Outdoor Coed 6's Soccer Rules

About our Coed Soccer Leagues:
At Valley Sport & Social Club, we embrace the spirit of FUN as our top priority! Our league is designed to provide a positive and supportive atmosphere where individuals from diverse backgrounds and skill levels can come together to stay active, socialize, and enjoy themselves. We are excited for a fantastic season filled with inclusive and friendly gameplay.  This is a self-officiated social soccer league.

Code of Conduct:
At Valley Sport & Social Club, we prioritize a fun and sportsmanlike atmosphere above all else. Any form of overly aggressive, rough, or unsportsmanlike behaviour, such as pushing, shoving, or name-calling, is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. We value the safety and enjoyment of all players in our league.

Any player engaging in rough or physical play will face immediate expulsion from the game, league, club, or all of the above. It is essential for all participants to avoid unnecessary contact with others and to refrain from actions that could compromise player safety. In the event of accidental contact, players are expected to apologize, ensure everyone's well-being, and pause the game to seek appropriate assistance if needed. This rule takes precedence over all others to maintain a respectful and enjoyable playing environment for everyone.

If at any time during a game if there are any concerns with the opposing team players, the team captain will address the issue with the other team captain during a break or halftime. If the issue has not been resolved by the end of the game please forward any concerns to play@valleysportandsocial.com

Team Composition:
All players must be signed up with Valley Sport & Social Club and must sign our waiver to be eligible to play.

There is no limit to the number of players on a team.

Your Team Captain is the one who invites you via email to join their team. Once you create a profile and accept the waivers, you will show up onto your team roster. Only players on the team roster are able to play. This includes any SUBS!!

Individual players: Players that register independently and are looking to be placed onto a team by Valley Sport & Social Club will be notified what your team name is via email approximately a week before league start. Schedule will follow shortly afterwards.

Team captains are responsible for ensuring that all players are registered.

Teams play 6-vs-6 (5 plus Goalie = 6 players on the field per team)

Minimum # of Female Players Required on the Field is 2
There is no maximum amount of female players.

Maximum # of Male / X Players on the Field is 4

The goalkeeper can be female or Male / X.

The goalkeeper must wear a different coloured shirt/jersey than both teams.

Missing A Player / Short A Player(s) Rule:
A player may be borrowed from other teams if short only if agreed upon by both team captains before the start of play.

Injury Substitution Rule:
A player may be borrowed from other teams to help the team replace an injured player if no other teammates are available to replace the injured player. Please try to find a replacement player similar to injured players' skill and ability if possible. Please let opposing team captain know of this substitution prior to the return of play.

Pre-Game Field Set-Up:
Captains must pace out the field so it is approximately 35 paces wide and 60 paces long.
The field setup details are as follows:
Overall length of the field: 60 paces
Overall width of the field: 35 paces
One pace is equivalent to approximately 3 heel-to-toe steps.

Using 10 Pylons:

Soccer Field - Marking The Soccer Field With Pylons (x= Pylon)

⇤             35 Paces Width              ⇥
x                      Net                           x          ↧

x                                                       x          ⏐

x                                                       x    60 Paces Length

x                                                       x          ⏐

x                     Net                            x          ↥

Balls:
At Valley Sport & Social Club, our Game Hosts will supply soccer balls for each game. Teams are encouraged to bring their own balls for warm-up and practice sessions.

Uniforms:
To ensure smooth operations, we recommend that every team brings both light and dark coloured shirts to every game. This practice helps facilitate easy identification and organization during matches.

The goalkeeper must wear a different coloured shirt/jersey than both teams.

All players, including goalies, must wear shin pads when on the field.

Metal cleats are not allowed.

Keeping Score:
We kindly request that each team appoint a player to assist with scoring during the game. Captains from either team will enter the game standing points for both teams at the end of the game online through their dashboard. Captains would go to their team schedule to “Record Scores”. Captains from either team are the only members that can enter the standings points for both teams. When entering your standings points - DO NOT ENTER Goals scored! Captains just enter the points for standings only for both teams - A win will grant the winning team 2 points in the standings, a tie will grant both teams 1 point, and a loss will grant 0 points. If your team wins by default / no-show the above point system for standings scoring are in effect.

Game Length:
Please ensure you arrive 15 minutes early to start games on time.
Each game of 2 x 35 minute halves with a brief rest between halves.
Both captains will start their own watch / phone timer clocks together with alarm to signal the end of the half / game.

Games start and end according to the schedule.
If games start late, they must finish at the scheduled time.

Teams are responsible for keeping score and time.

Valley Sport & Social Club Game Host will whistle the end of each half.

A game can end in a “tie” during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a shoot-out.

Weather:
Play will continue in ALL weather conditions! We play Rain or Shine!
During severe weather like thunderstorms, games must stop immediately and players should seek shelter. Wait for 45 minutes; if the weather improves, play can resume. If not and the game was in the first half, scores won't count, and the game may be rescheduled. If in the second half, the score at stoppage stands.

Alcohol/Drugs:
Alcohol and drugs are not allowed during league play at Valley Sport & Social Club. Offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund. Zero tolerance policy applies.

Game Start Time Default:
A default occurs if a team cannot field a squad 10 minutes after the official start time. Teams can play with a minimum of 4 players. Captains can meet and agree to waive minimum requirements before the game, with notification to the Game Host. Once agreed upon, that game counts and is official!

Start of Game:

• Captains will meet-up at centre and Rock, Paper, Scissors for the choice of kick-off or side.
• Captains will start the game when both teams are ready to play.
• Both captains will start their own watch / phone timer clocks together with alarm to signal the end of the half / game.
• Teams are responsible for keeping score and time during game.
• The team that does not kick-off to start the game will kick-off to start the second half.
• Teams switch sides of field after the first half of the game.
• At a kick-off, all players shall be in their own half of the field of play. All players opposing the team taking the kick-off shall be not less than 6 paces from the ball until it is kicked-off.
• Time-Outs are NOT permitted
• Water Breaks:
  Should both teams require water breaks - when and duration is to be agreed upon by both captains.

General Soccer Rules:

Substitutions:

• Substitutions can be made on the fly. The only time a substitution will stop play is if the goalie is the one being substituted.
• There is no maximum number of substitutions.
• Players must wait until the player being subbed is completely off the field before they can go in.
• Substitutions can be made at any time within 5 meters of the centre of the field.
• The player coming off must 'tag' the oncoming player in the substitution area.
• Substitutions should not disrupt the flow of the game.

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.

Only one of the two players involved with an infraction can make a foul call.

When a foul is called, play must be stopped as there is no “Play-on Advantage” rule in VSSC soccer.

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.

Handball Infraction:

• A handball occurs when the ball hits any part of the player's arm from the shoulder down.
• Players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area and female players can use their arms to black the ball from hitting their chest.

Diret Kicks:

A direct kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following seven offences in a manner considered 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 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/her own penalty area)

Free Kicks:

• All free kicks are indirect. The ball must be touched by another player (offensive or defensive team players, but NOT the defending goalie) to score off an indirect kick.
• Defensive players cannot be within 3 yards of the ball during an indirect kick.

Corner Kicks and Goal Kicks:

• Are direct kicks that can be scored without an additional touch.
• Any player from the same team can kick the Goal kick, it doesn’t have to be the goalie only.

Penalty Kicks:
A penalty kick shall be taken from the penalty-mark (10 Paces from centre of the net). All players, with the exception of the defending goalkeeper and the player taking the kick, shall be outside the penalty area but within the field of play, not less than 6 paces from the ball until it has been kicked.
The goalkeeper shall remain on his own goal-line facing the kicker, and between the goal-posts, until the ball has been kicked.
The player taking the penalty-kick must kick the ball forward. The ball shall be in play
when the ball is kicked and moves forward. The player shall not play or touch the ball a
second time until it has been played or touched by another player.
If necessary, the time of play shall be extended to allow a penalty-kick to be taken.
For any infringement of this rule:
By a member of the defending team, the kick shall be retaken if a goal has not been scored.
By a member of the attacking team, if a goal is scored it shall be disallowed and a free kick
awarded to the defending team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
By a member of both teams, the kick shall be retaken whether a goal has been scored or not.

Out of Bounds:
If the ball goes out along the sidelines, a kick-in is awarded to the opposite team that touched the ball last to place the ball out of bounds.

• If the ball goes out along the goal line by the offence, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
• If the ball goes out along the goal line by the defence, a corner kick is awarded to the offensive team.

Sliding:

• Sliding is not allowed except for goalies within the goalie crease area.
  Please stay on your feet!

Scoring:

• The entire ball must pass over the goal line and into the net to score a goal.

• The person with the "best perspective" makes the final call on scoring disputes. Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated social league, so any arguments or disputes should be kept to a minimum

• A game can end in a “tie” during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a shoot-out.
  
• Captains from either team are the only members that can enter the standings points for both teams. When entering your standings points - DO NOT ENTER Goals scored! Captains just enter the points for standings only for both teams - A win will grant the winning team 3 points in the standings, a tie will grant both teams 1 point, and a loss will grant 0 points. If your team wins by default / no-show the above point system for standings scoring are in effect.

Off-Sides:

• There are no off-sides, but consistently "cherry-picking" is considered unsportsmanlike. If players are caught “cherry-picking” the ball will be turned over to the opposing team as an indirect free kick.

Goalies:

• Goalies can use their hands ONLY when they are inside the marked crease area (lined crease or pylon line).

• 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 or throw. Goals kicks are the only type of free kick that can be a direct kick. All other free kicks must be indirect kicks.

• If a goalie makes a save by catching the ball with their hands, they can do one of three things; (a) throw the ball out, (b) kick the ball (out of their hands), or (c) put the ball down on the ground (at which point it becomes a live ball). Please note that if a goalie elects to put the ball on the ground, the goalie cannot choose to immediately pick the ball up again.

Playoffs Eligibility and Tie-Breaking Procedures:

A game can end in a “tie” during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a shoot-out.

• No Ringers: To play in a playoff game, players must have played a minimum of 3 regular season games for that team.
• Substitutes: 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 team needing a sub would default the game without the substitute player (resulting in both teams being unable to play).
• There must be a winner in a playoff match.
• In the playoffs, a shoot-out is used to break ties. Only the players on the field at the end of the game can participate and the goalie that finished the game remains the goalie for the shoot-out. Six (6) players from each team take shots (Best 4 out of 6 Shots Format) from ten (10) paces until a winner is determined.
  If still tied after the first round - the same process will be repeated using the same order of players until a winner is determined.

Rough Play

• Incidental contact is inevitable but players should avoid creating unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.

• Please note that on-site staff members have full autonomy when supervising games. Games may be stopped entirely, players may be asked to leave the playing area or be removed from the game entirely under their discretion.

• Stopped Games: A Game Host may stop a game before the full time has expired due to overly aggressive play, persistent unsportsmanlike conduct or a general violation of the rules of the game. This decision is solely at the discretion of the Game Host. If the decision is made to stop the game early due to play of BOTH teams, the score may be recorded as a loss for BOTH teams. One exception to this ruling is if the Game Host has stopped the game because of the inappropriate play of only one (1) team. Under these circumstances, the non-offending team will receive the win, regardless of the score at the time that the game is stopped. This is also at the discretion of the Game Host.

• Any rough or physical play will result in immediate expulsion from further league play and may result in a lifetime league expulsion.

Alcohol

• No alcoholic beverages are permitted on Valley Sport & Social Club property.
• Offenders will be asked to leave the league without refund.