NVSL Roster Spreadsheet

FIFA Laws of the Game

Northern Valley Soccer League

Rules and Conduct Code (as of 9/8/2016)

Parent / Coach / Player Conduct

 The purpose of this league is as follows:

1. Instructional environment to learn the game of soccer
2. To foster a sense of enjoyment of the game of soccer
3. Provide an enjoyable, competitive environment that exposes our kids to competition, thus allowing them to develop good sportsmanship and the proper degree of maturity with regard to wins, losses, the opposing players, the referees, coaches, and spectators.  The adults MUST set the right example.

1. To achieve this goal, we need the cooperation of the parents and coaches.  As done for the past few years, we will again continue with the following three rules this year:

1. The players and coaches will set up on one side of the field while the spectators are limited to the opposite sideline.  Teams are allowed 3 coaches maximum. Each team should have a marked designated box (10 yards long on either side of mid field) within which the coaches and players must remain.  Coaches cannot roam sidelines. Spectators, as well as coaches and players who are on the team side of the field or behind either goal line (entire width of field) will be asked to move.  The home team is responsible for crowd control but the referee has the prerogative to stop the clock and request that spectators and/or coaches be moved.
    
2. Abuse of Referees will not be tolerated.  Coaches and players should not argue calls with the referee.  No coach is allowed to walk onto the field (in an attempt to ‘talk’ to the referee) during the game.  The referee shall issue a yellow card if she/he is approached by a coach walking onto the field during play.   A second infraction will result in a red card, which requires ejection from the game.  A coach using profanity will also receive a red card and automatic ejection.   In addition, any player using profanity or other ugly displays shall be immediately red carded, requiring ejection.  Substitution for this player is allowed.
     
3. A coach who receives a yellow or red card must appear in front of the NVSL Disciplinary Committee before coaching another game.

Rules of Play

3^rd/4^thand 5^th/6^thGrades Only

1. Each team will field 8 players – 7 plus a goalie.
2. A player shall play goalie no more than ½ of game.
3. Player shall be corrected and allowed a second throw-in (or do-over).  In the event the second throw is bad, the ball is turned over to the opponents (3^rd/4^th grade only)

4)Intentional heading is not allowed.  The result will be an indirect free kick.  If a defender heads intentionally inside the penalty area, then there will be a corner kick awarded.

5. While sliding is permitted, slide tackles are not, and an indirect kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.
6. Penalty shots are taken from 10 yards out from the goal line.
7. All other ‘normal’ rules apply.

Rules for all Divisions

1. Player eligibility is based on grade, not age.

1. 3^rd and 4^th grades
2. 5^th and 6^th grades
3. 7^th and 8^th grades
   2. All players should play a minimum of at least half of the game
   3. If both teams have the same color shirts, the home team will switch to a different color shirt – pinnies are acceptable.
   4. The goalie will wear a contrasting, different color shirt.
   5. Goalie is allowed unlimited steps within the penalty box but must release the ball within 6 seconds.
   6. Goalies should be protected!!  Once the goalie maintains controllable contact with the ball, the goalie and the ball shall be left alone.  Attempts to kick the ball shall be considered dangerous play, the play whistled dead, and an indirect kick will be awarded to the goalie’s team taken from the top of the penalty box.
   7. All games shall consist of 2 halves – not 4 quarters. The only exception will be in excessive heat if both coaches agree.
   8. Time of each half, and official ball size as follows:

1. 3^rd & 4^th grades            25 minutes       # 4 ball
2. 5^th & 6^th grades            30 minutes       # 4 ball
3. 7^th & 8^th grades            35 minutes       # 5 ball
   9. Half time breaks will be 5 minutes only.
   10. For 3^rd/4^th and 5^th/6^th grades, the home team is responsible for supplying and paying the referees as well as a fairly new, quality ball.  For 7^th/8^th grades, the NVSL Referee Coordinator will assign one carded adult referee as Center Referee (CR) and two carded youth referees as Assistant Referees (ARs).  In the event that carded referees are not available, the Referee Coordinator will have the home team assign a “Club Linesman” to help officiate the game. Fees for referees will be shared between the two teams playing.  Rates for 2015are $60 for the CR ($30 paid by each team) and $40 EACH for the ARs ($20 paid by each team to each AR).  The total per team referee fee for each game will be $70.
   11. There is no overtime for regular season games.  Games that end in a tie are left as a tie.
   12. Substitutions can be made by a team when it has a throw-in.  A team is not permitted to substitute during a throw-in by its opponent unlessthe opponent is also making a substitution.  In addition, either team can substitute during a goal kick or a corner kick. Both teams can substitute freely after any goal.  There are no substitutes during a free kick resulting from a penalty.
   13. Players must wear shin guards, covered by socks, as well as rubber soccer or multi-purpose cleats (baseball cleats are not permitted) or sneakers.  All team members shall have matching shirts, wear no jewelry or hard objects such as hard casts.  If sweat shirts or pants are worn, they shall be worn beneath the uniform. Medical alert information worn around the neck, wrist, or any part of the body should be removed if possible or secured in such a way as to eliminate the obvious danger to both the player and those around them.
   14. FIFA law 5 covers a player with an open bleeding wound.  No player may play with a bleeding wound and may not return into the game until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped.
   15. The ball placement on corners kicks must be within ONE yard of the corner flag.

16)Very Important:  In order to control scoring and promote fair play the following tactics shall be required of each coach during every game.  Immediately following a goal which puts one team ahead of another by 4 goals, the team with the lead shall remove 1 player from the field, and continue to play short 1 player.  Upon a lead of 5 goals, they shall remove a second player. A 6 goal advantage, remove a third player and continue the game down 3 players.  If the goal advantage should be reduced, the rule should be used in reverse to add players, 1 player per one goal such that at a 3 goal advantage, the number of players is even once again.

Players and Team Rosters

1. Players are not allowed to play a game for one team and then play for another team in the same age group unless approved by opposing coach before the game begins.  Teams are permitted to have players play up from the grade below. 
2. A 7/8 team must have a minimum of eight players in uniform and ready to play in order to start a game, six players for 3/4 and 5/6 grade games.  If these minimums are not met within 5 minutes after the game is scheduled to start, then the team must forfeit.
3. A team playing short must realize that the opposing team has the right to start with the full roster of players (in the interest of maximizing game time for every player).
4. A team may bring up a player (or players) from a lower age group if it would not otherwise have eleven players in Div 3, or eight players in div 4 or 5 at start of game.  Players may be brought up to reach either 12 or 9 players total.  Total player count, in the event of late arrivals, should never exceed 12 or 9, based on division, anytime a younger player (or players) is brought up. If count exceeds 12 or 9 with roster players, the younger player(s) should no longer play.       

NVSL Playoff Rules

These are Playoff Rule Changes from Regular Season:

1. Goaltenders can play a whole game.
2. Players do not have to be taken off the field if score is large differential, but official scores will be reported with a 5 goal maximum, so do not run up the score. For example, a 7-1 final score is officially reported as 6-1.
3. A game tied at the end of regulation goes into two 5-minute sudden death (golden goal) overtimes.
4. If a game is tied after overtimes, there will be a 5-player shootout.  Shooters and goaltenders in the shootout must be the players on the field at the end of overtime.
5. NO PLAYERS PLAYING UP OR ACROSS.
6. Any other questions refer to the NVSL rules and FIFA rules.