Rules of Competition
ARTICLE I
A) The rules of play shall be the “Laws of the Game” as published by Federation International of Football Association (“FIFA”). Special modifications are permitted for this organization.
B) All recreation players must either be a resident of Lyndhurst, NJ or attend a private school within Lyndhurst, NJ.
C) Each team shall not consist of more than 15 players, unless limit must be exceeded so all registrants can play.
D) Divisions shall be organized among teams of equal age groupings as follows:
Division I under 19 years (Travel Soccer)
Division II under 16 years (Travel Soccer)
Division III under 14 years*+
Division IV under 12 years of age*
Division V under 10 years of age*
Division VI under 8 years of age* but not less than 6 years of age* (and in 1st grade or above)
Kinder Kickers under 6 years of age* but not less than 4 years of age*
*A child’s age on December 31 of the current season will determine their age for the entirety of that season.
+14 year olds in 8th grade will also be permitted to play. High school students under 14 are NOT permitted.
In the event that circumstances dictate, divisions may be combined or realigned to provide sufficient teams and players for competition.
E) Length of games, ball sizes, and fielded team size for each group shall be as follows:
Division III - 2x40 minute halves - Size # 5 ball - 11 players on each side
Division IV - 2x35 minute halves - Size # 4 ball - 9 players on each side
Division V - 2x30 minute halves - Size # 4 ball - 7 players on each side
Division VI - 4x10 minute quarters - Size # 3 ball - 4 players on each side
There will be an intermission of at least five (5) minutes between periods; the game will be restarted by the referee.
F) No scheduled games shall be postponed or changed without the consent of the Games Chairperson.
G) No grace period is allowed. Failure to appear by either team at the appropriate game time, shall result in the forfeit of the missing team by the score of 1-0 with the ball placed in the center of the field and one (1) player moving the ball to score the goal.
H) When a game is conducted with eleven (11) players per side, a team must have a minimum of eight (8) players to play the game. A team with less than eight (8) players will forfeit the game by a score of 1-0.
I) Teams will be allowed unlimited substitutions. They may be made, with the consent of the referee at the following:
Prior to your own throw-in (either team in Division VI)
Prior to any goal kick.
After any goal.
After half time.
After an injury – By either team up to the number of injured players.
After a goalie ejection.
When a goalie substitution is made at any time the coach must notify the referee of such change. A non-goalie player ejected from the game (red carded) cannot be substituted for.
J) Each registered player is guaranteed to play at least twenty (20) minutes in a game provided that have attended at least two (2) of the last three (3) scheduled practices. Traveling practice counts as an attended practice if it conflicts with a recreation practice
K) Decisions to cancel games for inclement weather will be rendered by the President (or his/her delegate) as early as possible. The games that are postponed or canceled will be rescheduled by the Games Chairperson. All coaches will be notified of the postponements/cancellations at least two (2) hours, where possible, before the scheduled playing time. In the event a game has started or about to start and the weather will not permit the game to be played safely, the Referee or the Referee Assignor will determine if the game is played. A game that is started and then canceled because of weather will be replayed in its entirety at a time determined by the Games Chairperson.
L) Standings and Tie Breakers
Standings are points based with:
3 points for a win,
1 point for a tie.
0 points for a loss.
The top teams in Division 5, 4, and 3 will be based on standings/points at the end of the season. No playoffs will be conducted. The top team in each division will be determined upon the completion of scheduled games.
1. Total points accumulated based on games played during the regular season games;
2. If after completion of the regular season games the top teams are tied on points, then the top team will be determined by head to head play amongst those teams (which of the teams has the most wins head to head);
3. If a tie still exists after head to head play, then the top team will conduct a one game playoff to determine division winner. At the end of regulation if game is tied, two 10 minute overtime periods will be played using golden goal format. If still tied at completion of overtime, a shootout using a 5, 1, 1, ect format will take place.
M) Coaches will not interfere with the referee’s actions.
N) Coaches and volunteers must adhere to the ratified “FAIR PLAY” and “COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT” policies.
O) Teams will line up with their coaches and shake hands after every game.
P) In the event an assigned referee fails to appear for any scheduled game, both team coaches must agree upon a substitute. If in any way the substitute is related to a player or anyone on the field, all parties must be made aware.
Q) Mercy Rule -
In an effort to limit excessive scoring, if a team wins a game with a goal differential of 7 or more (e.g.; 7-0, 9-2), the game result will be considered a tie, using the lower amount of goals scored and the winning team will only be awarded 1 point for the game instead of 3. The coach may also be required to appear before the Governing Board. Efforts to establish parity amongst teams has been initiated through both the evaluation and drafting process.
R) Each team may have up to three people on the sideline (head coach, assistant coach and/or team manager).
S) Coaches may only give instruction from the technical box (ten yards from either side of the midfield line). Division VI coaches may coach from the field for the first half only and must STAY OUT OF THE PENALTY AREAS.
T) There is no slide tackling in any division. Depending on the severity of the foul the referee may issue a yellow or red card without warning to the offending player.
ARTICLE II
Disciplinary Action Guidelines for:
a.) Player(s):
Who receives two (2) yellow cards in one game will be given a red card and will be assessed a one game suspension.
Who receives Three (3) yellow cards during the season will be given a red card and will be assessed a one (1) game suspension.
A player will sit out one (1) game for every two (2) yellow cards they receive after the initial three (3).
A red card will cost a player to miss the next scheduled game, a minimum of two (2) games if the card was issued for violent conduct.
Fighting will result in up to a four (4) game suspension.
Pushing, striking or threatening any officer, official, coach or volunteer will result in up to a one (1) game suspension.
b.) Coach(s):
A neutral Executive Board member or the assigned referee shall have the authority to ask a coach/spectator to leave the field if a coach/spectator conducts himself/herself in an unruly manner or unsportsmanlike fashion.
Remarks by a coach that degrade the authority of the referee or the Spirit of the Game shall be considered unsportsmanlike and against the Code of Conduct and shall result in the ordering off the field the coach or coaches involved.
Any coaches asked to leave the field shall be required to appear before the Executive Board within seventy-two (72) hours for a disciplinary hearing.
ARTICLE III
Draft Guidelines:
Rules of Competition – Article III
A) Player Evaluations & Timing of Draft:
During the month of June, the league will hold evaluations for the following players:
All players “moving up” into Divisions V or IV
All players new to LYSC who are of at least 8 years of age (by December 31)
Players who attend the Evaluation will become members of the “Draft Pool”.
Players who meet either of the above criteria, but do not attend the Evaluation session, will be “Auto-Assigned” to a team by the Registrar following the Draft.
The draft will be held shortly after the Player Evaluations at a time and place to be mutually agreed upon by the Board and Head Coaches of respective teams.
B) Roster Sizes:
Each team’s roster will accommodate a minimum of 3, and a maximum of 6, substitute players. For example, in a division with 8 players on each side, each team will contain 11-14 players.
Excess Players (at time of draft):
If there are more registered players in a Division than teams available, an expansion team(s) will be created to accommodate. The Board will monitor this prior to the draft date to ensure the team has coaches assigned
Shortage of Players (at time of draft):
If there are not enough registered players in a Division to support the number of teams available, the team with the fewest number of players will be collapsed, and the returning players on that team will be automatically assigned to the team with the second-fewest returning players. Projected registrations should be considered prior to collapse.
Players will divided in such a way that each team’s roster size is in “balance”. In other words, all teams within a Division will have the same number of players or a difference of one. For example, if 100 players register across 8 teams, then four teams will have 12 players and four teams will have 13 players.
C) Draft Order
Division VI – No draft. Players will be given priority based on parental registration requests. All other players will be automatically assigned to teams by the Registrar, subject to Board approval.
Division V & IV – The Draft Order will be based on the reversed team standings from the previous season. Tie breakers will be decided by total points scored in head-to-head matches.
If an expansion team is created, that team receives the first pick in each draft round. Additionally, a lottery will be created from existing players to fill ~75% of the minimum roster (6 players on an 8-v-8 team, 8 players on an 11-v-11 team). The league may work with parents to solicit transfer volunteers in lieu of selecting lottery picks.
D) Attendees:
The following people must attend each draft:
At least one Executive Board member. If at all possible, this must be a Board member who does not act as a head coach or assistant coach for any team in the draft.
The Division Representative. This person will prepare and authenticate the master draft sheet for submission to the Registrar.
Each team’s head coach. If the head coach cannot attend, he/she may delegate to the assistant coach or team manager, but must notify the Board ahead of time.
E) Drafting of Volunteers’ Children:
A head coach’s child(ren) will automatically be assigned to his/her team. This will not count as a draft pick.
An assistant coach’s child will automatically be drafted to his/her team. This will count as a 1st round draft pick unless either of the following circumstances occur:
The assistant coached the team in the prior season. In this case, the child will count as a 3rd round pick.
The assistant coach was placed by the Board due to a need. In this case, the Board will evaluate the child’s draft placement on a case-by-case basis.
Team managers do not receive preference. If a parent wishes to volunteer as a team manager, that parent will manage the team to which his/her child was drafted.
F) Sibling Act
Any child who has a sibling on a team within the same Division will automatically be placed with that sibling, whether or not the child attended the Evaluation.
If multiple siblings appear in the Draft Pool in the same Division, they must be drafted together as two unique draft picks. To compensate, the drafting team will get first pick in the subsequent drafting round.
G) Parental Requests for Placement:
The Registrar will include all special registration requests in the Draft Pool worksheets. Coaches may consider these requests when drafting teams, but are not bound by them.
A parent may choose to opt out of the Sibling Act above.
H) Posting Rosters:
The Registrar will enter all Draft information into the system of record on or before the Sunday following the draft. Then, all the “Auto Assigned” players will be assigned. Complete rosters will be sent out to all head coaches, assistant coaches, and team managers.
I) Late Registrants:
For purposes of this section, a “late registrant” is a child who is registered after the Rosters are posted as per above.
Late registrants who would have been eligible to participate in the Draft Pool are automatically assigned to the next team that would have had a draft pick.
Late registrants who would return to the same Division as the previous season will be placed on their former team if it does not affect the roster “balance” (defined above).
Rosters will be updated once per week between the draft and the close of registrations. The Registrar may wait one week to accommodate returning late registrants to their previous team.
ARTICLE IV
Transfer of Players:
If for any reason the commissioner of the recreation department rules any child to be placed on any other team than the one he/she has been drafted on, the executive board will determine a comparable solution for that team.
ARTICLE V
Travel Soccer:
In an effort to develop competitive and elite soccer players the LYSC will field travel teams. The travel soccer club will be known as the Lyndhurst Soccer Club (LSC).
The VP of Travel Programs will assume the titles and duties of President and Club Representative of the LSC. He/she will report to the LYSC Executive Board all issues regarding travel soccer and the LSC.
He/she will register teams and pay fees to the travel soccer league.
He/she will be responsible for registering and carding players with the appropriate governing agency.
He/she will represent the LSC at all league meetings and functions and will act and vote on behalf of the Club in the Club’s best interest.
All Lyndhurst residents must register and play recreation soccer for LYSC in order to be eligible to play travel soccer for LSC.
All LYSC registered players are welcome to tryout for LSC travel soccer teams. LSC teams are select teams and players are not guaranteed a roster spot.
LSC teams can register non-resident players if they can not fill their rosters with LYSC players. Once a non-resident player has registered with LSC they will be treated as if they were a resident player and can not be released to open up a roster spot for a resident player.
As select teams they are not governed by the LYSC rules of play regarding playing time and will follow their travel league rules in regards to FIFA Laws of the Game and their league exceptions.