FRYSA Rules of Play

Recreation:

Section 1, Grades:
Groupings shall be comprised of players based on school grade then by age according to Massachusetts Youth Soccer guidelines.
A) Pre-K, K and Grade 1 (formerly U6)
B) Grades 2 and 3 (formerly U8)
C) Grades 4 and 5 (formerly U10)
D) Grades 6, 7 and 8 (formerly U12/14)

Section 2, Season:
A) The season shall be held in the late summer/fall.
B) All age groups shall play an eight (8) game schedule with one make-up date for cancellations

Section 3, Registration:
A) Each player must provide a signed Fall River Youth Soccer association (FRYSA) registration form and have a copy of birth certificate on file with FRYSA.
B) Each member of FRYSA must be affiliated with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). It is the responsibility of FRYSA to submit documentation to MYSA.
C) All volunteers must have a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) submitted prior to any contact with a youth member as outlined in Section 401 of the FRYSA Policies Manual.
D) The fee to participate in the fall recreational season will be determined prior to each season. Multi-member family discounts may be offered.
E)  Financial hardships will be considered upon request to a League official.

Section 4, Team Size:
A) A maximum of 15 players are allowed on each team roster for Grades 6, 7 & 8.
B) A maximum of 15 players are allowed on each team roster for Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5.
C) A maximum of 12 players are allowed on each team roster for Pre-K, K and Grade 1.
D) Multiple rostering with a travel team is allowed per the guidelines in Section 201 of the FRYSA Policy Manual.

Section 5, Rules of the Game:
A) All teams under the jurisdiction of this League shall play under the rules of the game as approved by FIFA and as amended by the Rules of Play of FRYSA.
B) For Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5, FIFA off-sides rules will not be enforced, unless a player intentionally occupies an area behind the second to last defender to obtain a competitive advantage. For Grades 6, 7 & 8, FIFA off-sides rules will be enforced.

C) For the Grades 6, 7 & 8, FIFA yellow/red card rules apply; however, at any age group, a coach or player may be removed from a game for misconduct at the discretion of the referee. The penalty for a game misconduct will be set forth in Section 505 of the FRYSA Policies Manual. The coach of a yellow-carded player may request that the yellow-carded player be substituted before play resumes. Accumulation of yellow cards in a season will result in the offending player being suspended.

NOTE: Only one yellow card per game shall accrue towards the cumulative total. 

A player shown a red card by the referee or team official ordered from the field of play by a referee for misconduct (Red Card Equivalent) shall automatically be suspended for one (1) game. The suspension shall be for the first sanctioned game that is actually played after the ejection. Any player/coach receiving a red card for Violent Conduct (VC) or a second ejection may be suspended from League participation subject to review by the Board of Directors.

D) For Grades 6, 7 & 8, standings will be comprised based on the accumulation of points earned: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss. Regular season games ending in a tie score at the end of regulation time will be recorded as a tie, no overtime period or penalty kicks will be used.

E) For Grades 6, 7 & 8, the top 4 teams will make playoffs. In the event of a tie in the standings, the following tie-breakers will be used in order to determine placement: head-to-head, goals against, goal differential (maximum of 3 goals). In the event a tie remains between teams after all tie-breakers, FIFA penalty kicks will be used to determine playoff seeding for those teams.

F) For Grades 6, 7 & 8, playoffs will consist of Semi-Finals and a Final. The Semi-Finals will consist of seed #1 versus seed #4 and seed #2 versus seed #3. Highest seed is home team. The winners of the semi-Finals will meet in the Final. Semi-Finals and Finals will be played the week following the conclusion of the regular season. In the event of a tie at the end of regulation in playoff matches, two 5 minute overtime periods will be played (no golden goal). If a tie remains at the end of both overtime periods, FIFA penalty kicks will determine the winner.

Section 6, Game Procedure:
A) Game Times (No added time)
1. Duration: Two 25 minute halves with a 5 minute halftime
2. Scheduled start:
a. Pre-K, K & Grade 1 – 8:00 AM
b. Grades 2 & 3 – 10:00 AM
c. Grades 4 & 5 and TOPSoccer – 11:30 AM
d. Grades 6, 7 & 8 – 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 AM (hourly)

B) Game Balls
1. #3… Pre-K, K & Grade 1
2. #4…. Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5
3. #5…. Grades 6, 7 & 8

C) Team Locations
1. Both teams must be on the same side of the field, with spectators on the opposite side, six (6) feet back from the sideline. Only players and coaches allowed on the field at Britland Park.
2. For the all age groups there shall be no more than two (2) coaches in the team area.

D) Player Line Ups
1. All players on the roster will play in scheduled games. The coach(es) are responsible for ensuring equal playing time amongst all players.
2. Players considered to be among the strongest players are not to play the entire game unless the minimum number of players required to participate are present for the game.

E) Number of Players on the Field
1. Pre-K, K & Grade 1 – Four (4) for each team (4 v 4), no goalkeepers are used. Minimum number is 4 players to start a game
2. Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5 – Seven (7) for each team, including the goalkeeper. (7 v 7) Minimum number is 4 players to start a game.

3. Grades 6, 7 & 8 – Nine (9) for each team, including the goalkeeper. (9 v 9) Minimum number is 6 players to start a game

F) Playing Fields
The field of play must be rectangular. The length of the touchline must be greater than the length of the goal line. The field dimensions shall be:

Pre-K, K & Grade 1:
1. Length – approx. 30 yds.
2. Width – approx. 20 yds.
3. Halfway Line – None
4. Center Circle – None
5. Corner Arcs – None
6. Goal Area – None
7. Penalty Area – None
8. Goals – Pug nets

Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5:
1. Length – 40 yds., minimum, 60 yds., maximum
2. Width – 20 yds., minimum, 30 yds., maximum
3. Halfway Line – Marked out across the field
4. Center Circle – None
5. Corner Arcs – conform to FIFA
6. Goal Area – A goal area is defined at each end of the field as follows: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line three (3) yards from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of three (3) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the goal area.
7. Penalty Area – A penalty area is defined at each end of the field as follows: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line six (6) yards from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of six (6) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the goal area
8. Goals – 6 feet high and 12 feet wide

Grades 6, 7 & 8:
1. Length – 70 yds., minimum, 80 yds., maximum
2. Width – 45 yds., minimum, 55 yds., maximum
3. Halfway Line – Marked out across the field
4. Center Circle – 8 yd. radius
5. Corner Arcs – Conform to FIFA
6. Goal Area – Conform to FIFA.
7. Penalty Area – A penalty area is defined at each end of the field as follows: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line fourteen (14) yards from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of fourteen (14) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the goal area. Within each penalty area a penalty mark is made ten (10) yards from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of eight (8) yards from each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area
8. Goals – Maximum 8 feet high and 24 feet wide Minimum 6 feet high and 18 feet wide (Recommended size is 6ft. high by 18 ft. Wide).

G) Team Uniforms
Goalkeepers must wear colors that distinguish them from the other players (pinnie). Uniforms must consist of numbered shirts, shorts, socks and footwear, which may be sneakers or soccer shoes. No metal cleats are allowed. No player will be allowed to play without shin guards. No team shall play without shirts.

H. Substitutions

Pre-K, K & Grade 1 – At any point during the game at the coach’s discretion

Grades 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 -  Players shall report to the center line on the player side of the field to enter the game upon referee approval. Substitutions may be freely made at the following points in the game:
1) half time
2) after a goal is scored
3) when game is stopped for injury
4) both teams prior to a throw-in if the offense substitutes
5) prior to a goal kick
Substitution is not allowed on free kicks or corner kicks.

  
Section 7, Referees
A) Coaches will act as referees during Pre-K, K and Grade 1 play. Coaches will actively direct play during the course of the game. Coaches do not receive payment for this service.
B) FRYSA will supply at least one (1) referee for each Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5 match. Two (2) referees will be assigned whenever possible. Grades 6, 7 & 8 will have a certified center referee and two certified assistant referees assigned to each match.
C) The official referee(s) shall be the sole judge on the field of play and his/her decision shall be final. No protest based on referee’s judgment decisions shall be allowed. Any complaints about any official shall be directed to an Executive Board member or the Referee Representative(s) of the FRYSA.
D) The presence of an experienced referee, assigned by FRYSA, will oversee the training of referees and coordination of the referee evaluation process.
E) Referee fees and payment shall be as set forth in Section 502 of the FRYSA Policies Manual.

Section 8, Field Unplayable
If the field is unplayable, the Fall Director, President or other Executive Board Member(s) of FRYSA will notify the Referee Assignor, Coaches and volunteers at least two (2) hours before the scheduled start time, preferably the night before scheduled play.
A) The primary means of notification will be via the FRYSA website. Additionally, all coaches will be contacted by phone and/or email as provided to the league.
B) Coaches are responsible for contacting each player by phone to notify them of cancellations.
C) The referee assignor is responsible for contacting each referee by phone to notify them of cancellations.
D) In the event that inclement weather begins during a match, the match will continue to its completion unless stopped by the referee or FRYSA representative due to safety concerns.
E) In the event that inclement weather begins at any point during the course of scheduled play, subsequent age division games will be played unless otherwise determined by the referee and/or FRYSA representative due to safety concerns.
F) Make up games shall be scheduled per Section 103 in the FRYSA Policy Manual.

Competitive (Travel):

All Fall River Youth Soccer Association travel teams playing under the name Fall River United shall abide by and be bound by the rules of play and policies of the League or Association in which said team(s) are participants. In addition, all FRYSA travel teams will abide by and be bound to any applicable policies described in the FRYSA Policy Manual.

Adopted: 10/15/2016