Ava Soccer Association
Rules and Regulations
Start and Restart of Play
A coin toss shall decide ball possession and side of field. The team which wins the toss decides which goal it will attack, and the other team takes the kick-off.
On the kick-off, all players must be within their own side of the field. Players from the defending team must be a minimum of 10 yards (outside the center circle) from the ball until the ball is kicked. The ball must move into the opponent’s side of the field before it is considered in play. The kicker may not touch the ball a second time before it has touched another player.
After a goal is scored, the game shall be restarted in the same manner by the team losing the goal.
At the beginning of the second half, teams will switch halves of the field. The kick off shall be taken by the team which defended the first half kick off.
Any violation of this law will result in the retaking of the kick, except if the kicker kicks the ball twice without another player touching it; this will give the opposing team an indirect free kick from that spot.
A goal can be scored directly from a kick-off.
In Play and Out of Play
The ball is out of play when it has passed entirely over the touch (side) line or goal (end) line. If any part of the ball is not outside of the line, it is still in play. The position of the player is irrelevant.
The ball is out of play when play has been stopped by the referee.
The ball is in play at all other times during the game including rebounds off of the goal posts, corner flags or referee.
Penalties
It states that a direct free kick (ball can go directly in the goal without touching another player) shall be given to the opposing team when:
- A player kicks, trips, jumps at, charges, strikes, holds, pushes, or spits at (or attempts to do any of these) to an opponent.
- A tackling player makes contact with the opposing player before the ball.
- A player handles the ball deliberately with their hand or arm to gain advantage. It is also considered a handball if the goalie picks up a ball which has been passed to him by a member of his/her own team.
If any of these occur within the offending player’s own penalty area, a penalty kick (goal box is emptied except for the goalie and the ball is placed 11 meters from the goal line) shall be given.
An indirect free kick (one other player needs to touch the ball before it can enter the goal) shall be given to the opposing team when:
- Dangerous Play: A player plays in a manner considered dangerous by the referee (for example: if a player is trying to kick the ball while lying on the ground), impedes the progress (obstruction) of an opponent, or prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball.
- A goalkeeper playing within his/her own penalty area: deliberately wastes time, takes more than six seconds without releasing the ball into play from the moment they control the ball with their hands, or touches the ball with their hands after it has been kicked or thrown to them by a teammate.
- Off sides: An offensive player is in an off sides position (this is a position where there are no other defenders besides the goalie between the offensive player and the goal) at the time the ball is kicked by their teammate. The ball is placed where the off sides player was positioned and a kick is awarded to the defense.
- A player commits any other offense for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.
The other team must be 10 yards back from the ball at the time it is kicked. The penalty kick shall not take place until the referee blows the whistle.
Throw-Ins
The throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the entire ball passes all the way across or over the touch (side) line.
A throw-in is to be taken from the spot at which the ball crossed over the touch line. The ball must be held with both hands and delivered from behind the head and directly over the head. At least part of each foot must be touching the touchline or the ground outside the touchline at the moment the ball is released. No opponent may be within 2 yards of the point of the throw.
The player throwing the ball may not touch the ball again until another player has touched the ball. A goal may not be scored on a throw-in.
Goal Kick
A goal kick shall be taken when the entire ball passes over the defending team’s goal line last being touched by a player of the attacking team without a goal being scored.
The ball shall be placed at the corner of the goalie box (smaller box within the penalty box) and may be kicked by any member of the defending team.
The entire ball must leave the penalty box (in one kick), before it can be kicked by another player.
All players from the opposing team must remain outside of the penalty area until the ball passes outside of the penalty area.
Corner Kick
A corner-kick shall be given when the entire ball passes over the defending team’s goal line after last being touched by a player on the defending team.
The attacking team will place the ball anywhere inside of the corner arc to kick it into play. The flag post may not be moved.
The defending team can be no closer than 10 yards to the ball in the corner arc.