Rules & Policies

Manhattan Kickers Playoff Rules

1. All regular season rules apply.
2. If a playoff game is tied at the end of regulation, there will be overtime.

Overtime Rules:

1. The team that did not call the coin flip at the beginning of the game calls to determine kick-off or the side of the field.
2. There will be a 2-minute break between the 4^th quarter and overtime.
3. Overtime is 5 minutes – sudden death.
4. If game is still tied after the 1^st overtime; no break; teams switch sides; other team kicks, and another 5 minute – sudden death, overtime period is played.
5. If game is still tied – there is a shoot out.

Shootout Rules:

1. Penalty kick distance – 10 yards.
2. Referees choose which goal will be used.
3. There is a coin flip to determine who will kick first.
4. EVERYBODY, except the referees, goalkeeper, and shooter, will remain behind the midfield line. Failure to comply with this rule will result in the loss of a kick.
5. Each coach selects 5 players to take the kicks. Goalkeepers may be one of the five. Disqualified players may not participate in the shootout.
6. Teams will alternate kickers.
7. The goalkeeper may be changed prior to each shot.
8. Whichever team scores more goals is the winner.
9. If the game remains after 5 kicks, each coach will select 5 different players. The teams now go shot for shot. (i.e. If one team scores on the 1^st extra shot and the other team does not – no more shots are taken – and the first team is declared the winner.)
10. One goal is added to the winner’s final score. (i.e. 1-1 prior to shootout; 2-1 final score.)

Additional Shoot Out Rules:

1. Kicker may not kick until the referee blows the whistle.
2. Any noise, interference, or taunting by fans or opposing team will result in a re-do of the kick.
3. Goalie must stand on the goal line and can’t move his/her feet until the ball is kicked.
4. Once the kicker moves towards the ball he/she may not move back and then shoot.
5. If the goalkeeper catches the ball with his/her feet behind the goal line, it is not a goal unless the entire ball is across the goal line.

6.   One referee should be standing on the goal line, looking across the goal to see if the ball crosses the line. The other referee should stand even with the penalty kick line.

7.   In the shootout, once the ball reverses direction, hits the goalkeeper, post, or crossbar, the ball is dead. No goal.

8.   No follow-up shots are allowed.

Basic Intramural Soccer Policies: 2009 Intramural Season

• For everybody’s safety, players must remove any watches or jewelry
• Hats may not be worn
• Shin guards are required gear
• All goal-keepers must wear colors, which distinguish them from the other players and from the referees
• All payers must play a minimum of three quarters of each game; no player is allowed to sit out more than one quarter per game

THE START OF PLAY:

At the beginning of the game, choice of ends and the kick-off will be decided by the toss of a coin. The game shall be started by a player taking a place-kick (i.e. a kick at the ball while it is stationary on the ground in the center of the field of play) into his opponents’ half of the field of play. Every player shall be in his own half of the field and every player of the team opposing that of the kicker shall remain not less than 10 yards from the ball until it is kicked off. It is not in play until it has traveled the distance of its own circumference. The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched or played by another.

AFTER A GOAL HAS BEEN SCORED, the game shall be restarted in the same manner by a player of the team losing the goal

AFTER HALF-TIME; when restarting a game, ends shall be changed and the kick-off taken by a player of the opposite team to that of the player who started the game.

METHOD OF SCORING

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball has passed over the goal-line, between the goal-posts and under the cross-bar. The team scoring the greater number of goals during a game shall be the winner. If no goals or an equal number of goals are scored, the game shall be termed a “draw”.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

1. Any player may be substituted before a quarter is started, except in the event of an injury. (Substitution policies vary per division)

2. A player may not be substituted for an ejected player.

OFFSIDE:

This is the most complicated rule to explain, understand and call. Basically, when an offensive player is on the opposing team’s half of the field and there is no defender between him and the goalie, and the ball is not in front of him, he is offside if he becomes involved in the play, or if he is interfering with either the goalie and/or an opposing players, he is offside.

If a player is declared offside, the referee shall award an indirect-kick, which shall be taken by a player of the opposing team from where the infringement occurred, unless the offense is committed by a player in his opponents’ goal area, in which case the indirect-kick shall be taken from any point within the goal area.

For the Bantam, Midget and Girls Division I offsides are not usually called unless a player is ”hanging” in front of the goal, or is clearly interfering with the goalie. (See Below)

GOAL HANGING:

When a player(s) is “hanging” between the center of the field and his/her attacking goal area. Practically all of her teammates are on the opposite end of the field playing in a defensive posture. In essence, the ‘hanging” player tries to create a fast break or an unfair offensive position. “Hanging” around with no other field activity is unfair to all players. The “goal hanging” team shall lose the ball if sighted by a referee. the opposing team shall get a free kick (indirect) from the location of the “goal hanging” player.

GOAL KEEPERS:  Midgets and Girls Division 1 should have a minimum of 2 goalies per game.

THROW INS:

When the whole ball passes over a touch-line, either on the ground or in the air, it shall be thrown in from the point where it crossed the line in any direction, by a player of the opposite team. The thrower shall use both hands and shall deliver the ball from behind and over his head. Part of each foot shall be either on the touch-line or on the ground outside the touch-line. The ball is immediately in play, but the thrower cannot play the ball again until it has been touched or played by another player. A goal shall not be scored direct from a throw in.

For Bantams, if an illegal throw is made the referee will show the player how to throw correctly and they get another chance regardless of whether the second throw in is correct, play will continue.

HANDBALLS: Intentional, shoulder-to-hand contact with the ball. This call is at the referee’s discretion. All handballs are direct free kicks.

Any free kick awarded the penalty area to the attacking team will be a penalty kick.

Penalty kicks must be taken at the following distances:

Bantam: 8 yds.  All other divisions: 10 yds.

On any kick in the penalty area (direct or indirect) taken by the defending team, the ball must leave the penalty area. Failure to do so will result in a re-kick.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT KICKS:

A direct kick is a free kick on which a team may score.

All hand balls, tripping, pushing, and all fouls that involve physical contact are direct kicks.

An indirect kick must touch a second player on the field before going into the goal.

KICK-OFFS:

On a kick-off, the ball must be touched forward at least 1 revolution to be in play. It may be played by anybody except the player of the kick-off.  It is similar to an indirect kick - it must touch someone before going into the goal to be scored.

BALL IN and OUT of PLAY:

Play stops only when the ball is entirely out of play.  The ball is out of play: when it has wholly crossed the goal-line or the touch-line, whether on the ground or in the air; or when the game has been stopped by the referee. A ball can be on the line and the player out of bounds and still be a good play.

The ball is in play at all other times even if it: rebounds from a goal-post, cross-bar or corner-flag post into the field of play; or if it rebounds off the referee when he is in the line of play.

A SITUATION:

YELLOW AND RED CARDS:

A player will receive a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct and/or dangerous play and will sit out the game until the next whistle. If the same player is again involved in a dangerous play and/or unsportsmanlike conduct in the same game, he will be given a red card, thrown out of the game, and his team will be required to play the rest of the game one player short.

A  REFEREES CALL IS ALWAYS FINAL!

Any player or parent who protests at a referee’s decision shall be cautioned. Any player or parent who assaults or insults a referee shall be sent off the field.

POLICIES

THE SIDELINES

Recreational sports are exciting. Those spectators on the sidelines can’t help but get caught up in the moment of the game. Spectator enthusiasm, involvement and encouragement creates an atmosphere that can add to the enjoyment of a game. It may also add an element that just as quickly diminishes the pleasure of playing. The “line” between encouraging spectator and annoying heckler must be maintained. In addition, the responsibility of coaching must be left to those individuals who have generously agreed to take on this responsibility. Remember, others have been asked, but declined the opportunity. Now that you are on the sidelines, take note of the Code of Conduct for Sideline Spectators:

1. Spectators should SIT when watching a game.

2. If a spectator must stand, stand 2 FEET BEHIND the white lines.

3. Spectators should NOT COACH from the sidelines, but ENCOURAGE players and let coaches’ coach.

4. Spectators should NOT ADDRESS the REFEREES while they are calling games.

5. Spectator should be POSITIVE in their verbal encouragement.

6. Spectators should MODEL those behaviors they expect of their children.

7. Spectators should CHEER loudly!

Without SPECTATORS, a game wouldn’t be a game! Be a sideline spectator that is an asset to team sports.

MANHATTAN KICKERS DIVISION INFORMATION

1. The number of players on the field (including the goalie) and the total number on the team in each division: 

U8 - 5/10 team (NO GOALIE)

U10 - 8/12 team (7 Field/1 Goalie)

U12 - 10/12 team

U14 -10/12 team

U19 - 11/14 team.

2. BALL SIZE and QUARTER TIME:

            U8 (3, 10:00)
            U10 (4, 10:00) 
            U12 (4, 11:00) 
            U14 (5, 12:00) 
            U19 (5, 1/2)

3. Standings are posted and playoffs played for all Divisions except U8

4. Referees are responsible for reporting the score of each game and player ejections (if any)

5. POINTS: 3 pts. for a win; 1 pt. for a tie; 0 pts. for a loss.

6. Tie breaking formula for determining final standings for playoffs:

            B. Most wins.

            C. Flip a coin or blind draw for more than 3 teams.