Outdoor Soccer Rules

Outdoor Soccer Rules Spring 2008

Registration
Registration dates are March 17^th-19^th from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM in the CUB Lobby.

Registration Fee
Each team is required to pay a one-time $10 registration fee.  This must be paid in cash or dorm/organization check (no personal checks accepted) during the registration period.  The registration fee does not carry over from sport to sport.

Captain's Meeting
The MANDATORY captain's meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday March 19^th 2008 in BHW 100N. If a team manager or representative does not attend this meeting, the team will owe a $15 fee and that must be paid (Payable to the department of campus recreation) before participating in any games.

Divisions of Competition

Men's                                     Women's                                               Co-Rec

Format
This is a nine (9) player (one being the goalie) league. Teams must have a minimum of six (6) players for a game to begin.  If a team has less than the minimum six (6) players, the opposing team will gain a win by forfeit.  Pool play then single elimination playoff tournament will be used. Games are scheduled between 2:00pm - 7:00pm Sunday and 4:00pm - 7:00pm Monday through Thursday. All games will be played on the intramural fields near the varsity tennis courts. The league will run for approximately four weeks plus one week for the playoffs. Teams should be prepared to play any day, though we will do our best to honor requests for days/times of play.

Roster Restrictions
Participants are subject to the Intramural sports eligibility rules as stated in the Intramural handbook (page 5), and the Captain's Contract (to be signed by all team captains at mandatory captain's meeting).  The following roster restrictions apply:

Playing on more than one team

• An individual may not play on more than one intramural team within the same division (i.e. on two Men's teams, on two Co-Rec teams, or two Women's teams, simultaneously).
• Individuals may play on one Men's and one Co-Rec team, OR one Women's and one Co-Rec team.

Varsity and Ex-Varsity Players

• Any individual who participated for more than two weeks on an intercollegiate soccer team (varsity or junior varsity) during the 2007-2008 academic calendar year is INELIGIBLE to participate in intramural outdoor soccer. (For example, any player who is listed on the Intercollegiate Gettysburg Soccer roster for the Fall 2007 season is ineligible to participate.)
  • Try-outs do not count towards the two weeks of participation on an intercollegiate team.

Eligibility and Adding Players

• All players must sign the "Agreement to Participate" form in order to play.  If a team is adding a new player (someone whose name is not on the score sheet), that player must first sign the "Agreement to Participate" form before s/he is allowed to play.

• Players must play in at least ONE (1) regular season game in order to be eligible for the playoffs.

• No new players may be added to a roster during the playoffs. 

Valid ID Cards
Each player must present GETTYSBURG COLLEGE PICTURE IDENTIFICATION, if requested. Intramural Supervisors reserve the right to not allow any player to participate who does not present a valid ID before the game.

Forfeit Fee
In an attempt to discourage teams from not showing to scheduled contests, each team is required to pay a non-refundable $15 forfeit fee if their team forfeits a game (see Intramural Handbook page 4). This must be paid in cash or dorm/organization check (no personal checks accepted) before the team is eligible to participate in their next game.  If the team has two outstanding forfeit fees, the team will be dropped from the league.  If the team does not pay the forfeit fee by the end of the season, the fee will be billed home on the team captain's student account.

Forfeits
A team forfeits a game when they are unable to assemble the minimum six (6) necessary eligible players at the time the game is scheduled to begin, or if a team attempts to reschedule a game with less than 24 hours notice. You are required to be present and ready to start the game at the scheduled time. (See Co-Rec rules for exception.)

• A team may choose to wait until their opponent arrives to compete. However, the official game clock will start running as scheduled. The game will commence once the opponent arrives (with whatever game time remaining on the clock.)
• The Intramural Supervisor reserves the right to call a forfeit due to a team's tardiness or inability to assemble the required minimum six (6) players at game time.
• If, at the regularly scheduled game time, one team has failed to produce the minimum required number of players, the opposing team will earn a win by forfeit.
• Any attempt to reschedule a game without proper advance notice will result in a loss-by-forfeit for your team, unless appropriate measures can be taken by the Campus Recreation Department to reschedule the game. Proper notice is the following: The request must be made with at least 24-hour notice on weekdays, or by noon on Friday for Sunday games.

• When team gives advance notice of a conflict their timeslot will be made available to other teams.  If no other team is able to play the game will be rescheduled at the convenience of both captains.

• If both teams do not show up for a scheduled game, both teams will receive a loss by forfeit and will be required to repay the forfeit fee. If each team fails to produce at least six (6) eligible players to begin a game, and has failed to give proper notice (see above paragraph) to reschedule the game, the game will be ruled a "double forfeit" and both teams will be required to repay the forfeit fee.

The forfeit fee is $15.

Protests
No protest will be considered which concerns the judgment of an official.  To be valid, a protest of a rule interpretation must be verbally registered with an official at the time of the incident.

If either captain believes the ruling to be in error, s/he may request that the official consult with the sports supervisor on duty.  If either captain believes the supervisor's ruling to be in error, s/he should at that time complete the protest form and continue the game under protest.

Team Jerseys
Each team is recommended to wear color-matching jerseys. Pennies will be provided for teams that need them.

Safety

1. Proper attire should be worn. No jeans or dress pants allowed.
2. It is forbidden to wear any object that may cause an injury or give an artificial advantage to the player, including but not limited to head gear, jewelry (including tied rope necklaces, earrings, nose rings, etc.), casts, or braces.
3. Taping of exposed jewelry will not be permitted. This is for your safety as well as others.
4. Religious medallions or medical identifications must be removed from chains and taped or sewn under the uniform.
5. Individuals are required to obtain prior approval from the Director for the use of orthopedic devices essential to protect an injury.
6. Players/coaches bleeding or having blood on clothing will be prohibited from participation until appropriate measures have been administered.
7. Any player who refuses to follow these rules may be removed from the playing area.

Rules
The 2008 FIFA Official Soccer rules shall govern play of all intramural games with the exemptions listed in these rules; the Campus Recreation Department having the authority to modify said rules at its discretion:

THE GAME

• The game will consist of two 20-minute halves (running time) with a 3-minute half time. There are no time outs. Teams switch sides at the end of the half.
• You must have six (6) players to start the game (including the goalie). Teams are encouraged to arrive early and be ready to play at the scheduled game time. In case of injuries, teams can continue with less than seven players. You must play a man/woman down if a teammate is ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Co-Rec games must have a minimum of four females on the field at all times with a total number of seven players or three with a total number of six.
• The use of dangerous equipment is prohibited. Shoes must be worn; cleats are permitted provided they are not metal; i.e. molded cleats only.
• Substitutions will be allowed on goal kicks, between periods, after goals, throw-ins, and on injuries only.
• Orange cones and colored tape may be used to mark boundaries.
• The penalty area will be approximately 18 yards deep and 44 yards wide. Penalty kicks will be taken 12 yards from the goal line. Everyone but the kicker and the goalkeeper will stay behind the ball and outside of the penalty area until the kick has been taken. If the shot rebounds off the keeper, the ball may be played by anyone.  If the ball rebounds off the post or crossbar, everyone EXCEPT the shooter may play the ball.
• There are no off-sides.
• The ball must be completely over the line of goal to score and to be out of play.
• On all free kicks, the opposition must stand 10 yards from the ball.
• Sideline out of bounds are throw-ins.
• Ball over the end line by the offense is a goal kick to be taken anywhere inside the 6-yard box.  Ball over the line by the defense is a corner kick.
• During goal kicks, the ball must leave the penalty area before anyone can touch it. Violation of goal kicks will result in the kick to be retaken. Slide tackles are not permitted! Violations will result in an automatic yellow card and a direct free kick at the point of infraction.  If there was a blatant attempt to hurt another player (using slide tackles), the offending player will be ejected (red card) from the game and further suspension will follow.
• Sliding or diving to save the ball is permitted.
• Once a goalkeeper touches the ball with his/ her hands, the ball must touch a player of the opposite team prior to the keeper picking it up with his hands again.

Cards

• Yellow: warning for unsportsmanlike conduct, slide tackling, use of foul language.
• Red: automatic ejection for extreme unsportsmanlike conduct (i.e. abusive language or gesture, serious foul play).  The ejected player must leave the playing area site within 5 minutes.  Suspensions may follow. 
• Two yellow cards given to the same player equal 1 red card (see above).

Direct free kicks:

• All hand balls.
• Tripping, pushing, kicking, etc. (all contact fouls).
• Sliding tackles.

Indirect free kicks:

• Dangerous play i.e. high kick
• Obstruction

Special Co-Recreational Rules
1.     The teams are permitted to have one more male than female on the field at anytime. Exception: to avoid a forfeit you need six players three and three. 

Shoot Out Procedures (Playoffs Only)

• The shootout procedure will take place only during the playoffs. During regular season pool play, a game ending in a tie will stand as a tie.
• Only players who have been in the game during the regulation are eligible.
• Goalie finishing game remains in goal, (for all kicks) except in the case of injury.
• There will be a five-minute overtime period.  If a tie still exists after the overtime period, a shootout will then occur.
• Each team selects 5 players for alternate kicks. (A goalie can be one of five kickers)
• Coin toss decides which team kicks first.
• 1 point goes to team scoring most penalty kicks.
• In case the game is still tied at the conclusion of penalty kicks, each team selects one player and the 2 will alternate kicks until one-player scores and the other doesn't (preceded by coin toss).

Conduct
If a person is ejected, the team has to play short for remainder of game. Any player who has to be removed from a contest or playing area for conduct of an unsportsmanlike nature is automatically ineligible for further competition until reinstated by the Director. Please study the intramural handbook.

Appeal Procedures
Appeals shall be handled by merely asking the official/supervisor to make a ruling after the play is dead. Subjective judgment calls made by officials cannot be appealed or protested. The Director will resolve player eligibility and rule interpretation.

It is a strong belief of this department that contests should be won or lost on the field of play, not through technicalities of the rules. The field supervisors or officials should be asked to resolve all disputes immediately.

Medical Procedures
The Campus Recreation Department assumes no responsibility for injuries received during intramural and open recreation activities. Participants are reminded that their participation is completely voluntary. As with all sports the risk of injury is present, intramurals is no different, each year a small number of injuries occur which require hospital treatment. The nature of sports activity and the large number of participants in the Gettysburg College Recreation and Intramural Program make the occurrence of some injuries inevitable. It is strongly recommended that all participants have a physical examination and secure medical health insurance. Any injury or accidents occurring during activities should be reported immediately to on-duty personnel. Participants who are on medication are urged to confidentially inform the Intramural supervisor/trainer of their specific situation.

Sportsmanship Rating
Good sportsmanship is a requirement of all participants. Players and coaches are to conduct themselves properly at all times. The Campus Recreation Department reserves the right to suspend or disqualify individuals or group for unsportsmanlike conduct. Unsportsmanlike actions before, during and/or after a contest will not be tolerated and anyone who tries them will face swift discipline. The team captain assumes full responsibility for the conduct of the team and spectators.

Unsportsmanlike conduct includes actions that are unbecoming to an ethical, fair, honorable individual. It consists of acts of deceit, disrespect or vulgarity and includes taunting. The Campus Recreation Department disapproves of any form of taunting, which is intended or designed to embarrass, ridicule or demean others under any circumstances. You are also responsible for your fans any demeaning or offensive act they commit will be charged to your team and will affect your sportsmanship. Teams qualifying for the playoff tournament (using W/L record) must maintain above 7.5 rating to be included. In addition, teams must maintain above a 7.5 rating throughout the playoff tournament. Teams dropping below this average will be eliminated from the tournament. All rating will be cumulative.

Rating Criteria
9-10 = Team members participate with excellent sportsmanship within the established rules throughout the contest.

6-8 = Team or individual team members occasionally complain to the official and supervisor about rule interpretation/ the strike zone. Sportsmanship and understanding of the rules is acceptable, but could be better.

3-5= A player or team is incessantly complaining about rule interpretations or strikes and balls.

1-2 = A team or member of the team is kicked out for unsportsmanlike conduct (including ejections).

0 = A team is forced to forfeit due to disciplinary issues.

The Campus Recreation Staff reserves the right to change any grade based on team/player's sportsmanship.