Rules
1) The game
To begin the game, the visiting team takes the centre kick-off. At the
centre kick-off, all players must be on their own half of the field, and
the home team must be outside the centre circle.
At the centre kick-off, the ball must be kicked in a forward direction.
The player who took the kick may not touch the ball a second time until
another player has touched it.
After the kick-off, any team member may advance the ball by propelling it with any part of the body except for the hands or arms.
To score, the ball must enter the net, between the goalposts and under
the crossbar, and completely cross the goal line of an opponent.
The team scored against puts the ball back into play by taking the centre kick-off.
A ball that has gone out of bounds must be put back into play with a
throw in by the opposing team.
A ball that crosses the goal line, outside of the goal, will be put back in
play through: 1- a goalkeeper’s kick if the attacking team was the last
to touch the ball or 2- a corner kick if the defending team was the last
to touch the ball.
No off-side rule applies, except Peewee, Bantam, Juvenile and Junior
levels.
Referees shall explain infractions to the offending players.
Penalty shots must be taken from the centre spot 5.5 meters in front of
the goal crease area in Petites, Novice Blue, Novice Gold, Tweens,
Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Juvenile and Junior. The player who takes
the penalty shot must kick towards the net, and may only touch the
ball a second time if another player has touched it.
A goal can be scored from a goal-kick, from a corner-kick or from a centre
kick-off kick. A goal cannot be scored on an indirect free kick unless the
ball touches another player from either team before going in the net.
The ball is considered in play after a goalkeeper’s kick once the ball is
completely outside the penalty area.
After each stoppage of play, the coach or referee (depending on the level)
will insist on the regulation distance of three metres (Squirts, Termites,
Peanuts, Benjamine) or six metres (Novice Blue, Novice Gold, Atom, Pee
Wee, Bantam, Petites, Tweens, Juvenile, Junior) before beginning play.
The ball can be played only once the coach or referee has signaled.
2) Goalkeeper rights
The goalkeeper is the only player permitted to handle the ball inside the
penalty area.
If the goalkeeper handles the ball outside the goal area a direct free kick
shall be awarded to the other team, and be taken from the spot where the
ball was handled.
The goalkeeper may play the ball outside and inside the penalty area the
same as any other player.
The ball shall be considered out of play when it lands on the outside or on
top of the netting. Play is re-started with:
- a goalkeeper’s kick if the attacking team was the last to touch the ball;
- a corner kick if the defending team was the last to touch the ball.
On a penalty kick, the goalkeeper must stand along the goal line and stay
on the line until the ball has been touched by the player taking the penalty
kick. The kicker must wait for the referee’s whistle before kicking, and all
the other players must be outside the penalty area and behind the ball.
A goalkeeper may only hold the ball in his hands for a maximum of six seconds.
3) Throw-ins
A throw-in is used to re-start play when the whole ball has crossed the
touch line. The throw is awarded to the opponents of the team that last
touched the ball.
The player taking the throw-in must face the field of play with some part of
body, have a part of each foot on the ground, either on or behind the touch
line, use both hands and deliver the ball from behind and over the head.
4) Goal kick
A goal kick is awarded when the whole ball has crossed the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last been touched by an attacker,
and a goal was not scored.
Goal kicks may be taken from any point inside the goal area.
5) Corner kick
A corner kick is awarded when the whole ball has crossed the goal
line, either on the ground or in the air, having last been touched by a
defender, and a goal was not scored.
6) Direct free kick
The referee signals a direct free kick by pointing the arm in the direction of the team at fault. This is a kick by which a goal may be scored
directly. Faults that will result in a direct free kick:
- Kicking, or attempting to kick, an opponent;
- Tripping, or attempting to trip, an opponent;
- Jumping, charging, holding, spitting or pushing an opponent;
- Striking, or attempting to strike, an opponent;
- Tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact
with the opponent before touching the ball;
- Handling the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his
own penalty area).
7) Penalty kicks
If any of the faults mentioned above happen in the penalty area, the
non-offending team will be awarded a penalty kick.
8) Indirect free kick
The referee signals an indirect free kick by pointing an arm in the direction of the team at fault and then raising the arm skyward. This is a kick
from which a goal may not be scored unless the ball touches another
player before going in the net. Faults indicating an indirect kick:
- The goalkeeper taking more than six seconds while controlling the
ball with his/her hands before releasing it from his/her possession;
- Preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his/her hands;
- The goalkeeper touching the ball again with his/her hands after it has
been released from his/her possession and has not touched any other
player;
- The goalkeeper touching the ball with his/her hands after it has been
deliberately kicked to him/her by a teammate;
- The goalkeeper touching the ball with his/her hands after he/she has
received it directly from a throw-in by a teammate;
- Playing in a dangerous manner;
- Impeding the progress of an opponent;
- Committing any other offence for which the play is stopped to caution
or dismiss a player.
- Offside (for 11-a-side): A player is in an offside position when he/she
is nearer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the secondto-last opponent unless he/she is in own half of the field (normally the
first defender is the goalkeeper). Offside is called when the player in an
offside position plays or attempts to play the ball (or engages in the
play in any other way).
9) The referee
The game is under the control of the referee. The referee’s decisions
cannot be contested. The referee can call back a decision, if he/she
knows that he/she has made a mistake, unless the play has subsequently re-started.
The referee will be the final authority on the degree of the fault committed, as well as on the resulting penalty.
Any player and/or coach may be expelled from a game at the discretion of the referee, if the referee deems that the individual continually
and needlessly infringes upon the rules of the game.
10) Terminology
Dribbling: A succession of forward kicks in which the player keeps the
ball under control.
Holding: Impeding the progress of a player by placing the hand or extended arm in contact with an opponent, grabbing the shirt, etc.
Free kick: A kick made when the ball is stationary on the ground.
Punt: A ball dropped by the goalkeeper and kicked before it strikes the
ground.
Drop ball: A ball which is put back in play by dropping the ball between
two players. The ball must touch the ground before the players can
play it. A drop ball is called when there is an injury.
Trapping: Stopping the progress of the ball by securing it underfoot,
between the feet or the leg, and the ground.
Roughness: An act which could potentially cause injury to an opponent. It includes dangerous kicking in an attempt to gain possession of
the ball, or to take the ball from a player standing at close range, without concern for the player’s safety.
Volley: Intercepting the ball while it is still travelling in the air and hitting
it with a part of the body other than the hands or the arms towards a
teammate.