Technical Guidelines Elementary Indoor Soccer

Revised September 10/14

 

General Rules

 

• These rules apply to both the boys’ and the girls’ tournaments.

 

• Each game will consist of 2 x 20 minute halves, running time with a 2-minute half time, and a 3-5 minute warm-up prior to the game. There will be NO timeouts. This applies to both round robin play and playoff rounds.

 

• All teams will be allowed a maximum of 5 players and 1 goalie on the field at one time. Substitutions are made on the fly. A team may bring up to 15 participants.

 

• The tournament will be played on an artificial turf surface, therefore running shoes OR indoor soccer shoes are permitted. A size 5-regulation outdoor soccer ball will be used.

 

• Shin pads are mandatory for all players.

 

• The HOME TEAM (designated on the schedule by the first team listed) will begin play with a kickoff at center. The ball must be passed forward and cross the centerline before play can commence.

 

• Indirect free kicks will be awarded for any fouls. If the ball is kicked out of play over the boards or into the mesh, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the infraction.

 

• When the ball goes out of bounds it is a ‘kick-in’.

 

• 2-minute penalties will be assessed for any purposeful body contact or major rule infractions. The team assessed the penalty will play 1 man short for 2 minutes. The player may return to play when the penalty has expired. Penalties will expire if the opposing team scores a goal.

 

• Handballs will result in a free kick for the opposing team. A handball is considered any contact from the shoulder down to the fingertips.

 

• The goalkeeper may not use his/her hands outside of the crease (large box). To clear the ball after a save, the goalkeeper may either throw the ball or kick it out of his/her hands.

 

• The ball may not be passed in the air across 3 lines (blue line, center, blue line), otherwise a free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the infraction.

 

• After a goal is scored, the ball will be placed at center for a kick off by the team that was scored on.

 

• There will be no overtime in round robin play.

 

 

Playoff Rounds

 

• 5 penalty shooters will be chosen by each coach and submitted to the referee before commencing a playoff round game (in case of OT and a shootout). A coin toss will take place at this time to determine which team will shoot first if needed. The winner of the coin toss may choose if he/she wants their team to shoot first or second.

 

• Overtime in semi-finals and finals will consist of a coin toss for possession or choice of side. The team that wins the flip will choose to have 1^st possession or choose which side they would like to start on. Overtime will be a 5-minute sudden victory period. If both teams fail to score in the first 5 minute sudden victory, a 2^nd 5 minute sudden victory period will be played. If both teams fail to score after the 2^nd sudden victory, a penalty shootout will occur.

 

• Penalty shootouts will take place as follows – All kickers and the 2 goalkeepers will follow the referee’s instructions as to where they should be on the field. All kicks will take place in the same net. Both teams will alternate their 5-penalty kick shooters in the order listed on their sheet. If the game is still tied after all 5 shooters have gone, then one by one the coaches may select their sudden victory kickers. No player may kick twice until everyone has kicked. The referee and the timekeeper will track this.

 

• Referees decisions are FINAL. Zero tolerance for verbal abuse towards officials is in effect. Any violations will result in immediate action, up to and including removal of the offender from the tournament or forfeiture of games. Zero tolerance for trash talking. Violations will result in a 2-minute penalty and removal of offenders from the tournament or forfeiture of games.

 

• Referees are qualified O.S.A referees and the timekeepers will be high school students.