INDOOR SOCCER RULES AT THE FIELD

Modified 10/3/11 by M. Cheatham

Unless otherwise noted, the soccer rules at The Field will follow FIFA Laws of the Game. Changes are made to accommodate the indoor arena and for the safety of the players. Coaches, players, and referees should strive to keep the games light and fun through good sportsmanship, fair play and respect for the Laws of the Game.

LAW 1 FIELD OF PLAY

a. Dimensions: 200’ x 100’, defined by the field markings.

b. Field Marking include side lines, goal lines, center circle, Goal box, Penalty box, Penalty spot, and corner arcs. Referee will enforce the proper distance on a PK behind the ball.

LAW 2 THE BALL

a. U-10, U-12 Size 4

b. U-14 and up Size 5

LAW 3 NUMBER OF PLAYERS/SUBSTITUTIONS

max on field min to start

a. U-10 8 6

b. U-12 and older 7 5

c. Teams have until 5 minutes past game time to produce the minimum to start. After that they forfeit the match.

d. Substitutes stay outside of the containment netting.

e. Substitutions may be made at any time when the ball is in or out of play (on the fly). Substitute can only enter AT the mid field line. Substitute can not enter field until the player he is substituting for leaves the field at the mid field line in front of the player bench area.

f. Only players listed on the current years NYSWYSA certified roster for your team can play in your teams Winter League games. Borrowing of age appropriate players on a NYSWYSA certified roster other than your team results in a Forfeit listed as a 1-0 victory for the opposing team. Teams caught cheating may be censured by the CRC.

LAW 4 EQUIPMENT

a. shinguards are mandatory and must be completely covered by same color socks.

b. same color jerseys with number on back

c. only turf shoes or indoor shoes may be worn. NO studded cleats. Game shoes must be carry-in and not worn to The Field. See House Rules below.

d. no jewelry shall be worn

e. coaches are responsible to see that their players are properly equipped before the start of the game

f. Home team is responsible for jersey change if conflict with away team.

LAW 5 THE REFEREE

a. USSF approved uniforms shall be worn.

b. Must NOT wear USSF badge at an indoor match.

c. Professional looking long black pants may be substituted for black shorts.

d. Shall record scores, cards, and any other unusual circumstances in the score at the time clock table.

LAW 6 ASSISTANT REFEREES Does not apply

LAW 7 DURATION OF THE MATCH

a. Matches are running time always. Game are 50 minutes of play total split into two 25 minute halves. Referee shall set the clock to 30 minutes at the top of the hour (or adjust if late or early) and start the clock. Teams should be on the court in position and ready to play at precisely 25 minutes on the clock. At the end of the first half, the referee shall set 27 minutes on the clock and start it. Teams should be on the court in position and ready to play at the 25 minute mark. At the end of the second half, teams should shake hands and then leave the court and bench area promptly.

b. The scoreboard clock is official and shall be stopped only for serious injury which requires EMT’s. Clock will not stop for less serious injuries. In the event the scoreboard malfunctions, the referee keeps official time.

LAW 8 START AND RESTART OF PLAY

a. Check schedule to determine home team.

b. Home team defends the west goal and occupies the west team bench area. Visiting team takes the kick off to start the match

c. In the second half the teams change ends on the field and the home teams takes the kick-off.

d. Ball can be played backwards on first touch.

LAW 9 THE BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY

The ball is out of play when:

a. it wholly crosses the white bounding touch lines. Restart is via a throw-in

b. it crosses the goal line(goal, goal kick, corner kick)

c. play has been stopped by the referee

The ball is in play at all other times. Note – if the ball hits an object above the court, i.e. the netting, continue to play. Treat the ceiling netting as a pre-existing condition as you would in an outdoor game. Keepers should be aware of the double touch rule, i.e. if he releases it from his hands and kicks or throws it and it hits the ceiling, he can’t handle it until after an opposing players does)

LAW 10 THE METHOD OF SCORING No changes

LAW 11 OFFSIDE Does not apply

LAW 12 FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

a. Sliding is prohibited (except by the goalkeeper in his/her own penalty area). (IFK, DFK) (see House Rules for a more detailed explanation)

b. Cautioned players (Yellow card) must leave the court and his or her team plays short handed for two (2) minutes. Two cautions to the same player in the same game will result in the player being ejected and all consequences of an ejection apply.

c. Ejected players (Red Card) must leave the court, but may remain with the team under the direct supervision of the head coach. The team will play short handed for the remainder of the game. The ejected player can not play in any further game that weekend (on any team) or the following weekend (on any team), and can not resume playing until he/she pays a $25 fine to the CRC (to Russ Johnson) . Mail a check made payable to the "CRC" to:

Russ Johnson
CRC/The FIELD
1767 East Shore Drive
Ithaca, New York 14850

d. Coaches can be cautioned and ejected. It is the referee’s discretion to give a verbal warning or command or he/she may show the appropriate card.

e. See “House Rules:” below for additional information on Fouls and Misconduct.

LAW 13 FREE KICKS

a. All opponents must be at least 5 yards away from the ball.

b. Any free kick awarded to the attacking team in the goal area shall be taken from the top of the goal area if it is an IFK or from the penalty mark if it is a DFK (PK

c. All free kicks shall be taken within 5 seconds of spotting the ball. Infringement: IFK other way.

LAW 14 PENALTY KICKS

a. The players other than the kicker are located behind the ball and at least 5 yards away from the ball.

b. The PK shall be taken from the penalty mark.

LAW 15 THROW-INS

A throw-in shall be awarded when the ball fully crosses the touchline on the ground or in the air. A goal can not be scored directly from the throw-in.

LAW 16 GOAL KICK

A goal kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line outside of the goal, after last being touched by the offensive team. Goal kicks may be taken from anywhere inside the goal area and are not in play until the ball leaves the penalty area. All opponents must be outside of the penalty box when the goal kick is taken. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team.

LAW 17 CORNER KICK

A Corner kick is awarded when the ball crosses the goal lines of the field after last being touched by the defensive team. Corner kicks shall be taken from the nearest corner mark.

LAW 18 GOALKEEPER RELEASE

When a goalkeeper legally handles the ball, (s)he may release it by a throw, drop kick, punt, or release to his/her feet and dribble. A goal can be scored directly from the keeper release. All keeper releases shall be taken within 5 seconds of controlling the ball. When the goalkeeper releases the ball by throw (s)he

may not play it again until it has been played by a teammate outside the goal area or by an opponent anywhere on the field. If the keeper releases to the feet (s)he may not pick it back up unless played by the opposing team.

LAW 19 MERCY RULE

If the score differential during the game gets to 4 goals, then the losing team MAY add one additional player. If the goal differential subsequently drops to 3 goals, then the additional player must be removed. If the goal differential continues to grow and reaches 8 goals the winning team MUST remove a player until the

goal differential drops below 6 goals or the game finishes.

House Rules:

1) The oldest age group will be U19.

2) There will be a $25.00 fine associated with any Red Card.

3) Any player or coach earning a Red Card cannot play in any additional game at the FIELD the weekend he/she earns the RC. In addition, that player cannot play in any game at the FIELD the following weekend. This rule applies regardless of how many teams the player is on.

4) Any player or coach earning a second Red Card at the FIELD may be banished from further play at the FIELD at the discretion of the FIELD management. Cards carry over between sessions.

5) Any Red Carded player or coach must leave the court of play. That players team plays a player down for the remainder of the game. The Ejected player may remain with the team in the player box. As always, the coach of the team is responsible for the players conduct.

6) Any player issued a Yellow Card must leave the game for 2 minutes AND the team will play shorthanded for those two minutes.

7) Any player or coach earning 4 yellow cards in a single session will be fined $25.00 and be required to sit out of all games the following weekend of play. Any player playing in both sessions and earning 3 yellow cards in the first session and a subsequent two yellow cards in the second will be fined $25.00 and be required to sit out the subsequent weekend of play. Yellow card accumulations as stated above resulting in a $25.00 fine are equivalent to the player earning a Red Card.

8) Any coach or spectator that assaults a referee will most likely be brought up on charges through the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department.

9) Any player or coach that assaults a referee will be banished from the FIELD/RINK facility for the remainder of the soccer year. The player / coach will also be reported to NYSWYSA and in all likely hood will be banished from all league play in NYSWYSA's jurisdiction for the remainder of the soccer year.

10) The ceiling netting directly above the court defined by the court boundaries should be considered a pre-existing condition and the ball should be considered in play if it strikes the ceiling netting.

11) SLIDING (as opposed to slide tackling) is damaging to the FACILITY therefore NO SLIDING is to be allowed whatsoever. This is not a player safety issue (except along the periphery of the fields where the netting is bolted into the floor.)

SLIDING is to be defined as any part(s) of the body deliberately moving more than one inch while being in contact with the surface of the field.

SLIDING could involve the entire body on the ground, just the feet, or anywhere in between.
The only exception to this is for a goalkeeper making a "save" inside the penalty area. This can mean SEVERAL things but mainly:
 a) A goalkeeper sliding at a ball shot toward the net
     or
 b) A goalkeeper making a slide tackle against an opponent attacking the goal with
     the objective being to strip that player of the ball in a "carefully" executed manner.

Those tackles are to be considered in the same manner as a tackle made outdoors-was it careless? If yes, DFK Foul. If Reckless? DFK Foul + Caution. Was it Excessive Force? If Yes, DFK Foul plus send off.

Referees are allowed to give the goalkeeper a little bit of latitude on this in terms ONLY of where the slide ends. It is permissible for that slide to end a yard or so outside of the area as long as the slide began inside the penalty area. The penalty areas are small and we cannot expect a GK to start a slide from a standing start on the goal line. If he slides more than 2 yards outside of the area, he has too much momentum and the match should be restarted with a DFK for committing a CARELESS FOUL. If at any point the keeper completely leaves the penalty area while sliding, he is no longer a goalkeeper and the match must be stopped, restarting with AT LEAST an indirect free kick.

FOR ALL OTHERS-
If a player slides in any way, shape, or form - whether there is an opponent nearby or if they do it 20 yards from everybody, the match will stop and restart with an Indirect Free Kick awarded from where they slid. If any player engages in repetitive sliding, the player will be CAUTION for PERSISTANT INFRINGEMENT. If a team engages in repetitive sliding- the coach will be warned -then the next player who slides will be CAUTIONED for PERSISTANT INFRINGEMENT. If players are sliding to stop play or to gain a cynical advantage, they will be CAUTIONED FOR UNSPORTING BEHAVIOR (interfering with an opponent's attacking play) immediately.

If players slide near an opponent, the foul will be judged the same way it would outdoors EXCEPT the MINIMUM MUST be an Indirect Free Kick. In other words:

    a) Normal clean contact or no contact - indirect free kick
        to the opponents
    b) Careless contact? DFK Foul
    c) Reckless contact/timing? DFK Foul + Caution (Unsporting Behaviour)

    d) Excessive Force? DFK Foul + Send off (Violent Conduct OR Serious Foul Play
         depending on the situation)

 12) NO team personnel (coaches or players) are allowed inside the containment netting during games. All personnel must be behind the netting.

13) All alcohol and tobacco products are strictly forbidden at The FIELD.

14) Glass containers of any kind should not be brought into The FIELD.

15) No food or drink of any kind should be brought onto the playing surface or the team box area with the exception of water in plastic containers.

16) Players and coaches are responsible to see that all personal property and water bottles are removed from their team box area following their match.

17) Game footwear should be carried in and should not be worn to The FIELD.

18) No cleats (molded or screw-in) are allowed at the FIELD.
Any player caught wearing cleats on the tuff will be removed from the game. They can not return.  It is just like a red card except the penalty affects the player only. The referee will tell the player they are dismissed from the match. The referee will record the players name in the book-the offense is Cleats. The team does not play short handed. There is NO leeway with this new rule.