FSSG Indoor Soccer League Rules

 

 

1)         Gender rule:  Each team must have at least two (2) women in the game at all times. Teams must have a minimum of five players ( one Must Be Female) to start a game. Any team failing to field at least five players within ten minutes of start time will be forced to forfeit and will be credited with a loss. If you only have one woman, you must play down a man, with one woman and four men on the floor. If you have no women available for a game, you forfeit. At the other extreme, a team must have at least one man on the field for each game. This is a coed league!

1a)            Since this is a fun league, if you're missing a few players for a game, you may borrow people from the other teams. Everyone should bring a dark and a white shirt to all games, so you have the opportunity to jump into another game if they need an extra body. We want everyone to have a good soccer experience and meet the people on the other teams as well. Only players on the original team roster will be allowed to play for a team in the playoffs. If you want to add a player to your roster, you can do that until the third game by contacting Kathy Mahoney.

 

2)                 NO SLIDE TACKLING: No player, including the goalie, is allowed to slide tackle at any time, anywhere on the floor. Any action where a player slides on the floor feet first while in pursuit of the ball is considered a slide tackle. You may not slide to save a ball going into your net or slide tackle a player for the ball. The goalies may not slide tackle in their box, even to get the ball. They may dive, but not feet first. Diving headfirst or arms first is fine, just not feet first. We want to avoid unneccessary injuries. And play nice.

 

3)            Respect the Referee At All Times:  The ref is in charge on the floor. Refs are human, they make mistakes, remember that, nobody is perfect, but these refs are FIFA certified, so they know what they are doing. If he/she makes a call you disagree with, do not get in his face, scream at him, swear at him, or attempt to physically push him or touch him at all. Any of these actions will result in a penalty against your team.  Assaulting the ref gets you ejected from the game and thrown out of the league permanently. Don’t do it, take the call, suck it up and play on. We’re all adults here, act like it!

 

4)         3-line rule: You cannot kick or throw the ball in the air over 3 lines on the field. It must hit the floor, side wall or player before crossing the third line or an Indirect Free Kick will be awarded to the opposite team at the first of the 3 lines where it crossed. For instance, the goalie can't throw the ball the length of the court.

5)         No pushing off the boards (2-hand rule): When defending or attacking a player against the boards, neither player can brace themselves with both hands to push off against the boards. You can't push off the boards to push another player or bump them off of you or the ball. Putting one hand on the boards to keep your balance is OK. The point is to play the ball against the boards, not each other. There is NO CHECKING in this league. Save that for hockey. Play nice, we all have to go to work the next day.

 

6)         Shin guards are mandatory. The ref will not let you play without shin guards. This is for your safety, as well as the other players. And please wear long socks to cover up the shin guards, so nobody gets hurt by them.

 

7)            Subbing: You can sub on the fly like in hockey. You may not enter the game until the person you are replacing has come off the floor. Remember, you have to keep two women in the game at all times.

 

8)            Forfeits:  It is the captain's duty to know if their team will have enough male/female players to field a team. If you know in advance that you have to forfeit, alert Kathy Mahoney at hones@aol.com by 2:00 that Tuesday (day before the game) so she can alert the other team of the forfeit.  

 

9)            Headgear/glasses/jewelry:  We strongly caution you against wearing eyeglasses on the field. We understand that you need to see, but recommend that you wear sports goggles or contacts if at all possible. Glasses can shatter and cause injury to the player as well as their opponent, especially in a head-ball collision.  If you must wear glasses, you must have them secured to your head with a sport band of some sort so they are not loose and cannot fly off your head during a collision. No watches, hanging earrings, necklaces or hanging jewelry may be worn during a game. No hats allowed.

 

10)            Duration of Games: Two 25 minute halves, running clock. If a game ends in a tie, it will remain that way with the exception of the play-offs. Half-time will not be more than three minutes.

11)      Ball in and Out of Play:  The ball is out of play and restarted with an Indirect Free Kick (from that spot) when the ball has traveled into an unplayable area, or hits the ceiling or the nets. The ball is in play at all other times from the start of the game to the finish, including if it rebounds off the referee when he/she is on the field of play or in the event of a supposed infringement of the rules. Play the whistle!

12)      Fouls and Misconduct: A player who intentionally kicks or attempts to kick, trips, charges, strikes or attempts to strike, holds or pushes an opponent or handles the ball with his hands or arms has committed a foul. All fouls shall be penalized by awarding a Direct Free Kick.

12a)            If a defender intentionally commits one of the listed offenses within his/her own penalty area, it will result in a penalty kick.

            12b)            The following offenses are penalized with a penalty:

Playing in a manner considered dangerous (e.g. attempting to kick the ball while held by goalkeeper): slamming into an opponent, slide tackling, sliding to play the ball, intentional hand balls, kicking a ball wildly out of play, bad language, or intentionally standing closer than three yards from all free kicks.

12c)            Break-away fouls will result in a penalty kick and a five minute hard penalty for the offender.

13)            Serving Penalties:

13a)            A player who commits an offense and is penalized for two minutes shall serve the penalty in full, or until the opponent is awarded a goal. The referee will notify the opponent when it has been served.

            13b)            A five minute "hard penalty" must be served in full.

            13c)            Flagrant or intentional offenses which occur during the final two minutes of regulation or overtime, will result in automatic ejection from the game, and an additional one-game suspension.

13d)            Any ejection will result in a one-game suspension. Second ejection results in league suspension.

14)      What the Penalty Cards Mean:

Blue: 2 minute penalty; player serves the full two minutes, unless opposing team scores during the penalty. At that point, he/she may return to the field. In a case of matching penalties, both payers serve the full two minutes.

Yellow: 5 minute penalty; player serves the full five minutes. In the event a ref does not have a blue card, he can use a yellow for the 2 minute penalty and announce it to everyone.

Red: Player is sent off from the rest of the game. In addition, he/she cannot play in the next game. Team will play short-handed for the rest of the game.

NOTE: Once you've served the first blue card penalty, the next card situation for the same player is automatically a yellow, and then a red.

15)            Goalkeeper Restrictions:

15a)            Goalkeeper throws must hit the floor, side wall or player before crossing half court or an Indirect Free Kick will be awarded to the opposite team.

15b)            Goalkeepers have five seconds to distribute the ball after gaining control. Indirect Free Kick awarded.

15c)            A goalkeeper may not touch or pick up any ball which he/she dribbles into the penalty area.

            15d)            The goalkeeper is not allowed to drop kick or punt the ball.

            15e)            Goalkeeper may not take more than 4 steps while holding, bouncing or throwing the ball.

15f)            Goalkeeper may not pick up a ball that has been kicked by a teammate.

 

 

Any questions, email Kathy Mahoney at hones@aol.com or call

Kathy at 617-794-6482.

 

Let’s have fun out there!

 

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