TOWSC YOUTH SOCCER GAME OPERATING PROCEDURES
TOWSC YOUTH SOCCER GAME OPERATING PROCEDURES
ZERO TOLERANCE
TOWSC has instituted a Zero tolerance policy to protect our players, coaches, referees, and spectators. TOWSC expects that all participants will conduct themselves in a sportsman like professional manner and promote the enjoyment of the game benefitting our players.
Parents & Spectators
No parent or spectator shall persistently address the referee or assistant referees at any time.
This includes, but is not limited to:
a. Parents and spectators shall not dispute calls during or after the game.
b. Parents and spectators shall not make remarks to the referee(s) or advise the referee(s) to watch certain players or attend to rough play.
c. Parents and spectators shall never yell at the referee(s), including criticism, sarcasm, harassment, intimidation or feedback of any kind before, during or after the game.
The only allowable exceptions to the above are:
a. Parents and spectators may respond to a referee who has initiated a conversation, until such time as the referee terminates the conversation.
b. Parents and spectators may point out an emergency or safety issues, such as a player apparently injured on the field or observed fighting.
Additionally, parents and spectators shall not make derogatory comments to players of either team.
Penalties (Parents & Spectators)
In the opinion of the referee, depending on the severity of the offense, the referee may take any of the following actions:
a. The referee may issue a verbal warning to the coach of the offending party’s team.
b. The referee may stop the game and instruct the coaches to direct the parent / spectator to leave the field.
c.. The referee may abandon the game if the parent/spectator does not leave the field.
d.. The referee may abandon the game if a credible threat is made to any member of the referee team.
Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Bench Personnel
It is the responsibility of all coaches to maintain the highest standards of conduct for themselves, their players and supporters in all matches. Failure to do so undermines the referee’s authority and the integrity of the game resulting in a hostile environment for players, the referee(s), coaches, assistant coaches, bench personnel and spectators. As role models for all of the participants and spectators, coaches participating in an TOWSC event are expected to be supportive of, and to acknowledge the effort, good play and sportsmanship on the part of ALL players from either team in a contest. By example, coaches, assistant coaches and bench personnel are expected to show that although they are competing in a game, they have respect for their opponent, referees and spectators at all times. The TOWSC will not tolerate negative behavior exhibited either by demonstrative actions and gestures, or by ill-intentioned remarks, including those addressed toward the referees or members of an opposing team. Coaches exhibiting hostile, negative, sarcastic or otherwise ill-intended behavior toward referees, opposing players or coaches will be subject to sanction by the match official.
• Coaches shall not interact directly or indirectly with the coaches or players of the opposing team during the game in any manner that may be construed as negative, hostile or sarcastic either by way of demonstrative actions and gestures or by ill-intentioned remarks.
• Coaches shall not offer dissent to any call made by the referee(s) at any time.
• Coaches are not to address the Referee(s) during the game except to:
1. Respond to a referee who has initiated a conversation.
2. Point out emergency or safety issues.
3. Make substitutions.
4. Ask the referee, “What is the proper restart (i.e. direction and Indirect Free Kick or Direct Free Kick)?
5. Ask for the time remaining in the half.
• Coaches are allowed to ask a referee after a game or during the halftime interval, in a polite and constructive way, to explain a law or foul, but not judgment calls made in the game. a. Polite and friendly concern can be exchanged with the referee. If the polite tone of the conversation changes, the referee may abandon the exchange at any time. b. Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment or intimidation is allowed.
Penalties (Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Bench Personnel)
In the opinion of the referee, depending on the severity of the offense, the referee may take any of the following actions:
a. The referee may issue a verbal warning to the offending coach, assistant coach or bench personnel.
b. The referee may eject the offending coach, assistant coach or bench personnel. Once ejected, the individual will be required to leave the field immediately.
c. The referee should abandon the game, if the coach, assistant coach or bench personnel do not leave the field or any immediate adjoining area after having been instructed to do so.
All cases of alleged abuse or assault of a referee shall be reported to the TOWSC IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE match.
Referee Abuse
Referee abuse is a verbal statement or physical act not resulting in bodily contact which implies or threatens physical harm to a referee or the referee’s property or equipment.
Abuse includes but is not limited to the following acts committed upon a referee: using foul or abusive language toward a referee that implies or threatens physical harm; spewing any beverage on a referee’s physical property; or spitting at (but not on) the referee.
Referee Assault
Referee Assault is an intentional act of physical violence on any individual is a crime that could result in an arrest and is punishable by fine, imprisonment and/or probation.
For purposes of this Policy, “intentional act” shall mean an act intended to bring about a result which will invade the interests of another in a way that is socially unacceptable. Unintended consequences of the act are irrelevant.
Assault includes, but is not limited to the following acts committed upon a referee: hitting, kicking, punching, choking, spitting on, grabbing or bodily running into a referee; head butting; the act of kicking or throwing any object at a referee that could inflict injury; damaging the referee’s uniform or personal property, i.e. car, equipment, etc. as well as menacing or stalking.
Game times and players
Division 1
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4 - 10 minute quarters with a 3 minutes between 1st and 3rd quarter and a 5 minute halftime
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5 players plus a keeper
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Size 3 soccer ball
Division 2
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2 -25 Minute Halves with a 5 minute halftime
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7 players plus a keeper
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Size 4 soccer ball
Division 3
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2 -25 minute halves with a 5 minute halftime
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6 players plus a keeper
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Size 4 Soccer ball
UNIFORMS
All players on a team must wear the same uniform (except the goalkeeper who must wear a different color from both teams) and be neatly attired with socks pulled up over shin guards.
6SETUP
All spectators shall sit on one side of the field. Home team players, substitutes, and coach staff must be seated on the same side of the field as the visiting team players, substitutes, and coach staff.
BUILD OUT LINE
• Build out line is used to denote where offside offenses can be called. Players cannot be penalized for an offense between the halfway line and the build out line. Players can be penalized for an offside between the build out line and the goal line.
• The opposing team must move behind the build out line in the following situations:
a. Goal Kicks
b. When the goalkeeper has possession of the ball with their hands, 6 seconds begins once the opposing team is behind the build out line.
• Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw, or roll the ball into play.
o Punts and drop kicks are not permitted - penalty is indirect Free Kick from the spot of the infraction – if the infraction occurs in goal area, an indirect Free Kick is taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement has occurred.
• The opposing team may cross the build out line when:
a) the goalkeeper passes, throws, or rolls the ball into play with his/her hands to a teammate who then touches the ball
b) on a Goal Kick when the ball has left the penalty area and has been touched by a teammate of the goalkeeper
c) the goalkeeper in possession of the ball with his/her hands drops the ball to the ground then touches it with his/her feet
• An Indirect Free Kick will be awarded to the opposing team if:
o The Goalkeeper drops the ball to the ground and does not touch it with their feet within 6 seconds
o The Goalkeeper releases the ball from their hands and the receiving player chooses not to touch the ball in 6 seconds.
• The goalkeeper may release the ball into play prior to the opposing team reaching the build out line (quick restart). The opposing team may challenge for the ball once the ball has either:
o been touched by a teammate of the goalkeeper; or
o goalkeeper has dropped the ball and touched it with his/her feet.
• If opposing team crosses the build out line before:
o Goal Kick – Retake Goal Kick
o Goalkeeper Possession – Indirect Free Kick
▪ Inside Penalty Area – Opposing team may not cross the build out line until the ball leaves the penalty area and is touched by a teammate of the goalkeeper. If the ball does not leave the penalty area, the kick is retaken.
▪ Outside Penalty Area – Opposing team may not cross build out line until the ball is kicked and then touched by a teammate of the goalkeeper.
Heading the Ball
NO PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO HEAD THE BALL AND AN INDIRECT FREE KICK WILL BE AWARDED FOR PLAYERS INTENTIOANLLY HEADING THE BALL
SLIDE TACKLING
NO PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED TO SLIDE TACKLE AND AN INDIRECT FREE KICK WILL BE AWARDED FOR PLAYERS INTENTIONALLY SLIDE TACKLING
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions are allowed when the ball goes out of bounds. Referee must be informed that a substitution is being made. ALL SUBSTITUTIONS WILL BE MADE AT THE HALFWAY LINE.
RUNNING UP THE SCORES
One of the purposes of the League is to promote good sportsmanship. When teams are mismatched, coaches should consider various score limiting techniques.
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If a team goes down by 4 goals they can add one additional player to the field.
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Additional player is to be taken off field if team scores 2 goals
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Example: Team 1 is winning 4-0. Team 2 adds an additional player. Team 2 scores 2 goals and now the score is 4-2. Team 2 must remove additional player
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If after adding an additional Player that team goes down an additional 2 goals the winning team must remove one player. (which puts team up by 6 goals)
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If the winning team allows 2 goals in after removing a player they can now add that player back onto the field.
Example: Team 1 is winning 4-0. Team 2 adds an additional player. Team 1 scored 2 more goals and is now winning 6-0. Team 1 must remove 1 player. If Team 1 concedes 2 goals and the score is now 6-2 they can add the removed player.