Quinte West Soccer Club : Mini Rules

Mini Rules

All Quinte West Soccer Club Wolverines Competitive Mini Teams (U9 - U11) play in the SOSA League (Southeast Ontario Soccer Association). The following are the Laws of Mini-Soccer for all SOSA League Games:

Law 1: The Field of Play
Field markings shall be clearly visible and of uniform width of approximately 5 inches. All lines are part of the area they encompass.

The size of the goals shall be 16 feet wide and 6 feet high. The width of the goals shall be measured from the inside of one goal-post to the inside of the other goal-post, and the height from the ground to the underside of the crossbar.

Whenever possible, goal-nets shall be used.

Corner-posts shall stand not less than 5 feet from the ground and shall be placed in each corner of the field of play.

The field dimensions shall be:

a)      Field length:                  Approximately 60 yards

b)      Field width:                   Approximately 40 yards

c)      Penalty area width:        25 yards

d)      Penalty area depth:       10 yards

e)      Penalty mark:                8 yards from the goal line

f)        Penalty arc:                   6 yard radius

g)      Centre circle:                6 yard radius

h)      Corner arc:                   1 yard radius

i)        Goal area:                     5 yards

Law 2: The Ball
The ball shall be spherical and shall be constructed of material which is not dangerous to the players.

A size 4 ball shall be used for all divisions.

Law 3: The Number of Players
The game shall be played by two teams each consisting of 7 players, one of whom shall be the goalkeeper.

Both teams must have at least 5 players to start the game, including the goalkeeper.

The game should not continue if a team has less than 5 players.

A maximum of 14 players can be dressed for a game.

Unlimited substitution is allowed.

Under the control of the referee, substitutions shall be allowed at the following stoppages:

a)      On the attacking team's own corner kick,

b)      On the attacking team's own throw in

c)      On either team's goal kick,

d)      At half time,

e)      After a goal has been scored.

Note: Once one team has requested to substitute players, the other team shall also be permitted to substitute players if desired.

Players sent-off by the referee must be replaced by a team substitute.

Sent-off players must not take any further part in the game.

Law 4: The Players’ Equipment
Players shall not wear anything which endangers themselves or other players.

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

Goalkeepers must wear colors which are distinguishable from all outfield players and the referee.

A player who is asked to leave the field of play because of defective or dangerous equipment may not re-enter the field of play until the referee is satisfied that the equipment is corrected.

Law 5: The Referee
The referee appointed to officiate a mini-soccer game will have the full authority to enforce the mini-soccer rules. Referee decisions regarding facts connected to play are final.

The referee shall:

Enforce the laws of the game.
Refrain from penalizing in cases where the offending team may gain an advantage.
Report in writing to the appropriate authority, any misconduct by players, parents, spectators or other persons which takes place on the field of play or its vicinity at any time during the game.
Control who may enter or leave the field of play.
Stop the game immediately if a player appears to be injured, bleeding or concussed.
Signal to start the game, and to restart it after a stoppage.
Decide if the field of play and all applicable equipment is suitable.
Act as timekeeper, and keep a record of the match, submitting a game report to the league after the match is completed.

Law 6: The Assistant Referees
Unless the Club of the home team assigns certified Assistant Referees for a game, each team shall designate an individual to act as a linesperson. The linesperson will indicate that the ball is out of play. All other decisions, including the possession of the ball for throw-ins or corner kicks, shall be made only by the Referee.

Law 7: The Duration of the Match
The game shall be divided into two equal halves of 25 minutes each for U9 and 30 minutes each for U10 and U11. The interval between halves of play shall be not less than 5 minutes.

In all games in which a winner must be declared, overtime shall be played in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the competition.

If, for any reason, a game is terminated before full time, the Rules and Regulations of the competition shall apply.

Law 8: The Start and Restart of Play
At the beginning of the game, choice of halves shall be decided by the toss of a coin. The team which wins the toss shall decide which goal to attack in the first half. The other team will perform the kick-off.

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 yards from the ball until it is kicked. The game shall be started by the referee giving a signal. The ball will be in play when it is kicked and moves forward into the opponent’s half of the field.

For any infringement of this rule, the kick-off is retaken.

Should the player taking the kick-off play or touch the ball a second time before it has been played or touched by another player, an indirect (direct for Under 9 and 10) free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.

After a goal has been scored, the game shall be restarted by a kick-off, to be taken by a player of the team against which the goal was scored

After the first half of play, the teams shall change halves and the kick-off shall be taken by a player of the team opposing that which started the game.

A goal MAY be scored directly from a kick-off.

Drop Ball:

For any stoppage not mentioned elsewhere in these rules, the referee shall restart the game by dropping the ball at the place where it was when play was stopped, unless play was stopped in the penalty area. In this case, the ball shall be dropped on the penalty area line at the point nearest to where the ball was when play was stopped. The ball shall be in play as soon as it touches the ground.

If the drop ball leaves the field of play before being touched by any player, the ball shall be dropped again.

Law 9: The Ball In and Out of Play
The ball is OUT of play:

When the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line, or touch-line, whether on the ground or in the air.
When the play has been stopped by the referee.

The ball is IN play at all other times, including when it rebounds into play from a goal-post, a cross-bar, or a corner flag post, or referee and remains in the field of play.

Law 10: The Method of Scoring
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball has crossed over the goal line, between the goal-posts and under the cross-bar, provided it has not been thrown, carried or intentionally propelled by hand or arm, by a player of the attacking team, except by a goalkeeper from within his own penalty area.

The referee shall be the sole judge as to whether a goal has been scored.

During the course of play, should any outside agent prevent the ball from passing into the goal or assist the ball into the goal, play shall be stopped. The referee shall restart the game by dropping the ball.

Law 11: Off-Side
All U9 and U10 competitions will NOT use Offside.

All U11 competitions Offside is enforced.
Offside Position

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.

A player is in an offside position if:

He is in the opponent’s half of the pitch, and
Is nearer to his opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.

Offside Offence

A player is only penalized if he is in an offside position at the moment the ball touches or is played by another member of his team and, in the opinion of the referee, is involved in active play by:

Interfering with play, or
Interfering with an opponent, or
Gaining an advantage by being in that offside position.

No Offence

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:

A goal kick, or
A corner kick, or
A throw-in.

Infringements/Sanctions

For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team, to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct
A player who, in the opinion of the referee, intentionally commits any of the following ten offences while the ball is in play, shall be penalized by the awarding of a direct free kick to the opposing team, unless the player commits the offence within his/her own penalty area, in which case a penalty-kick shall be awarded.

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 to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball,
Holds an opponent,
Spits at an opponent,
Handles the ball deliberately (except by a goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area).

Technical offences by the goalkeeper

An indirect (direct for Under 9 and Under 10) free kick is awarded to the opposing team if goalkeeper, inside his/her own penalty area, commits any of the following four offences while the ball is in play:

Takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it from his possession,
Touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player,
Touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate,
Touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate.

Technical offences committed by any player

An indirect (direct for Under 9 and Under 10) free kick is awarded to the opposing team if player, in the opinion of the referee:

Plays in a dangerous manner,
Impedes the progress of an opponent,
Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands,
Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.

Should a player commit a technical offence within his/her own penalty area, the kick shall be taken from that part of the penalty area line which runs parallel to the goal line, at the point nearest to where the offence was committed.
Cautionable Offences

A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he/she commits any of the following seven offences:

Is guilty of unsporting behaviour,
Shows dissent by word or action,
Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game,
Delays the restart of play,
Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick,
Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission,
Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee's permission.

Sending-Off Offences

A player is sent-off and shown the red card if he/she commits any of the following seven offences:

Is guilty of serious foul play,
Is guilty of violent conduct,
Spits at an opponent or any other person,
Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to the goalkeeper within his/her own penalty area),
Denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick (Note: this does not apply for technical offences punishable by a free kick),
Uses offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures,
Receives a second caution in the same match.

Law 13: Free kick
For any infringement of these laws when the ball is in play, the referee may award a free kick to the non-offending team. The free kick shall be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the free kick is awarded to the attacking team within its opponents’ penalty area. The free-kick shall be taken from the place where the infringement occurred, unless the free-kick is awarded to the attacking team within its opponents’ penalty-area. In this case, the penalty-kick shall be taken from the penalty-mark.
At the taking of a free kick, the ball shall be stationary and all opponents shall be not less than 6 yards from the ball until it has been kicked. The ball shall be in play when it is kicked and moves.

A player taking a free kick within his own penalty area shall kick the ball into play beyond the penalty area. The ball shall be in play when it has been kicked and moves and has passed outside the penalty area directly into the field of play. All opponents shall be outside the penalty area and not less than 6 yards from the ball until it has been kicked. For any infringement of this rule, the free kick shall be retaken.

A player taking a free kick shall not play or touch the ball a second time until it has been played or touched by another player. For any infringement of this rule, an indirect (direct for Under 9 and Under 10) free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.

A goal MAY be scored directly from a direct free kick.

A goal MAY NOT be scored directly from an indirect free kick.

Law 14: The Penalty-kick
The penalty-kick is taken from the penalty-mark. All players, with the exception of the defending goalkeeper and the player taking the kick, shall be outside the penalty area, within the field of play, behind the ball, and not less than 6 yards 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 is 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. If a goal is scored the goal is allowed, and the restart will be a kick-off.
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. If a goal is not scored play is allowed to continue.
By a member of both teams, the kick shall be retaken whether a goal has been scored or not.

If, after the kick has been taken, the ball or the goalkeeper is interfered with by an outside agent, the kick shall be retaken.

Law 15: The Throw-In
A throw-in is awarded:

When the whole of the ball passes over the touch line, either on the ground or in the air,
From the point where it crossed the touch line,
To the opponents of the player who last touched the ball.

At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:

Faces the field of play,
Has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground behind the touch line,
Uses both hands,
Delivers the ball from behind and over the head.

All opponents must stand no less than 2 yards from the point at which the throw-in is taken.

For an infringement of this law the throw-in shall be performed by a player of the opposing team.

The ball is in play immediately as it enters the field of play. If the ball does not enter the field of play it is re-thrown by the same team.

After the ball is in play, if the thrower plays or touches the ball a second time before it has been played or touched by another player, an indirect (direct for Under 9 and 10) free kick is awarded to the opposing team.

A goal MAY NOT be scored directly from a throw-in.

Law 16: The Goal Kick
When the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored, having last been played or touched by a member of the attacking team, a goal kick shall be awarded to the defending team. The ball shall be kicked into play from any point within the goal area.

At the taking of a goal kick, all opponents shall be outside the penalty area and at least 6 yards from the ball until the ball is in play. The ball shall be in play when it has been kicked and travels from the penalty area directly into the field of play.

If the player taking the goal kick plays or touches the ball a second time after it is in play but before it has been played or touched by another player, an indirect (direct for Under 9 and Under 10) free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.

A goal MAY be scored directly from a goal kick.

Law 17: The Corner Kick
When the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored, having last been played or touched by a member of the defending team, a corner-kick shall be awarded to the attacking team.

The corner-kick shall be taken from within the corner-arc nearest to where the ball crossed the goal line. All opponents shall be not less than 6 yards from the ball until it has been kicked. The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves.

If the player taking the corner-kick plays or touches the ball a second time before it has been played or touched by another player, an indirect (direct for Under 9 and Under 10) free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team.

A goal MAY be scored directly from a corner-kick