Please Review New River United's Recreational Soccer Policies and Procedures Manual here 

Please read below for a quick review of the rules for our recreational league.

1. ALL AGE GROUPS

• Have fun. Let’s teach kids to enjoy soccer. Be positive.
• In order to make games more competitive:  If a team is ahead by 5 goals, the losing team may (not required) add a player on the field, and add another player for each additional goal scored by the leading team. BUT the teams shall go back to even numbers if the goal differential is reduced to 4.
• Starting Fall 2012, slide tackling will not be permitted in ALL age groups of the New River United recreation program.   All slide tackles will result in a direct free kick for the opposing team, and the player that committed the offense will receive a yellow card.  If the player commits a second slide tackle, the respective player may be given a red card which would result in an immediate dismissal from the game.  All decisions are at the discretion of the center referee.  The referee crew will have a zero tolerance in this matter during all official games.  This rule goes into effect immediately, and will go into action for the upcoming 2012 spring season.  The 'No Slide Tackling' rule was implemented to minimize reckless challenges and injuries, while creating a fun, safe, and positive experience for all parties involved.
• Equipment: All players will be provided a jersey and a pair of block socks. Players need to provide their own pair of dark shorts. Players are required to wear shin guards and cleats. 

U5 & U6 RULES

• The field is approximately 20 yards wide by 25 yards long. Six foot pop-up goals will be used. Fields will not be lined, thus coaches will need to mark off the field with discs/cones. In this case, the "goal" discs/cones should be clearly distinguishable from the "line" discs/cones.
• Games are played 3v3 using a size 3 ball. 
• All players are required to wear shin guards during games. 
• Game length is 4 seven-minute quarters, with a 1-minute break between quarters and a 3-minute break at halftime.
• Kickoffs take place at the start of game, start of second half, and after each goal scored. Defense stands back 3 yards and allows for completion of the first pass.
• If one team kicks the ball over the side-line or the end line the coach will roll a ball into play. This is put into place to keep the game moving.
• If a foul occurs, the ball is awarded to the team of the fouled player for an indirect free kick.
• No goalkeeping or use of hands is allowed. Players should be discouraged from standing directly in front of the goal.
• Coaches will rotate players in and out of the game by substituting at the quarter breaks. If it is necessary to substitute between quarter breaks, only a single substitution is permitted at a time and the coach will do so "on the fly" so as not to delay the flow of the game (hockey-style substitution).
• All players will play approximately equal time during the game.
• A coach from each team referees the game. Please, only one coach on the field at a time.

Remember, this is a TEACHINGLEAGUE. This is the first exposure to soccer that these kids will have, so please take time during the game to BRIEFLY explain/instruct/correct the proper way to do a kick-off. Give kids another chance if they muff a kick‐in or kickoff.

U7 RULES

• The field will be 40 x 25. Six foot pop ups will be used. The fields will be lined.
•  All teams will use a size 3 ball.
•  A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than 5 players.

o   No team will use a goal keeper.

o   No players will be allowed to play the ball within the arc immediately in front of each goal.

§  If the ball stops within the arc, it is a goal kick

o   Substitution may be made at the quarter break and at other times as necessary.

o   All players will play approximately equal time during the game.

• Each game will consist of 4 ten minute quarters. There will be a one minute break between quarters 1-2 and 3-4 and a five minute halftime.

·       Equipment

o   All players are required to wear shin guards during the game.

o   Players may wear sneakers or soft-cleated shoes.

• If a foul occurs, the ball is awarded to the team of the fouled player for an indirect free kick.

·       If the offensive team kicks it over the end-line, it is a goal kick.

o   In this case, the offensive team retreats to the half way point of the field until the goal kick is kicked and the defensive player touches the ball and begins the play.

·       If the defensive team kicks it over the end-line, it is a corner kick.

·       Throw-ins will be taken by the team that did not kick the ball out.  If a child does an incorrect throw-in, they will be given a second chance to try it again.

·       Any team can substitute on a dead ball- throw-in, free kick, corner kick, goal kick.

 Exploitation of No Offside Law in U7 AND U8 MATCHES

·      The Offside Law is not enforced for U7 and U8 players primarily for developmental reasons and due to the developmental limitations of those players. Coaches are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to avoid exploiting this modification through use of a “cherry-picking” player – a player who stays near the opponent’s goal in anticipation of a long or big kick from his teammates in the defensive half who would then have an open goal to score in.

U8 RULES

• The field will be 50 x 30. The goals will be 6 x 12s.  The fields will be lined.
• All teams will use a size 4 ball.
• All teams will play 6v6, 5 field players and a goalkeeper.
• All players will play a minimum of 50% of the playing time.
• 1 center referee will be used.
• Substitutions may be made during any stoppage (after injuries, before goal kicks, after goals, before a team’s throw-in, between quarters and at the half).
• Each game will consist of 4 ten-minute quarters. There will be a one minute break between quarters 1-2 and 3-4 and a five minute halftime.
• Implementation of the Build-out line
• The Build-out line promotes playing the ball out of the back in a less pressured setting
• Once the opposing team has retreated to the Build-out line, the goalkeeper can then roll the ball or pass the ball (Punting and Drop kicking are not allowed) to his/her teammates.  Or a goal kick to his/her players has been taken.
• The opposing team cannot cross the build out line until the defender has touched the ball
• Heading the ball is not allowed and will result in a direct free kick for the opposing team.
• Offsides will probably not be called by the referee at this age.
• An improper throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team.
• Free Kicks – All free kicks are direct and opponents are at least 8 yards from the ball until it is in play. The ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. If the free kick is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal is awarded. If a free kick is kicked directly into the team’s own goal a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.

Exploitation of No Offside Law in U7 AND U8 MATCHES

·       The Offside Law is not enforced for U7 and U8 players primarily for developmental reasons and due to the developmental limitations of those players. Coaches are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to avoid exploiting this modification through use of a “cherry-picking” player – a player who stays near the opponent’s goal in anticipation of a long or big kick from his teammates in the defensive half who would then have an open goal to score in.

U10 RULES

• The Field will be 75 x 45.  The goals will be 6 x 18s. 
• The Ball – Size 4.
• All teams will play 6v6, 5 field players and a goalkeeper. If each team has 10 players and would like to play 7v7 (six field players and a goalkeeper), that is also acceptable. 
• Substitutions: At any stoppage and unlimited.
• Playing time: Each player SHALL play a minimum of 50% of the total playing time. Teams and matches may be coed.

• The Referee – 1 referee will be used. 
• The Duration of the Match – The match lasts two equal periods of 25 minutes. There shall be a half-time interval of 5 minutes
• The Method of Scoring – A goal is scored when the whole to the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal. 
• Offside – It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if he/she is nearer to his/her opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the last two defenders. A player is not in an offside position if he/she is in his/her own half of the field or he/she is level with the second to last defender or he/she is level with the last two defenders or he/she is level with the ball. A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball is played by one of his/her own teammates, he/she is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by interfering with play or interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position. There is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick.

NOTE: At the U10 level, only “blatant” offsides is called because there is only one center referee. Blatant  offsides are roughly defined as waiting at the opponents goal (AKA cherry picking), and not typically when a player is ahead of the ball on a “fast break”.  Keep in mind, all decisions are at the discretion of  the referee.

• Free Kicks – All free kicks are direct and opponents are at least 8 yards from the ball until it is in play. The ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. If the free kick is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal a goal is awarded. If a free kick is kicked directly into the teams own goal a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
• Implementation of the Build-out line
• The Build-out line promotes playing the ball out of the back in a less pressured setting
• Once the opposing team has retreated to the Build-out line, the goalkeeper can then roll the ball or pass the ball (Punting and Drop kicking are not allowed) to his/her teammates.  Or a goal kick to his/her players has been taken.
• The opposing team cannot cross the build out line until the defender has touched the ball
• Heading the ball is not allowed and will result in a direct free kick for the opposing team.

U13 RULES and U18 RULES

• The Field will be 80 x 50.  The goals will be 7 x 21s. 
• The Ball – Size 5.
• The Number of Players – All teams will be play 8v8, 7 field players and a goalkeeper.    
• Substitutions: At any stoppage and unlimited.

• The Referee – 3 referees per game. 
• The Duration of the Match – Each game will be 60 minutes long, two 30 minute halves. There shall be a half-time interval of 5 minutes.
• Offside – It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if he/she is nearer to his/her opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent. A player is not in an offside position if he/she is in his/her own half of the field or he/she is level with the second last opponent or he/she is level with the last two opponents or he/she is level with the ball A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his/her own team, he/she is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by interfering with play or interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position. There is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick.
• Free Kicks – All free kicks are direct and opponents are at least 10 yards from the ball until it is in play. The ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. If the free kick is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal a goal is awarded. If a free kick is kicked directly into the teams own goal a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.