MYSL Rules

ALL TEAMS ARE RESPONSIBLE, THROUGH THEIR COACHES AND MANAGERS, FOR KNOWING THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS AND FOR HAVING A COPY AVAILABLE FOR REFERENCE AT ALL COMPETITIONS.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COACH TO DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF THESE RULES TO ALL ASSISTANT COACHES, PARENTS, AND PLAYERS.

1. Our purpose is to promote, teach and play soccer; to be flexible; to develop the abilities of our players; and, above all, to advance good sportsmanship. Enjoy the game, leave it on the field. MYSL teams compete outdoors over two sessions, a Fall and Spring session, combined they make up a seasonal year.

2. The MYSL will continue the small-sided format for our younger age groups. Clubs and leagues that sponsor teams in these age groups are required to provide the appropriate-size marked fields with the proper goals. The MYSL playing grid for each age group should be considered part of these rules.

3. All teams are expected to play their complete schedule unless extenuating circumstances cause a cancellation. In that case, the Commissioner must be informed and, unless approved by the Commissioner, the teams should reschedule (see section II paragraph H below).

4. Players in the MYSL should play a minimum of one-half of each game. Coaches are required to inform parents of disciplinary issues prior to sitting the player out and should inform the Commissioner if a problem is anticipated.

5. The MYSL allows a Team unlimited one-for-one substitution of its players in all age groups upon the Teams’s possession throw-ins. Either team may substitute on a goal kick ,at half-time, when a goal is scored, and for its injuries.

6. Coaching is to take place from the sidelines between the center line and the penalty area line. The home team has their choice of sideline, or end of the field in the cases where only one side of a field is available.

7. All family, friends, relatives and team officials must remain on the team’s side or end of the field, and the coach is responsible for their unacceptable behavior.

8. Teams who fail to have a representative at scheduling will be fined $50. Teams who fail to pick up their packets at Distribution will be fined $25, and they must make arrangements with the League Secretary for subsequent packet pickup.

A. The Commissioner must be notified by e-mail of all games that are not played as scheduled, specifying the game number and reason for cancellation.

B. Games scheduled without notification and approval of the Commissioner will not count in the standings and will result in possible disciplinary action.

C. Request for a Game Change must be submitted in writing a week in advance of the scheduled match. The coaches must mutually agree to the change and the form must be accompanied by a $25 check payable to the MYSL. Rescheduling fee is not required due to weather or field playability cancellations.

D. Teams who cause forfeits will not be eligible for trophies or consideration for assignment to the state scheduling league.

E. Coaches will be equally responsible for referee fees if the Commissioner and referee schedulers are not notified of a cancellation.

F. Referees shall be paid one-half their fee for matches that are canceled due to weather or if the field is determined to be unplayable by the referee prior to the start of the game.

G. Once a game has been started, the officials receive their full fee. If the first half has been completed the score will stand. If the match is called prior to the completion of the first half, it must be rescheduled.

H. Coaches must make every effort to reschedule the game within seven (7) days of the cancellation. If they are unable to reach an agreement, the Home team will provide the Commissioner with three (3) dates and the game will be set by the Commissioner.

I. Forfeits will be awarded after a review of the facts and then only by the Commissioner. The coaches will be informed, the team causing the forfeit will be fined $100, and the club affiliating the team will be required to post a $400 performance bond for the next season.

J. All U-15 and older teams must post a $150 performance bond. Failure to complete their schedule or any forfeit will result in the loss of the bond.

K. In case of a tornado watch or warning issued by the national weather service for the area in which a game is scheduled to be played, all games will be canceled until the watch or warning is lifted.

1. Players and coaches who are issued red cards must sit out the remainder of the game in which the card was issued and the number of games indicated on the lineup sheet.

2. Players or coaches receiving a second red card in a season must contact the Commissioner. The review with the Commissioner may result in a hearing with the Disciplinary Board.

3. There is no fine for the first red card issued to a team. The second red will result in a $20 fine, the third a $40 fine, the fourth $60, etc.

4. Teams will be charged a disciplinary point for each yellow card received, two (2) points for a double yellow resulting in a red card, and three (3) points for red cards issued for violent conduct, serious foul play, or foul and abusive language. Teams accumulating ten (10) points in a seasonal year must contact the Commissioner and will be on probation. Teams accumulating 14 points are required to set up a hearing with the Disciplinary Board. Teams accumulating eighteen (18) points will lose three (3) points in the standings and be placed on final probation. Teams that accumulate twenty (20) or more points will be suspended for the remainder of the season and fined $50 for each game forfeited.

5. Coaches may be carded or ejected for failure to control their sidelines or their players.

6. Points carry over from the fall to the spring. Suspensions MUST be served during the team’s next MYSL game(s). A player red carded during the last game of the season is required to sit out their suspension the following season.

7. Players who receive three (3) yellow cards during a seasonal year must sit out the next game. All players/coaches sitting out suspensions must be noted on the front of the line-up sheet of the games they are sitting out.

8. Players who are cautioned MUST be substituted immediately and MUST sit out until the team’s next opportunity to substitute.

1. All protests must be submitted to the Commissioner in writing with 72 hours of the incident giving cause for the protest. The protest must be signed and accompanied by the $100 fee.

2. The line of authority for all protests and appeals shall be to the League Commissioner, League Disciplinary Board, League Executive Board, District Appeals Committee, MSYSA Appeals Committee and finally to the line of authority of the specified U.S. Youth Soccer.

3. The Commissioner shall render a decision within the time limit specified in our by-laws and all appeals must be filed within the time designated in the by-laws.

4. The protest fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. The fee to file an appeal will be returned if the Commissioner is overruled and so on down the line.

5. Judgment calls by the officials shall not be grounds for a protest, and as stated in the “Laws of the Game,” their decisions relative to the playability of a field and activities on and off the field from the time they arrive until they leave the area shall not be challenged.

6. Only Violations of the League rules and regulations, its by-laws, and misapplication of the laws of the game shall be considered appropriate subjects for protests.

A. Player and coach passcards must not be tampered with in any way. Teams/clubs will be assessed a fee of $50 to replace a set of passcards and individual passcards will be replaced for $5 each. No replacement cards will be issued until the fee is paid.

B. It is the responsibility of team managers to check opponent’s passcards prior to the start of each game. Players who arrive late must check in with the referee and present their passcard prior to playing in the match.

C. Check-in should begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled kickoff and every effort should be made to start the game on time.

D. Players who do not have passcards must print their name and birth date and sign the back of the white original lineup sheet. It should be noted that the player did not have a passcard next to his name on the front of the game sheet.

E. Teams may use Club Passcards in accordance with the rules and regulations set out in the special section titled - CLUB PASSCARDS FALL 2005 which is attached.

F. Managers who fail to check passcards prior to the start of a game may not challenge the eligibility of any player after the game is started. Player eligibility shall not be grounds for a protest if the manager failed to check passcards.

1. Pay only the officials who report for the game. Do not pay the full fee if only one or two officials report. The attached schedule is for all MYSL games. Should a local referee association require additional fees, payment of these fees is the HOME team’s responsibility.

2. Referee assignments for U-12 centers and all officials for U-13 and up will be certified referee schedulers from the local referee’s association. The HOME team is responsible for the assignment of certified assistant referees (AR) for the U-12 age group and all officials for U-11 and younger age groups.

3. ARs are not required for U-9 and U-10 games, but they are suggested and highly recommended. Every effort should be made to provide ARs for U-11 and up matches, and consistent failure to do so may result in moving matches to fields where certified officials are available on a consistent basis.

4. Every effort should be made to play all games as scheduled. If the referee fails to report, the senior AR should whistle the game. If no referees report, U-9, U-10 and U-11 games can be officiated by a previously certified parent or sibling or officiating can be shared by the coaches as a last resort.

6. The referee MUST CHECK “Risk Management Cards” for all team officials. Individuals not in possession of a “Risk Management Card” must provide picture identification, print their name and sign the back of the white original lineup sheet. This failure to have proper certification must be noted on the front of the lineup sheet and the opposing team coach must be notified.

7. If, upon investigation, it is found that any individual directly involved with a team is not Risk Management-certified, the offending team will be immediately suspended, all games in which the ineligible officials were involved will be forfeited, and the individual will be automatically MYSL disqualified for a period of one year. If properly certified individuals cannot be found to direct the team, the team can no longer participate in the MYSL.

8. Failure by the referee to verify Risk Management clearance will be grounds for discipline. The first occurrence will result in a written warning, the second another written warning along with a $50 fine, and the third violation will result in suspension from officiating MYSL matches for a seasonal year and the USSF will be notified.

9. All formal referee complaints must be made in writing with the coach’s phone number and his signature or the signature of his designated representative. Complaints should be mailed to the Commissioner who will pass them along to the association responsible for the assignment. ALL formal complaints will be addressed through the following steps: First, the official will be observed and assessed by a senior official. Second, if a problem is found, the official will be trained and their assignments modified to accommodate their level of competence. Finally, if the referee cannot perform up to an acceptable level, they will no longer be eligible to officiate MYSL games. The coach will be notified by the referee association of the action taken.

A. The WINNING TEAM MUST report the game score to the MYSL STATISTICIAN within 48 hours of the end of their game. HOME teams will report the score for tied games. Scores should be submitted electronically via e-mail: myslstat@comcast.net. Include game number, age division, winning team name and score, losing team name and score. For questions please e-mail or call 248-601-1853.

B. Points will be awarded for games played to determine team standings. Three (3) points will be awarded for a winning game. One (1) point will be awarded for tied games. The following criteria will be used to resolve first and second place ties:

● Goal differential in head-to-head competition (goals for vs. goals against).

● Goal differential in league play (goals for vs. goals against). Maximum three (3) per game.

C. Divisions with six or more teams will be awarded first and second place trophies. Divisions with five (5) or fewer teams will receive first place trophies only.

VIII. Field Maintenance is the responsibility of the HOME team. Accurate and clearly marked fields with proper cutting are of vital importance. Goal posts should be properly painted. Nets, corner flags, and suitable game ball are also the responsibility of the HOME team. All fields should be policed for litter before and after every game by both teams! An improperly marked or unmarked field is grounds for protest, at the discretion of the Commissioner. The game may be canceled at the discretion of the Referee.

IX. Parental Harassment and Bad Language are unacceptable. Please control your sidelines and make the games more enjoyable for everyone. League/Clubs and coaches will be held responsible for the conduct of their spectators on the sidelines. Leagues/Clubs, teams, coaches, players and/or parents who continue to violate this rule will be observed by the Commissioner or his representative and will face possible ineligibility from future registration, forfeiture of games and/or awards, and other disciplinary actions as deemed necessary.

Notes: (1) Coaches, please verify game dates and times with the opposing coach several days before scheduled matches.

(2) We have teams that travel long distances to participate in our League. Please show some courtesy and verify field conditions when the possibility exists that the field may be unplayable. Please notify the opposing coach and allow the coach ample time to contact his/her team. If it is possible, contact the scheduled Referees about the field condition. And don’t forget to notify the MYSL Commissioner promptly if the game cannot be played. When in doubt about the playing conditions, both teams must show up and wait for the Referee to make the decision.

In addition to the regulations contained in these rules and regulations and the associated MYSL playing grid, the following rules and regulations will apply to the U-9 and U-10 age groups:

2. No goal kicks – game is restarted with goalkeeper possession and goalkeeper can throw, kick, punt, or dribble the ball back into play.

4. When the ball crosses a sideline, the game is restarted with a throw-in from the spot where it crossed the sideline.

5. The goalkeeper after handling the ball may not punt the ball over the halfway line. For example, if a goalkeeper kicks the ball, it must bounce at least once before crossing the halfway line. However, the goalkeeper would be permitted to kick the ball across the halfway line if it is not picked up or handled first. Please Note, by definition ALL drop kicks by the goalkeeper would be considered a violation of this rule. Violation of this rule will result in awarding a throw-in (in order to move the game along) to the opposing team of the offending goalkeeper at the nearest intersection of halfway line and sideline. A goalkeeper may not directly receive and handle a throw-in.

7. All restarts are indirect, except penalty kicks (which may be awarded in accordance with FIFA laws of the game).

8. For U-9 and U-10, the following field markings will apply: a halfway line across the field; four corner arcs with two-foot radius; the goal area will be sixteen yards wide and six yards into the field of play joined by a line parallel to the goal line; the penalty box should be 10 yards by 24 yards into the field of play joined by a line parallel to the goal line.

9. The start of play shall be a kick-off from a center mark and all opponent players must be eight yards from this mark on their side of the field. A goal may be scored directly from the kick-off.

10. Corner kicks will be taken and, in the absence of field markings, the ball should placed within two feet of the corner. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick.

11. Penalty kicks will be taken eight yards from the goal line, at a mark or place which is approximately the center of the goal.

Coaches , Managers and Referees - Please Note, The above fees and rules and regulations are to be used for all MYSL competitions, superceding any local league/club rules and regulations. Any questions should be directed to the MYSL Commissioner.

CLUB PASSCARDS are available to all MYSL Leagues and Clubs with the objective to allow coaches to move players within their own League/Club based on a player’s development needs and specific team needs.

Abusing or violation of any of the MYSL rules and regulations while using club passcards is a serious offense and will be dealt with as such by the MYSL and its board.

Each participating League/Club has given MYSL a unique sticker, which has been added to the passcards. This enables the referee and opposing team to determine that there may be club passcard players participating in a MYSL league game. The official MYSL game sheet must note, in the spaces provided, ALL players competing in that game who are using their Club passcard.

1) A player can only use a club passcard to play on a team competing in a higher ranked division of competition than indicated on his/her registered team’s passcard. This higher level of competition includes both within the player’s age group and older age groups. For purposes of this rule the division rankings for U-9s and U-10s are designated by the Commissioner on the front of the coach’s folder by number with number one being the highest ranked division through number seven being the bottom and are defined by the MYSL COMPETITION STRUCTURE (see attached). The MYSL COMPETITION STRUCTURE, which describes the division rankings for all age groups, should be considered as part of these rules and regulations. A player may not move down a division and or an age group (even if otherwise age appropriate). When moving up a player may not move up more than two age groups.

2) Teams playing full sided games (11 V 11 players), can move up NO more than THREE PLAYERS for any given game.

3) Teams playing small sided games (6 V 6 and 8 V 8 players), can move up NO more than two players for any given game.

4) Teams must at all games meet all age group roster requirements; roster size can not be increased beyond the specified roster size as shown by the MYSL playing grid for each age group.

Cards accrued will remain with the player’s originally registered team. The penalized player must serve (sit out) his/ her penalty at the next physically played league game of their originally registered team, regardless of which team he/she was playing for when the card was received.

Please note in order to avoid forfeiting a game and possible league position in the standings you must mark that the player is serving his/her penalty for a red card or yellow card accumulation clearly on your game sheet.

If a player receives 3 or more yellow cards in any seasonal year they must sit out a game, this is for all league play regardless of which team and or teams they received the yellow cards with. 3 YELLOW CARDS IN REGULAR LEAGUE PLAY, requires a player to sit out 1 game

6) Teams that misuse Club Passcards will forfeit the games in which the players participated and will be fined $50 for the first violation, $100 for the second violation, and $200 for the third violation. In addition to the fines, the team will no longer enjoy the privilege of Club Passcards for the next season, and the coach will be placed on probation for the second violation and MYSL disqualified for a season year for the third violation.

If anyone has any questions regarding the use of CLUB PASS CARDS please contact:

Age Group	U-9	U-10	U-11	U-12
Number of Players	6v6	6v6	8v8	8v8

Split Game Format	No	No	No	No

Max. Registered Players	11	11	14	14

Min. Registered Players	9	9	11	11

Registration Costs Fall 2005	$230	$230	$275	$275

Registration Costs Spring 2006*	$130	$130	$185	$185
Ball Size	4	4	4	4
Recommended Field Size	60-45/45-35 yds	60-45/45-35 yds	80-70/55-45 yds	80-70/55-45 yds
Recommended Goal Size	6x12 feet wide	6x12 feet wide	6x18 feet wide	6x18 feet wide
Recommended Goal Area	6x18 yards	6x18 yards	6x18 yards	6x18 yards
Recommended Penalty Area	10x24 yards	10x24 yards	14x35 yards	14x35 yards
Penalty Mark Distance to goal	8 yards	8 yards	10 yards	10 yards
Opponent Distance @ restart	8 yards	8 yards	8 yards	8 yards
Throw-ins	FIFA rules	FIFA rules	FIFA rules	FIFA rules
Offside Rule enforced	No	No	Yes	Yes
Duration of Game	25 min halves	25 min halves	30 min halves	30 min halves
Pass Back rule enforced	No	No	Yes	Yes

Assistant Referee	No	No	Yes	Yes
Trophies	ALL Players	ALL Players	1^st and 2^nd**	1^st and 2^nd**
Under-age Player Limits	See note 1 below	See note 2	See note 2	See note 2
Dual Registration	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Note 2: For the Fall 2005/Spring 2006, the four under-age player limit rule will be enforced. HOWEVER, IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT UNDER-AGE PLAYERS SHOULD BE WITHIN TWO YEARS OF BEING TEAM AGE APPROPRIATE. Failure to abide by this recommendation may result in the team being denied registration and/or scheduling.