RULESOFPLAY
1. INGENERAL
LeaguegamesshallbeplayedinaccordancewiththemostcurrentFIFAlawsoftheGameand
themodificationsnotedwithintheserules.Itistheresponsibilityofallcoachesandreferees
tobethoroughlyfamiliarwithandabidebytheFIFAlawsandthesemodifications.
Modifiedrulesfor7v7play;
a) Whenthegoalkeeperhastheball,eitherduringplay(fromtheopponent)orfroma
goalkick,theopposingteammustmovebehindthebuildoutlineuntiltheballisput
intoplay
b) Oncetheopposingteamisbehindthebuildoutline,thegoalkeepercanpass,throw
orrolltheballintoplay(puntingand/ordropkicksfromthehandsarenotallowed)
c) Aftertheballisputintoplaybythegoalkeeper,theopposingteamcancrossthe
buildoutlineandplayresumesasnormal.Theballisconsideredinplaywhenit
breakstheplaneofthepenaltyareaforagoalkickorwhenthegoalkeeperputsthe
ballonthegroundfromhis/herhands.
d) IfagoalkeeperpuntsORdropkickstheball,anindirectfreekickwillbeawardedto
theopposingteamtobetakenonthegoalarealineparalleltothegoallineatthe
nearestpointtowheretheinfringementoccurred
e) Thebuildoutlinewillalsobeusedtodenotewhereoffsideoffensescanbecalled
f) Playerscannotbepenalizedforanoffsideoffensebetweenthehalfwaylineandthe
buildoutline
g) Playerscanbepenalizedforanoffsideoffensebetweenthebuildoutlineandgoal
line
h) Ifthebuildoutlineisnotevidentthenitisrecommendedthattherefereeretreattoapoint
onthefieldequidistantbetweenthepenaltyareaandthehalfwaylineandinstructthe
oppositionteamtobelevelwiththemwhenthegoalkeeperhastheball.Furthermore,for
offsidesthehalfwaylineshouldbeusedandifbothteamofficialsconsentthenthehalfway
linecouldbeusedasthe‘buildout’line.
DeliberateHeadingoftheBall a) Deliberateheadingisnotallowedin9-Uthrough11-Ugames
b) Ifaplayerdeliberatelyheadstheballinagame,anindirectfreekickshouldbe
awardedtotheopposingteamfromthespotoftheoffense
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c) Ifthedeliberateheaderoccurswithinthegoalarea,theindirectfreekickshouldbe
takenonthegoalarealineparalleltothegoallineatthenearestpointtowherethe
infringementoccurred
d) Headingisallowedingamesfor12-Uandabovewithoutlimitationshoweveritis
expectedthatcoachesandparentswillstresstotheir11Uandyoungerplayersthat
theyarenotallowedtodeliberatelyheadtheballregardlessoftheagegroupin
whichtheyplaye.g.ab11yearoldplayingwitha12Uteam.Thisrequireseducation
andsupportfromthecoachandparenttoinstructtheplayeraccordingly.
e) Refereesshouldenforcetheserestrictionsbyagegroupaccordingtothespecified
rules.Refereeswillnotbeassessingtheageofindividualplayersonthefield;they
willenforcetherulesfortheagegroup.
AdditionalModifiedRulesfor9-UGames
a) Refereesareinstructedtoallowonere-takeofathrow-inwithplayersinformed
whathe/shedidincorrectly
b) Thereshouldbenomorethan3teamofficialsonplayer’ssideline
c) Bothcoachesandrefereemustmeetbeforegametoreviewallmodifiedrules
Field&EquipmentDimensions
9-Uand10-U Fields Goals Length:55-65yards
Height:6.5ft Width:35-45yards
Width:12ft
Note:9-Uand10-Ufieldsarerequiredtohavea‘buildoutline’whichshouldbeequidistantbetween
thepenaltyarealineandhalfwayline.This‘buildoutline’shouldbemarkedonthefieldwithalineor
canbemarkedoneachtouchlinebyusinganidentifiablemarkersuchasaconeorflag.Forthose
fieldsthataretheminimumwidthandlengthwerecommendusingasmallerpenaltyareabyusing
rangeof20to24yardswideand10to12yardsfromthegoallineintothefieldofplay.Ifasmaller
penaltyareaisusedthenthepenaltymarkshouldbe8to10yardsfromgoalwiththepenaltyarcstill8
yardsfromthepenaltymark.
11-Uand12-U Fields Lengths:70-80yards
Width:45-55yards
Goals Height:6.5ft
Width:18.5ft
13-Uandolder Fields Lengths:100-120yards Width:50-75yards
Goals Height:8ft
Width:24ft
2. TEAMSIZESANDMINIMUMREQUIREMENTSTOSTARTAGAME
9-Uand10-U (7v7Play)
5rosteredplayers 1teamofficial
11-Uand12-U(9v9Play)
6rosteredplayers 1teamofficial
13-Uandolder(11v11Play) 7rosteredplayers 1teamofficial
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3. GAMELENGTH
AllLeaguegamesshallbeofregulationlengthasfollows:
9-U&10-U two25-minutehalves
11-U&12-U two30-minutehalves
13-U&14-U two35-minutehalves
15-U&16-U two40-minutehalves
17-U&18-U two45-minutehalves
4. SUBSTITUTION
Playersubstitutionispermittedatanystoppageofplay.Substitutionprotocolshouldfollow
FIFAguidelineswiththeexceptionthattherewillnotbealimitonplayersubstitution.
5. UNIFORMS&EQUIPMENT
a. Numbers
Alluniformsmustbenumbered.Duplicatenumbersonanyteamarenotpermitted.Itis
thehometeam’s(theteamlistedfirstontheschedule)responsibilitytochange
uniformsifacolorconflictarises.Pinnieswhichpermittheunderlyingnumbertobe
discernedareacceptableforthispurpose.
b. Deportment
Shirtsmustbetuckedinandsocksmustcovershinguards.Boxershorts,bikeshorts,
jamsandthelike,unlessofthesamecolorastheshortsoverthem,mustnothang
belowtheuniformshorts
c. ShinGuards
Theuseofshinguardsismandatory.Agameofficialwillexcludefromplayanyplayers
notsoequipped.
d. GameBall
Asuitablegameballwillbeprovidedbythehometeamforeachgame.Agegroups9-U
–12-Uwilluseasize4ball;allotheragegroupswillusesize5.Suitabilityoftheballisat
thesoledeterminationofagameofficial.
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225CedarHillStreet,Suite200
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6. NSLConcussionGuidelines
NSLwillfollowtheConcussionGuidelinesasBestPracticesintroducedbytheUSSFthoughthe
comprehensiveplayerhealthandsafetyprogramknownas‘RecognizetoRecover’(R2R).NSLaccepts
thattheR2Rprogramwillcontinuetoexpandandevolveandwillcarefullyreviewandconsiderthe
R2Rinformation,presentedto-date,andinthefuture.NSLwillapplythefollowingconcussion
guidelinesrecommendedbyUSSF;
a) NSLrequiresthatanyplayerwho(1)sustainsasignificantblowtotheheadorbody,
(2)complainsaboutorisexhibitingsymptomsconsistentwithhavingsuffereda
concussionor(3)isotherwisesuspectedofhavingsustainedaconcussion,mustbe
evaluatedandclearedbyaHealthCareProfessional(HCP)orCertifiedAthleticTrainer
(ATC)beforetheplayerwillbeallowedtoreturntopracticeorplay(RTP).
I.
Noteamofficialorparentshallpermitaplayerwhohasbeenremovedfromagame
foraconcussionassessmenttoRTPuntilclearedtodosobyanHCPorATC.
II.
IfthereisanonsiteHCPorATCtheywillberequiredtoperformaSCAT3orChild
SCAT3,asapplicableandmodifiedBESStoevaluateplayersonthefield/sideline.
III.
Unlesstheon-siteHCPdeterminesthattheplayerhasnotsufferedaconcussion,the
playerwillnotbepermittedtoreturntoplayuntiltheplayerhassuccessfully
completedthegraduatedReturnToPlay(“RTP)protocol
IV.
Ifateamofficialseekstoallowaplayerwhobeenremovedfromagamefora
concussionassessmenttoRTP,therefereeshallallowtheplayertoreturntothe
fieldbutshall:
a. Immediatelystopplay,
b. Directtheplayertoleavethefieldofplayand
c. Directtheteamofficialtoremovetheplayerandselectasubstitute.
V.
IfateamofficialseekstoallowaplayertoRTPwhohasbeenremovedfromagame
foraconcussionassessment,therefereeshallissueawarningtotheteamofficial.If
ateamofficialpersistsinseekingtoallowsuchplayertore-enterthegameafter
havingbeenissuedawarning,therefereeshallbeentitledtotakesuchother
disciplinarymeasuresasarepermitted.
b) UnlessanHCPorATCdeterminesthattheplayerhasnotsufferedaconcussionand
clearstheplayertoRTP,theplayerwillnotbepermittedtoRTPuntiltheplayerhas
successfullycompletedthegraduatedRTPprotocolandhasbeenclearedtoRTPbya
physician.
7. TEAMOFFICIALS
a. TeamOfficialsincludecoaches,assistantcoaches,managers,technicaldirectorsor
similarlydesignatedindividualsappointedbyaclubtorepresentateam.ALLteam
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officialsarerequiredtocompleteanyandallstatelawsthatapplytotheirpositionand
standing;forexampleappropriateandrequiredbackgroundcheckssuchastheCORI
certificationprocessinMA.
b. CoachingLicenseRequirements
AllNSLHeadandAssistantCoachesmusthaveaminimumofaUSSF“E”license,NSCAA
RegionalDiploma,orequivalent.InadditiontotheseminimumlicenserequirementsTeam
OfficialsandNSLHeadandAssistantCoachesmustcompletetheCDConlineconcussion
trainingathttps://www.cdc.gov/headsup/index.html
c. DirectorsofCoaching
EachclubmustidentifyaDirectorofCoachingasapointofcontactfortheNSL
TechnicalDirectorandresponsibleforthetechnicaloversightofallteamsandcoaches
withintheclub.TheDOCmusthaveaminimumofaUSSF“D”license,NSCAADiploma,
NSCAADOCdiplomaorequivalent.AcopymustbeprovidedtotheNSLofficewiththeir
clubapplication
SANCTIONSFORNON-COMPLIANCE:Sanctionsmayinclude,butnotbelimitedto,
warning,probation,suspension,fine,expulsion.ItistheindividualClub’sresponsibility
toensurecompliance.Informationwillberequiredduringtheregistrationprocess
providingtheproofoflicensure.
d. Presence&Qualification
Teamsmusthavearesponsibleteamofficialpresentateachgame,whose
responsibilitiesshallincludemaintainingcontrolanddisciplineovertheteam.Ateam
whichappearswithoutacoachmayusearesponsibleadultsubstitutewithpositive
identification,includingadriver’slicenseifsuchapersoniswithoutapasscard.Inno
caseshalltheteamofficialorotherresponsiblesubstitutebeeligiblebyagetoplayin
theagegroupwhichheorsheiscoachingormanaging.Ifthegameisconductedwith
anadultsubstitutenothavingapasscard,therefereeshallnotetheperson’sname,
addressandcontactinformationandreportthisinformationtotheLeagueoffice.An
adultsubstitutemusthavecompletedtheadultregistrationprocess(CORI)ofthe
governingbodyfortheirhomestate.
Inaddition,itistheresponsibilityofallcoaches&managerstocheckthewebsite
concerninganygamechangeswhichmightaffecttheirteam.
e. Conduct&Responsibility
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Teamofficialsareresponsiblefortheirownconduct,andfortheconductoftheir
playersandfansatallgames.Abusiveorobscenelanguage,violentplay,violentconduct
orotherbehaviordetrimentaltothegamewillnotbetolerated.Failureofateam
officialtocontrolhisorherplayersandfansmayresultinactionagainsthimorherby
therefereeand/ortheLeague.
Teamofficialsmustremainwithintheirteam’stechnicalareaduringthecourseofplay.
Thisareastarts10yardsfromthehalf-waylineandis25yardsinlength.Theymust
refrainfromloud,persistentorintrusivecoachingoffieldplayers.Exceptasnoted
aboveforaresponsiblesubstitute,onlycredentialedteamofficials(i.e.,individualswith
validcurrentLeaguepasscards)maybeonthesidelinewiththeteamsduringthegame.
Itisleaguepolicythatamaximumoffour(4)teamsofficials,allwithcurrentpasscards
(orwithvalididentificationforaresponsiblesubstitute),maybepresentwitheach
team.Parentsandotherspectatorsmustremainontheoppositesideline.Failureto
observetheseruleswillbeconsideredbehaviordetrimentaltothegameandmaybe
punishedaccordingly.
Before,duringandaftergame,teamofficialswillsupportthegameofficialsandassistin
maintainorder.Inanycaseofnon-compliance,thesituationwillbereportedbythe
refereetotheEthics/DisciplinaryOfficer.
NortheastSoccerLeague
225CedarHillStreet,Suite200
Marlborough,MA01752