1. Rules of Play
A. Current FIFA and USSF rules of play
shall be in effect except as specifically
stated otherwise in these Rules.
Editor's note -- this includes, but is not limited to, the
following:
US National
cup rules
USASA Bylaws
FIFA Laws of the game
B.
The Spring and Fall playing season will begin
on the dates specified by the Board of Directors.
C.
The league web site shall be the official repository of all scores,
maps, rosters and standings.
2. Age
A.
In the Over-30 divisions all players must be at least thirty (30) years
of age on December 31 of the current year.
B.
In the Masters divisions all players must be at least forty (40) years
of age on December 31 of the current year.
C.
In the Seniors divisions all
players must be at least fifty (50) years of age on December 31 of the current
year.
D.
In the Veterans divisions all players must be fifty-eight (58) years of
age on December 31 of the current year.
3. Registration
A.
New teams desiring to join the league must submit an application in the
form of a non-refundable deposit of $50.00.
B.
All teams must submit their registration fee, all
fines and bonds and their home field location and start time by December 1st
for the Spring and July 1st for the Fall.
Any variance from the standard 10:00 AM
Start time must be justified in writing and proof of any extenuating
circumstances must be included.
C.
The Board of Directors shall be the final authority on all matters
concerning the eligibility of teams which fail to meet the registration
requirements.
D.
Teams which fail to submit the required materials by the due dates shall
be assessed $100.00 fine. Any team with late registration shall be given a 21
day grace period during which all required registration material and the
$100.00 late fee must be submitted. If incomplete registration is received, the
registration material shall be returned to the team and must be resubmitted
within the 21 day limit. No exceptions will be allowed. The postmark of the
letter, the email delivery date, or the timestamp of the League Web site will
be used as the final proof.
E.
All new teams will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and placed in
the appropriate Division. In case of team(s) dropping out, the Board of
Directors will readjust the affected division(s).
4. Rosters
A. All teams shall maintain
their rosters on the league web site.
B. Rosters and fields are frozen at midnight of the Saturday prior to the second
scheduled game.
C. Teams using ineligible players will
forfeit all games from the beginning of the
season up to and including the game in which the player is discovered. The team
will also be assessed $100.00 per player.
D. Once the Rosters are finalized, no
person may play for more than one team in a season.
E. The Secretary or Board member
designated to receive registrations shall
retain all postmarked materials from teams for
a period of twelve (12) months to substantiate the correctness of any
assessments. All web transactions shall be kept for
a minimum of twelve (12) months. Additional records should be
kept if deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.
F. When one or more teams have been
placed on suspension or expelled, no active team shall
have more than a total of four players from any combination of the final
rosters of the suspended or expelled teams for the next two years or until the teams’
suspension is lifted, whichever comes first.
G. Maximum number of players per team shall
be twenty-five (25) for the Over 30 divisions and thirty (30) for the Masters, Seniors and Veterans divisions.
Note: If in doubt, contact your Division Director for
additional information.
5. Uniforms and Equipment
A. Equipment shall
consist of a uniform shirt with a clearly legible and unique number, shorts,
socks, shin guards and shoes meeting FIFA requirements. Players shall
be allowed to wear spandex or other
non-dangerous supporting material during
league games.
B. A regulation #5 ball
must be provided by the home team.
C. Player’s number must match their
number on the team Roster, any exceptions must be
disclosed to the referee and the opposing manager prior to the start of the
game. A team which does not comply with this rule shall
forfeit the game and be fined $100.00.
D. A keeper playing on the field must wear
a numbered uniform shirt.
E. In the event of a similar color
uniform, the home team must use alternate shirts. In such a case numbers are
not required.
6. Officials
A.
A referee will be assigned by the coordinator(s) who are appointed by
the Board of Directors.
B.
If the referee does not show up and the teams cannot agree on a
substitute, then the game shall be rescheduled
C.
The referee shall be the official time-keeper.
D.
The league shall provide a
referee assessment form which teams are requested to complete and submit to the
referee coordinator after each game.
7. Number of Players
A.
A minimum of seven (7) players must be on the field at the start of the
game to constitute a legal game. A team which goes below the minimum as a
result of ejections will forfeit the game.
8. Preliminary to Games
A.
Prior to each game, the referee will confirm that each player is on the
official roster and eligible to play. A player not on the official roster is
ineligible to play. Verification must be via a US state issued driver’s
license, US Immigration card or international passport The ID must
contain the player’s picture and date of birth. Only originals will
be accepted. Division Directors shall have the authority to question the
identity and age of any player in their division and suspend from play any
player whose identity or age is in question until the next Board of Directors
Meeting or until the Division Director has ascertained the true age and
identity of the player.
B.
All team managers are required to hand the referee and the opposing
coach an official roster prior to the start of the game. Failure to submit a
roster prior to the game will result in a forfeit (2-0). Only copies of the
last roster submitted to the league are official.
C.
Prior to the start of each regular season game, each manager shall pay
the referee one half (1/2) of his fee.
9. Game Time and Place
A.
Games shall be played on Sunday morning at 10:00
AM or as indicated in the schedule, unless both teams mutually agree
to change the time of day. Any variance from the 10:00
start time must be justified in writing as part of the team’s
registration and approved by the board of directors.
B.
Teams must be present on the field of play fifteen (15) minutes prior to
the scheduled kickoff.
C.
It is the responsibility of the home team to provide a playable field at
game time. If the home field is unplayable two hours prior to kickoff and will
be unplayable at kickoff, the home team must notify the away team and the Division
Director of the cancellation or field change to avoid a forfeit. If the home
field is unplayable/unavailable and the away team has
an available field, the venue will be switched. If the other team refuses, it
will forfeit the game (2-0).
D.
No team may change the venue (place or time) of a game with less than 72
hours notice to the opponent and the director. Any attempt to change the venue
with less then 72 hours notice may be rejected by the opposing team, the
division director or the referee coordinator. In this event, the division
director may direct that the game be played at the place and time of his
choosing, including the visitor’s home field.
10. Playing
Periods
A.
Normal playing periods will consist of two
forty five (45) minute halves.
B.
No overtime will be played in a regular season game.
C.
All games shall be completed except that in the event a game is called
because of inclement weather or other hazards (i.e. a broken crossbar), the
game will:
1.
Be replayed entirely if at least 45
minutes remain to be played.
2.
If there remains 15 minutes or more to
be played, the amount of time remaining will be played as an addendum to the
next game between the two teams involved. If this is the last scheduled game between
the two teams, the result shall stand.
3.
If less than 15 minutes remains, the
result of the game at termination shall stand.
11. Substitutions
A.
Unlimited substitutions are allowed with the consent of the referee at
the following times:
1.
Goal Kick
2.
Goal Scored
3.
Half-time
4.
When the ball is stopped for injury and
the injured player is substituted.
5.
On OFFENSIVE throw-ins, both teams if
offense subs.
12. Cautions
& Ejections
A.
A player ejected from a game cannot play in the next game played. A
player ejected from two (2) games cannot play in the following two games and is
subject to further action by the Board of Directors. A player ejected from
three (3) games is automatically suspended for the rest of the season and is
subject to further action by the Board of Directors. If ejected at the last
game of the season, the suspension shall be served in the following season or
play-offs. Changing teams will not void the suspension(s).
B.
Ejected players are to leave the field and the vicinity of the playing
area - this is defined by the referee. If an ejected player refuses to vacate
the field and its vicinity or causes dissent, the referee shall stop the game
and that player’s team shall forfeit the game. The player in question
will be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Directors.
C.
Anytime a player accumulates three yellow cards in three games in one
season, he will be suspended from participating in the next played game. This
suspension shall count as one ejection (red card).
D.
A team which receives a total of ten (10) yellow cards (1 red card
equals two yellow cards) within one season shall be penalized two (2) points in
their division standings. A team with fifteen (15) yellow cards including
playoffs will be penalized an additional two points in their standings and
shall be subject to disciplinary action by the Board of Directors. A team which
receives a total of 15 or more Yellow Cards (exclusive of cards from forfeited
games) during the regular season, shall be ineligible
to participate in the season play-offs.
E.
A Division Director shall have the authority to suspend until the next
Board meeting any player(s) involved in any physical or violent acts.
F.
If a player plays in a game in which he is ineligible by reason of
suspension, the team shall forfeit the game and will be fined $100 per player
per game.
G.
For the purpose of suspensions, a forfeit will not count as a game
played.
H.
Any team which accumulates 15 card-points, including the playoffs but
not including forfeits, will automatically be reviewed by the board and subject
to disciplinary action.
13. Results
and League Standings
A.
For the purpose of determining standings
·
Three (3) points shall be awarded for a win or a win by forfeit.
·
One (1) point shall be awarded for a tie.
·
Zero (0) points for a loss or a loss by forfeit.
B.
Any team that forfeits a game shall be assessed the equivalent two yellow
cards and shall pay the full referee fee.
C.
All results and cautions shall be called to the Division Director by the
home team no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the game.
D.
If teams are tied on points, the following rules shall be used to break
the tie:
1. Head to
Head points comparison
2. Head to
Head goal difference
3. Total goal
difference (across division)
4. Total
goals scored (across division)
E.
The last place team in each division will be
relegated and the first place team will be promoted.
F. The first place team in each North division shall play the second place
team in the corresponding South division and vice versa in the semi-finals. In
the event that one or both teams are unable to field a team for the playoffs,
the third and/or fourth place teams shall replace them. The winners of the two
semi-finals shall meet in the finals. Any team that fails to appear in a
playoff game without giving their division director 5 days notice shall be
fined $250 and will not be promoted.
G. A team that forfeits three (3) or more games in a
season is subject to be dropped at the discretion of the board of directors.
H. If a team is expelled mid-season or is banned from
the playoffs, then the results of all of their
games shall be expunged from the record for
the purposes of determining the standings in their division, except that all
cards accumulated by both teams shall stand.
14. Postponed
Games
A.
All postponed games shall be played on the second Wednesday following
the Sunday scheduled game in the Spring season and the second Saturday
following the Sunday scheduled game in the Fall season, unless otherwise
ordered by the Division Director for good cause.
B.
If the game affects the play-offs, it shall be played no later than the
Sunday after the tenth regular game.
C.
Except for unplayable fields, no team may postpone a game with less than
thirteen (13) days notice to the Division Director and Referee Coordinator. It
is the responsibility of the home team to provide notice. Postponements must be
made in accordance with Rule 9.
D.
If the home field is unplayable or unavailable and the away team has an
available field, the venue will be switched. If the other team refuses, it will
forfeit the game (2-0).
E.
All postponed games must be played. Any team not showing for the
rescheduled game will forfeit the game. If both teams fail to show, they will
forfeit the game (2-0).
F.
Division Directors may refuse to honor any request for a schedule a
makeup game that is not received at least 7 days before the proposed make up
date.
15. Canceled
Play-off Games
A.
If any play-off final is canceled due to adverse weather conditions and
cannot be rescheduled amicably between the two teams prior to the start of the
next season, the two finalists shall be named co-champions.
B.
If any semi-final game is canceled due to adverse weather conditions and
cannot be rescheduled, the president of the league or a neutral assignee will
reschedule the game the following Saturday (unless both teams agree to a game
sooner than that).The team which declines to play at the time and place
designated by the president or his neutral assignee shall forfeit the game. If
the game could not be rescheduled, the team with the best record advances to
the final.
16. Protests
A.
The vice-president of the league shall be the chairman of the protest
committee. The protest committee will consist of the vice-president and four
(4) at large members appointed by the Board of Directors.
B.
Game protests must be submitted in writing and postmarked within
seventy-two (72) hours of the game date. All such protests must be mailed to
the division director with a fifty (50) dollar fee. A copy shall be sent to the
vice-president of the league.
C.
A protest of any board action shall be submitted within seventy-two (72)
hours of the notification. All such protests must be mailed to the
secretary with a fifty (50) dollar fee. A copy shall be sent to the
vice-president of the league.
D.
If a protest is upheld, the fee shall be refunded.
17. Conduct
A.
All members of the team are expected to conduct themselves in a manner
befitting the league and the adults who play in it. It is the manager/coach
responsibility to control his players and spectators.
B.
Any player verbally or physically abusing the referee and/or his
property will be dealt with severely, up to and including ejection for life
from the league.
C.
No alcoholic beverages are permitted before or during the game.
D.
Any player found using a false ID to make himself eligible to play in any of the league divisions
will be suspended indefinitely from the league, and his name will be sent to
MASS and USSF. Any team manager that allows or in any way aids an ineligible
player to play will be suspended indefinitely from the league.
E.
The board of directors may question the ID of any player or manager at
any time. If proper ID of a questioned player is
not presented to the league secretary within 72 hours, the player will be
suspended for the remainder of the season and will only be able to play in
subsequent seasons after proper ID proof has been presented
Note: Changes are indicated by an underline.