Refunds
A3-4 Returned Checks
A4. LEAGUES
A4-1 Schedules and League Formats
A4-2 Standings and Tiebreakers
A4-3 Forfeits
A4-4 Suspended Games
A4-5 Reschedules
A4-6 Rulebooks
A4-7 Awards
A5. DISCIPLINE
A5-1 Red Card Suspensions
A5-2 Mandatory Red Cards
A5-3 Multiple Red Cards
A5-4 Terminated or Abandoned Games
A5-5 Protests
A6. ALCOHOL POLICY
PART B
PLAYING RULES
B1. DIAGRAM OF FIELD
B2. BALLS
B3. PLAYERS
B3-1 Number of Players
B3-2 Coed Number of Players
B3-3 Goalkeeper
B3-4 Substitutions
B3-4a Substitutions During Play
B3-4b Guaranteed Substitutions
B3-4c Shootout Substitutions
B3-4d Goalkeeper Substitutions
B3-4e Illegal Methods of Entering the Field
B3-4f Substitution Violations
B3-5 Injuries
B4. PLAYERS’ EQUIPMENT
B4-1 Uniforms and Equipment
B4-2 Jewelry, Footwear, Headwear
B4-3 Braces and Casts
B4-4 Equipment Violations
B5. THE REFEREE
B5-1 Referee’s Powers
B5-2 Referee’s Reports
B5-3 Referee’s Decisions
B6. THE TIMEKEEPER
B7. COED LEAGUES
B8. YOUTH LEAGUES
B9. DURATION OF GAME
B9-1 Game Length, Time Outs, Extension of Regulation Time
B9-2 Suspended Games
B9-3 Terminated or Abandoned Games
B10. START OF GAME
B10-1 Starting the Clock
B10-2 The Kickoff
B11. BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
B11-1 Ball In Play
B11-2 Ball Out of Play
B11-2a Ball Out of Bounds
B11-2b Ball Out of Play
B12. SCORING
B12-1 Scoring Goals
B12-2 Interference
B13. RESTARTS
B13-1 Definitions and Procedures
B13-2 Kickoffs
B13-3 Free Kick Restarts
B13-3a Free Kick in Own Penalty Arch
B13-3b Free Kick in Opponent’s Penalty Arch
B13-3c Delayed Blue Cards
B13-3d Shootouts
B13-3e Three Line Pass Violations
B13-3f Pass Back to Goalkeeper Violations
B13-3g Ceiling Out of Bounds
B13-3h Kick Ins
B13-3i Corner Kicks
B13-3j Referee Stoppage
B13-4 Goalkeeper Restarts
B13-3a Goalkeeper Throw Ins
B13-3b Goalkeeper Free Kicks
B14. PROCEDURAL VIOLATIONS
B14-1 Three Line Pass
B14-2 Illegal Pass Back to Goalkeeper
B14-3 Others
B15. FOULS AND PENALTIES
B15-1 Fouls
B15-1a Definitions and Restarts
B15-1b Six Foul Accumulations
B15-2 Violations Involving the Goalkeeper
B15-2a By the Goalkeeper
B15-2b Against the Goalkeeper
B15-3 Time Penalties
B15-3a Definitions and Restarts
B15-3b Short Handed Play
B15-3c Accumulation of Blue, Yellow and Red Cards
B15-3d Bench Penalties
B15-4 Two Minute Penalties
B15-4a Blue Card Offenses
B15-4b Delayed Blue Card
B15-4c Sliding
B15-4d Encroachment
B15-4e Dissent/Entering the Referee’s Crease
B15-4f Unsporting Behavior
B15-5 Extreme Misconduct
B15-5a Yellow Card Offenses (Cautions)
B15-5b Red Card Offenses (Ejections)
B15-5c Suspensions for Fighting or Abuse of Officials or Staff
B16. SHOOTOUTS AND PLAYOFF SHOOTOUTS
B16-1 Shootout Fouls
B16-2 Conduct of a Shootout
B16-3 Sixth Foul Shootouts
B16-4 Playoff Shootouts
INTRODUCTION and DEFINITIONS
Welcome to the La Mesa Indoor soccer facility. We have written this rulebook to provide a basis for good competition and a safe, enjoyable experience for all players. We appreciate your input; if you have comments, additions or corrections, please tell us or e-mail the manager at [email protected]. The following explanations of some common terms are general, not technical; they are intended to be helpful to players and coaches. After you finish reading, have a great game!!
A Bench Penalty is a time penalty given to a team where no specific player is recorded as serving the penalty. A team, coach, or spectator may cause a bench penalty and the team must play short.
Boarding is pushing, charging, or crowding an opponent into the perimeter wall. What might be a legal shoulder charge in the middle of the field may be boarding if it runs an opponent into the wall.
Dead Ball refers to the situation when the ball is out of bounds or out of play due to a stoppage of any kind.
Delay of Game is called when a player or team is deliberately trying to slow down the progress of the game. Holding the ball after a goal and kicking away the ball after a foul are examples of delay of game.
Double Touch is the violation that occurs when a player taking a kickoff or restart plays the ball a second time before it is touched by another player, (teammate or opponent). You cannot double touch the ball on a kickoff or restart (including goalkeeper throw in) even if it hits the wall or referee before it comes back to you.
A Hand Ball is a foul that is called when a player intentionally hits the ball with his hand or arm or when it is unintentional but causes a direct advantage for said player. A player may not deliberately carry, strike, or propel the ball with his hand or arm. (Except the goalkeeper inside his own arch.) A player who prevents a goal being scored by intentionally handling the ball is given a time penalty, and a shootout is awarded. A hand ball is added to a team’s six foul count, provided no time penalty is awarded.
An Individuals’ Team is a team put together by the facility. The team is usually made up of individuals looking for a team to play on. A parent for the youth teams or a player for the adult teams usually helps with the coaching and team contact duties.
Misconduct is any inappropriate behavior by a player, coach, or spectator (on or off the field) as determined by the referee, timekeeper, or facility staff. Examples of misconduct are but not limited to: door-slamming, board-kicking on the bench, or inappropriate remarks toward any player, coach, spectator, referee, timekeeper, facility staff, or even a teammate.
Obstruction is impeding the progress of an opponent when not being able to play the ball yourself. You are obstructing if you run between your opponent and the ball or use your body as an obstacle but cannot play the ball yourself. The male three touch rule for coed and the double touch rule after a kickoff or restart are examples of where you can be within playing distance of the ball, but not legally be able to play the ball.
Offsides is crossing the mid line early on a kickoff or shootout. Players may not cross the line on a kickoff until the ball has been played, or on a shootout until the referee’s whistle.
Shadowing the Goalkeeper is a foul that occurs when a player follows the opposing goalkeeper around inside his arch and obstructs the goalkeeper from the play. There is usually physical contact towards the goalkeeper.
Shielding is a legal play where a player protects the ball from an opponent using his body. Shielding is not a foul and is not obstruction. To be legally shielding a player must be within playing distance of the ball and be eligible to play the ball. A player who is not eligible or moves out of playing distance of the ball is guilty of obstruction.
A team is short handed when they have fewer players on the field than their opponent. A team can be playing short (have less than the maximum number of players on the field) and not be short handed.
Two Leagues Exception. A player who receives a minimum red card suspension, (remainder of game when card is given and next game), is only suspended from playing for that team. If the player is also on a team in another league, and that team plays on the same day he receives the red card, he may stay in the building and play for the other team.
Violent Conduct is physical force that injures or abuses any individual or arena property. Violent Conduct is also any verbally or physically threatening demeanor towards any individual.