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Rules for Play    SYSA U5--U8 Intramural Soccer 

1.  The kids should have fun.

2.  Players are to keep to their feet and may not slide tackle; if a player falls he/she must give up the ball and not try to kick it from the ground as this is how they get hurt.

3.  Ideally we want to play 3 v 3, but with nearly 8 kids on each team we just cannot keep that many kids idle on the side.  So we will play 4 v 4.  U5, U6, and U7

will play with no goalie, and this point is not debatable.   The no goalie rule is being used by the vast majority of US Youth Soccer programs.  It keeps kids moving and using their feet.  Each goal area is marked with a small box, and the kids need to be told at the beginning that no one can kick the ball into the net from inside this area, and no defender can stand in the area and block the shots. If the ball comes to a stop inside the area, then the defensive team dribbles in from there and the offensive team must back up ten yards.

4.  U8 plays 4 v 4, including a goalie.  Coaches need to make sure that the goalie is OUT OF THE NET PART OF THE GAME AND CAN ONLY USE HANDS IN THE VERY SMALL GOAL AREA THAT IS MARKED. This forces the goalie to use his/her foot more, which is good.

5. The kids need to understand that EVERYONE comes up when the ball is up; everyone comes back when the ball is back. Try to enforce the no bunching idea (is this possible??)  Praise the kids when they are able to spread out.

6. If the ball goes out of bounds on the goal line behind the net, then if the ball went off of the defending team, the offensive team gets to take the ball at the side line and we will let the kids dribble in and all defenders must move 10 yards back. So no corner kicks. If the ball goes out on the offensive team, the defensive team takes a goal kick on the box and the defensive team must move back behind the 50 yard line. I would hope that we can get this goal kick to be a nice pass to a teammate to the outside (away from the middle) and not just a kick straight to the defender on the 50. Just use coaches’ discretion on these distances so not to slow the game down while players are trying to understand what the coach is asking.

7. If the ball goes out of bounds on the sideline, the team who kicked it out must back up 10 yards the other team will dribble the ball in. So no throw ins. Just use coaches’ discretion on the distance so play does not slow down. 

8. Let's start play the way it is supposed to start, with the ball moving forward. By U8, maybe you can set up a play where they touch it forward to a teammate.

9. After each goal we come back to the middle; the non scoring team gets the ball.  At U5-7, if there are a lot of goals and play is slowing down by stopping to bring the ball back to the middle each time, coaches can speed up play by letting the defending team just start with the ball. 

10.  NEW:  Coaches coach from the sidelines, not on the field.   This lets the kids play without a coach in their ear at all moments. 

SYSA U9 Intramural Soccer FALL 2007

Rules for Play

1. The kids should have fun!

2. The referee has the final call. We have a zero tolerance policy. NO COACH, PARENT, NOR PLAYER MAY ARGUE A REF’S CALL. THIS WILL BE ENFORCED.

3. Players are to keep to their feet and may not slide tackle; if a player falls he/she must give up the ball and not try to kick it from the ground as this is how they get hurt.

4. Ideally we want to play 6 v. 6 including a goalie, 3 defense and 2 forwards. It may need to change depending on turnout. Coaches need to make sure that the goalie is OUT OF THE NET AND PART OF THE GAME. CAN ONLY USE HANDS IN THE VERY SMALL GOAL AREA THAT IS MARKED. This forces the goalie to use his/her foot more, which is good.

5. The kids need to understand that EVERYONE comes up when the ball is up; everyone comes back when the ball is back. Try to enforce the no bunching idea. Praise the kids when they are able to spread out.

6. U9 does throw-ins when the ball goes out of the sideline; corner kicks and goal kicks when the ball goes out of the end line. If a player makes an illegal throw in, the ref is to make them do it again and explain why it was wrong. If it is wrong the second time, play continues.

7. Parents must be on opposite sideline from players and coaches during the game. Parents should let the coaches be the only voice the players hear – parents should not coach from sidelines.

8. Coaches coach from the sidelines, not on the field. This lets the kids play without a coach in their ear at all moments. It is a violation of the zero tolerance policy for a

coach to come onto the field.

9. All players should play equally in the game - substitutions should be made approximately every 4-5 minutes.

10. Games are 2 x 25 minute halves and played on field sizes 180’ x 120’.

11. The referee can stop play and award an Indirect Penalty Kick (a kick that MUST touch a second player before going into the net) for any infraction, including but not limited to hand ball, tripping, and rough play. If the penalty takes place within any area closer than the marked 18’ or 14’ yard line on the field, then the penalty kick is taken from the 18’ or 14’ mark, whichever is marked on the field. The call of such penalties are in the sole discretion of the ref.

12. Coaches of both teams shall meet with the ref prior to the start of the game to confirm these rules and the zero tolerance policy.
 

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