About Us

Soccer of Denville was founded in 1973 by Denville residents Tom Eberhardt and Al Holinko. HUB Soccer of Denville is a non-profit organization that administers a Recreation and Traveling soccer program for our children.

The coed Recreation program's goal is to provide a positive experience for all players to learn the skills, techniques and tactics associated with the game of soccer. Enjoyment of soccer and emphasis on fun are key elements of the Recreation program. Older age groups are in draft divisions to ensure parity and conclude the fall season with championship tournaments.

The Traveling program is geared to those players who wish to play competitive soccer and spend more time developing their soccer skills. The intent of HUB Soccer of Denville is to provide participants with a high level of competitive soccer. Boys and girls teams participate in the Morris County Youth Soccer Association with standings kept by team age groups and flight designation. Many of our teams also participate in tournament play. Traveling team tryouts are held each spring.

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Club Philosophy

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Hub Soccer of Denville is guided by the principle of, "Let the kids have fun" This should be accomplished through a structural program which will challenge our players while continually building on their skills.

Hub Soccer of Denville is "social soccer", not competitive ball. Kids should learn soccer skills, sportsmanship and team play.

In our older divisions (3 and 4), emphasis is placed around winning as a goal, but not as the only goal. "Athlete First, Winning Second" is our guide. We are here to develop soccer players, good habits, fitness and team play.

We are the training ground to send players to more competitive play in travel and high school ball. Advanced programs place more pressure on the athlete to win. Hub Soccer of Denville is the haven for the players to be relaxed and play for the enjoyment of playing and compete against their friends without the fear of loss.

Under our program they can further their development through experimentation and practice in a more relaxed environment. Although winning is important at this level, it must take second place to the enjoyment of the game.

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Tips for Coaches

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You hold a position demanding trust and leadership, requiring patience and understanding, one where respect must be earned.
Set high standards of sportsmanship, fair play, teamwork, and promptness.
Try to be consistent in your attitudes and philosophies toward players, parents, referees and spectators. This includes all dealings and times before, during and after games and practices.
Try to establish a good working relationship with your team and their parents. As coach, you are responsible for knowing the rules of the game. Be sure to relay the rules to players and parents alike.
You are responsible for getting a copy of the teams's schedule to the parents.Try to impress upon the parents the need for punctuality at both games and practices
Try to teach your team how to be humble in victory and to understand defeat.
Be aware of the dangers of over-coaching and over demanding. Try to remember, in Hub Soccer play------THE KIDS ARE HERE TO ENJOY THEMSELVES.
You play a vital role in the physical and mental development of your young players - keep this in mind at all times

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Club Rules

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Introduction:

These rules and regulations are the basis by which Hub Soccer of Denville, inc. establishes and maintains the soccer program in Denville Township.

Regulations:

In case of conflict, report all problems to the Division Director after the game. If the Division Director doesn't know that there is a problem, then he/she cannot correct it. This is the order in which problems are addressed.

The Division Director
The Club Rules of Hub Soccer of Denville, Inc.
The Hub Soccer of Denville Board of Directors

Rules of Competition

No alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs are allowed on the field at any time.
No one, coaches, parents or fans is to interfere with the referee either during or after a game. Any problems with the referee should be discussed with the Division Director after the game.
In all divisions, players shall wear:
1. Shirts: Shirts must have sleeves and be tucked in. Teams shall wear the shirts distributed by Hub Soccer of Denville for all games. Goalkeepers must wear a jersey or pinny different in color from both teams, but not necessarily different from the referee or opposing goalkeeper.
2. Shorts: Shorts must be athletic shorts. Denim shorts or shorts with buttons. snaps or zippers are not allowed. In cold weather athletic pants may be worn outside of the shorts, but must meet the same requirements as the shorts.
3. Shinguards: Shinguards must be age appropriate. A guideline is 3 inches above the top of the foot to 3 inches below the knee
4. Socks: Socks must fully cover the shinguards.
5. Footwear: While soccer cleats are recommended, sneakers are acceptable for all games and practices. Baseball or football cleats are not acceptable. Metal cleats of any type are not allowed
In all divisions, players may not wear
1. Jewelry: Including but not limited to watches, rings, bracelets, "Livestrong bracelets", necklaces, barrettes, metal hair clips, bobby pins, studs or earrings, whether taped or not.
2. Casts: Hard casts or hard splints cannot be worn.
3. Braces: Metal braces cannot be worn unless the metal is covered and, in the opinion of the referee, is not unsafe to anyone. This does not include dental braces
4. Hats: Baseball hats are not allowed. Winter hats may be worn as long as they do not contain any hard surfaces or loose items such as tassels.
5. Exceptions - articles that are required to be worn at all times for religious reasons may be taped to the body in a safe manner. Medical Alert bracelets may be taped to the wrist leaving the information visible
Every player must play two (2) complete quarters per game. Should a child not be played, for whatever reason, the manager or coach must inform the Division Director (or any other officer of Hub Soccer of Denville should the Division Director be unavailable) prior to the game and must receive approval of the Division Director no to play the child. Otherwise, the child must be allowed to play.

In all divisions, no child will play four (4) quarters in any game, unless everyone on the team that is able to play, plays three (3) quarters.

A player may be removed from a game for disciplinary reasons by a manager or coach at any time. The manager or coach must then notify the referee and the opposing manager or coach. This player may not re-enter for the remainder of the game.

If the teams in Division 3 are extremely large, the Division Director may choose to play two (2) halves of 45 minutes each. In this event, the coaches will be allowed substitutions at 15 minutes and 30 minutes into each half. At these times, the coaches must substitute their players in such a manner that no player on the team should play the third 15 minute period of the first half before everyone on the team has played at least one full 15 minute period. No player on a team shall play 4 periods before everyone on the team has played 2 full periods; or shall play 5 periods before everyone on the team has played 3 full periods; or shall play 6 periods before everyone on the team has played 4 full periods.
Goals will be changed at half time only, not at the quarter breaks.
Substitutions are to be made at the end of the quarter, except in the case of injury or fatigue.
No coach shall distribute trophies to their team.
Girls are permitted to cross their arms over their chests for protection. The referee should be very careful and lenient in calling handling of the ball.
Division 7 goalkeepers may retain possession of the ball for as long as necessary. In all other divisions, goalkeepers should be instructed to release the ball within six (6) seconds. The referee will be lenient unless this is abused by either team.
In Divisions 5, 6 and 7, a player may be goalkeeper for two (2) quarters per game. In Division 4, a player may play three (3) quarters of the game in goal. In Division 3, a player may play as goalkeeper the entire game. In every case however, Rule #5 must be adhered to.
Any player who was previously injured and treated by a physician, must present a written release from his or her doctor to the Division Director before returning to practice or a game. Coaches must retain and bring any and all medical releases for all players to every practice and game.
Any player who wears a protective device of hard or unyielding material or a hard cast as a result of an injury is prohibited from playing or practicing until the cast or protective device is removed and a medical release is presented to the Division DIrector. Coaches must retain and bring any and all medical releases for all players to every practice and game.
All coaches are to coach from their half of the field only, between the midfield line and the 18 yard line. It shall be the call of the Division Directors in Division 7 and Pre-K as to how many coaches may be on the field during a game for instructional purposes and to help set up players on kickoffs, corner kicks, etc. In no event however, shall there be more than two (2) coaches per team on the field in those divisions. Coaches must stay clear of the play, not touch the ball, and at no time interfere with the play, any player or the referee. Should this occur, the referee will award the opposing team a direct free kick from the point of the infraction.
The home team may choose which players bench it will occupy. All parents and fans shall be located on the side of the field opposite the players where conditions permit. No one shall be in the are behind the goals.
Coaches are prohibited from rescheduling games on their own. Any and all cancelled games will be rescheduled by the Division DIrector in cooperation with both coaches and the Referee Director.
All coaches in Divisions 3 and 4 are to turn in their scores to their Division Director.
No team, manager , coach or parent is to publish material (i.e., scores, articles, pictures, etc.) in the newspaper or elsewhere without the direct knowledge and consent of the Public Relations Director.
Seven (7) players (six (6) for Divisions 5, 6, 7 and Pre-K) per team is the minimum needed to start a game. Reasonable time should be given to allow players to arrive. After 15 minutes of delay, a team with fewer players than the minimum shall forfeit the game. Games started later than five (5) minutes after their original designated start time shall have their playing time adjusted to ensure the game ends as scheduled. This will allow subsequent games to remain on schedule. If at any point during a game, a team is unable to field the minimum number of players, the match shall be terminated at that point. The team with less than the minimum number of players shall forfeit the game.

In Division 7 and Pre-K Division, the Division DIrector may elect to lower the minimum number of players required to play a game.

Duration of game:

Division	Playing Time
Pre-K & Division 7	8 minute quarters
Division 6	10 minute quarters
Division 5	12 minute quarters
Division 4	15 minute quarters (day games) 12 minute quarters (night games)
Division 3	20 minute quarters (day games) 15 minute quarters (night games)

In the event a game must be terminated before the start of the second half, the game will be replayed from the start. In the event a game must be terminated after the second half, the score will be final as of the time of termination. The sounding of the referee's whistle to begin the second half and the subsequent first touch of the ball shall constitute the "Start of the second half".
Intramural practice sessions are limited to no more than three (3) per week during August and no more than two (2) per week once the school year has started.
Referees will issue Yellow Cards (Caution) or Red Cards (Sending Off) to players, managers or coaches if, in the opinion of the referee, the action of that person warrants it. Yellow Cards shall cary varying amounts of points, depending upon the offense noted, in accordance with the point system used by the Morris County Youth Soccer Association. Accumulation of a certain number of points by a player, manager or coach will cause that person to sit out a game. A player receiving his/her first yellow card in a game shall not be required to leave the field of play.

Any player, manager or coach who receives a Red Card before, during or after a game, in addition to being removed from that game, will be suspended for the following game. If the person receives a second Red Card, they will be suspended from a subsequent game and be subject to disciplinary action and review by the Hub Soccer of Denville Board of Directors.

Although not necessarily a Red Card offense, in Hub Soccer of Denville any player performing a slide tackle during the game shall be ejected from the game, but may be replaced by another player on their team. In order to be considered a slide tackle, the player must intentionally leave his/her feet in a sliding manner in an attempt to play the ball while another player on either team is in playing distance of the ball, approximately one yard. The player may not be replaced if the slide tackle is deemed by the referee to be a Red Card offense or a second Yellow Card offense.

Coaches are responsible for the actions of their team parents. A coach will be Carded if his/her actions, or the actions of a parent is, in the opinion of the referee, the Division Director or a Board Member, considered to be abusive, verbally or physically, to the Referee, any player, coach or parent. Should all of the coaches assigned to a team be removed from the game as a result of Red Cards, the game shall end at the point as a forfeit for the team.

A review board will be made up of five (5) Hub Soccer of Denville Directors to review all Red Card suspensions and other disciplinary actions. The director of the Division in which the action occurred shall have no vote.

Hub Soccer of Denville reserves the right to temporarily or permanently suspend a player, coach or parent for un-sportsmanlike conduct, inappropriate behavior and/or damage to school or township property.
Children shall not hang, climb or play on goals or nets. Throughout the United States, there have been serious injuries and even several deaths attributed to children using soccer goals for playground activities. Make sure your coach is at the field and escort your child on to the field for practice and games. Plan to pick up your child on time after practice. Coaches are not allowed to leave until all players are picked up. Water bottles should be brought to both practice and games.
Players should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before their game starts so players can warm up and receive instruction. Coaches make up their lineups before the game, so if your child can't make the game or will be late, tell the coach at least a day before. Games that don't start on time because of late arrivals will have less playing time so that the following games stay on schedule. Team shirt, matching soccer socks and black shorts are part of the required attire for games.
Soccer games won't be fun if players are not in condition, are not developing their skills and are not learning the game. Children should plan to attend all practices and be punctual. Hub Soccer of Denville guidelines allow that players who miss two (2) or more consecutive practices without justification, could possibly sit out their next game.
It is Hub Soccer of Denville's traditional policy to not schedule games on religious holidays.

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Bad Weather Policy

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The Division Director may postpone any game in case of bad weather or unsafe conditions. Both teams must show up for a scheduled game at the scheduled time, unless they have been notified by the Division Director or his/her representative. Once at the field, the referee, in consultation with both coaches may postpone a game. The referee must stop the game and clear the field at the first sight of lightening. It is the coaches and parents responsibility to seek proper shelter for the players.

Coaches are prohibited from rescheduling games on their own. Any and all cancelled games will be rescheduled by the Division Director in cooperation with both coaches and the Referee Director.

The condition of the fields in Denville is a result of the effort and knowledge of Denville Public Works. It is their decision on whether a field is playable and we must respect that decision. Information on the status of the Denville fields can be found at www.weatherclosings.com and www.cancellations.com

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Equipment

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All players must wear

Shirts: Shirts must have sleeves and be tucked in. Teams shall wear the shirts distributed by Hub Soccer of Denville for all games. Goalkeepers must wear a jersey or pinny different in color from both teams, but not necessarily different from the referee or opposing goalkeeper.

Shorts: Shorts must be athletic shorts. Denim shorts or shorts with buttons, snaps or zippers are not allowed. In cold weather, athletic pants may be worn outside of the shorts, but must meet the same requirements as shorts.

Shinguards: Shinguards must be age appropriate. A guideline is 3 inches above the top of the foot to 3 inches below the knee.

Socks: Socks must fully cover the shinguards.

Footwear: While soccer cleats are recommended, sneakers are acceptable for all games and practices. Baseball or football cleats are not acceptable. Metal cleats of any type are not allowed.

Players may not wear:

Jewelry: Including but not limited to watches, rings, bracelets, "Livestrong bracelets", necklaces, barrettes, metal hair clips, bobby pins, studs or earrings, whether taped or not.

Casts: Hard casts or hard splints cannot be worn.

Braces: Metal braces cannot be worn unless the metal is covered and, in the opinion of the referee, is not unsafe to anyone. This does not include dental braces

Hats: Baseball hats are not allowed. Winter hats may be worn as long as they do not contain any hard surfaces or loose items such as tassels.

Exceptions - articles that are required to be worn at all times for religious reasons may be taped to the body in a safe manner. Medical Alert bracelets may be taped to the wrist leaving the information visible

The referee will decide if any equipment is unsafe and prohibited.

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Laws of the Game

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As interpreted and modified by Hub Soccer of Denville for use in the Recreation Soccer Program

Introduction

This document is meant to be used in addition to, and not in place of, the most current edition of the FIFA Laws of the Game. All Laws of the Game are to be followed as adopted by FIFA unless they are specifically modified by this document. It is advisable that all coaches, players and parents review the FIFA Laws of the Game which can be found at www.fifa.com/en/index.html under the "Regulations & Directories" tab.

This document is in addition to the Hub Soccer of Denville Club Rules. All coaches, players and parents are encouraged to review the Hub Soccer of Denville Club Rules for further regulations and instructions regarding coach, player and parent conduct. All items in this document are enforceable by the referees.

Law 1 - The Field of Play

Field Surface & Dimensions: Fields are provided by Hub Soccer of Denville in cooperation with Denville Public Works. They are divided into three groups; mini, small sided and regulation.

Hub Soccer of Denville is divided as follows (locations are subject to change)

Division	Size	Location
Pre-K Division	Mini Field	Pocono Road
Division 7	Mini Field	Gardner Field 1 & Todd Johnson
Division 6	Small Sided	Lower Knuth
Division 5	Small Sided	Upper Knuth
Division 4	Regulation	Gardner Field & Veterans Field
Division 3	Regulation	Gardner Field & Veterans Field

Field Markings: Fields are to be played as marked by Denville Public Works. If multiple markings are provided the correct markings should be confirmed with the game referee. All lines are part of the area that they create. The touch lines and goal lines are part of the area that they create. The touch lines and goal lines are part of the field of play and penalty area lines are part of the penalty area. (e.g. If the ball is on or directly above a touch line or goal line it is in play and if the ball is on or directly above the penalty area boundary, it is inside the penalty area and may be handled by the goalkeeper.)

Corner Flags: Corner flags are provided by Hub Soccer of Denville and should be used, but are not necessary to play. If a flag breaks or does not remain upright it must be removed for safety. The flags are in play, if a ball rebounds off of the flag and remains in the field of play, play should continue.

Goals: Goals must be anchored to the ground for all practices and games. There are no exceptions. Sand bags or heavy objects are not an acceptable anchoring system except on artificial turf fields.

Law 2 - The Ball

Balls should be marked with the appropriate size.

Division	Ball SIze
Pre-K & Division 7	3
Division 6, 5 &4	4
Division 3	5

It is the coaches' responsibility to provide an acceptable ball for all games including inflating or deflating the ball as requested by the referee. It is the referee's sole discretion on whether a ball is acceptable for play.

Law 3 - The Number of Players

Every attempt must be made to start all games on time. If a team cannot field the minimum amount of players within fifteen (15) minutes of a game time, the game shall not be played.

Division	# of Players	Min. # to Play
Pre-K & Division 7	7	6
Division 6 & 5	8	6
Division 4 & 3	11	7

If at any point during a game, a team is unable to field the minimum number of players, the match shall be terminated at that point.

In Divisions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, all teams must include a goalkeeper. In the Pre-K Division, in order to promote activity, goalkeepers will not be used.

Law 4 - Equipment

All players must wear:

Shinguards: Shinguards must be age appropriate. A guideline is 3 inches above the top of the foot to 3 inches below the knee.

Socks: Socks must fully cover the shinguards.

Footwear: While soccer cleats are recommended, sneakers are acceptable for all games and practices. Baseball or football cleats are not acceptable. Metal cleats of any type are not allowed.

Players may not wear:

Jewelry: Including but not limited to watches, rings, bracelets, "Livestrong bracelets", necklaces, barrettes, metal hair clips, bobby pins, studs or earrings, whether taped or not.

Casts: Hard casts or hard splints cannot be worn.

Braces: Metal braces cannot be worn unless the metal is covered and, in the opinion of the referee, is not unsafe to anyone. This does not include dental braces

Hats: Baseball hats are not allowed. Winter hats may be worn as long as they do not contain any hard surfaces or loose items such as tassels.

Law 5 - The Referee

Official time is carried by the referee.

It is not the responsibility of the Referee to control fans or parents. It is the responsibility of the coaches to keep their spectators, parents, players and themselves under control.

Decisions by the Referee are final. If there are any questions, they may be brought to the Referee's attention during quarter breaks or at the end of the game in an appropriate manner. If there is a question or concern regarding the Referee's interpretation of the Laws of the Game or the Referee's conduct, contact the Division Director and he/she will contact the Referee Director.

Remember, other than Division 3, the referees are kids who, just like the players, are learning the craft of being a referee. As this is a learning process, they will make mistakes, but we must treat them with the same respect we treat the players and allow them to grow into their positions.

Law 6 - The Assistant Referee

At the discretion of the Referee, parents may be used as Assistant Referees. Their sole responsibility is to indicate when the ball full crosses the touch line or the goal line. It is the Referee's decision to which team will restart play. Volunteer Assistant Referees will not have any responsibility for offside calls.

Law 7 - Duration of the Match

Division	Playing Time
Pre-K & Division 7	8 minute quarters
Division 6	10 minute quarters
Division 5	12 minute quarters
Division 4	15 minute quarters (day games) 12 minute quarters (night games)
Division 3	20 minute quarters (day games) 15 minute quarters (night games)

Half time shall be limited to 5 minutes. Quarter breaks shall only last for enough time to allow for substitutions and should not exceed 2 minutes.

Law 8 - The Start and Restart of Play

Coin Toss: The winner of the coin toss chooses which goal they would like to attack. The other team takes the first kick-off. The kick-off will alternate every quarter. Team shall change ends at half time only. Divisions 7 and Pre-K should not change ends during the game.

Kick-Off: The ball must move forward on a Kick-off. There is no minimum distance it must move, it just has to move. The player taking the kick cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player. An indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs. In Division 6, the team shall be given a second chance to perform a legal Kick-off. Division 7 and Pre-K shall be given as many chances as necessary.

Law 9 - The Ball In and Out of Play

The ball must fully cross the line on the ground or in the air to be out of play. The ball is also out of play as soon as the referee blows the whistle regardless of where the ball is. If a ball rebounds off a goal or flag and remains in the field of play, it is still in play.

Law 10 - The Method of Scoring

The ball must fully cross the line on the ground or in the air to be a goal. A ball on the line or directly above the line is not a goal. The ball does not have to hit the net to be a goal.

Law 11 - Offside

To understand the Offside rule you must understand there is a difference between a player being in an Offside Position and being Offside.

To be in an Offside Position, the player must be;

on the opponent's half of the field; and
closer to the opponent's goal line than the second to last defender; and
closer to the opponent's goal line than the ball

To be Offside, at the moment the ball touches or is played by a teammate, a player that is in an Offside Position must be actively involved in the play by;

playing or touching the ball; or
interfering with, obstructing or distracting an opponent; or
gaining an advantage by playing a deflected or rebounding ball

There is no Offside when a player receives the ball directly from a Throw-in, Goal Kick or Corner Kick.

Offside should not be called in Pre-K Division, Divisions 7, 6 and 5-3. It should be called in all other divisions.

LAW 12 – Fouls and Misconduct

Indirect Kick Offenses: consist of offenses by a goalkeeper that are not Direct Kick Offenses and offenses that do not include contact with another player. They are:

goalkeeper taking longer than 6 seconds to release the ball
goalkeeper using his/her hands after a teammate passes the ball to them
goalkeeper using his/her hands after a teammate throws the ball in to them
preventing the goalkeeper from releasing the ball
impeding the progress of an opponent
playing in a dangerous manner

Indirect Kick Offenses should not be called in Divisions 7 and Pre-K.

Direct Kick Offenses: other than “handling the ball”, Direct Kick Offenses require performing an act “to” or “at” someone, typically making contact. They consist of:

kicks or kicking at an opponent
trips an opponent
jumps at an opponent
charges an opponent
strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
pushes an opponent
holds an opponent
spits at an opponent
handles the ball deliberately

Handball: the correct term for a handball is “handles the ball deliberately” and the “hand” includes the entire length of the arm below the shoulder. Every time a ball touches a hand is not necessarily a handball. In order for a foul to be called, a couple of questions must be considered:

did the ball strike the hand or did the hand touch the ball
was the hand in a natural position
was the hand above the waist
was the hand in close to the body or extended out

In Division 6 only obvious handballs should be called. In Division 7 and Pre-K handballs should generally not be called unless a player picks the ball up or may be injured by other players kicking their hand.

Yellow Cards:
A Yellow Card (Caution) is meant to be a warning to the player or coach that their behavior is unacceptable in the spirit of the game and if it continues they will be removed from the game. A player or coach may be given a Yellow Card for any of the following seven (7) reasons:

unsporting behavior
dissent; talking back or arguing with the referee
persistent fouling or breaking of the Laws of the Game
delaying the restart of play; by kicking or throwing the ball away
failing to give the required 10 yards from a free kick
entering the field of play without the referee’s permission
leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission

Yellow Cards will not be issued in Divisions 6, 7 and Pre-K. Yellow Card offenses will be introduced in Division 5 and strictly enforced in Divisions 3 and 4.

Red Cards:
A Red Card (Sending Off) is the referee’s vehicle to tell a player or coach that their actions will no longer be tolerated, and they are no longer allowed to participate in the game. If a player is sent off, their team is not allowed to replace them with another player. If a coach is sent off, and there is not another available coach, the game is terminated. A player or coach can be given a Red Card for the following seven (7) reasons:

serious foul play, a dangerous action during the course of play
violent conduct, a dangerous action outside the course of play (fighting)
spitting at another player, spectator, coach or referee
denying a goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball
denying a goal scoring opportunity by fouling another player
foul or abusive language; swearing, threatening or racial slurs
receiving two Yellow Cards in the same game

Red Cards will not be enforced in Divisions 7 and Pre-K. In Division 6 violent conduct (fighting), spitting and foul language (swearing) will be enforced to the point that the player will be removed from the game. At this level, the team will be allowed to replace the offending player. The full use of the Red Card will be introduced in Division 5 and strictly enforced in Divisions 3 and 4.

Slide Tackling: Although not necessarily a Red Card offense, in Hub Soccer of Denville any player performing a slide tackle during a game shall be ejected from that game, but may be replaced by another player from their team. In order to be considered a slide tackle the player must intentionally leave his/her feet in a sliding manner in an attempt to play the ball while another player on either team is in playing distance of the ball, approximately one yard. The player may not be replaced if the slide tackle is deemed by the referee to be a Red Card offense or a second Yellow Card offense.

In Division 6, if the referee deems the actions to be unintentional, a player may be given one warning. No ejections should occur in Division 7 or Pre-K.

LAW 13 – Free Kicks

Direct Free Kick: a goal can be scored against the opponent directly from the free kick. If a Direct Free Kick is awarded to a team inside their opponent’s penalty area, it is a Penalty Kick.

Indirect Free Kick: the ball must touch two players before it enters the goal, it does not matter what team the players are on. If an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to a team inside their opponent’s penalty area, it is taken in the same manner as anywhere else on the field.

A goal cannot be scored directly on the team taking the free kick. If the ball enters the team’s own goal directly from a free kick a Corner Kick is awarded to the other team. If an Indirect Free Kick is kicked directly into the opponent’s goal, a Goal Kick is awarded.

If a free kick is awarded to a team inside their penalty area, the opposing team must stay outside the penalty area and cannot touch the ball until it leaves the penalty area. The player taking the kick cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player; an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs.

The defending team must remain at least 10 yards from any free kick. The attacking team does not have to request the 10 yards, it is automatic. In Divisions 5 & 6 this distance is reduced to 8 yards. In Division 7 & Pre-K this distance is reduced to 6 yards.

Law 14 – The Penalty Kick

A Penalty Kick is awarded if a team is awarded a Direct Free Kick inside their opponent’s penalty area.

All players other than the goalkeeper and the shooter must remain outside of the penalty area and arc and behind the penalty spot until the ball is kicked. The goalkeeper must remain on the goal line and facing the shooter until the ball is kicked. They may move side to side, but not forward or backward. The shooter cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player; an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs.

In Divisions 3, 4, 5 & 6 all Penalty Kicks are taken from 12 yards from the goal line and centered on the goal. Penalty Kicks shall not be awarded in Division 7 & Pre-K; the ball shall be moved outside of the penalty box and handled as a Direct Free Kick.

Law 15 – The Throw-In

During a Throw-in, the player must:

stand behind or on the touch line; and
have both feet on the ground; and
use both hands; and
deliver the ball from behind and over their head.

The thrower cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player; an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs. A goal cannot be scored directly from a Throw-in.

In Division 6, the players shall be given a second chance to make a correct Throw-in. In Division 7 & Pre-K, the players shall be given multiple opportunities to make a correct Throw-in.

Law 16 – The Goal Kick

All opponents must be outside of the penalty area when a Goal Kick is taken. The ball must leave the penalty area before it can be touched by any other player. If it is touched by either team before it leaves the penalty area, the kick is retaken.

The player taking the Goal Kick cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player; an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs. In Divisions 7 and Pre-K the kick should be retaken if this occurs.

Law 17 – The Corner Kick

A Corner Kick is taken on or within the 1 yard arc in the corner of the field. A goal can be scored directly from a Corner Kick.

The player taking the Corner Kick cannot touch the ball a second time until it is touched by another player; an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team if this occurs. In Divisions 7 and Pre-K the kick should be retaken if this occurs.

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