WAIKATO SUNDAY SOCCER LEAGUE
Power Point Presentation by Carl Watkins
Skills for Refereeing by Carl Watkins
So that all individual players are aware of the WSSL Rules, it is good practice to make these rules available to all players, either by reading them to them or handing them a copy to read.
WSSL Soccer Rules:
Normal rules of Association Football are followed, including the following‑
Throw In:
The throw-in is to be made with both feet on the ground and behind the side-line, and the ball behind the head. A goalkeeper cannot pick up the ball from a throw in, but can play it with his/her feet.
Calling for the Ball:
You cannot call "mine" but must call by indicating your name i.e. "Rob's ball." Only the goalkeeper can call "mine." An indirect free kick is to be
awarded.
Goalkeeper:
The goalkeeper can only ‘hang onto’ the ball for a maximum of 6 seconds, but can take as many steps as he/she likes. An indirect free kick is to be awarded.
Back-pass to Goalkeeper:
You cannot back-pass to the goalkeeper by kicking but you may head the ball back to the goalkeeper to pick up. If the goalkeeper picks up the ball from a pass kicked to him/her it then becomes an ‘Indirect Free Kick’ from where the Keeper picked it up from.
Indirect Free Kick:
Another player must touch the ball first before a goal is scored. The referee indicates an ‘Indirect Free Kick’ by raising his/her hand above their head and it should remain there until the ball is kicked and touched by a second player.
The opposition must be back 10 metres from the location of the free kick. If you question the referee as to the opposition being 10 metres back then you cannot take a ‘quick kick’ until the referee is happy that they are back the required 10 metres.
Playing Time:
A soccer match is comprised of two 40-minute halves, with extra time added for each at the referee’s discretion. The halves are separated by a half-time period not to exceed 10 minutes. The extra time generally corresponds with the referee’s determination of how much time was taken up due to substitutions and injuries. Although soccer does have an allotted time limit, it is ultimately up to the referee’s as to when to end a match.
Rolling Subs:
4 rolling subs are allowed. Substitutions should be made from the half way line, and when the ball is out of play. The referee must be made aware of all substitutions, and this is particularly so when substituting goalkeepers. Only 2 registered Saturday players are allowed in your 15 man squad named on the day. Unless you are in the 1st Division then you can have as many Saturday players as you wish. In the event of the Scottish Cup draw and you have been drawn to play a 1st division team you are allowed to play all your register Saturday players in your named squad on the day.
‘Sin Binning’:
Referees have the option of ‘Sin Binning’ players for 5 or 10 minutes rather than actually sending them off.
Players fighting (punches thrown) are to be immediately sent off.
Tackles:
You are not allowed to tackle from behind. The referee is to award a free kick and caution the player, or use sin bin rule or sending off.
Fouls and Misconduct:
In order to allow players to play the game in a fair manner, the referee can call fouls. The penalty from a foul can vary depending on the type and severity of the foul.
- Minor offenses - The opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick.
- More serious offenses - The opposing team is awarded a direct free kick. This will be a penalty kick if it occurs within the penalty box.
- Caution - The referee can send a player off for 5-10 minutes for foul play to cool down. Fighting or continuous arguing with the referee- The referee then has the rite to ask the player to leave the field for the rest of the game.
- Expulsion - The player must leave the game and cannot be substituted for.
Types of Fouls
The following actions are not allowed in soccer and will result in a foul call:
- Kicking an opponent
- Tripping
- Jumping into an opponent (like when you are going for a header)
- Charging into an opponent
- Pushing
- Tackling from behind
- Tackling an opponent and you make contact with the player prior to making contact with the ball.
- Holding
- Touching the ball with your hands (if you are not the goalkeeper)
WSSL Rules on Refereeing:
Prior to kick‑off both Captains/Managers need to meet and indicate if they have a Referee.
1. If both teams have a referee, then the home team does the first half and the visiting team the second half.
(The Home team is designated by being the first name in the draw)
2. If one team does not have a referee at kick‑off time then the other team's referee is deemed to be the referee for the whole game.
Note: (a) At half time, should the opposing team Captain/Manager indicate that they now have a Referee, it is up to the Captain/Manager whose Referee controlled the first half to decide whether he wishes his Referee to carry on or not. (ie to allow the opposition's Referee to take‑over). Remember ‑ You have every right to say "NO" to their offer.
Note: (b) Should the team that is providing the Referee for the whole game want to change the Referee at half time, the opposing team then have the right in this instance to have their Referee take over the second half.
Sin Bin:
Captains/Managers please make sure your Referee knows that he or she has the option of Sin Binning a player or players for 5 or 10 minutes instead of sending them off.
The Referee would use the Sin Bin for someone that is repeatedly infringing or constantly back-chatting the Referee prior to a last resort of sending him/her off. This is a good option to cool players down and it works. It is up to the Referee to decide if he/she uses the 5mins or 10mins Sin Bin.
Any players involved in an altercation, ie pushing and shoving, should be given 10mins Sin Bin time. Should any players throw punches they are to be sent off.
CODE OF CONDUCT ?
Note: This Code is additional to all other WSSL rules and is a living, reviewable Committee doc.
1. Substitutions to be made from half-way line after notifying the referee and when the ball is out of play. Changing of goalkeepers to be notified to the referee and to be made only at a break in play.
2. Players and substitutes to wear only normal football attire in the colours of their team.
3. Shin pads must be worn.
4. Football boots must be worn and with studs in good and safe condition.
5. Referees have rights to sin-bin players as per the WSSL Rules and Rules on Refereeing.
6. Regarding players manhandling referees and mass confrontation of referee by players, the following shall apply:
[i] “Touching a referee when in disagreement with his/her refereeing will result in a player being banned for a minimum 12 months. The referee will need to obtain to his/her satisfaction, name identification of the player or players concerned and may cancel the game if the player or players do not cooperate with this requirement and award the result to the non offending team.”
Note: The WSSL does not use mandatory team cards and corresponding shirt numbers which can add to difficulties with proper identification of offending players. the above ruling would deter menacing behaviour and encourage ‘in team’ disciplinary measures as well as team cooperation with identification of offending players if required.
[ii] “Should a complaint be laid by the referee with the WSSL Committee with regard to his/her being unable to satisfactorily identify the player or players concerned, then the team in which the player or players was/were playing at the time will be answerable to the WSSL Committee which may suspend or exclude permanently that team from the competition”.
Note: This would further encourage teams to identify an offending player in their team rather than hinder his/her identification.
[iii] “The Referee will need to contact the Secretary in writing as per normal Committee disputes procedure (i.e. within 1 week) that a player or players had threatened him/her in a menacing fashion and likewise if player identification was not cooperated with”.
[iv] “Should a complaint be received about a team mass confronting the referee then that team will be put on 12 months probation. If there are any further infringements by said team of this nature within this 12 months period then that team will be suspended from the WSSL for 12 months”.
Appeals of decisions made in respect to any of 6 [i], [ii] and [iv] will be heard by the Committee and must be made in writing to the Secretary within seven days of the event occurring (6[i]) or from the date of notification of a Committee decision (6[ii] and 6[iv])
Seven-a-Side Rules
Rules:
All normal Association Football Rules apply except for the following:
1. No Off-sides.
2. Throw-ins to the keeper are allowed. (This keeps the game flowing)
3. 7 players and 3 Rolling Subs are allowed per game. Subs to be made within 10 metres of the half way line.
4. 10 minutes each way and 1min for half time.
All games start and finish on the Organising Committee’s hooter.
If a team is not present or does not have 7 players on the field when the hooter sounds to start the game then the opposing team can ask the referee that they be allowed to kick-off and therefore they can score.
So the moral of the story is get to your pitch promptly.
Players may only play for 1 team unless they seek permission from the organising committee and ask the opposing team.
Injured players must be removed from the field immediately.
Round Robin points
Win 3pts
Draw 1pt
Loss 0pts
Knockout Phase
Winner moves through to the next round, loser is to referee the following game.
If the game is drawn, Corner kicks awarded will decide the result (Referee - please take note of these). If the game is still all square, a Penalty Shootout will occur. Best of 3, then ‘sudden death’.
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Non Turn-up (Forfiet)
To all Captains/Managers,
At the AGM, on 24 February 2011, a motion was past that all new teams must register a $100 'NonTurn Up' Fee Bond. This bond is to be paid along with the entry fee. “For existing teams the default amount will be added to the following year”
Over previous seasons, teams have turned up to play their game and no opposition has arrived and no notification of unavailability has been received. This is very frustrating to players who, in some instances, have probably travelled some distance or made various arrangements, so that they could enjoy a game of football on a Sunday.
This Bond is to put a financial incentive on all teams that, if you intend defaulting said game, you inform the opposition by no later than midnight on the Thursday, prior to the game. If you fail to notify the opposition (by phone) AND the committee (can be by Email), then $50 of your Bond goes to the opposition. It is up to you to actually make sure the opposition's Captain/Manager has received your message. This person may be away on holiday etc. and not be monitoring his phones or Voice Mailbox. In other words make sure you get a reply from someone on that team. The same goes if you TXT the person; make sure your TXT asks for a reply message. This applies to 'friendlies' as well as all league games. The $50 will not be forfeit if the team not able to turn up has made every (truthful) effort to contact the opposition by the time stated above, and can prove it.
If a team fails to turn up more than 3 times in a season, with no notification given, that team will have forfeited their full $100 bond. The team will just not play for the rest of the season. In other words "three strikes and out"!!.
If your team is claiming that the opposition did not turn up on a given Sunday and did not give the necessary notification mentioned above, Please send e-mail to the Secretary at wssl.football@hotmail.com
Regards,
Secretary/Treasurer
