Northern Burlington Recreational Soccer League Rules of Competition
Mission Statement
Our League will make every effort to make sure that every child with the desire to participate gets the opportunity, without regard to prior experience, athletic ability, or size. We are committed to instilling Honesty, Loyalty, Integrity, Teamwork, Discipline, Sportsmanship, Respect, Leadership, Trust, and Commitment in our young participants. We believe these values and virtues are important to their growth and becoming active members of our community and society.
GRADES, LENGTH OF GAMES, OVERTIME PERIODS, AND BALL SPECIFICATIONS:
Saturday games 9:00AM, 10:00AM, 11:00AM. Weeknight games 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM
1st grade/U8 coed: Players: 6v6. Clock: 4 –10-minute quarters, No OT, ends in a tie. A two-minute break after the 1st and 3rd quarters.
2nd grade/U8 coed: Players: 7v7. Clock: 4 –10-minute quarters, No OT, ends in a tie. A two-minute break after the 1st and 3rd quarters.
3rd/4th/U10 girls and boys: Players: 7v7. Clock: 2 – 25-minute halves, No OT, ends in a tie.
5th/6th/U12 girls and boys: Players: 9v9. Clock: 2 - 30-minute halves. No OT, ends in a tie.
7th/8th/U14 girls and boys: Players: 9v9. Clock: 2 - 30-minute halves. No OT, ends in a tie.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd/4th games will follow the US Soccer buildout line procedures if on the township fields.
At all grade levels:
- Players include goalie
- Halftime is 5 minutes and teams will change ends.
- No heading. No sliding to tackle: Indirect if no contact, direct if contact ball, direct and yellow card if contact opponent.
- Use ball size #4.
FIELDS:
All Townships will provide playing fields for the divisions they participate in and will conform to regulation field size per grade
The fields should have adequate marked lines and corner markings and the goals should be sized to the
field size and anchored to the ground.
All fields should be in good condition (no stones, glass or other objects sticking out on the ground)
Each Township/Club/Military Post shall provide a list with dates and times when there shall be no games at their fields
GOAL SAFETY REMINDER
As concerned administrators, coaches and parents, Northern Burlington SA want to remind everyone of the seriousness of goal safety. We urge that all NBSA clubs and teams have a goal safety strategy in place.
According to US Youth Soccer, unanchored or improperly secured soccer goals account for seven of the top 20 insurance claims, nationally, in youth soccer. Three were fatalities, and four resulted in injury to the players. The personal impact on players, families, teams, and clubs is devastating. The combined financial losses amount to over $5 million, not including additional time or expense to defend the organization. Playing on school or municipal fields does not absolve your organization of the responsibility or liability. Please urge those organizations that you partner with or rent space from to address this issue.
BEFORE EVERY PRACTICE, TRAINING ACTIVITY, AND GAME, please remind your coaches and referees to inspect:
All goal posts and nets for safety, and that they are properly anchored and secured.
The field and areas around the field that is being used.
WEATHER:
Upon hearing thunder or seeing lightning, the referee will suspend play for a minimum of 30 minutes. Each new incidence of thunder or lightning restarts the 30-minute period. If thunder or lightning happens before the game is supposed to start, the starting time is delayed. A game should not be delayed by more than 45 minutes. Once a game is either delayed by 45 minutes or is forced to (such as for a lightning sighting 20 minutes after the first), the game is abandoned, and the referee is entitled to retain the full fee.
GAME PLAY RULES:
1. Coaches and players are permitted between half field and the top of their own Penalty Area only. No parents or coaches shall be behind the goal lines. Exception: at 1st and 2nd grade, one coach is permitted on their defensive half of the field for instructional purposes but cannot interfere with play and must remain outside the penalty area.
2. All players will abide by the rules of the NBRSL, developed and modified using the LOTG.
1. All players will play at least half of each game unless ill or injured or the opposing coach and referee must be notified prior to the game of the player’s nonparticipation for disciplinary reasons.
2. All players must have the following protective equipment in order to play; soccer cleats/sneakers, shin guards, and safety glasses (for those who need to wear glasses to see).
3. All players will remove all jewelry before practice and games.
3. On ALL Fields NO PARENTS on the team side of the fields! Let the coaches do the coaching. Any behavior unbecoming of a parent, coach, or player will result in being directed to leave the field. There can be four (4) coaches maximum on each team's sideline. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their spectators. Where possible, it is permissible to have the teams on opposite sides of the field, with their spectators on the same side. Spectators should stay at least 10 yards away from the team bench area, and not interfere with the coaches and players
4. Games should start at scheduled times. Warm‑up and intermission times can be cut short to make sure that the games start on time. Warm‑up time is not guaranteed to teams. Prior to every game the referee will meet with team to check in and explain rules to players and coaches. In the event a player has a cast on the arm, the referee will check to make sure its safe. The player should have it wrapped in a protective foam.
5. Substitutions can be made at any stoppage, but players shall not enter the field until waved on by the referee (i.e. no running on as soon as the coach yells, “Sub”.)
6. No heading—during games or in practice. Safety should always be paramount
7. Mercy rules: Recreational soccer is designed for kids to build confidence, skills, team building, and having fun.
The scoring difference in a game shall not exceed more than six (6) goals.
Some Guidelines to follow in the event the score can potentially exceed more than 6 goals.
(Instead of taking action at 4-0 or 5-0, make an adjustment early)
Examples: Have the players only shoot with their weak foot or from outside the penalty area. Tell them to connect X number of passes before shooting.
Remove a player(s)
Ask the team that is losing to add a player(s)
The scoring difference in a game shall not exceed more than five (6) goals. (Enforcement must be adhered to by the coaches.)
8. Buildout line information:
Located halfway between the top of the penalty area (18) and midfield (Must be clearly marked on the field; you can use cones if not marked)
The build-out line is used to promote playing the ball out of the back in an unpressured setting.
When the goalkeeper has the ball for a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the build-out line.
For offside the build-out line on the attacking half of the midfield line for each team will be used to determine offside.
Who Moves- Only the opposing team is required to move beyond the build-out line.
Delay-You can be cautioned for failure to timely move back past the build-out line for “Delay of restart”.
Punt/Drop Kick- If a GK punt or drop kicks the ball, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opponent at the spot of the infraction.
For 7v7 matches:
Cannot cross the build-out line until the ball:
• Clears the penalty area, or
• It is touched by a second player on the kicking team
9. Each Township/Club/Military Post is responsible for forming teams, which will be equally balanced by talent. Adjustments will be made if necessary, during the season to insure the equitable distribution of talent.
10. Borrowing players to improve the strength of the team is prohibited.
11. When not able to field the minimum required players a team may borrow players (max 3) from the opponent, but when players from own team show, borrowed players must return to their own team.
12. Each Township/Club/Military Post shall provide a list with the name, phone number and email address of the coach for each team.
13. Cancellations of games:
1. No games will be canceled for any reason other than weather-related issues
2. Cancellations of a game need to be reported to the referee assignor 24 hours before the game time; 2 hours, if due to inclement weather.
3. Rescheduling a referee must be done 48 hours before the day of the game to the referee assignor by the coach of the home team.
14. Parents & Spectators Sportsmanship A.
NBRSL will not tolerate verbal or physical abuse of its volunteer coaches, referees, or players from any parent, player, or spectator.
Parents and spectators, just as players and coaches, are expected to abide by all local township codes of conduct.
Referee fee:
$30 - 2nd Grade = U8
$40 - 3rd/4th Grade = U10
$50 - 5th/6th Grade = U12
Assigning fee: $8
this fee is assessed and split between two teams playing each other.