Official Ball

 

 Size #4    •Circumference: 62 - 64 cm    •Weight: 390 - 430 grams    •Bounce: 55 - 65 cm on first bounce  •Material: Leather or other suitable material (i.e., not dangerous)

 

Number of Players

 

Teams play with five players on the field.  Teams may with start and finish a game with four players. A minimum of one female must be on the field at all times and a maximum of three men for coed leagues.  A maximum team would consists of three males, and two females.

 

Substitutions

 

Method: "Flying substitution" (all players but the goalkeeper enter and leave as they please;  goalkeeper substitutions can only be made when the ball is out of play and with a referee's consent).

 

Player Equipment

 

Same colored shirts, protective shin-guards (recommended) and footwear with rubber soles.

 

Length of Game

 

Two equal periods of 20 minutes.  Time can be prolonged only to take a penalty kick.

 

START OF PLAY

 

Procedure: Coin toss followed by kickoff; opposing team waits outside center circle; ball deemed in play once it has been touched; the kicker shall not touch ball before someone else touches it; ensuing kick-offs taken after goals scored and at start of second half.

 

BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY

 

Ball out of play: When it has wholly crossed the goal line or touchline; when the game has been stopped by a referee; when the ball hits the ceiling (restart: kick-in at the place closest to where the ball touched the ceiling).

 

Lines: Touchlines and goal lines are considered inside the playing area.

 

METHOD OF SCORING

 

When the whole of the ball has passed over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar (except by illegal means).

 

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

 

Direct free kick awarded when a player intentionally commits any of the following 13 offenses (penalty kick awarded when infringement takes place in penalty area)

 

• kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

• tripping an opponent

• jumping at an opponent

• charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner

•charging an opponent from behind

• striking, attempting to strike, or spitting at an opponent

• holding an opponent

• pushing an opponent

• charging an opponent with shoulder (i.e., shoulder charge)

• sliding at an opponent (i.e., sliding tackle)

• handling the ball (except goalkeeper)

• dangerous play (e.g. attempting to kick ball held by goalkeeper)

• charging the goalkeeper in the penalty area (i.e., goalkeeper charge)

 

Indirect free kick awarded when any of the following 6 offenses is committed (kick taken from the 6-meter line when infringement takes place in penalty area):

 

• obstruction

• goalkeeper throws ball directly over the halfway-line (without it first touching his own side of the pitch or any player)

• goalkeeper picks up or touches with his hands a back pass

• goalkeeper picks up or touches with his hands a kick-in from a teammate

• goalkeeper controls the ball with any part of his body for more than 4 seconds, unless the goalkeeper is on the opponents half.

• goalkeeper touches with any part of his body a back pass that has been played back to him before the ball has (1) crossed the  halfway-line or (2) been touched by an opponent

 

Players shall be cautioned (i.e., shown yellow card and removed from game for 3 minutes with no substitution) when:

 

• a substituting player enters the pitch from an incorrect position or before the player he is substituting has entirely left the pitch

• he persistently infringes the Laws of the Game

• he shows dissent with any decision of the referee

• he is guilty of ungentlemanly conduct

 

These 4 yellow-card offenses are punishable by a direct free kick taken from the point of infringement (or from the6-meter line when the infringement takes place in penalty area).

 

Players shall be sent off (i.e., shown the red card) for:

 

•(a) serious foul play

• (b) violent conduct

• (c) foul or abusive language

• (d) second instance of caution able offense (i.e., second yellow card)

• (e) intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity (e.g. through a "professional foul")

• (f) intentionally impeding a clear goal opportunity in the penalty area by handling the ball

 

Direct free kicks (or penalty kicks) accompany the expulsion.

 

RULES OF EXPULSION

 

• The player sent off (shown a red card) is out for the rest of the game plus an additional game

• The team of the player sent off can substitute for that player after 3 minutes of playing time or after the opposing team scores --whichever comes first.

• The substitute cannot come on until the ball is out of play and he has a referee's consent.

 

FREE KICK

 

• Types: Direct free kicks and indirect free kicks

• Wall: At least 5 meters away until the ball is in play

• Ball in Play: After it has traveled the distance of its own circumference

• Time Limit: Kick must be taken within 4 seconds

• Restriction: Kicker cannot touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player

 

ACCUMULATED FOULS

 

Accumulated fouls refer only to all the fouls mentioned in “FOULS AND MISCONDUCT”.

 

Once a team has accumulated 5 fouls during a half, from the 6th foul:

 

• that team shall not be allowed a defensive wall

• all free kicks shall be direct (no indirect free kicks)

• infringements committed within 12 meters of the goal line shall be punished with a direct free taken from the point of infringement or from the second penalty spot; infringements committed from12 meters or further from the goal line shall be punished with a direct free kick from the Second Penalty Spot

 

PROCEDURE

 

•Until the ball is kicked into play, all players other than the goalkeeper and kicker shall remain behind an imaginary line that is in line    with the ball and parallel to the goal line.

• The goalkeeper shall remain in his penalty area at least 5 m away from the ball.

• The kicker must aim at the goal, with the intention of scoring.

• No other player may touch the ball until it has been touched by the pitch, rebounded from the goal post or crossbar, or has left the  pitch.

• If the infringement took place in penalty area (and does not merit a penalty kick), the free kick is to be taken from the 6-m-line on the spot nearest to where the infringement occurred.

 

PENALTY KICK

 

•To be taken from the penalty mark on the mid-point of the 6-m-line.

• The kicker is to aim at goal, with the intention of scoring.

• All players must be out of the penalty area, and the players of the opposing team must also be at least 5 m from the penalty  spot.

•The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.

 

KICK IN

 

•To be taken in place of the throw-in.

• The ball is placed on the touch line before kicking.

•  The  kicker's  foot  not  kicking  the  ball  must  be  outside  or  at  least  on  the  touchline; if  it crosses the touchline all of the way, into  the pitch, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.

• The kick-in must be taken within 4 seconds; if it is not, the kick-in is given to the opposing team.

• The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an indirect free  kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.

• Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of kick-in.

• All kick-ins are indirect kicks.

 

GOAL CLEARANCE

 

• To be taken in place of goal kick.

• From inside the penalty area, the goalkeeper throws the ball into play.  Ball may not travel in the air passed the midcourt line without first hitting the ground or another player.

• The ball is not in play until it has passed outside of the penalty area. If the goal clearance is received inside of the penalty area, the  goal clearance shall be taken over.

 

CORNER KICK

 

•Ball placed on the corner (no corner-kick arc). If ball is misplaced, the corner kick is taken over.

• Must be taken within 4 seconds; failure to do so entails indirect free kick to the opposing team from the corner mark.

•The kicker cannot play the ball a second time until it has been played by another player; infringement of this rule entail an indirect free-  kick to the opposing from the point of infringement.

• Players on opposing team must be at least 5 m away from point of the corner kick.

• All corner kicks are direct kicks.

 

PENALTY KICK SHOOT OUT (ALL OVERTIMES)

 

• Main referee decides goal to be used.

•Coin tossed to decide order.

• Five kicks to be taken by 5 different players selected from the 12 suited players. Captain of each team announces these 5 to the main referee before the kicks are taken. (Minimum of two female players)

•If two teams are still tied after 5 kicks, the additional kicks will be taken on a sudden-death basis by the rest of the players who have not  kicked yet. (There must be at least one female attempt every 4th attempt).

• Players sent off during the match are not eligible to take these kicks.

•Any eligible player may change places with his goalkeeper.

•While the penalty shoot-out is  in progress, players will remain on the opposite half of the pitch.  The assistant referee shall control this area.

 

LEAGUE POLICIES        

 

FORFEITS:

 

Chattanooga Sports Leagues will provide a staff member on-site to assist players with any problems or questions they may have. There are no referees.

 

If your team forfeits a match during the season, the following rules apply:

 


First Offense: Loss of game.


 

Second Offense: Loss of game and staff reserves the right to remove team from playoffs.

 

Third Offense: Removal from the league.

 

Any team that forfeits more than once also forfeits any guarantee or right to a certain number of guaranteed games.

If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, we encourage you to email the league manager so as to help us schedule your opponent a game.

 

Teams may play more than one match per day, and/or play matches on days/nights other than your regularly scheduled league day/night.  
CSL reserves the right to schedule playoff games on days other than your regularly scheduled league night.

 

Any questions regarding rules, policies, or eligibility must be addressed before the start of the game. 

    

STANDINGS:

 

The updated standings will be posted weekly, displaying each teams rank within its skill level.

 

PLAYOFFS:

 

Playoffs are single-elimination. Playoffs will take up to 2 weeks to complete and will best 2 out of 3 matches.

 

WAIVERS:

 

In order to participate in the league, each participant must sign the team waiver. Waivers are provided and must be completed and handed in no later than the first night of play. Players not present the first week of play will still be required to sign a waiver with our staff before participating. These waivers will also serve as your final roster.

 

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY:

 

Any protest made during a game or after a game will NOT be considered a formal protest.  A formal protest may be filed before a game if an opposing player’s eligibility is in question. The player in question will be required to provide his/her player information (ID) in person to a CSL staff member prior to the start of the game. This qualifies as an official protest and only applies to the playoffs. The game will then be played in its entirety as scheduled. Teams will be notified of all rulings on the identified eligibility discrepancy by the following business day – decisions will not be made on site. If the protest is proven to be legitimate, it will result in the forfeiture of the game in question. Games subsequent to the protested game may be rescheduled.
The above procedure will also apply for any other “logged” protests. All protest need to happen prior to any match/game starting, otherwise the match/game will stand as a leagl match. All rulings by CSL staff are considered final. Substitutes are allowed during the regular season, but only roster players are allowed for the playoffs.  Any player(s) who has a season ending medical condition, moves away, or has another circumstance deemable for a subsitute player must be approved by sending a formal email to sports@playcsl.com.

 

SPORTSMANSHIP:

 

The idea of CSL is to have fun. We hope that all participants keep that in mind when becoming involved. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league.

 

To coordinate and run the league, our refs and/or staff will be available at all times to help the league run as smoothly as possible. If you have questions regarding schedules, policies, rule interpretations, directions to the bar, etc. please ask or call our office.

 

LEAGUE CANCELLATION/RAINOUT:

 

Leagues may be cancelled due to existing weather conditions, dangerous or unplayable field conditions, facility constraints, scheduling conflicts, etc. CSL staff makes every effort to play all scheduled games, thus we will not cancel games unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, if you are calling concerning a decision on a cancellation, remember we will not have an answer until close to the start of the league.

 

If the league is cancelled, CSL staff will post all notices on social media sites (Facebook/Twitter).  CSL will then email/text all of the captains if possible. If a league is cancelled on site, CSL staff will attempt to contact those teams still scheduled to play the remainder of the league day/night. Depending on the time of cancellation, some teams will have to be notified on site. In extreme circumstances, CSL reserves the right to run a shortened season without a refund or schedule matches on days and/or locations other than our regularly scheduled league day/night/location.