U10

BELMONT & DORCHESTER RECREATIONAL

MINI SOCCER RULES OF THE GAME

2023 U10 Boys and Girls (AGES 9 & 10)

SECTION 1 - THE TEAMS

1.1 Basic compulsory equipment shall consist of shorts, socks, shin guards, footwear, and a numbered shirt.

1.2 Each team will consist of 7 players, one being a goalkeeper. Format flexibility is at the discretion of coaches before the game to play 6v6 if there are fewer players.

1.3 A team must field a minimum of 5 players to begin any game.

1.4 All players must be registered in the mini soccer program.

1.5 All players must be given equal playing time/sitting time.

1.6 Substitutions will be allowed under the following conditions, with a minimum of 5 minutes, and a maximum of 10 minutes per shift:

a) during any stoppage

b) if any player is injured

c) or as requested by coaches, upon consent of the referee

An agreement of the substitution time-frame is to be agreed upon by both coaches and the referee prior to the commencement of play.

1.7 Teams will be required to switch ends at half-time.

SECTION 2 - THE PLAY

2.1 All F.I.F.A./O.S.A. rules apply unless altered or deleted in the following sections.

2.2 All games will consist of 2 x 30 minute halves with a 5 minute break for half- time.

2.3 U10 practices should be scheduled on different nights if desired.

2.4 The referee decides which team has possession to kick off at the start of each half.

2.5 Ball size for all games and practices: Size 4

2.6 Offside will be called in the under 10 Boys and Girls league.

What makes the offside rule especially complicated is that a player can be in an "offside position" without being offside. Two things are necessary to be "offside":

1st - The player must be in an "offside position" at the moment the ball is "played" by a teammate. To be in an "offside position", a player must be on the opponent's half of the field & closer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball & the second-last defender. A player is not in an offside position if he is on his own half of the field (i.e. the half his goalkeeper is on), or even with the second-to-last defender or the last 2 defenders. (The goalkeeper is usually the last defender, or one of the last two, but he might not be the rules just refer to the last 2 defenders & don't mention the goalkeeper). This is often difficult to call. (For example, if a player is even with the Second Last Defender & thereby in an "onside position" but runs past the Second Last Defender a split second after his teammate makes a through pass. In this example, the player is not offside because he was in an onside position at the moment the ball was played.)

2nd - The player must be involved in "active play" by either:

• gaining an advantage by being in an offside position, or

• interfering with play, or

• interfering with an opponent

For example, if a player is in an "offside position" but not involved in the play, he would not be "offside". This can be a tough call & can be very judgmental. For example, what if the "on ball attacker" is to the right of the goal but a teammate is in an "offside position" to the left of the goal? You can argue that the teammate wasn't involved in the play, but you can also argue that he distracted the goalkeeper because the goalkeeper had to worry about the possibility of a crossing pass & therefore the attacking team "gained an advantage by being in an offside position", in which case the teammate was "offside". In this case, the Referee's decision might depend on whether he felt the Goalkeeper was influenced by the player in the offside position. Obviously, it is a very subjective decision. The penalty for Offside is that an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the offside occurred.

Don't argue with the referee over these calls. It's a very tough call and it's easy to miss these calls. (Even the best linesmen in the world miss these calls). We suggest teaching your attackers to stay 2 steps behind the "Last Defender" and, if they don't have the ball but are running with a teammate who has the ball, to stay 3 steps behind the ball so they are less likely to be called offside. (The linesman's sight angle can sometimes make an attacker look like he's in an offside position when he's actually even with the Last Defender or with the ball).

Special Cases Where Offside Is Not Called: A player is not offside if he receives the ball directly from a goal kick, throw-in or corner kick, even if he is in an offside position; however, once touched, the offside rule starts and if it is then played to a player in an "offside position", offside may be called. (Note that the offside rule does apply on "free kicks"). A player is also not offside if he passes the ball backward, even if doing so leaves him in an "offside position". However, if he is in an offside position and the ball is returned to him by a teammate (e.g., a wall pass), then he can be called offside.

2.7 A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the whole of the ball crosses the sideline, either on the ground or in the air. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

Throw-in procedure:

• stand facing the field of play

• have part of each foot on the touchline or on the ground outside the touchline

• throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head from the point

where it left the field of play

Foul throws occur when either foot is raised off the ground when the ball is released, or when the throw is mostly with one hand and from the side of the head. Referee discretion may allow throw-ins to be re-taken once to help players develop this skill.

2.8 Fouls: OSA’s Small Sided Laws – Law 12

The referee shall attempt to explain ALL infringements to the offending player. An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences:

A. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

B. Trips or attempts to trip an opponent

C. Jumps at an opponent

D. Charges an opponent

E. Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

F. Pushes an opponent

G. Tackles an opponent from behind to gain possession of the ball

H. Makes contact with an opponent before touching the ball

I. Holds an opponent

J. Spits at an opponent

K. Handles the ball deliberately

If any of offences above occurs inside the penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded.

2.9 Penalty Kick

The ball is placed on the penalty mark (10 yards from the goal line). Player taking the penalty kick must be properly identified.

Defending goalkeeper: must be on his/her goal line, facing the kicker, between the posts until the ball has been kicked. Goalkeeper is allowed to move sideways but can’t move forward until the ball has been kicked.

The players other than the goalkeeper must be located outside the penalty area and behind the penalty mark.

Procedure: After the players have taken their positions, the referee signals for the penalty kick to be taken. The player taking the penalty kick must kick the ball forward and must not play the ball again until it has touched another player. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

2.10 An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his/her own penalty area, commits any of the following offences:

A. Handles the ball after it has been deliberately kicked to him/her by a teammate B. Handles the ball after receiving it directly from a throw-in from a team-mate. Indirect free kicks and shall be taken from the penalty area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

2.11 If the goalkeeper handles the ball outside the 12 yard box, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the infraction.

2.12 Goal kicks can be taken from any point within the penalty area by a player of the defending team. RETREAT RULE: All opponents must be behind the retreat line (mid field) and cannot cross until the ball has been played and arrived at a targeted team-mate.

2.13 When the goalkeeper has retrieved the ball in their hands, opponents must begin retreating to half but the goalie can proceed with a drop-kick whenever they want.

2.14 No coaches or parents are allowed on the field during play.

2.15 The goalie shall wear a different colour shirt or pinnie than either team.

2.16 Scores will be kept and recorded by the referee on a game sheet. Results emailed by each coach to their club convenor.

2.17 Referees have been instructed to wait 15 mins prior to calling the game due to weather. If the game is called, the home game coach is responsible for sending an email to the club to let them know a reschedule is necessary. If the referee calls the game due to weather after the first half then the game is considered to be complete.

SECTION 3 – CONDUCT

3.1 Handshakes are to occur after the game is completed.

3.2 All players and spectators must sit three yards clear off the sideline. Players and coaches of both teams are to sit on one side the field and spectators on the opposite side.

3.3 No parent, coach or spectator may stand behind the net.

3.4 Players, coaches, parents and spectators shall not criticize the game officials at any time and shall encourage the same from the players