Indoor Soccer Rules

These Indoor Soccer Rules are based on the FIFA Laws Of The Game. Some of the more important rules as well as rules unique to the PAL Indoor Soccer Program are included herein. All Coaches are responsible for reading this document before participating in Indoor Soccer.

Conduct and Disqualification: Good sports conduct is essential. Therefore, if a player or players are sent off from a game, they will receive a minimum, automatic one game suspension. The suspension of that player becomes effective immediately following the ejection and carries through the remainder of that game, and the following game. While on suspension, the player is not allowed to participate in any game. In order to be reinstated for play, the player/players must meet with the Director of Indoor Soccer. Failure to meet with the above individuals maintains the suspension in full effect. In some cases where appropriate, the IS Director may suspend the player/players for a longer period. In extreme situations, the matter will be referred to the PAL Board.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS: The number of players competing is as follows:             Kinder Soccer:    Seven with no goalie                                                                          Clinic Soccer:      Goalie and (6)six players                                                                   Division 5 and 4: Goalie and (5) Players                                                                        Division 3 and 2: Goalie and (4)four players

ROSTER LIMIT: Each team is allowed a maximum of fourteen (14) players on their Team Roster.

EQUIPMENT: A player shall not wear jewelry: (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.). All players shall wear shin guards and eyeglass straps, (those wearing glasses are encouraged to wear sports safety glasses).   Non-cleated, soft-soled shoes are to be worn by all players. NO BLACK SOLED SHOES MAY BE WORN. Bare feet are not allowed. Hats are not permitted.

 PLAYER'S ATTIRE: There is no restrictions as to clothing as long as a team shirt is worn showing the team color. (Goalies are to wear a neutral shirt color). Kneepads or sweatpants to protect against floor burns are acceptable. If a player does not bring and wear their team shirt a pinnie will be issued for the game (yellow or red).

FIELD OF PLAY:

Division 3 & 2 Games will be played in the Main Gym of BHS.

Division 4 & 5 Games will be played in the Back gyms of BHS.

Kinder & Clinic Divisions Games will be played in the Upper and lower Gyms of RWB Middle School.

The balls may be played off the walls during a game but during warm-ups, teams may not kick a ball against the walls. Refusal to comply with this rule may result in suspension for the scheduled game.

DURATION OF THE GAME:

Kinder Division shall consist of (4)four quarters of (8)eight minutes each. The interval at half time shall not exceed five minutes and 21/2 minutes for all other quarters. Time outs are only called in case of injury to players or temporary loss of the ball.                                                                                                                     

Clinic Division shall consist of (2)two halves of (17)seventeen minutes with a three minute break at half-time.

Division 5 - 2 shall consist of (2) halves of (20)twenty minutes with a three minute break at haf-time.

There are no time-outs. The clocks runs continuously except when a lengthy delay is caused as follows:                                                                                                         a. in order to attend a injured player                                                                            b) to correct a problem with the playing area                                                              c) to correct a crowd control problem

BALL: A Intramural (fuzzy yellow) indoor soccer ball will be provided for the game. Outdoor balls will not be used at all!

START OF PLAY: At the beginning of the game the ball must be kicked forward and the kicker cannot kick the ball a second time until it has touched another player. At the kickoff, the opposing team must remain 10 feet from the ball until it is kicked for the first time.

If the game is temporarily suspended for any reason, the referee will restart the game by dropping the ball at the point closest to where play was suspended or the closest point outside the penalty area if the ball was in the penalty area at the time of the stoppage. No player may play the ball until the ball has touched the ground.

BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY:
The ball is out of play when:

The ball has completely crossed the goal line, whether on the ground or in the air.

The ball hits the rafters or goes into the designated out of play areas of the gym.

The game has been stopped by the referee or for any other reason.

The ball is stuck behind the goal area.

The ball is in play at all other times including:

If the ball rebounds from a goalpost, crossbar, or the wall onto the court.

If the ball rebounds from the referee while he/she is in the field of play.

In the event of a supposed infringement until a decision is given (advantage).

SCORING: A goal is scored when the whole ball has passed over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided it has not been thrown or carried by a player of the attacking side. A game shall be decided by whichever team has the greater number of goals at the end of the game.

HALF COURT RULE: Any delivery (kick, throw, or punch) of the ball by the goaltender from inside the penalty area must be touched by a player or touch the ground on the goalie's half of the field. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball crossed the mid-field line.

FREE KICKS: Free kicks are classified as either "direct" or "indirect". From a direct kick, a goal can be scored without anyone else touching the ball. From an indirect kick, a goal cannot be scored unless a player other than the kicker has played the ball before it passes over the goal line. Under no circumstances may the original kicker play the ball twice in a row. During an indirect kick, the Referee will raise his/her arm, indicating another player must play the ball before it goes into the goal. No signal will be displayed for a direct kick.

When a free-kick is being taken, either "direct" or "indirect", no player of the opposing side may be within 10 feet of the ball until it is kicked, unless he/she is standing on his/her own goal line, between the goal posts. The ball must be stationary when the kick is taken. In the case of a free kick being awarded to the defending side in the penalty area, the ball must be kicked out of the area before it can be touched for a second time. This rule also applies to a goal kick.

FOULS AND MISCONDUCT: Fouls and misconducts can be divided into two categories, those punished by a direct free kick, and those punished by an indirect free kick.

A direct free kick is awarded against a player who intentionally commits any of the following offenses:

Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent.

Trips an opponent.

Jumps at an opponent.

Charges an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner.

Charges an opponent from behind.

Strikes, or attempts to strike, an opponent.

Holds an opponent with his/her hands or any part of his/her arm.

Pushes an opponent with his/her hands or any part of his/her arm.

A hand ball offense.

An indirect free kick is awarded against a player who commits any of the following offenses:

Playing in a manner considered by the referees to be dangerous.

Charging fairly (i.e. with the shoulder) when the ball is not within a yard of the players concerned, and definitely not trying to play the ball.

Intentionally obstructing an opponent when not within playing distance of the ball.

A goaltender who fails to put the ball into play after possessing it with his/her hands for at least ten (10) seconds.

Having too many players on the field at the same time.

Being guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct (this includes shouting at an opposing player or referee to insult him or distract his/her attention).

A double possession by the goaltender. If the goaltender were to drop the ball into play and then use his/her hands to secure it again.

If a player slide tackles.

The goaltender handling a ball after a pass was played to him/her intentionally, by a teammate from below the passer's knee.

Special Considerations:

WALLS: If play becomes potentially dangerous along the wall, the official will stop play, move the ball away from the wall and restart the game with a drop ball.

Players may only use their hands on the wall to slow their momentum.

A player may not use his/her hand on the wall to gain advantage (aside from standing up); obstruction (indirect kick) will be called.

A player may not use two hands on the wall to shield an opposing defender, obstruction (indirect kick) will be called.

If an offensive player has to use two hands on the wall because the defender forces him/her to, illegal shoulder charge (indirect kick) will be called on the defender.

A dangerous charge along the wall will result in an automatic caution (yellow card).

A violent charge along the wall will result in an ejection (red card).

CORNERS:

Charging in the corners will not be tolerated.

A player charging an opposing player, in any fashion in the corner, will receive a caution (yellow card). If the charge is extremely violent the player may be ejected without prior warning.

All of the rules regarding the play along the walls also apply to the corners of the court.

GOALTENDER RULES: The goaltender may not be charged or obstructed. The penalty for charging the goaltender is a direct free kick awarded to the opposing team and a caution to the offending player. The penalty for obstructing the goalie is an indirect free kick awarded to the offended team and a caution to the offending player. If a collision occurs that is violent in nature, the player will be ejected from the game by the referee.

The goaltender's box is one and the same as the penalty area, the penalty is area approximately 25 feet from the goal.

GOALKEEPER POSSESSION: The goalkeeper is considered to be guilty of time-wasting if he holds the ball in his hands or arms for more than 10 seconds. The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hands or arms. Possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball, but does not include the circumstance where, in the opinion of the Referee, the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save.

FOUL AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE: Any player, coach or spectator affiliated with a team who is guilty of any incidental vulgar or profane language shall be cautioned by the referee. Any player, coach or spectator who uses insulting or abusive language shall be ejected.

PENALTY KICK: When one of the fouls that is normally punished by a direct free-kick is committed in the penalty area, a penalty kick shall be awarded. A penalty kick is taken from the penalty mark, and, when it is taken, all players, with the exception of the player taking the kick and the opposing goaltender, shall be within the field of play but outside the penalty area, and at least 10 feet from the ball. The opposing goaltender must stand on the goal line and may move laterally along the line but may not move toward the ball until it is touched. The player taking the kick must kick the ball forward, and may only kick the ball once. If the ball rebounds from the goaltender's body, the player can kick the ball again. If the ball rebounds from the goal post or crossbar, the player may not touch the ball again until another player does.

SUBSTITUTIONS: There will be free substitution but a player can only enter the field when the player he/she is replacing is completely off the field. The new player must stand at the corner of the field (each time to its own corner), flush against the wall. The first violation of this receives a verbal warning, the second time an indirect free kick is awarded from the spot at midfield nearest the ball, and the third violation will call for a yellow card being given to the player entering the field.

RAFTERS/CEILING: In the event that the ball hits the rafters, baskets or ceiling above the gym, play will be immediately called dead. A free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team from the spot where the ball came into contact with the rafters.

CAUTIONS/EJECTIONS: A player may be cautioned for persistently infringing the rules of the game, for unsportsmanlike behavior, for incidental foul language or if by word or action a player shows unnecessary dissent to the referee. Players issued a caution can continue to play and need not sit out, however, two cautions in the same match will result in an ejection.

A player shall be ejected from a game for violent conduct, serious foul play, using abusive language, or if he/she persists in misconduct after having received a caution. A player may also be ejected without prior warning for intentionally fouling a player from behind on a breakaway.

If a player is ejected, he/she can be replaced by another player. The ejected player must check with the IS Director’s Office before playing in any subsequent games. Soccer is not a game of physical strength, and the only contact between players should be when the ball is within one yard and then only shoulder to shoulder. In soccer, the rules encourage that players play the ball and not the opposing players.

All players issued ejections will be suspended indefinitely until the ejected party and the team manager see the Director of IS. All ejections carry a minimum one game suspension and all ejections involving fighting carry an automatic, minimum 365-day suspension.

OVERTIME: There will be no overtime

PENALTY KICKS: Only designated players may kick. Each team shall take an initial series of five kicks alternately. If the score is still tied after each team has taken five kicks, kicks shall continue with the remaining players of the designated group. Teams may select any order however, no player may kick twice until all designated players have kicked at least once. If every designated player has kicked once and the game is still tied, the kicks shall continue in the same order as they were started in. An equal number of females and males must be designated if a team has 10 players and at least five of each gender. If a team has fewer than five of a particular gender then all players of that gender shall be designated as well as an equal number of the opposite gender. (i.e 3 females and 7 males results in all 3 females designated and only 3 males).