ATTLEBORO YOUTH SOCCER
Spring Recreation League
Referee Guideline
REC LEAGUE SPRING SOCCER REFEREE GUIDELINES
Under 5
Dual Field
Responsibilities of Ref:
- player safety, enforcement of game laws, and time
keeping
- explain the rules to the players at each correction
and instruct/assist them in proper positioning as needed
- use your whistle to gain attention of players as
needed at the start or stop of play, but do not blow repeatedly
Prior to Game:
- introduce yourself to the coaches
- line the teams up for equipment check, all players
must have shin guards and no metal cleats, players may not wear jewelry
- set your watch
Equipment:
Number of Players: *
- 3v3, no goal keeper (no player is allowed to “guard”
the goal)
Game Duration:*
- 3 8-minute periods, 2 min break between
- 2 15 minute halves, 3 min half-time
* Number of players and duration will be determined by
the coaches prior to the start of the game based on attendance and weather
conditions. Please check with the coaches prior to the start of the game.
Start of Play:
- Start each quarter or restart the game after a goal is
scored with a kick off at the center of the halfway line. Ref places the
ball, checks player positions and blows whistle to begin play.
- All players must remain on their own side of the
halfway line until the ball is kicked.
- All opposing players must be at least 5 yards from the
ball prior to the kick.
- The player kicking the ball may not touch the ball a
second time until ANY other player has touched it.
- If play has been stopped due to injury, the game is
restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was located when
play was stopped.
Ball in and out of Play:
- The ball is out of play when the whole ball crosses
the entire sideline or goal line, whether in the air or on the ground.
- Ref can assign the Pass/Dribble in; do not let the
same players who repeatedly ask to do it.
- Ref signals the player when to proceed.
- Place the ball on the line where it went out. A
member of the team that did not last touch the ball takes the pass-in or
dribble-in. All other players must give the player 5 yards of space before
contact. (This is used in place of throw-ins, corner kicks and goal kicks.)
For the first
few weeks of the season, try to explain what is going on, for example, “The ball
went out off of a white player, so it’s the blue team’s ball on the sideline.”
Then, tell the player, “You can pass it in to a teammate or dribble it in.”
Substitutions:
- Coaches can sub players at any stoppage of play,
regardless of which team has the ball.
Scoring:
- Official score is not kept.
- Goals cannot be scored directly from kick-offs,
Passes, Dribble-ins or free kicks but are considered a goal and a restart of
the game even if the ball goes in the net off of a defensive player. Balls
must fully pass the goal line.
Fouls and Misconduct:
- When a foul occurs, stop play and instruct the players
involved of the infraction. Free kicks are awarded to the opposing team
from the spot of the foul.
Fouls include:
pushing, tripping, kicking and handballs.
- Refs may ask coaches for assistance as needed when
dealing with unruly players or if repeated infractions occur.
REC LEAGUE SPRING SOCCER REFEREE GUIDELINES
Under 6
Dual Field
Responsibilities of Ref:
- player safety, enforcement of game laws, and time
keeping
- explain the rules to the players at each correction
and instruct/assist them in proper positioning as needed
- use your whistle to gain attention of players as
needed at the start or stop of play, but do not blow repeatedly
Prior to Game:
- introduce yourself to the coaches
- line the teams up for equipment check, all players
must have shin guards and no metal cleats, players may not wear jewelry
- set your watch
Equipment:
Number of Players: *
- 4v4, no goal keeper (no player is allowed to “guard”
the goal)
Game Duration:*
- 3 8-minute periods, 2 min break between
- 2 15 minute halves, 3 min half-time
* Number of players and duration will be determined by
the coaches prior to the start of the game based on attendance and weather
conditions. Please check with the coaches prior to the start of the game.
Start of Play:
- Start each quarter or restart the game after a goal is
scored with a kick off at the center of the halfway line. Ref places the
ball, checks player positions and blows whistle to begin play.
- All players must remain on their own side of the
halfway line until the ball is kicked.
- All opposing players must be at least 5 yards from the
ball prior to the kick.
- The player kicking the ball may not touch the ball a
second time until ANY other player has touched it.
- If play has been stopped due to injury, the game is
restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was located when
play was stopped.
Ball in and out of Play:
- The ball is out of play when the whole ball crosses
the entire sideline or goal line, whether in the air or on the ground.
- Ref can assign the Pass/Dribble in; do not let the
same players who repeatedly ask to do it.
- Ref signals the player when to proceed.
- Place the ball on the line where it went out. A
member of the team that did not last touch the ball takes the pass-in or
dribble-in. All other players must give the player 5 yards of space before
contact. (This is used in place of throw-ins, corner kicks and goal kicks.)
For the first
few weeks of the season, try to explain what is going on, for example, “The ball
went out off of a white player, so it’s the blue team’s ball on the sideline.”
Then, tell the player, “You can pass it in to a teammate or dribble it in.”
Substitutions:
- Coaches can sub players at any stoppage of play,
regardless of which team has the ball.
Scoring:
- Official score is not kept.
- Goals cannot be scored directly from kick-offs,
Passes, Dribble-ins or free kicks but are considered a goal and a restart of
the game even if the ball goes in the net off of a defensive player. Balls
must fully pass the goal line.
Fouls and Misconduct:
- When a foul occurs, stop play and instruct the players
involved of the infraction. Free kicks are awarded to the opposing team
from the spot of the foul.
Fouls include:
pushing, tripping, kicking and handballs.
- Refs may ask coaches for assistance as needed when
dealing with unruly players or if repeated infractions occur.
REC LEAGUE SPRING SOCCER REFEREE GUIDELINES
Under 7
Dual Field
Responsibilities of Ref:
- player safety, enforcement of game laws, and time
keeping
- explain the rules to the players at each correction
and instruct/assist them in proper positioning as needed
- use your whistle to gain attention of players as
needed at the start or stop of play, but do not blow repeatedly
Prior to Game:
- introduce yourself to the coaches
- line the teams up for equipment check, all players
must have shin guards and no metal cleats, players may not wear jewelry
- set your watch
Equipment:
Number of Players: *
- 4v4, no goal keeper (no player is allowed to “guard”
the goal)
Game Duration:*
- 3 8-minute periods, 2 min break between
- 2 15 minute halves, 3 min half-time
* Number of players and duration will be determined by
the coaches prior to the start of the game based on attendance and weather
conditions. Please check with the coaches prior to the start of the game.
Start of Play:
- Start each quarter or restart the game after a goal is
scored with a kick off at the center of the halfway line. Ref places the
ball, checks player positions and blows whistle to begin play.
- All players must remain on their own side of the
halfway line until the ball is kicked.
- All opposing players must be at least 5 yards from the
ball prior to the kick.
- The player kicking the ball may not touch the ball a
second time until ANY other player has touched it.
- If play has been stopped due to injury, the game is
restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was located when
play was stopped.
Ball in and out of Play:
- The ball is out of play when the whole ball crosses
the entire sideline or goal line, whether in the air or on the ground.
- Ref can assign the Pass/Dribble in; do not let the
same players who repeatedly ask to do it.
- Ref signals the player when to proceed.
- Place the ball on the line where it went out. A
member of the team that did not last touch the ball takes the pass-in or
dribble-in. All other players must give the player 5 yards of space before
contact. (This is used in place of throw-ins, corner kicks and goal kicks.)
For the first
few weeks of the season, try to explain what is going on, for example, “The ball
went out off of a white player, so it’s the blue team’s ball on the sideline.”
Then, tell the player, “You can pass it in to a teammate or dribble it in.”
Substitutions:
- Coaches can sub players at any stoppage of play,
regardless of which team has the ball.
Scoring:
- Official score is not kept.
- Goals cannot be scored directly from kick-offs,
Passes, Dribble-ins or free kicks but are considered a goal and a restart of
the game even if the ball goes in the net off of a defensive player. Balls
must fully pass the goal line.
Fouls and Misconduct:
- When a foul occurs, stop play and instruct the players
involved of the infraction. Free kicks are awarded to the opposing team
from the spot of the foul.
Fouls include:
pushing, tripping, kicking and handballs.
- Refs may ask coaches for assistance as needed when
dealing with unruly players or if repeated infractions occur.
REC LEAGUE SPRING SOCCER REFEREE GUIDELINES
Under 8
Responsibilities of Ref:
- player safety, enforcement of game laws, and time
keeping
- explain the rules to the players at each correction
and instruct/assist them in proper positioning as needed
- use your whistle to gain attention of players as
needed at the start or stop of play, but do not blow repeatedly
Prior to Game:
- introduce yourself to the coaches
- line the teams up for equipment check, all players
must have shin guards and no metal cleats, players may not wear jewelry
- set your watch
Equipment:
Number of Players:
- 6v6 with Goal keeper (Maximum Roster 9)
Game Duration:
- 2 - 20 minute halves, 3 minute half-time
Start of Play:
- Start each half or restart the game after a goal is
scored with a kick off at the center of the halfway line. Ref places the
ball, checks player positions and blows whistle to begin play.
- All players must remain on their own side of the
halfway line until the ball is kicked.
- All opposing players must be at least 3 yards from the
ball prior to the kick.
- The player kicking the ball may not touch the ball a
second time until ANY other player has touched it.
- If play has been stopped due to injury, the game is
restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was located when
play was stopped.
Ball in and out of Play:
- The ball is out of play when the whole ball crosses
the entire sideline or goal line, whether in the air or on the ground.
- For balls going over the sideline, call which team now
has possession (the one who was not the last to touch it). Instruct player
where to take the throw in if necessary. Be sure the throw in is legal
(arms over head, both feet on ground, behind the line). You can instruct as
needed and give another chance to throw in correctly, otherwise the ball
will change possession to the other team for a throw in at that spot.
- For balls crossing the end line, there is a goal kick
or a corner kick depending upon which team last touched the ball.
- Goal kick: If the offensive team last
touched the ball, the goalie at that end (or another player assigned by a
coach) places the ball and takes the kick in front of the net but not past
the line on the field.
- Corner kick: If the defensive team last
touched the ball, the ball is placed at the corner closest to where the ball
went out for a corner kick by the opposing team.
Substitutions:
- Coaches may sub players after a goal or during a
throw-in or goal kick when they have possession of the ball. No subs on a
corner kick.
Scoring:
- Official score is not kept.
- Goals cannot be scored directly from kick-offs,
throw-ins, kick-ins or free kicks but are considered a goal and a restart of
the game even if the ball goes in the net off of a defensive player. Balls
must fully pass the goal line.
Fouls and Misconduct:
- When a foul occurs, explain to the players involved
and the coaches as needed what the infraction was and indicate a direct or
indirect kick.
- Direct Free Kick: A direct free
kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the
following seven offences in a manner considered by the
referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:
• kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
• trips or attempts to trip an opponent
• jumps at an opponent
• charges an opponent
• strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
• pushes an opponent
• tackles an opponent
- A Direct Free Kick is also awarded to
the opposing team if a player
commits any of the following three offences:
• holds an opponent
• spits at an opponent
• handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his
own penalty area)
- A direct free kick is taken from the place where the
foul occurred and is shot directly at the net.
- Indirect Free Kick: An indirect
free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own
penalty area, commits any of the following four offences:
• controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before
releasing it from his possession
• touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from
his possession and before it has touched another player
• touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked
to him by a team-mate
• touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from
a throw-in taken by a team-mate
- An Indirect Free Kick is also awarded to
the opposing team if, in the
opinion of the referee, a player:
• plays in a dangerous manner
• impedes the progress of an opponent
• prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands
- The indirect free kick is taken from the place where
the foul
occurred and must touch another player before going into the net.
