EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SOCCER BUT WERE
AFRAID TO ASK
The Divisions
We have 5 basic divisions of play in youth soccer.
Division I –– This is the top level of competitive play,
the cream of the crop, they play to win and travel extensively.
Division Super II -- This is the next to the top level of
competitive play, in many cases nearly as good as Division 1 but not wanting
to make the travel commitment required of a Division I team.
Division II –– This is a lower level of competitive play,
these teams play to win, but travel less and are not as advanced as Division 1
teams.
Division III –– This is the recreational level of play U-12
and up.
Most U-12 and up teams in Bay City are Division 3, meaning they are recreational and are
meant to be fun and are to be as equal as possible.
Division IV –– This is the recreational level of play U-10
and below.
All U-10 and below teams in Bay City are Division 4, meaning they are recreational and are
meant to be fun and are to be as equal as possible.
The Age Groups and Season
We have many different age groups that we use here in Bay
City. The age group designations stand for UNDER a certain age. For example if
your child is in U-8 that means that all the children must be UNDER 8 years
old as of July 31st of the current year. We usually use a 2 year
break between age groups so this group would have 6 and 7 year old players.
But it may have some 8 year old players that turn 8 after July 31st.
The standard age groups that our teams are formed into are:
U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12,U-14, U-16 and U-18/19.
We do however differentiate U-5 and U-6 when forming the
younger teams. And U-12 and above we try and keep teams a single age as much
as possible so the team will stay together year to year to allow them to
improve more.
U-6 teams play with 3 players per team on
the field and no goal keepers. They play 4 quarters of 8 minutes duration.
These teams practice and play in Bay City.
U-8 teams play with 4 players per team on the field
and no goal keepers. They play 4 quarters of 10 minutes duration. These
teams practice and play in Bay City.
U-10 teams play with 8 players per team on the field,
including a goal keeper. They play 2 halves of 25 minutes duration.
These teams practice in Bay City and then play about half their games in Bay
City and the other half in various locations including, Angleton, Brazosport,
Clute, Freeport, Lake Jackson and West Columbia.
U-12 and up teams play with 11 players on the field,
including a goal keeper. They play 2 halves of 30 minutes each in U-12, 35
minutes in U-14, 40 minutes in U-16 and 45 minutes in U-18/19. The U12
and U-14 teams practice in Bay City and then play about half their games in
Bay City and the other half in various locations including, Angleton,
Brazosport, Clute, Freeport, Lake Jackson and West Columbia. These teams
participate in a year end BYSA finals tournament to decide which teams will
advance to the Eastern District Championships. The U-15 and above teams
practice in Bay City with about half the home games being in Angleton and the
other half being in south and west Houston on Sundays.
The Fall season officially starts August 1st. This is
when new teams can start practicing for the fall season. Games start on
the first weekend of September after Labor Day. The season officially
ends at the end of December. The last regular season games are played
the second weekend of November.
Drop Ball
A drop ball is a way of restarting the match
after a temporary stoppage which becomes necessary, while the ball is in play,
for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game.
Substitution Procedure
To replace a player by a substitute, the
following conditions must be observed:
The referee's permission is obtained before any
substitution is made. A substitute only enters the field of play after the
player being replaced has left. Usually the ref will allow the sub to enter
the field while the player being replaced exits the field of play, it's up to
the ref's discretion.
The referee decides when substitutions can be
made and when they cannot be made. The times that substitutions can be called
for are during any stoppage in play in U-6. During a stoppage in play for a
throw-in, a goal kick or after a goal is scored, for an injured player, for a
player that has received a yellow card. Substitutes enter the field at the
halfway line.
In our games we have free substitution, meaning
a team can substitute as often and as many players as they want.
Tackling
In soccer, tackling means stealing the ball.
(Unfortunately, years of exposure to American football makes USA soccer fans
associate the word tackling with violently knocking an
opponent to the ground by holding or tripping them. In addition, announcers on
televised soccer in the US have a tendency to only mention the word tackle
when a tackle happens to make someone fall down, thus cementing in new viewers
minds the relationship between tackling and falling down.)
Law 1. The Field of Play
Our fields are sized for the age group and the size of the
teams. The older the age group the larger the field they play on, unless the
teams are small in which case the field is made smaller. In soccer we don't
have sidelines, they are called the touch lines. The lines marking the ends of
the field are known as the goal lines. There is a 3 foot technical area
running the entire length of the touch lines. No one is supposed to enter this
area except for the Assistant Referee's (sometimes called the linesmen) and
players doing throw-ins or corner kicks. This is to allow the Assistant Referee's
a clear view of the entire touchline and to allow them to move freely up and
down the side of the field.
Goal Area - The area surrounding the front of
the goal is known as the Goal Area. The line marking it is used to position
the ball for a goal kick.
Penalty Area - The next area is known as the Penalty
Area and surrounds and includes the Goal Area. This is an area where if a foul
is committed by the defending team on a player of the opposing team in this
area then for certain fouls a penalty kick is awarded to the opposing team.
Penalty Mark - Inside the Penalty Box is the Penalty
mark, this is where the ball is placed for taking Penalty Kicks.
Penalty Arc – This is the arc at the top of the
Penalty Area. This designates the area the players must stay outside of in
addition to the whole of the penalty area. when a penalty kick is taken.
Center Circle – The Center Circle is located on the
Halfway Line and is to mark the area that the players of the team not kicking
off must remain outside of until the ball is touched.
Center Mark – Inside the Center Circle is the
Center Mark, this is where the ball is placed for Kick Off’s.
Halfway Line – Marks the middle of the field.
Corner Arc – This is a 1 yard radius arc in each
corner in which the ball must be placed when taking a corner kick.
Law 2. The Soccer Ball
We use three different size soccer balls.
Size 3 is the smallest and is used in U-6 & U-8.
Size 4 is the middle size and is used in U-10 & U-12.
Size 5 is the full size official ball and is used by all
ages U-14 and up including High School, College and Professional play.
Law 3. Number of Players
Older children play with eleven players from
each team on the field, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Lower ages often use
fewer players. See above ""Age Groups"".
Law 4. Players Equipment
A soccer team must wear matching jerseys,
except the goalkeeper, who must wear a contrasting jersey. Shin guards are
required for all players, socks must cover the shin guards.
Law 5. Referees
The referee is the person carrying a whistle.
Sometimes there are 2 referees on the field, but usually there is 1 referee
and 2 assistant referees.
The referee must be extremely familiar with the
laws of soccer, including the variations used by the leagues in which he or
she will be working. Anyone interested in becoming a certified referee must
attend a class offered by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) or a
similar governing body. Besides discussing the laws and the official referee
uniform, these classes cover the special duties and responsibilities taken on
by the referee, as follows:
The referee must:
· stop play for
law violations, unless the violating team gains an advantage by stopping play
· approve the
ball and player's equipment
· signal for
start of play after all stoppages
· keep track of
time and score
· award cautions
(yellow cards) and ejections (red
cards) to any deserving player
· keep everyone
off the field except players and assistant referees
· watch for
injuries
The referee has the authority to suspend or
terminate a game for weather, spectator interference, or almost any other
cause. Complete control of the game begins at the instant the referee walks
onto the field before the game.
Law 6. Assistant Referees
The assistant referee is the person
carrying a flag, but no whistle. Assistant referees stay on the side of the
field and help the referee by signaling with the flag when the ball leaves the
field or when they see someone breaking the law.
Law 7. Duration of the Game
Soccer games are played in two equal halves
with a 5 to 15 minute rest between halves. Each half lasts 45 minutes for
older children. Younger children use shorter halves. The lowest ages often
play games in 4 short quarters.
Law 8. The Start of Play
At the start of each half and after each goal,
play is restarted with a kickoff. The ball is placed in the exact center of
the field and a player kicks the ball. A coin toss determines which team will
be allowed to kick the ball to start the first half of play. The opposite team
will kick off to start the second half.
At the kickoff, all players on each team must
be on their own half of the field. Players on the non-kicking team must be at
least 10 yards from the ball. The center circle marks the ten yards. Players
on the kicking team may stand anywhere on their half, including inside the
center circle.
The ball must be kicked forward, either
straight or diagonally, so it rolls off the halfway line and onto the
opponent's half of the field. The kicker may touch the ball only once, and a
second player may then touch the ball. Because the kicking
team wants to keep possession of the ball, the first kick is usually to a
teammate, who then passes backward to another teammate in a safer location, or
forward to a teammate running onto the opponent's half of the field.
Law 9. Ball In and Out of Play
The ball is out of play when the referee blows
the whistle to stop play, or when the ball goes completely across a goal line
or touch line.
Out of play
is also known as in touch, because that is when the ball may be touched
with the hands. You will often see players using their hands to move the ball
before taking a free kick. This is legal because the ball is in touch.
The rule about all of the ball crossing all of
the line applies to every line on the field. Each line is considered a part of
the area it surrounds. A free kick taken from inside the penalty area has not
left the penalty area until it has completely crossed the penalty area
boundary.
Law 10. Method of Scoring
A goal is scored when the ball goes completely
across the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar.
Law 11. Offside
This law discourages attackers from waiting
around in front of the goal for teammates to send the ball forward to them. A
player on the attacking team is offside if he goes past the second-to-last
opponent before the ball does.
A player is in an offside position
(perfectly legal) if there are fewer than two opponents between the player and
the opponent's goal line. That is, the player is "past the
second-to-last" opponent. (The last opponent is usually the goalkeeper.)
A player is offside (illegal) if he is in an offside position when the
ball is passed forward to him by a teammate or if they involve themselves in
the play. (e.g. causes the Goalie to become distracted while in an offsides
position.
Five important points to remember about offside:
1. Offside is judged at the exact instant
the ball is passed. Officials often listen for the thud of the foot meeting
the ball as it is passed forward. The attacker may move to an offside position
after the thud, but
not before.
2. Even is onside. This means that the
attacker who is even with the second-to-last defender is not in an offside
position.
3. An attacker is never in an offside position if he is on his own half of
the field or if the ball is closer to the opponent's goal line than he is.
4. An attacker may never be declared offside when receiving the ball from a
throw-in, corner kick, goal kick, or an opponent.
5. A player is not offside unless a teammate releases control of the ball
to him. If the teammate dribbles or shoots the ball to the goal line, there
should be no offside call.
Law 12. Fouls and Misconduct
There are 4 levels of punishment for law
breakers.
1. An indirect free kick will be given to a team whose opponents commit a
minor foul.
2. A direct free kick will be given to a team whose opponents commit a
major foul.
3. A caution will be given to a player who irritates the referee too much.
4. An ejection will be given to a player who disregards the spirit of the
game.
Most soccer leagues include a fifth level of
punishment; the verbal warning. The referee simply tells a team member
that one of their players is being irritating or disregarding the spirit of
the game, and that the player will be "carded" if it continues. Play
need not be stopped for a verbal warning.
Anytime a player is given a yellow card
(caution) or red card (ejection), the other team restarts play with an
indirect free kick, unless the card is due to a major foul, making it a direct
free kick.
Minor Fouls
There are five minor fouls:
1. Dangerous play
2. Charging
fairly when the ball is not nearby
3. Obstructing
4. Charging the
goalkeeper
5. Time wasting by the
goalkeeper
Major Fouls
There were once just nine major fouls. Recently, a tenth
(spitting) has been added. They are:
1. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
2. Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
3. Jumps at an opponent
4. Charges an opponent
5. Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
6, Pushes an opponent
7. Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with
the opponent before touching the ball
8. Holds an opponent
9. Spits at an opponent
10. Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own
penalty area)
Caution
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card
if he commits any of the following seven offences:
1. Is guilty of unsporting behavior
2. Shows dissent by word or action
3. Persistently infringes the Laws of the Game
4. Delays the restart of play
5. Fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a
corner kick or free kick
6. Enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee's permission
7. Deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee's permission
Ejection
A player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the
following seven offences:
1. Is guilty of serious foul play
2. Is guilty of violent conduct
3. Spits at an opponent or any other person
4. Denies an opponent a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by
deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his
own penalty area).
5. 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.
6. Uses offensive, insulting or abusive language.
7. receives a second caution in the same match
Law 13. Free Kick
A team taking a free kick is given a single kick of the
ball without interference from opponents. On a direct free kick, the kicking
team may score a goal directly from the kick. On an indirect free kick, the
ball must be touched by at least two players before going into the goal.
The referee indicates an indirect free kick with an
upraised arm, like the letter I in indirect.
A direct free kick is indicated by pointing in the direction the kick is to be
taken.
Indirect free kicks, direct free kicks, and penalty
kicks are the three free kicks used as punishment for fouls and misconduct.
Goal kicks, corner kicks, and kickoffs are also free kicks. All six types of
free kicks are governed by the rules of free kicks.
The player taking a direct or indirect free kick may
decide to kick the ball before the opponents have moved ten yards away. This
is called a quick kick. It is considered unsporting for opponents to
stay intentionally closer than ten yards from the ball, and they may be
punished with a caution. Nevertheless, it is bound to happen eventually. If
the kicker wants the opponents to move farther away, the kicker should ask the
referee for "ten yards, please." At this point, it
often becomes a ceremonial kick. The referee signals for the kicker to
wait, moves the opponents ten yards away, and then signals for the kick to be
taken. Usually this wastes time, slows down the game, and takes away any
element of surprise gained by the quick kick.
Law 14. Penalty Kick
Direct free kicks awarded in the fouling team's penalty
area become penalty kicks. The ball is set on the penalty kick spot, twelve
yards from the goal. Everyone leaves the penalty area except the kicker and
the goalkeeper. The kicker tries to score a goal with a single kick, and the
goalkeeper tries to prevent that. The penalty kick is a direct free kick, and
follows all the rules of free kicks with a few changes. Everyone from both
teams, except the kicker and goalkeeper, must be at least 10 yards from the
ball and outside the penalty area. The goalkeeper must stand with both feet on
the goal line and may move side to side but not forward until the ball is
kicked. Once the ball is in play, everyone may move into the penalty area to
try to kick the ball in case it rebounds off the goal post or keeper.
Law 15. Throw-in
If a team sends the ball over a touch line, the
opponents bring it back into play with a throw-in. A player holds the ball
behind his head, then throws the ball onto the field by bringing it over the
top of his head, using both hands. Both feet must be touching the ground on or
outside the touch line as the ball is thrown.
Law 16. Goal Kick
If a team sends the ball over its opponent's goal line,
the opponents bring it back into play with a goal kick. The ball is placed
inside the goal area and kicked out of the penalty area.
Law 17. Corner Kick
If a team sends the ball over its own goal line, the
opponents bring it back into play with a corner kick. The kicking team takes a
direct free kick from the nearest corner area.
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