Rules of the Game
Rules of the Game
THE BALL: #3 for Div K, 1, and 2. #4 for Div 3
DIVISIONS: The players will be assigned to the Division of their grade level.
Grade K Division K
Grade 1 Division 1
Grades 2-3 Division 2
Grades 4-5-6 Division 3
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: For the purposes of our league, the following will constitute a legal number of players.
Division 1 (3 or 4 per side, depending on numbers. NO
Goalkeeper or players staying in front of the net)
Division 2 6 players (5 field players and a Goalkeeper)
Division 3 8 players (7 field players and a Goalkeeper)
In the event one team does not have enough players present, the coaches MUST share players in order for the game to be played.
PLAYER EQUIPMENT: Team shirts and shin guards must be worn by all players. Mouth guards are optional but strongly encouraged. The goalkeeper will be provided with a different colored pennie, which distinguishes him/her from the other players.
REFEREES: Referees are appointed for each match in Divisions 2 & 3 and are responsible for the control of the game. THE DECISIONS OF THE REFEREE ARE FINAL.
DURATION OF THE GAME:
Division 1 Water breaks as needed, play for 1 hour.
Division 2 (4) 12 min quarters
Division 3 (4) 12 min quarters
THE START OF THE GAME: A flip of a coin decides which team will kickoff. Each team must stay on its own half of the field and the defending players must be at least 5 yards from the ball until it is kicked. After a goal, the team scored upon will kickoff. After half-time, the teams change ends and the kickoff will be taken by the opposite team to that which started the game. A goal cannot be scored directly from a kickoff.
THE BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY: The ball is out of play when:
(a) it has wholly crossed the goal line/touchline, whether on the ground/in the air.
(b) when a referee has stopped the game.
METHOD OF SCORING: A goal is scored when the whole of the ball has passed over the goal line between the goal posts and under the cross bar.
OFF-SIDE: There is no off-side in Division 1.
There is no off-side in Division 2 (goal hanging is not allowed). If a player is goal hanging, the referee will bring this player to attention of their Coach and allow the Coach to address it.
There is off-side in Division 3. A player is offside if s/he is nearer to the goal than the ball and the second to last defender, and the ball is played to them.
FOULS AND MISCONDUCT:
Division 1 & Division 2: All fouls are awarded by an indirect kick at the spot of infraction.
Division 3: Normal rules for Direct and Indirect kicks. Direct kick penalties inside the box are awarded a penalty kick. See penalty kick section.
A player who intentionally attempts to or actually kicks, trips, jumps at, charges violently (this includes slide tackles), charges from behind, strikes, holds, pushes or spits an opponent, or intentionally handles the ball shall be penalized by a free kick. Any one of these nine offenses committed in the penalty area by a defender will result in a penalty kick awarded to the offensive team and a substitution will be made for the person who commits the infraction for the remainder of the quarter. A player committing less flagrant violations such as off-side, dangerous plays, obstruction or ungentlemanly/ladylike conduct will be penalized by an indirect free kick.
Slide tackling is not allowed in any Division of HDYS.
FREE KICKS: With an Indirect free kick, a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been touched by a player other than the kicker before entering the goal). With a direct kick, a goal can be scored directly from the kick.
PENALTY KICKS: Division 3 only. When a direct kick foul occurs inside the penalty area. Any player may be picked to take the kick AND any player on the defending team can be placed in goal.
NO HEADING: HDYS aligning itself with the changes in US Youth Soccer Rules will no longer allow heading in practices or games throughout all divisions. When an intentional head occurs, the opposite team will receive an indirect kick at the point of the infraction.
THROW IN: When the ball has wholly crossed the touch line, it is put back into play by a throw in from the spot where it went out and by a player from the opposite team that last touched it. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in.
Division 1 & 2 will be allowed 1 retake of an illegal throw, after instruction by the Referee.
Division 3 – Teams will be only given 1 warning in the first week. After that, the throw is given to the other team.
GOAL KICK (all Divisions): When the ball has wholly crossed the goal line after being touched by a player from the opposing team, it is put back into play by a kick from the goal area by the defending team, at the approximation of the “6” line (not the edge of the penalty box). The defending team must then retreat to the midfield line. The team taking the goal kick does not have to wait for the opposition to retreat and has the option to restart the game before hand should they so choose. The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area.
CORNER KICK: When the ball has wholly crossed the goal line after being last touched by a player form the defending team, it is put back into play by a kick from the corner on the side the ball went out by the opposing team.
COACHES, PARENTS, AND SPECTATORS ON THE FIELD:
Division 1: Coaches are allowed on the field
Division 2: Coaches are NOT allowed on the field, except in week 1 as needed.
Division 3: Coaches are NOT allowed on the field
Coaches and spectators shall remain on the sidelines during play (except noted above).
No coaches or spectators shall be allowed on the end lines during play.
All parents and spectators must be located on the opposite side of the field as the team. The Referee will enforce this rule.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions can occur on any dead ball after the coach has notified the ref.
PRACTICES: All teams (excludes Kindergarten) generally practice once a week. These practices are required for all players unless excused in advance by the coach. Practices are important for a player’s development. We ask you to please contact the coach ahead of time if you are unable to attend practice.
INCLEMENT WEATHER: It will be the decision of the HDYS Committee to determine if the field is safe to play on. The coaches and players will be notified ONLY if the games will be cancelled.
FAIR PLAY:
It is a coach’s responsibility to make sure that every player gets equal playing time at both offensive & defensive positions each game, and every player has the opportunity to play goalkeeper on several occasions throughout the season. Each player should only play in goal for one quarter per game.
Coaches are encouraged to limit the number of goals scored by any individual player, especially when games are lopsided. In the event of lopsided games, players can be swapped between teams at halftime, extra passing rules may be implemented, players with more than 3 goals can be subs or play defense, or be encouraged to pass to other players rather than shooting.
Reviewed and modified 8.16.21