Coed Outdoor Soccer Rules

THE GAME:
1. A team shall consist of six players; a minimum of four players (MINUS THE GOALIE - See Rule 5 below). When playing with 6 & 4, there must be an equal number of male & female players. When playing with 5, there must be 3 of one gender, and 2 of the other. IF BOTH TEAMS HAVE THE NUMBERS AND AGREE, THEY MAY PLAY WITH 6 PLAYERS + THEIR GOALIE (SEE RULE 5 BELOW). The breakdown must be 3 of one gender and 4 of the other, and the goalkeeper may be either gender. This MUST BE AGREED UPON before the game begins, and if one team would rather not play with 7 total players, that decision must be respected.

2. Length of the field: 60 yards = (2) 15-yard penalty boxes and (2) 15-yard areas between the box and the center line.

3. Length of the game: (2) 25-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime. The clock is stopped only after scoring a goal, for a penalty kick, or for an IM supervisor timeout.

4. ABSOLUTELY NO METAL CLEATS OR SCREW IN SPIKES ARE ALLOWED. No baseball, softball or football cleats allowed. Soft cleated shoes or tennis shoes are allowed. Shin guards are optional.

5. A goalkeeper may be used by each team. Since there is no box, each team is responsible to make sure they are within the legal space. Each team may determine if they'd like a male or female playing goalkeeper.

6. NO CURRENT PLAYERS FROM HOPE'S SOCCER TEAMS MAY BE ON YOUR ROSTER! They are in their non-traditional season, which means they're IN SEASON. You may have a TOTAL of 2 past players on your team. That means 2 males, 2 females OR 1 male/1 female who have ever been on Hope's Varsity (even if just for one year). Graduating seniors who played for 4 years fall into this category and count toward the legal total of 2 past players. On your team's first night of competition, you must mark the past players from your team on your roster so that the IM worker can monitor this rule. IF YOU ARE FOUND TO BE BREAKING THIS RULE, YOUR TEAM CAN BE ELIMINATED FROM IM'S. If you need to remove any players from your team, fill out a "Roster Addition Form" online, but specify that you are removing a player.

START OF PLAY
5. Play begins with a place kick toward opponent’s half of the field with both teams in an on-side position. The receiving team must be 8 yards from the ball until it is kicked.

6. The ball must roll its circumference or be rekicked.

7. The clock starts after the ball rolls one circumference.

8. A goal CANNOT be scored from a kickoff.

OFFSIDES
9. Only blatant offsides will be called and thus no "cherry picking."

FOULS AND MISCONDUCTS
10. The captains will call their own fouls as you would in a pick-up game.

11. Captains may turn to the soccer arbitrator and ask for a decision. All arbitrator decisions are final. Refusal to accept the arbitrator decision results in a forfeit.

12. A list of fouls that are penalized with an "direct" free kick:

• Handling the ball with hands or arms is not allowed;
• Holding or obstructing an opponent to keep him from playing the ball;
• Placing hands on an opponent in an effort to reach the ball;
• Pushing, striking, or attempting to strike an opponent;
• Jumping at an opponent;
• Kicking or attempting to kick an opponent, or tripping an opponent;
• Charging an opponent from behind, when the opponent has both feet off the ground, or using the knee on an opponent;
• Tackling an opponent from a blind side or behind is not allowed;
• Charging a goalie in the GOAL AREA;
• Using foul or abusive language (swearing loudly or at someone); and,
• Unsportsmanlike conduct

13. A list of fouls that are penalized with an "indirect" free kick:

• A player playing the ball a second time before it has been played by another player on the kick-off, a throw-in, a free kick, a corner kick, a goal-kick (if the ball has passed outside the penalty area), or on a penalty kick;
• Ball not kicked forward on a penalty kick;
• Goalkeeper carrying ball more than four steps within penalty area;
• Substitution made at an improper time, or for failure of the substitute to report to the supervisor;
• Offsides; and,
• Interfering with goalie or impeding him in any manner until he clears the ball while he is in the goal area.

FREE KICKS
14. Opposing team players must stand 8 yards away.

15. The ball must be motionless prior to the kick.

GOALKEEPER PRIVILEGES
16. Hands and arms may be used to stop a ball from scoring while standing in the 5-yard penalty box. The penalty box goes out to the sideline.

17. Hand may NOT be used to receive a pass back from the feetof a teammate nor a throw-in.

PENALTY KICKS
18. The penalty mark is on the edge of the penalty box, 15-yards out from the goal line.

19. The goalkeeper must stand on the goal line until the ball is kicked.

20. A defender committing any foul inside the penalty area results in a penalty kick.

THROW-INS
21. Throw-ins are taken when the ball goes out of bounds over the sideline.

22. The throw is two-handed with equal pressure and continuous. Both feet must remain on the ground and behind the sideline.

CORNER KICKS
23. Corner kicks occur when the ball crosses the end line (not scoring), last touched by a defender.

24. A goal can be scored directly.

25. Opponents must stay 8 yards away from the kick.

GOAL KICKS
26. Goal kicks occur when the ball crosses the endline (not scoring), last touched by the offender.

27. Goal kicks are kicked from the corner of the goal area.

28. Opponents must be outside the penalty area until the ball crosses the penalty area line.

29. The kick must be a place kick.

SUBSTITUTIONS
30. Substitutions occur on your team’s throw-in, unless the other team is also subbing, or on a goal kick, a corner kick, or after a goal.

TIEBREAKER - OCCUR ONLY IN PLAYOFFS
31. Length: 10-minute sudden death overtime period.

32. If still tied after overtime, then a kick off occurs. Each team will get 3 penalty kicks, alternating kicks between teams. Each goal scored counts toward final score.

SCORING
33. The entire ball must pass over the goal line.

34. A goal counts one point.

35. Ties will stand in regulation. For seeding purposes only, a win counts two points and a tie counts one point.

PROTESTS
All protests must be made in writing and presented to the
Dow office according to IM Protest Rules #38-41 in the IM
Handbook.

PARTICIPATION RULES
All teams are expected to follow IM Rules #25-30 which means
that the team must be dressed and ready to play (lineup
properly recorded) at game time.

SPORTSMANSHIP RULES
IM Rule #36 will be strictly enforced. Rosters will be
checked regularly. Unsportsmanlike action will NOT be
tolerated!

• One NO SHOW will put your team on probation.
• Once on probation, one additional no show will remove your team from competition.
• Additional players may be added UP TO game time on the day of your scheduled event. Roster additions forms are on the IM website. E-mail intramurals@hope.edu with questions.
• Check the IM website homepage to learn of cancellations due to rain.