COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
INTRAMURAL SPORTS
INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE RULES
ALL CSU IM SPORTS PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS ARE EXPECTED
TO ADHERE TO THE IM SPORTS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
I.
ELIGIBILITY – WHO CAN PLAY?
a. FULL-TIME CSU STUDENTS (6 or more credits and have paid the Rec Activity Fee as part of their
semester tuition)
b. PART-TIME CSU STUDENTS who have a current Rec Membership – one that is valid during the
dates they play
c. FACULTY/STAFF who have a current Rec Membership – one that is valid during the dates they
play
d. SPOUSES who have a current Rec Membership – one that is valid during the dates they play
e. FORMER VARSITY team members whose names do not appear on the current academic year’s
NCAA/NAIA varsity team roster in the same/like sport can participate in the same/like sport in
either the Recreational or Competitive division. A maximum of one former collegiate varsity
player can appear on a Recreational team’s roster in the same/like sport.
f. CURRENT VARSITY, semi-professional (receiving monetary pay for playing), professional, and
Olympic athletes: Any participant whose name currently appears on a team roster in the
current academic year for any of these types of teams or organizations is ineligible to
participate in this event. This includes “red” and “grey” shirts.
II.
TOURNAMENT RULES:
a. Teams will play a weekend tournament.
b. ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST SHOW THEIR CSU PHOTO ID IN ORDER TO PLAY EVERY GAME. NO
CSU PHOTO ID = NO PLAY. NO EXCEPTIONS.
c. FORFEITS: Game time listed on the schedule is forfeit time, and teams must be checked in and
ready to play at their scheduled game time. If, at game time, one team doesn’t have the
minimum number of players needed to start the game checked in and ready to play, the
captain of the team that is ready to play has the following options.
i. Take the win by forfeit, OR
ii. Allow 5 extra minutes for the opposing team to field a minimum required line-up and
then start the game. NOTE: If this option is chosen, the result of the contest will stand.
IF A TEAM FORFEITS ANY GAME, THEY ARE REMOVED FROM THE TOURNAMENT.
III.
GAME RULES:
Games will be governed by USISA and NFHS rules, with exceptions/modifications/highlights listed
below.
Although this is a NON-CONTACT sport, incidental contact may occur. All excessive or illegal contact
will result in penalties and/or ejection.
a. LINEUP:
i. Maximum of 12 players on team roster.
ii. Maximum of 6 players on field, one of which is the goalkeeper.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
iii. Minimum of 4 players is required to start or play a game.
iv. Coed: Teams may not have a difference greater than 1 between genders in the field
during all matches.
GAME TIME
i. Game will consist of two 20-minute, running clock halves.
ii. Each team will be allowed 1 timeout per half, no more than 1 minute in length. A
timeout may be called by either team during a dead ball, or by a team whose
goalkeeper is in possession of the ball.
The captain winning the COIN TOSS will choose from the following options:
i. Ball
ii. Side
The referee will whistle the ball ready for play. The kickoff must be taken from center court.
Each team must be on their own half, and all defensive players must be 5 yards off the ball at
the time of the kickoff. To put the ball into play, it must move from its stationary position. The
kicker may not play the ball until it has been touched by another player on either team.
Violation of the kickoff will result in a retake of the kickoff.
Teams will change ends at half time. The team that did not kickoff at the start of the 1 st half
will take the 2nd half kickoff.
The ball is out of play when it completely leaves the MAC court area: either into the bench area
or (contacting anything) over the brick walls (including anything attached to the ceiling). A ball
is put back in play:
i. By the defensive team when an offensive player plays the ball out of play, from a spot
nearest the out of bounds location, with an indirect kick.
1. When the offense deflects the ball out of play anywhere on the end perimeter
wall, the ball will be put into play by a goal kick from within the penalty area.
ii. By the offensive team when a ball deflects off a defensive player out of play, from a
spot nearest the out of bounds location, with an indirect kick.
iii. By a drop ball, when the referee cannot discern which team was responsible for the ball
leaving play.
SCORING – A team is awarded a score when the entire ball crosses the goal line, and may be
scored directly from:
i. A kickoff
ii. A direct free kick
iii. A penalty kick
iv. A corner kick
v. A drop ball
vi. Any goal clearance, including a goalie throw, or any player taking a goal kick
Goal kicks and clearances must first touch the court, a wall, a player, or an official before
crossing the center line.
MERCY RULE – If a team is ahead by 5 goals or more any time at or after 5 minutes left in the
2nd half, the game is over.
SUBSTITUTIONS
i. All players (except the goalkeeper) may leave and enter the field of play freely at any
point (on the fly).
ii. Goal keeper subs can only be made when the ball is dead (timeout or out of play) and
with the referees’ consent.
iii. Players entering the field of play may only do so when the player they are replacing is
within reach (tag). This area will be covered by the referee in the pre-game captains’
meeting.
j. RESTARTING PLAY
i. Indirect kick – taken in place of a throw-in on out of play situations
ii. Goal kick – taken from inside the penalty area by the goalkeeper or any other player
placing it on the ground and kicking it into play.
A goal kick is awarded when the offense deflects the ball out of play anywhere on the
end perimeter wall; the ball will then be put into play by a goal kick from within the
penalty area.
iii. Drop ball – called when play is stopped due to an injured player or an inadvertent
whistle when there is no clear team control. Also, when the ball is caused to go out of
bounds by two opponents simultaneously, or when simultaneous fouls of the same
degree occur. A drop ball is when the referee drops the ball between two opponents;
the ball must touch the ground prior to being played (if one player touches the ball
early, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team).
iv. Any ball that strikes objects above the playing area will be put back into play as an
INDIRECT KICK at a spot nearest to where the ball contacted the out of bounds area.
k. FOULS AND MISCONDUCT
i. CARDS
1. Yellow Card – any player receiving a yellow card is required to leave the floor for
either 2 or 5 minutes (depending on the severity of the foul), and may return to
play either at the end of the penalty time, or after a goal has been scored by the
opposing team. Yellow cards will be issued for (but are not limited to):
a. Consistently infringing upon any rules of the game
b. Dissent by word of mouth or action to decisions by the referee
c. Unsportsmanlike behavior
d. Severe violations (may result in either 2 or 5 minute penalties depending
on severity)
2. Red Card – any player ejected from the game must leave the facility and the
team must play shorthanded for 5 minutes regardless of goals scored. At the
end of the 5 minutes, the team may return to full strength. Red cards will be
issued for (but are not limited to):
a. Fighting
b. Flagrant fouls
c. Excessive verbal abuse of referees
d. Intent to injure
3. If a card is issued to a goal keeper, a player in the field is permitted to serve the
penalty.
4. If a team receives 3 unsporting cards (red card = two unsporting cards), they will
be automatically disqualified, and the game will be lost by forfeit.
ii. Free Kicks – free kicks shall be defined as either DIRECT, from which a goal may be
scored against the defending team, or INDIRECT, from which a goal may not be scored
unless the ball is touched by a player on the field.
iii. Any player from the offended team may take all free kicks in any direction.
iv. Fouls resulting in a DIRECT FREE KICK:
1. Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent
2. Tripping or attempting to trip an opponent
3. Charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner
4. Striking, attempting to strike, or spitting at an opponent
5. Holding an opponent
6. Pushing an opponent
7. Slide tackling (slide tackles are ILLEGAL in Intramural Indoor Soccer)
8. Handling the ball
v. Fouls resulting in an INDIRECT FREE KICK (kick taken from outside the penalty area
when infringement by the defense takes place in penalty area):
1. Dangerous play (attempting to kick the ball held by goalkeeper or non-goalie
playing ball while on the ground)
2. Obstruction/Impeding
3. Goalkeeper clearance or goal kick ball from within the penalty area directly over
the halfway-line (without it first touching the court, in-play wall, any player or an
official on his/her side
4. Goalkeeper picks up or touches with his/her hands a back pass or a corner kick
from a teammate (back pass must be made with feet for this to be a violation)
5. Goalkeeper takes more than 5 seconds to release the ball
6. Rules for an INDIRECT FREE KICK
a. Opposition players must be at least 5 yards form the ball until it is kicked
unless standing on their own goal line between the goal posts.
b. If the kick is by a team in its own penalty area, defenders must also be
out of the penalty area until the ball clears the penalty area.
c. The ball must start stationary and move from that position in any
direction.
d. After the kick, any player other than the original kicker may play the ball.
e. A kick from a team’s penalty area must leave the penalty area before
another player may play the ball.
vi. PENALTY KICK
1. When Taken
a. A penalty kick is awarded for any foul, which ordinarily results in the
awarding of a direct free kick, which occurs within a team’s own penalty
area.
b. A penalty kick may be awarded regardless of the position of the ball, if
the infraction is committed within the offending team’s penalty area.
c. A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick
2. How Taken
a. The penalty kick is taken from the penalty marker.
b. When it is being taken, all players (except the kicker and the opposing
goalkeeper) shall be within the field of play but outside the penalty area
and at least 5 yards from the penalty mark.
c. The opposing goalkeeper should take his/her position on the goal line
between the goal post, and may not mover forward until the ball is
kicked.
d. The player taking the kick must kick the ball forward the length of its
circumference in order for it to be in play. If the ball is not put into play
properly, it must be retaken.
e. If the ball hits the goal post or cross bar and returns to play, the kicker
may not play the ball until another player has played it.
f. The goalkeeper may not be substituted for on a penalty kick unless they
were injured during the foul.
g. The kicker must wait for the official to start the play.
h. The goalkeeper may not come off the goal line prior to the ball being
played by the kicker.
i. The player taking the kick must do so in one fluid motion.
3. For any infringements on a PENALTY KICK:
a. By the defending team, the kick will be repeated, if the kick did not result
in a goal.
b. By the defending team, if the kick resulted in a goal, the goal will stand,
and the infringement will be disregarded.
c. By the attacking team, including the kicker, results in an indirect free kick
to the defense, and if a goal is scored it will be disallowed.
l. RULES CLARIFICATIONS
i. A player shall not charge into the goalkeeper in the penalty area.
1. An official shall disqualify any player who flagrantly fouls the goalkeeper in
possession of the ball.
2. Possession or control of the ball is when the goalkeeper has the ball trapped by
either both hands or when bouncing it to the ground when releasing the ball
into play.
3. Outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper has no more privileges than any other
player.
ii. All high kicks above the waist are prohibited when in close proximity to an opposing
player.
iii. Obstruction/Impeding is the intentional act by a player, not in possession of the ball or
attempting to play the ball, of running between an opponent and the ball or using the
body as an obstacle.
iv. Shoulder charges and slide tackles are not allowed.
v. The ball is dead at the moment the whistle sounds at the end of either half. A goal
cannot be scored if the ball was in the air when the whistle blows. The ball must have
completely crossed the goal line. EXCEPTION: Penalties.
m. OVERTIME
i. In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, overtime will be run:
1. Any eligible player may participate in the shoot-out.
2. A new coin flip will decide which team has the option of shooting first or last.
3. Each team has a total of 5 penalty kicks and will alternate each shot. Rebounds
cannot be played upon.
The captain may designate any 5 shooters for the shootout.
4. The kicker must wait for the official to start the play on each kick.
5. The official chooses the goal in which the shoot-out will occur.
6. If the score is tied at the end of the shoot-out, a sudden death shoot-out will
take place. Any eligible player may participate in the sudden death shoot-out.
7. Coed Shoot-outs: The shooting order in a Coed game does not have to alternate
sexes, and opposing teams’ shoot-out orders are not required to match.
IV.
EQUIPMENT:
a. JEWELRY - NO JEWELRY IS ALLOWED with the exception of medical alert jewelry, which must
be taped down. This includes, but is not limited to earrings, wedding rings or bands, other
rings, mouth, facial, and body piercings, necklaces, bracelets, rubber bands, and rubber/plastic
bracelets. TAPING OF JEWELRY TO THE BODY IS NOT PERMITTED.
b. JERSEYS – Teammates must wear similar-colored jerseys or shirts which differ from the
opposing team. Goalies must wear a color neither team is wearing.
c. All players must wear athletic, closed-toed shoes. No open-heel shoes may be worn. No blacksoled shoes may be worn.
d. Goalies gloves may be worn, but are not required.
e. Hats with bills are not allowed, nor are any head gear with a knot.
f. GAME BALL – A size 5 indoor soccer ball shall be used as the game ball for all divisions. Game
ball shall be selected by Campus Recreation referee.
V.
WEATHER UPDATES:
In cases of inclement weather, intramural staff may have to cancel contests. DO NOT ASSUME GAMES
WILL BE CANCELLED. It is the captain’s responsibility to call the IM office at (970) 491-6671 no more
than one hour prior to the contest in question for up-to-date information regarding whether or not
games have been called off.
NO CSU PHOTO ID = NO PLAY. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Campus Rec website: http://campusrec.colostate.edu  “Programs” 
“Intramural Sports”