All rules specified in this document will follow the latest official FIFA rules, except where otherwise specified. This league is adjudicated by a referee, and all decisions of the referee are final.
I. PLAYERS
- All players must be 18 years old, or older, on the day the season starts.
- All players must have signed the waiver / registration form and paid all fees before starting play.
- Players may be added to teams at the discretion of the KASA executive.
- To participate in the playoffs, a player must play at least half of the regular season games, unless it is cleared with the KASA executive. Note; this does not include registered players injured during the season.
- Each team will have a official contact person (captain), who is the spokesperson for the team.
II. EQUIPMENT
- Captains are responsible for helping setup and taking down the goal nets provided. Equipment (nets, balls, flags and first-aid kit) will be stored in the outdoor storage containers on the north side of the field.
- Players must wear the blue or orange sustainable jersey, depending on whether they are the home or away team.
- It is required that players wear shin-guards. This will be strictly enforced.
- Cleats are suggested, but no metal spikes (baseball cleats). This will be strictly enforced.
- Goalie gloves are suggested. One pair will be provided to each team.
- Please do not wear jewelry or sunglasses to avoid injury. The referee may ask that a player remove jewelry, or protect it with tape.
- The referee shall not permit any player to wear equipment that in their judgment is dangerous or confusing to other players. This includes items such as: guard, cast or brace made of hard or unyielding material.
III. FIELD OF PLAY
- Lines will be painted, with pitches demarked sideways across on a normal size soccer field.
- Nets will be placed center of the painted back lines.
- The center is marked for the kick-off.
- The ball remains in play if it rebounds off a goalpost or crossbar and remains on the pitch.
IV. GAME POINT SYSTEM
- The referee will submit the score of the game by the following day at the latest to the web site.
- Points will be awarded as follows: 3 points for a win; 0 points for a loss; 1 point for a tie. If a team defaults, the score will be entered as a 0-2 loss.
- If teams have the same number of points at the end of the season, the tiebreaker will be awarded to the team with:
a) Head to head (if the two teams tied played each other, the winner of the game places higher);
b) Point differentials, counting only games against common opponents;
c) Points scored, counting games against all common opponents;
d) Points against, counting games against all common opponents;
e) Flip a coin.
V. GAME FORMAT
- Please arrive 15 minutes early. Games are to start and finish as per the posted schedule.
- Games are played rain or shine (but no lightning), cancelled games are not rescheduled. Always show to the game even if it’s raining as the weather can change very quickly. At the start of the game the captains are to make the decision if the games are to be cancelled.
LIGHTNING POLICY: If thunder is heard within 30 seconds of seeing lightning, games will be postponed. All participants must leave the playing area and seek shelter in a building or an automobile. Never stand under trees, in an open field or under an umbrella. Games will resume 15 minutes later if the thunder and lightning have moved away. If thunder and lightning are still present 15 minutes after, the game will be cancelled and the score counts as it was when the game was stopped. Halfway point of the game must be reached in order for the game to count towards the league standings. If teams play on disregarding this rule, the league is not responsible. - A coin is tossed and the team that wins the toss decides which goal it will attack in the first half of the match. The other team takes the kick-off to start the match. The kick-off alternates to start the second half of the match.
- Games are comprised of two 25 minute halves with a 5 minute half time, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referee and the two teams. Any agreement to alter the duration of play must be made before the start of the game.
- Each team will play one game per night except in the playoffs where two games in one night may be required.
- Games in the regular season can end in a tie. In the playoffs, if a game is tied at the end of regulation time then there will be a shoot out from the spot identified by the ref with 3 different shooters. Each team will shoot for a goal and at the end of the 3 shots, whoever has more goals wins the game. If it is still tied, sudden death occurs with each team exchanging shots at goal until one team wins. A player cannot shoot twice for the first 3 shots, after that, anyone can shoot.
- A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad 10 minutes after the official start time. If a team lends another team some players in order to have a game, a decision MUST be made as to whether or not it counts for league standings before the start of play. The league hopes that all games count as it is only for fun!!
- Teams are comprised of 7 players, including 1 goalie.
- A team can play with a minimum of 4 people.
- A minimum of 1 female and 1 male must be on the court for each team at all times if both teams have 2 or more female players present (or 2 or more male players for males). E.g. if one team has 1 female player and the other team has 2 females, then no set number of females are required on the court for either team. Any exceptions to this rule must be agreed upon by both captains before the start of the game.
- All players should get equal playing time except where a player chooses to substitute earlier or rest longer.
- The captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum people but this should be decided BEFORE the game begins. IF IT IS SPECIFICALLY AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!
VI. START OF PLAY
- A kickoff is used to start or restart play: At the start of a match; after a goal has been scored; at the start of the second half.
- The kickoff starts with all players on their own side of the field. The ball is stationary at the center point of the field and the opponents of the team taking the kickoff should be at least 10 paces away from the ball – until it is put into play.
- The ball is put into play when it is kicked forward and moves wholly into the opposing teams end. The initial kicker cannot touch it again until another player has contacted it. If the initial kicker touches the ball before it has touched by another player, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team (indirect free kick means you cannot score from the kick unless it touches another player first).
- A goal can be scored directly from the kick off.
VII. SCORING
- The ball has to completely cross the goal line between the goal posts and under the crossbar to count as a goal. If, after a goal is scored, the referee realizes before play restarts that the team that scored the goal had an extra player or otherwise carried out a substitution incorrectly, they must disallow the goal and restart play with an indirect free kick taken by the opponents of the offending player from any point inside the penalty area.
- Goals can be scored from corner kicks or a goal kick.
- Goals cannot be scored from the kick-off or kick-ins. All fouls result in an indirect free kick, where a goal cannot be scored.
- No defender can use their arms or hands to prevent a goal from being scored.
VIII. SUBSTITUTIONS
- Substitution on any player can happen at any time but the player must be on the sideline before the new player enters the field. From that moment, the substitute becomes a player and the player that has been replaced becomes a substituted player. The substituted player may take further part in the match.
- The player substituting must cross the out of bounds line within 10 feet from where the player came off and the change can not disrupt the flow of the game.
- If the substitution disrupts the play, a substitute enters the pitch before the player being replaced has left, or there are too many players on the pitch, the referee may stop play (although not immediately if they can apply the advantage). The referee may caution the player for infringing the substitution and order him/her to leave the pitch. If the referee stops the play, it is restarted with an indirect free kick for the opposing team.
- All substitutes are subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the referee.
- Any player may changes places with the goalkeeper, but it must be done during a stoppage in the match after informing the referee.
- The number of substitutions that may be made during a match is unlimited.
IX. OFF-SIDES:
- There are no off-sides in this league.
X. MISCONDUCTS/FOULS
- The referee will call fouls and award free kicks or penalty kicks.
- AN INDIRECT FREE KICK (where a goal cannot be scored directly) is awarded to the opposing team by a referee if a player commits any of the following offenses:
a) Off-side
b) Plays in a dangerous manner (charging, checking or pushing, tackling a player without going for the ball);
c) Impedes the progress of an opponent (trips, kicks, holds, block ball with your body etc.);
d) High kicking (dangerous kick);
e) Handball: a player carries, strikes or propels the ball with hand or arm; a handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a player’s arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the shoulder). Exceptions: Players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area and women can also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest;
f) The goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than 5 seconds, or touches the ball with their hands outside the crease or after it was passed to them by a team mate;
g) Unsporting behavior. - A YELLOW CARD, upon which the receiving team has to play with a player down for two minutes after a DIRECT KICK, will be awarded at the referees’ discretion for the following cautionable offenses:
a) Slide tackling (an intentional slide, regardless of whether it is “clean”);
b) Intentional hand balls;
c) Committing an aggressive foul (deemed by referee);
d) Unsporting behavior;
e) Intentionally delaying the restart of play;
f) Dissent by word or action. - A RED CARD, upon which the receiving team will play with one player down for the rest of the game following the expulsion of said player from the match and a DIRECT KICK, will be awarded at the referees’ discretion for the following send-off offenses:
a) Serious foul play;
b) Violent conduct;
b) Spitting at an opponent or any other person;
c) Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures;
d) Receiving a second caution (yellow card) in the same match.
The player in question will be suspended for 1 game, up to the remainder of the season, and may be required to attend a hearing with the League Disciplinary Committee. - A PENALTY KICK will be awarded by the referee if any of the above fouls is committed by a player inside their own penalty ox, irrespective of the position of the ball.
- The ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and all opposing players must be at least 5 paces away from the kicker except when the ball is being kicked from a point closer than 5 paces from the goal. In this case, the defending player may stand on their goal line. The kicker must not touch the ball a second time until another player has touched it.
XI. SLIDE TACKLES
- Slide tackling/blocking is not allowed under any circumstances even if contact is made with the ball first. Players should refrain from attempting to play the ball while lying on the round, as this can endanger themselves and others around them.
XII. KICK-INS
- A kick-in is awarded by the referee when the whole ball passes over the sideline, either on the ground or in the air and is taken from the point where it crossed the sideline, by the opponents of the player who last touched the ball, before it crossed the sideline.
- The player takes the kick-in with the ball on, or behind, the line.
- The kick-in must not touch the ball a second time before it has touched by another player, or an indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team.
- A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-in.
XIII. GOAL KICKS
- A goal kick is awarded by the referee if the ball crosses the goal line (end line) if the ball was last touched by the team attacking the goal.
- The goal kick can be taken by any defending team member on the side of the goal where the ball went out of bounds placed anywhere on the goal area line.
- Players must be outside of the marked box.
- The person kicking the ball can not touch the ball a second time before it has touched another player or an indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the place where the infraction happened.
- A goal can scored directly from a goal kick.
XIV. CORNER KICKS
- A corner kick is awarded by the referee if the ball crosses the goal line if the ball was last touched by the team defending the goal (defense).
- The corner kick is taken from the closest corner to where the ball went out of bounds.
- The ball is in play the moment it has been kicked. If person taking the corner kick touches the ball a second time before another player touches it, an indirect kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.
- A goal can be scored directly from a corner kick.
XV. GOALKEEPER
- The goalkeeper may use their hands within the marked box.
- Once in possession of the ball, the goalkeeper has 5 seconds to pass it to another player, either as a kick or a throw.
- The goalkeeper can not use their hands if the ball is kicked back to them from a teammate (pass-back). This also applies on a throw-in.
- Once the goalkeeper puts the ball back into play on the ground, they can’t pick it up again with their hands.
XVI. DISCREPANCIES
- The decisions of the referee regarding facts connect to play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match are final. The referee may only change a decision on realizing that it is incorrect or, at their discretion provided that they have not restarted play or terminated the match.
- Protest from the captain is allowed for rule misapplication only. The captain may note a protest prior to the referee leaving the field and must be submit the following to the KASA executive the next day:
a) A brief description of the play and the ruling;
b) A rule reference detailing what the ruling should have been;
c) Protests will be ruled on by the KASA executive;
d) Notification of protest ruling will be given within one week of submission;
e) The KASA executive reserves the right to deny completion of a protested game if it has no bearing on the league standings or is not in the best interest of the league.
XVII. ABUSE / ALCOHOL
- Any abuse, whether it be physical, sexual or mental is not acceptable in any manner. If this kind of abuse is reported, the player or team will be asked to leave. If a second incident occurs the player will be asked to leave the league or tournament without refund.
- Harassment of the referee will not be tolerated. Questions should only be asked by the team captain within the context of rule interpretation.
- Teams are responsible for other teammates actions, as a teammate, please encourage good sportsmanship at all times. The KASA executive reserve the right to eject a player or team without a warning and without a refund.
- This is a co-ed-friendly league for everyone to have a great night out, let’s keep it that way.
- Alcohol is not permitted at any game or event, offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund.