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Rules

         Turf Soccer Rules         

1. Pre-Game – Spirit Points, Equipment, Game Time, Defaults, Fields

Play that is competitive, overly aggressive, rough and/or unsportsmanlike such as pushing, shoving, elbowing, shouldering, tripping, hacking, slashing, sliding, tackling, ball blasting, chirping, name calling, threats and intimidation, is prohibited and will not be tolerated by FCSSC.  FCSSC IS FIRST-AND-FOREMOST-FOR-FUN. ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM THE GAME, THE LEAGUE, THE CLUB AND/OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.  All players should go out of their way to avoid contact with other players and/or eliminate actions or behaviours that could jeopardize player safety.  If accidental contact occurs it is expected that players will apologize for that contact, ensure everyone is alright and stop the game to seek appropriate help as required.  This rule supersedes all others!

Spirit Points: An integral part of all the sports that the Forest City Sport & Social Club offers. It is based on the primary focus of the FCSSC, which is sportsmanship and to have FUN...NOT on competitive and aggressive sport. 

Equipment/Set-Up: FCSSC Game Coordinators will provide soccer balls for each game.  Teams are welcome to bring their own balls for warm-up and practice.  In addition, FCSSC’s Game Coordinator will keep score when possible (ie. Only one game in the gym at a time).  If the FCSSC Game Coordinator is unable to keep score, we ask that each team select a player to assist in keeping score. Each team should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.

Game Time/Default:  Please arrive 15 minutes early so that you can start your games on time. Games are 55 minutes in length, with a 2 minute break at halftime. Teams are comprised of five (5) players with a minimum of two (2) women and two (2) men. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 10 minutes after the official start time. A team can play with a minimum of 4 people, as long as two (2) of the players are female and two (2) are male. Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding gender minimum but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!   

2. In Game – General Rules, Fouls, Slide Tackling, Scoring, Goalies & Playoffs

General Rules:

1. Teams are comprised of 5 players (including goalie) with minimum of 2 women and 2 men on the field at all times
2. The game begins with one team initiating play by making a pass from the centre of the field (forward or backward).
3. Player substitutions can be made at any time (i.e. changing on the fly is allowed). However, please ensure that the player coming off has completely entered the team area before the new player joins the action and the change does not disrupt the flow of the game. Goalies cannot change on the fly - please wait for a stoppage in play before substituting goalies.
4. A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a player’s arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the shoulder). In addition players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area, and women can also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest. This rule will reduce the number of stoppages in play. Please don’t abuse this rule.
5. All free kicks are indirect. (rule clarification added September 2011)  Corner kicks, kick-ins (after the ball goes out of bounds) and free kicks (resulting from a foul) are all indirect kicks.  This rule is in place to deter players from blasting the ball at the goal in an attempt to hit the ball off the goalie and into the net – this causes goalie injuries and is therefore not permitted. To score off an indirect kick, the ball must be touched by another player (offense or defense, but not the defending goalie). Defensive players cannot be within 3 feet of the ball when an indirect kick is being taken.
6. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the sidelines, a kick-in is awarded to the opposite team. There will be NO throw-ins at any time.
7. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the offence, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team. (rule clarification added September 2011) See 6. Goalies, below, for clarification about goal kicks.
8. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the defense, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team.
9. The offending player should call their own infractions, however any players involved with the incident can also make a call. Players not on the court at the time of any incident CANNOT make a call at any time.
10. Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out if needed, except in the final 10 minutes of play.
11. If a ball hits the top or sides of the building (including net surrounding the field), an indirect kick is awarded to the opposite team. The ball should be placed at the spot on the field that is closest to where the ball made contact with the wall/roof. i.e. directly underneath the point at which the ball hit the ceiling and on the sidelines for balls that hit the side of the net.
12. No cherry-picking at any point during the game! Planting players in front of the net as a planned play is not allowed. If players are caught cherry picking, the ball will be turned over to the opposing team. There is no off-side in FCSSC soccer as the league is self-officiated and it would present too many challenges when making the call. Do not purposely stand off-side as this is not in the spirit of the league.

Fouls:

• Players are responsible for calling their own fouls. Please don’t abuse this rule. If a foul call has not been made, the player who has been fouled can also make the foul call.
• All standard soccer infractions are enforced (e.g. hand balls, body contact of any kind, etc).
• Purposely obstructing an opponent's vision by placing or waving a hand in his/her eyes is not allowed. Please keep a hand at least a foot away from someone's eyes.
• Only one of the two players involved with an infraction can make a foul call.
• If a foul call is disputed and the two players cannot come to an agreement, the ball will go to the team that was defending their net. Remember that games are timed, so it is not worth wasting time arguing over calls.
• Intentional fouls are not condoned by the league ie. a player is on a breakaway and fouled purposely from behind. This leads to an unsafe play and is not sportsmanlike.

Slide Tackling: Even if contact is made with the ball first, slide tackling is not allowed under any circumstances. As well, no players (with the exception of the goalie) can slide to block a shot or pass at any time. Stay on your feet!

Scoring: To score a goal, the ENTIRE ball must pass over the goal line and into the net. If a discrepancy arises as to whether the ball was in or not, the person deemed to have the "best perspective" will ultimately make the call. Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated, co-ed, social league, so any arguments or disputes should be kept to a minimum.

NOTE: If a team is up by 5 or more points after the first half, the losing team has the option to end the game with the current score and play for fun without counting goals made during the second half of the game.

Goalies:

• Goalies can use their hands ONLY when they are inside the lined goalie crease.
• When inside the goal crease, a goalie CANNOT pick up a ball with his/her hands if the ball has been played back on purpose to the goalie by a player on his/her team. This includes all forms of passing and kick-ins. The only exception is if the player directs the ball back to the goalie with their head - in this case the goalie CAN pick the ball up with his/her hands. A violation of this rule results in an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the goalie inappropriately used their hands.
• A goalie can "roam" as far from their goal as they want, but once outside their lined crease, the goalie CANNOT use their hands at any time.
• Goalies can score on a goal kick. Goals kicks are the only type of free kick that can be a direct kick. The distance of the kick eliminates the possibility of ball blasting the goalie (which minimizes the chance of injury) so direct goal kicks are allowed. All other free kicks must be indirect kicks. (rule clarification added September 2011)

Playoffs:

• Games are 50 mins in length. A game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a three-minute sudden death overtime period. If still tied, a shoot-out will commence; five of the players on the floor at the end of the game takes one shot each at a distance of ten paces. Only the players on the court at the end of the game can participate and the goalie that finished the game remains the goalie for the shoot-out. After five shots, if still tied, teams continue taking single shots until one team has scored (and the other team does not). The order of shooters must be maintained.
• No Ringers! To play on playoff nights players must have played a minimum of 2 regular season games (6-8 week season) or 3 regular season games (9-16 week season) for that team. For volleyball and dodgeball leagues, games = nights.
• A player is only allowed to play for one team in each playoff round. Players cannot sub in for another team during the same round, most particularly in a championship game. Exception: a player may sub for another team in the same league during the same play-off round IF the game is not a championship game (ie, title on the line) and the team needing a sub would default the game without the substitute player (resulting in both teams being unable to play).

3. Post-Game – Score Reporting, Spirit Points, Departure

Score Reporting:  Captains from each team are responsible for reporting or confirming game scores within 48 hours of the completion of the game.   Scores can be reported or confirmed via our website at www.fcssc.ca.

Spirit Points: Captains are also responsible for submitting a “Spirit” score for the opposing team each week.  This is done when the score is reported or confirmed on the FCSSC website.  Spirit points allow you to score your opponent based one your experience playing against them.  You can score them based on how fun they were to play against, did they show good sportsmanship, did they follow and know the rules, did they arrive on time etc.   All teams should shoot for PERFECT Spirit Points! 

Departure:  Each week after your game, it is important to leave the court in a timely manner.   Teams could be playing after you and will need to get their game started on time.   It is also possible that the facility could be closing upon the completion of your game and all staff and members will need to depart the building at that time.  

A PDF Copy of the Rules can be Downloaded here.

Location

FCSSC's INDOOR TURF location is Centrefield Indoor Sports Complex. This state-of-the-art facility offers FCSSC members a fantastic play experience. The location is on the bus route and has ample parking.