MICROSOCCER RULES OF THE ROAD

September 14, 2007 Edition


Note: This edition is an update to the version that was adopted 6/10/05, which completely superseded and replaced earlier versions. Whether your family is new to Microsoccer, or is a returning family, you should read this edition thoroughly and carefully before your first game of the season.


  1. PROPER REGISTRATION. No child may play in Cambridge Family Microsoccer, unless the child is already registered. That means no unregistered walk-ons, friends, visitors, and/or relatives. It is the responsibility of the Coach, Assistant Coach and Manager to police this. Unregistered persons who appear at game time must register before they will be allowed to participate.


  1. No Self-Assignment to or Reassignment to or from Teams. Initial player assignments to teams, and transfers to other teams can only be made by the Registrar (currently the Commissioner). As Team Officials, it is the responsibility of the Coach, Assistant Coach and Manager to police and enforce this, and not to give permission for transfers and assignments.


  1. Appointment of Team Officials and Changes. Each team shall have a Coach, Assistant Coach and Manager, each of whom shall be appointed by the Commissioner and each of whom shall be deemed to be a Team Official. If your team needs a change of a Team Official, please discuss the need with the Commissioner. Notification by e-mail to the Commissioner and confirmation of changes by the Commissioner is necessary, even if you have spoken with the Commissioner.


  1. Parent Attendance. A parent or legal guardian should be present with each child in Microsoccer for the entire time of each weekly session in which the child is enrolled. If your child becomes injured, otherwise distressed, wants to leave, or find a bathroom, you cannot expect anybody else to take care of it.


  1. RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNENROLLED CHILDREN. All unenrolled children (whether siblings, other relatives or friends) or animals in the custody or care of adults attending Microsoccer are the responsibility of such adults and must be kept off of the marked fields during the entire time that games are being played on such fields.


  1. Child Attendance. Families should make a 100% good faith attempt to get their children to each session with the child's (a) Microsoccer T-Shirt; (b) shin guards; (c) cleats, and (d) copy of team roster and schedule, unless they have a very good reason not to. Conflicts due to family travel, sickness, or family events such as bar mitzvah, confirmation, wedding, brit milah, etc., are all good reasons.   However, even if you have a good reason, you MUST NOTIFY YOUR COACH AND TEAM MANAGER IN ADVANCE that your child will be absent for a specific session.


  1. NO Yelling from the Sidelines. Parents may applaud good plays by children, but only the Coach, Assistant Coach, or Referee should shout or otherwise give instructions from the sidelines.


  1. TEAM SIZE; 4 v 4 FORMAT. Teams should have no more than 10 players and ideally no fewer than 7 on the roster. During games each team should only have 4 players on the field, with 1 as goalie and the other 3 as field players. Players should be rotated through the goalie position regularly.


  1. OVERALL FORMAT. The usual practice is 35-40 minutes of practice followed by a 5 – 10 minute snack break. Then a game follows consisting of 2 15-20 minute halves, punctuated by a five minute break in the middle. The Session 1 must end promptly by 10:30 so that session 2 can begin promptly.


  1. MODIFIED RULES OF PLAY. If the ball strays a little bit over the sidelines, parents are encouraged to nudge the ball back onto the field so that momentum is not unnecessarily lost. However, if a ball goes far out on the side line, have the team that did not cause it to go out should take a throw in. By contrast, if the ball goes over the end line, it is automatically a goal kick, regardless of who kicks it out.


  1. REFEREES. The teams take turns assigning someone to play the role of referee. The referee has a non-partisan and instructional role to play. If a child improperly throws a ball in for example, the referee should have the child redo the play and explain quickly how it is done. Assuming one is available, referees should use the whistle to stop plays! Don’t be shy; kids need to learn to be responsive to the whistle. In addition to making sure that games are being played according to the rules, referees should ensure that stray children and animals do not come on to the field during games and potentially endanger their own safety or that of the players on the field. Likewise, referees should use their discretion and common sense to halt play whenever there is an injury on the field.


  1. FOULING. It is essential that kids be taught not to push or pull each other when tussling for the ball. Most don’t, but if a child does it in any intentional way, the referee should stop play and explain it to the offender.


  1. WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER. If, due to poor weather, you are unsure of whether a scheduled Microsoccer session is taking place, then please call the MICROSOCCER HOTLINE at 617-274-3114. If Microsoccer is going to be cancelled or postponed, an appropriate message will be placed on the MICROSOCCER HOTLINE by 7:30 AM on the scheduled game day.


  1. MEDICAL ISSUES. This rarely comes up. However …the team manager should try to maintain very basic first aid items (like band aids). On the other hand, if any child is hurt in a serious way that suggests that medical attention is need, his or her parent or guardian should take the child for appropriate medical care (like to a hospital emergency room). Better to be safe than sorry. Likewise, it is parent or guardian’s responsibility to make sure that the child does not ingest snack items that may contain allergenic items, and to bring inhalers for any child who has asthma.


  1. ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. Nobody should ever interfere with, harass, harangue, or threaten any referee either during a game or after its conclusion for any reason. Likewise, no parent, guardian, visitor, or player should ever harass, harangue, or threaten any other parent, guardian, visitor or player either during a game or after its conclusion. If you have a complaint of any kind about a referee's behavior, or the behavior of any parent, guardian, visitor, or player, you should not engage in any kind of "self help" or direct action of any kind. Instead, you should bring it to the attention of the Commissioner, as soon as practicable following the conclusion of the session in which the behavior takes place. If possible, complaints should be made in writing and be as specific and clear as possible.


  1. INCIDENT REPORTING. Any parent or guardian of an enrolled Microsoccer player who witnesses a serious incident (whether medical or discipline-related) should report the details of such incident to the Commissioner as soon as practicable. If possible, such reports should be made in writing and be as specific and clear as possible, and have a name and contact information attached to it so that the Commissioner may contact the person making the report to gather further details.


  1. DISCIPLINARY POLICY. It is very rare that formal discipline is needed in Microsoccer. However, in appropriate circumstances, parents or guardians of enrolled children, or volunteers, who misbehave in serious ways may be required to: apologize for rule infractions, pay fines, and may be put on probation, suspended, or expelled from participation in Microsoccer. Similarly, seriously misbehaving children enrolled in Microsoccer may be put on probation, suspended or expelled from Microsoccer. Misbehaving unenrolled children, relatives or friends of enrolled children may likewise be barred from attending Microsoccer. In the first instance, disciplinary policy shall be administered by the Commissioner. In serious cases, if the parties involved in an incident formally contest the Commissioner's findings and rulings, the Commissioner may, in the Commissioner's sole discretion, appoint an outside review board or special master to adjudicate the matter. However, if such outside review board or special master generates costs or expenses for the Microsoccer organization, all such costs may be assessed against any party involved in an incident according to the recommendations of such outside review board or special master.


If you have suggestions about further possible refinements to these rules, please e-mail them to:

SuggestionBox@Microsoccer.org

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