Please read these rules thoroughly before playing. Click in the box to jump to the rule.
| Law 1 � The Field | Law 2 � The Ball | Law 3 � The Number of Players | Law 4 � The Players� Equipment | Law 5 � The Referee | Law 6 � The Bench Area | Law 7 � The Duration of the Match | Law 8 � The Start & Restart of Play | Law 9 � Ball In and Out of Play |
| Law 10 � The Method of Scoring | Law 11 � Three-Line Pass Rule | Law 12 � Fouls and Misconduct | Law 13 � Free Kicks | Law 14 � Penalty Kicks | Law 15 � Kick-Ins | Law 16 � Goal Kicks | Law 17 � Corner Kicks | Law 18 - Additional Rules |
| LAW 1 - THE FIELD | ||||||||
| The field of play includes the surrounding walls, glass, the grass, and the referee(s). | ||||||||
| The surrounding protective net is considered out of play when the ball touches it. | ||||||||
| The 6V6 field is 180 ft. long x 80 ft. wide. The goals are 8 ft. high and 14 ft. wide. | ||||||||
| The Mini-fields are 86 ft. long x 48 ft. wide. The goals are 6 ft. high and 12 ft. wide. | ||||||||
| LAW 2 - THE BALL | ||||||||
| U8 and younger uses a size 3 ball. | U9 through U12 uses a size 4 ball. | |||||||
| U13 and older uses a size 5 ball. | Game balls are provided by HVS. | |||||||
| LAW 3 - THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS | ||||||||
| U7 and younger plays with 6 players on the field (5 + a goalkeeper). | ||||||||
| U8 through U10 plays with 7 players on the field (6 + a goalkeeper). | ||||||||
| U11 and older plays with 6 players on the field (5 + a goalkeeper). | ||||||||
| Mercy Rule - Teams may add a player for every 5 goals the opponent leads by. | ||||||||
| LAW 4 - THE PLAYERS' EQUIPMENT | ||||||||
| Players are required to have the following equipment: | ||||||||
| *Team shirt of matching color with a permanent number. | ||||||||
| *Goalies are allowed to have a jersey without a number. | ||||||||
| *Shorts. Only goalkeepers may wear long pants. | ||||||||
| *Stockings. Socks must cover the shinguards completely. | ||||||||
| *Shoes. Turf shoes, flat-soled shoes and cross trainers are permitted. | ||||||||
| Players are NOT allowed to have any of the following equipment: | ||||||||
| *Jewelry. No jewelry, with the exception of medical tags, is permitted. | ||||||||
| *Any type of hard or plastic cast must be wrapped and approved prior to play. | ||||||||
| *NO HEADWARE, CAPS OR METAL HAIR CLIPS can be worn unless approved | ||||||||
| in advance by HVS management. | ||||||||
| *NO CLEATS or studs on the soles longer than 1/8 of an inch are allowed. | ||||||||
| *NO EYEWEAR with any type of hard material deemed, by the referee, a | ||||||||
| potential danger to the player or others is permitted. Plastic prescription | ||||||||
| goggles are allowed. | ||||||||
| Additionally, players with open wounds or visible blood on their body or uniform will not | ||||||||
| be permitted to play until the wound is properly covered and the uniform changed to | ||||||||
| the satisfaction of the referee. | ||||||||
| LAW 5 - THE REFEREE | ||||||||
| The referee has full authority to enforce HVS rules and policies in connection with the | ||||||||
| match to which they have been assigned. | ||||||||
| The decisions of the referee are final. | ||||||||
| The referee's record of the score and time are official. | ||||||||
| "Advantage" Clause - The referee shall refrain from penalizing offenses when doing so | ||||||||
| would result in an advantage being gained by the offending team. | ||||||||
| Forfeits - In the event of a forfeit, the players present may use the rest of the scheduled | ||||||||
| time for a scrimmage or practice, but the referee is not permitted to officiate any | ||||||||
| unofficial competition. | ||||||||
| LAW 6 - THE BENCH AREA | ||||||||
| A MAXIMUM of three (3) non-players are allowed in the bench area during the match. | ||||||||
| For high school divisions (U15-U19), a MINIMUM of one (1) parent/coach, AT LEAST 30 years | ||||||||
| of age, MUST be present in the bench area. If one is not present 10 minutes after the | ||||||||
| scheduled game time, the team will forfeit the match. | ||||||||
| Water and sports drinks are allowed in the bench area. All other food and drink, or | ||||||||
| glass containers, are not permitted in the bench area. | ||||||||
| LAW 7 - THE DURATION OF THE MATCH | ||||||||
| U-6 & U-7 games will consist of four (4) ten (10) minute quarters. | ||||||||
| U-8 & above games will consist of two (2) 25 minute halves. | ||||||||
| Warm-up time is not guaranteed and will consist of no more than six (6) minutes (time permitting). | ||||||||
| Incoming teams MUST wait until the exiting team has cleared the bench area. | ||||||||
| Exiting teams have two (2) minutes to collect their equipment and exit the bench area. | ||||||||
| LAW 8 - THE START AND RESTART OF PLAY | ||||||||
| The visiting team will kick off to begin the match. | ||||||||
| On kick-offs, the following must occur: | ||||||||
| *All players must be on their own half of the field. | ||||||||
| *The defending players are outside the center circle. | ||||||||
| *The ball is set at the center mark and is played after the referee signal. | ||||||||
| *Kick-offs MAY go directly back. | ||||||||
| A goal may be scored directly from a kick-off (U-8 and above leagues only). | ||||||||
| On free kicks, the defending team must be 5 yards away from the ball. However, if the | ||||||||
| kicking team decides to play the ball without asking the referee for the 5 yards, they | ||||||||
| forfeit this right. If the referee is asked to mark off the 5 yards, the kicking team must | ||||||||
| wait for the referees' signal to restart play. | ||||||||
| FORFEITS: ANY team that has not submitted a completed roster to the front office, paid | ||||||||
| their session registration in full or delays the starting kick-off TEN (10) minutes after | ||||||||
| the scheduled kick-off time, forfeits the match. NO EXCEPTIONS. | ||||||||
| LAW 9 - THE BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY | ||||||||
| The ball is out of play when: | ||||||||
| *Play has been stopped by the referee for any reason. | ||||||||
| *A goal is scored. | ||||||||
| *The ball touches the side netting. The ball is restarted with a free kick from | ||||||||
| the spot nearest where it exited the field, no more than two (2) yards from the | ||||||||
| boards. | ||||||||
| *The ball touches the ceiling netting. The ball is restarted with a kick from the | ||||||||
| attacking/defending line on the side of the field from where it was last touched. | ||||||||
| LAW 10 - THE METHOD OF SCORING | ||||||||
| A goal is scored when the ENTIRE width of the ball crosses the ENTIRE width of the | ||||||||
| goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided the team has not | ||||||||
| committed any infringement of the rules prior to the goal being scored. | ||||||||
| LAW 11 - THE THREE-LINE PASS RULE | ||||||||
| If the ball is KICKED directly toward the opponent's goal and crosses both white lines | ||||||||
| and the center line in the air and does not touch the ground, the wall or another player, | ||||||||
| a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the offending teams white line. | ||||||||
| The goalkeeper MAY throw the ball three lines. | ||||||||
| LAW 12 - FOULS AND MISCONDUCT | ||||||||
| U-6 and U-7. All free kicks are IN-DIRECT. | ||||||||
| U-8 and above. All free kicks are DIRECT. | ||||||||
| A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following | ||||||||
| offenses in a manner CONSIDERED BY THE REFEREE to be careless, reckless, | ||||||||
| or using excessive force: | ||||||||
| *Pushes an opponent | ||||||||
| *Charges an opponent | ||||||||
| *Jumps at an opponent | ||||||||
| *Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent | ||||||||
| *Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent | ||||||||
| *Trips or attempts to trip an opponent | ||||||||
| *Endangers an opponent who is close to the dasher boards by attempting to | ||||||||
| challenge for the ball, making ANY TYPE OF CONTACT with the opponent | ||||||||
| *Makes contact with the opponent before making contact with the ball | ||||||||
| *Causes an opponent to collide with the dasher boards | ||||||||
| *Spits, in any manner | ||||||||
| *Handles the ball DELIBERATELY (except for GK in own area) | ||||||||
| (Continued on next page) | ||||||||
| LAW 12 - FOULS AND MISCONDUCT (CONTINUED) | ||||||||
| A free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following | ||||||||
| offenses; however, if committed within one�s own penalty area, as opposed to a penalty | ||||||||
| kick, the ball is placed at the top of the penalty arc and considered a normal free direct | ||||||||
| kick for the opposing team: | ||||||||
| *Obstruction (impeding the progress of an opponent while not attempting to | ||||||||
| play the ball) | ||||||||
| *Gains an advantage by placing his/her hands on the dasher boards | ||||||||
| *Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball with his/her hands | ||||||||
| *Plays in a dangerous manner | ||||||||
| *Plays the ball while on the ground (slide tackling, �crabbing� the ball, etc.) | ||||||||
| NOTE: Goalkeepers may slide feet-first to make a save ONLY inside their own | ||||||||
| penalty box, however, the tackle/save must not infringe any other laws of | ||||||||
| the game. | ||||||||
| *Enters the field of play without properly using the doors | ||||||||
| *Goalkeeper takes longer than 6 seconds to release the ball | ||||||||
| *Goalkeeper touches the ball with his/her hands after it has been released from | ||||||||
| his/her possession and has not touched any other player | ||||||||
| *Goalkeeper touches the ball with his/her hands after it has been DELIBERATELY | ||||||||
| KICKED to him/her by a teammate | ||||||||
| *Personnel in the bench area interferes with play by leaning their arms or body | ||||||||
| over the dasher boards | ||||||||
| *Opening a door when active play is moving or expected to move toward the | ||||||||
| general area around the door | ||||||||
| SPECIAL OFFENSES | ||||||||
| *TIME WASTING OR EXCESSIVE FOULS DURING FINAL 3 MINUTES OF A HALF � | ||||||||
| A penalty kick may be awarded to the opposing team if, at the discretion of the | ||||||||
| referee, a player or any bench personnel waste time during the final 3 minutes of | ||||||||
| a half. A penalty kick may also be awarded to the opposing team if a team | ||||||||
| commits three (3) or more fouls within the last 3 minutes of a half. The referee | ||||||||
| may also, at his/her discretion, extend time to allow for the taking of such a | ||||||||
| penalty kick. | ||||||||
| *TOO MANY PLAYERS ON THE FIELD � A two-minute penalty shall be | ||||||||
| assessed to the offending team | ||||||||
| DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS | ||||||||
| A YELLOW CARD will be shown to a player and that player�s team will play with one (1) less | ||||||||
| player while the player serves a two-minute penalty if he/she commits one of the | ||||||||
| following offenses: | ||||||||
| *Shows dissent to the referee by word or action | ||||||||
| *Is guilty of unsporting behavior | ||||||||
| *Persistently infringes HVS rules | ||||||||
| *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/her | ||||||||
| own penalty area) or fouling the opponent with intention to deny the opportunity | ||||||||
| *Delays the restart of play | ||||||||
| *Enters or re-enters the field incorrectly. | ||||||||
| *Deliberately leaves the field in order to avoid punishment | ||||||||
| *Commits any fouls in an extreme fashion | ||||||||
| *Attempts to damage HVS property | ||||||||
| The player receiving the yellow card will state his/her full name and jersey number to the | ||||||||
| referee, as it is written on the team�s submitted roster, prior to entering the penalty box. | ||||||||
| The referee may or may not stop time during this action. Any lack or delay of cooperation | ||||||||
| can lead to a red card and/or further disciplinary measures determined by HVS | ||||||||
| management. | ||||||||
| The player may exit the penalty box when the two-minute penalty has expired, or the | ||||||||
| opposing team scores a goal. | ||||||||
| A RED CARD will be shown to a player and that player�s team will play with one (1) less | ||||||||
| player for five (5) minutes, regardless of goals scored during that time, if the player commits | ||||||||
| one of the following offenses: | ||||||||
| *Is guilty of serious foul play | ||||||||
| *Is guilty of violent conduct | ||||||||
| *Spits at an opponent or any other person | ||||||||
| *Uses offensive, insulting, or abusive language or gestures | ||||||||
| *Leaves the bench area to get involved in a fight or altercation on the field | ||||||||
| *Deliberately damages HVS property | ||||||||
| (Continued on next page) | ||||||||
| LAW 12 - FOULS AND MISCONDUCT (CONTINUED) | ||||||||
| The player receiving the red card will state his/her full name and jersey number to the | ||||||||
| referee, as it is written on the team�s submitted roster, prior to being escorted out of the | ||||||||
| field and bench area. The referee may or may not stop time during this action. Any lack | ||||||||
| or delay of cooperation will lead to further disciplinary measures determined by | ||||||||
| HVS management. | ||||||||
| The player serving the penalty may exit the penalty box when the 5 minutes is expired. | ||||||||
| Players who receive a second yellow card in the same game will follow ALL rules stated | ||||||||
| above. However, the team will only be assessed a two-minute penalty. | ||||||||
| BENCH PENALTIES | ||||||||
| If a coach or player receives a yellow card while in the bench area, a player in the field will | ||||||||
| serve a two-minute penalty in the manner stated on the previous page. A coach or player | ||||||||
| receiving a yellow card while in the bench area will state his/her full name and jersey | ||||||||
| number to the referee, as it is written on the team�s submitted roster, prior to the field | ||||||||
| player entering the penalty box. If the infraction is against the coach, he/she may decide | ||||||||
| which player will serve the penalty. | ||||||||
| A coach or player receiving a red card while in the bench area will state his/her full name | ||||||||
| and jersey number to the referee, as it is written on the team�s submitted roster, prior to | ||||||||
| being escorted out of the field and bench area. The referee may or may not stop time | ||||||||
| during this action. Any lack or delay of cooperation will lead to further disciplinary | ||||||||
| measures determined by HVS management. A coach will decide which player that in the | ||||||||
| field when the offense occurred serves a five-minute penalty in the manner previously | ||||||||
| stated. | ||||||||
| If a team is left with no coaches due to red card ejections, the team forfeits the match. | ||||||||
| LAW 13 - FREE KICKS | ||||||||
| ALL free kicks for U-6 and U-7 are IN-DIRECT. | ||||||||
| ALL free kicks U-8 and above, including corner kicks, goal kicks and kick-ins are DIRECT. | ||||||||
| ALL free kicks must be taken within 6 seconds of the referee's signal, or the result is a | ||||||||
| free kick for the opposing team. | ||||||||
| Players taking the free kick may not touch the ball again until it has been touched by | ||||||||
| another player. The result is a free kick to the opposing team. | ||||||||
| LAW 14 - PENALTY KICKS | ||||||||
| At the taking of a penalty kick, all players except for the goalkeeper and kicker must stand | ||||||||
| outside of the penalty area and penalty arc, and behind the penalty mark. | ||||||||
| Additional time is allowed for a penalty kick to be taken if time expires after the call is made. | ||||||||
| The goalkeeper must stand on his/her goal line until the ball is kicked. If he/she steps | ||||||||
| ahead of the line prior to the ball being kicked, the kick is re-taken if the ball misses the | ||||||||
| goal or the goalkeeper saves it. | ||||||||
| LAW 15 - KICK-INS | ||||||||
| When the ball is kicked into the side netting, the opposing team is awarded a direct free | ||||||||
| kick two (2) yards away from the point of the wall where the ball left play. Like all free | ||||||||
| kicks, it must be taken within 6 seconds of the referee�s signal or the kick is awarded to | ||||||||
| the other team. U-6 and U-7 teams kicks are indirect. | ||||||||
| LAW 16 - GOAL KICKS | ||||||||
| As stated above, the 6-second rule applies to goal kicks as well. Unlike outdoor soccer, | ||||||||
| the ball can be placed anywhere within the kicking team�s own PENALTY AREA. The ball | ||||||||
| is in play once it leaves the penalty area. | ||||||||
| LAW 17 - CORNER KICKS | ||||||||
| All free kick rules apply to corner kicks (see law 13). The ball is placed on the corner spot. | ||||||||
| LAW 18 - ADDITIONAL RULES | ||||||||
| In addition to the fouls and misconducts found previously, HVS management and league | ||||||||
| authorities may, at the conclusion of the game, at their discretion, investigate any incident | ||||||||
| that occurs in connection with any game and may assess additional suspensions for any | ||||||||
| offense committed before, during, or after any game by a player or team official, whether | ||||||||
| or not such offense had been penalized by the referee. | ||||||||
| Any player or bench personnel found tearing the advertising signs from the wall will be immediately | ||||||||
| ejected from the field. This does not result in a power play for the opposing team or a suspension | ||||||||
| from league play. The player will be ejected only from the game being played at that time. |