KRPD Soccer Rules of Play

Kernersville Parks & Recreation Department

Soccer Rules of Play

Mission Statement

Kernersville Parks and Recreation Department (KPRD) strives to improve the quality of life and safety for its citizens and employees by offering diverse, high quality programs, activities, parks, and town facilities, while also protecting the environment.

Purpose

To provide an opportunity for men and women to participate in organized league play in accordance with the Rules and By-Laws outlined herein.

Format

• Coed (1 female must be on the field at all times)
• 7 vs. 7
• 10 games
• 1- Referee System
• Field Size: U-12 size field (approx. 150’ X 240’)

Age Requirements

• Men 25+
• Women 18+

Registration

Each team is required to register their team during assigned registration dates. Registration will not be accepted without payment. Late registration may be added as an additional charge if the league director sees fit.

Fee

The entry fee of $65.00 per person must be paid prior to the start of the season.  A $10.00 late fee applies to all registrations after the deadline. No refunds will be given after schedules have been posted.

Schedules

The official schedule will come from the Athletic Coordinator and will be posted online at www.kvparks.com. Please make sure that you check the schedule on a regular basis in case there are any changes. Schedules will be updated weekly with scores and standings. If administration is notified at least 7 days prior to a scheduled game (and both captains, administration and other captains effected with the change agree) the game will be rescheduled. If either captain does not agree or the administration, the game will remain as scheduled. Scores and standings will be updated the day after games. The schedule cannot be altered due to players participating in multiple leagues/teams.

Game Time

Game times will start as early as 2:00pm and as late as 8:30pm.

Consist of (2) 30-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime. Halftime may be shortened/extended based on the discretion of the referee.

Game clock will start at game time.

A 10-minute grace period will be given at the beginning of each game to allow teams to achieve their minimum of 5 players. (Example) Game Time 6:30, 5 players needed to be on the field @ 6:40.

Any time taken out for injury will be added to the playing time at the referee’s discretion.

Teams are encouraged to notify the athletic coordinator if their team is forfeiting. If the athletic coordinator and the opposing team is made aware beforehand the score will be a 0-3 loss. If the forfeit occurs at the fields the score will be a 0-6 loss.

If a team forfeits three games, that team will automatically become eliminated from any further competition and forfeit all team fees.

Equipment

Each team will be provided ONE game ball at the beginning of the season, Balls will not be provided at the field.

• Goal Size: 7’ X21’
• Ball Size: Size 5
• Jerseys- matching colored shirts are required and numbers are preferred. Pinnies are available if teams have the same jersey color.
• Shin guards – Shin guards must be covered by socks and are MANDATORY for all players.
• Footwear- flats, turf, molded plastic, or rubber cleats. NO screw-in studs or metal cleats allowed.
• Jewelry of any type (includes watches, rings, necklaces, etc.) and hats are prohibited. Only items approved by the referee will be allowed (i.e. medical bracelets).

Inclement Weather

In case of inclement weather, postponement of games will be announced when the fields are deemed unplayable. If the first games of the night are cancelled, all games for the night will be cancelled. Your team captain will be notified regarding all cancelations. Games, which are postponed, will be rescheduled at the end of the season or as double headers during the season. Only in extreme cases will games be made up on Saturday. In cases where games in play are delayed by weather, games may be suspended or abandoned based on the discretion of administration and/or referee. If suspended, players should seek shelter until games resume. If a game in process is abandoned 5 minutes into the second half, the game will be considered a complete match.

If you see lightning, clear the field. If you hear thunder, clear the field. Play will be halted for a minimum of 30 minutes. If no lightning is spotted during the 30 minutes and/or no thunder is heard during the 30 minutes, play will resume. If lightning is seen and/or thunder is heard during the 30-minute period, the clock starts over. No play will resume until a minimum of 30 minutes passes with no thunder and/or no lightning.

Rosters

Team captains are responsible for their team management and the players they recruit for their team(s).

It is the responsibility of the team captain to see that all participants of their team understand the rules/regulations of the league.

Minimum – 10 players, Maximum – 18 players. Any team found to be consistently forfeiting and/or playing short may have player(s) added from the free agent list by the administration without notice.

In the event a player is unable to play the remainder of the season due to any circumstance, that player may be replaced by the athletic coordinator. This must be done by 12:00pm (noon) on the Friday before the Sunday match.

Teams playing in multiple divisions can only have a maximum of 4 males from another team, there are no number restrictions for females.

A minimum of 5 players is needed to start game. If the minimum of five players are not ready to play 10 minutes past the game’s scheduled game time, it is considered forfeit (0-6).

Teams are required to have at least one female on the playing field at all times.

If a team does not have a female show for the game the following occurs;

• First and second offense – play one player down (6v7)
• Third and all future offenses – forfeiture of all further matches played without a female.

Photo identification will be required when checking in with the official prior to your game. All players will be required to show identification (photo and a date of birth) to play in their match.

Illegal Players

A player not listed on the roster OR does not qualify due to Age Limit Requirements

Any team found with an Illegal Player will forfeit that game (Game will be scored at 0-7).

The player and team captain will be suspended for all of their games the following week.

A second offense will result in a suspension for the remainder of the season for the player and captain.

Free Agent

Free agents are not guaranteed a roster spot and will only be used if requested or required by a team. If you are selected for a team a player fee will be required.

Soccer Board

The Soccer Board consists of the team captains who attend the preseason meeting for that season. The Board will meet as needed to discuss the league rules of play, referees, teams, schedules, tournaments, situations that arise on the field, etc. The Board represents the players and captains in the KPRD Soccer Leagues. The Board will make recommendations regarding the best interest of the program. At the beginning of each season the board may help assign teams to divisions by level of competitive play. KPRD and the Soccer Board holds the right to assign your team to a competitive league based on your roster and previous season(s) results.

Divisions

Team divisions may be determined by game play and or by the soccer board. KPRD and the Soccer Board holds the right to assign your team to a league based on your teams’ roster & previous season results. In divisions with 8 or more teams the regular season champion and runner-up will be moved to a higher division. Divisions with 7 or less only the regular season champion moves to a higher division.

Local Playing Rules

KPRD has jurisdiction over all captains, players and leagues. KPRD reserves the right to supersede FIFA rules regarding the best interest of the program.

• No Slide Tackle- We define “slide tackle” as an attempt to tackle the ball away from an opponent while sliding on the ground or going to ground.”  Goalie saves are not considered slide tackles while in the 18-yard box; however, goalies should refrain from leading feet first while making a save where possible. The final interpretation lies with the Referee ” in the opinion of the referee” if it is deemed a slide tackle. To simplify the call & restart. Slide Tackles outside the box: Restart with an indirect kick. A Slide Tackle inside the box the Restart is a penalty kick (i.e. direct kicks in box are penalty kicks). Result Yellow Card
• Substitutions on the fly. Players are to enter the field of play from the midfield.
• No punting or drop-kick punts- Play will restart with an indirect kick for the opposing team at halfway line closest to the spot of the ball.
• No offside- There is no offside offense.
• However, we can prohibit “cherry picking”. A cherry-picking offense is completely in the referee’s discretion. Cherry picking refers to play where one player (the cherry picker) does not play defense with the rest of the team but remains in an offside position near the opponents’ goal.  This does not apply to someone making a run or in an active offensive play but rather as the rule states, someone gaining advantage by standing at the other end of the field ‘awaiting a long pass to take advantage of no offsides. Indirect kick for the opposing team.

Standings

• Standings will be kept on the soccer website for each division and standings will be determined by the following: Wins= 3 points, Ties= 1 point, Loss= 0 points
• In the event of a tie in points the standings, the tiebreaker for final league standings are followed in this order:
  • Head-to-Head
  • Goal differential
  • Goals against
  • Goals for
  • Coin Flip

Statistics

We will track goals scored by each player. The player with the most goals in the regular season (male & female) from each division will receive a soccer ball. Goal average will be used as the tiebreaker. Goal average is calculated by dividing the total number of goals scored by the total number of games played by the team. If a team forfeits a game, it will still count toward their total games played but will not count toward the team they were supposed to play.

The team with the least amount of goals given up in the regular season will also receive a soccer ball

The soccer ball will be given to the players/team at the beginning of the following season.

In Lieu of trophies

For each Divisions

• 1^st– $5.00 off the next season registration
• 2^nd– $5.00 off the next season registration
• 3^rd– $5.00 off the next season registration

Code of Conduct

Kernersville Parks and Recreation encourages clean and sportsmanlike conduct on the field and in the spectator area. Bad sportsmanship, fighting, profanity, or arguing/threatening the referees will not be permitted on the field or their vicinity.  Players, coaches, or spectators approaching referees in a negative manner will not be permitted. Such actions are subject to ejection from the game and/or suspension from the league. Any action involving excessive profanity, assault on a referee or official of the Town, or excessive disruptive behavior of a player, captain, or spectator will result in permanent banning from any other activities offered by the KPRD and that individual may be subject to criminal charges with local authorities.

Yellow Cards

• If a player receives a yellow card, the player is required to be substituted and cannot return for 2 minutes prior to a restart or at the referee’s discretion, whichever occurs first.

• If a player receives two yellow cards (soft red) within a single game, they are required to leave the field and the vicinity. The team must play down a player for the remainder of that game. The player will also miss (1) additional game.
• Yellow Cards do not carry over season to season
• Persistent offenses or serious incident(s) committed by a player or team may result in suspension or being banned from the KPRD Adult league.
• Referee decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Red Cards

• If a player is shown a red card, the player must leave the field and vicinity immediately.
• The offending team plays down a player for the remainder of the match.
• The player will also miss any/all other games that day and receive an automatic (1) additional game suspension. The league will review the offense and reserves the right to add additional game suspensions if necessary.
• All players receiving a red card must meet with the Athletic Coordinator prior to being reinstated.

• Persistent offenses or serious incident(s) committed by a player or team may result in suspension or being banned from the KPRD Adult league

• Referee decisions are final and cannot be appealed.

Card Accumulations Penalties   

1 red card equals 2 yellow.

If a player accumulates:

• • 3 yellow cards within a season, 1 game suspension. The player will miss the next game.
  • 5 yellow cards within a season, 2 game suspension. The player will miss the next 2 games.
  • 6 yellow cards within a season, suspended the remainder of the season and 3 games to start the next season they play.

Example- If a player has received a yellow card in a previous game and then receives a red card they will miss the next 2 games. 1 game for the red card and 1 for the 3 yellow card accumulation.

Ejection

Any player or spectator ejected from the game will be required to leave the premises IMMEDIATELY. Refusal to do so will lead to team forfeiture of the game. An ejected player is expected to simply gather belongings and LEAVE the field and spectator area immediately out of sight and sound of the match. Please refer to Yellow/Red Card section of rules for further clarification.

Profanity

If profanity is loud enough to be heard off the field by the referee and spectators the player may be ejected from the game at the discretion of the referee.

Fighting Policy

Fighting and aggressive behavior from teams, players, and spectators will be taken very seriously and police intervention may be utilized.

Initiator

First offense – Red card, ejection from game, 8 game ban (carries across seasons) with no refunds, mandatory meeting with administration prior to re-instatement.

Second offense – Red card, ejection from game, 1-year ban (carries across seasons) with no refunds, mandatory meeting with administration prior to re-instatement.

Third offense- Red card, ejection from game, lifetime ban.

Retaliator

First offense – Red card, ejection from game, 2 game ban (carries across seasons) with no refunds, mandatory meeting with administration prior to re-instatement.

Second offense – Red card, ejection from game, 8 game ban (carries across seasons) with no refunds, mandatory meeting with administration prior to re-instatement.

Third offense – Red card, ejection from game, 1-year ban (carries across seasons) with no refunds, mandatory meeting with administration prior to re-instatement. Possible lifetime ban.

Protests / Appeals

Protests can only be made regarding rule interpretations or use of ineligible players. In order to protest, the team captain must alert the official and the field supervisor at the time of the protest during the game so it can be noted on the scorecard. To file an official protest with KPRD, the captain must file a letter with the Athletic Coordinator stating the protest (by 12pm the following day).

Park Rules

Dogs are NOT allowed around the playing fields or inside fenced areas, with the exception of service dogs.

Consumption of alcoholic beverages on town property will result in instant banning from park property and league play for the period of 1 year.