IMPORTANT NOTES:
Alcohol is not permitted at any field or facility, at any time, during a Rally Social Sports event.
Captain's Meeting: Prior to the start of each game, the team captains will meet with the ref to review field-specific rules, as well as game-specific conditions such as rule adjustments, subs, etc. The captains and the ref should agree upon any deviations from the official Rally rules during this meeting. Sub waivers, if applicable, should be handed to the ref at this time as well.
Referee: The referee is responsible for control of the game and his/her decisions are final.
PLAYER EQUIPMENT
Shin guards & cleats are required. No metal cleats.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS & GENDER RULES
Each team on the field must consist of 9 players (one goalkeeper + 8). Teams must have at least two (2) women on the field at all times not counting the goalkeeper (goalkeepers can be any gender). No more than 6 men plus the goalkeeper is allowed on the field at one time. If a team cannot field a minimum number of 7 players, a forfeit will be declaired.
NON-ROSTER SUBS
Non-Roster subs are allowed during the regular season, but are NOT allowed for the playoffs (allowed for consolation games). Subs are allowed at no charge, but MUST register and sign a waiver online via sub registration prior to playing/start of the game. The sub registration has been set up under the JOIN section of the Rally site's toolbar. The team captain is responsible for notifying the referee about non-roster subs prior to the game/during the captains meeting. A team borrowing players from another Rally soccer team does not need a waiver signed (waiver already signed at registration). The sub rule for soccer varies from any of Rally's other sports, given the physical nature of the game and the need for breaks. Teams may have a sub for any registered roster player on the team who can't make it to the game, but may not end up with a greater number of players than their roster includes. For example, if a team has 10 roster team members and 2 can't make it, the team can get a maximum of 2 subs for a total of 10 players for that game. A team must have at least 5 official roster players to avoid forfeit.
Important Information about Sub players:
Captains, due to legal reasons, allowing your sub to play without having him/her sign the waiver form online may cause the team to forfeit that game. If a team has a non-roster sub playing during a match that was not declared to the referee prior to the game, that team may be subject to forfeiting the game.
GAME DURATION
Game will last one hour. Game consists of two (2) 25 minute halves and a 3 minute half time.
GAME PLAY
Start of play
A coin flip will decide which team will kick off. Each team must stay on its own half of the field and the defending players must be at least 5 yards from the ball when it is kicked. After a goal is made, the team scored upon will kick off. After halftime, the teams change ends (switch sides) and the kickoff will be taken by the opposite team to that which started the game.
Rally Soccer follows NCAA Soccer guidelines with the exception of:
SLIDE TACKLING IS NOT ALLOWED.
When using a full field in 9v9 and above, we do call offsides.
THERE IS NO OFFSIDE if using a shortened field in our 7v7 game.
Player Substitutions
Substitutions are allowed freely during dead balls.
Tie Game
During Regular Season games, if a game ends in a tie, a TIE will be declared. Please see Playoff Rules for tie game rules during the playoffs.
Please Note: Rally Soccer rules are subject to change at any time at the discretion of Rally Social Sports.
Fouls/Misconduct
Our top concerns are safety and fun. Players must play under control at all times.
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following in a manner considered by the ref to be careless, reckless, or using excessive force: (1) kicks, (2) trips, (3) charges (4) jumps at, (5) strikes, (6) pushes, (7) holds, (8) spits, (9) deliberately handles the ball, or (10) tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opposing player before touching the ball.
A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above offenses is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, regardless of the position of the ball, as long as it's in play.
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following offences: (1) dangerous play, (2) impedes progress of an opponent, (3) prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands. This is at the discretion of the ref.
An indirect kick will also be awarded if the goalkeeper (1) takes more than four steps while controlling the ball with his hands, before releasing it , (2) touches the ball again with his hands after it was been released from his possession and has not touched any player, (3) touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate, (4) touches the ball with his hands after receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a teammate or (5) wastes time.
Yellow Card: A player is cautioned and given a yellow card if he/she commits any of the following offenses: (1) unsportsmanlike behavior, (2) shows dissent by word or action, (3) persistently infringes the rules of the game, (4) delays the restart of the game, (5) fails to stand the required distance for a corner kick or free kick.
Red Card: A player is sent off and shown the red card if she/he commits the following offenses: (1) guilty of serious foul play, (2) guilty of violent conduct, (3) spits on an opponent or any other person, (4) denies an opponent a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball, (5) denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving toward the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick, (6) uses offensive language, (7) receives a second caution in the same match.
YELLOW/RED CARDS:
Yellow -- First is warning = direct kick.
2 Yellow Cards in one game = a Red Card
1 Red Card = Ejection from game. May result in 1 or more additional games suspensions depending on severity.
2 Red Cards in one season = Ejection from league, no refund.
*This is a social league; ideally, we never need to enforce any of the red card penalties so please keep it clean and fun. Remember, we're all here to have fun and to be active; you may be someone's teammate in another season!
Free Kick
Free kicks are classified into two categories:
- "Direct" -- from which a goal can be scored directly against the offending side)
- "Indirect" -- from which a goal cannot be scored unless the ball has been touched by a player other than the kicker before entering the goal.
For all free kicks, the offending team must be at least 10 yards from the ball or the goal line until the ball is kicked.
Penalty Kick
A penalty kick is a direct free kick taken at the penalty mark. All players except the player taking the kick and the goalkeeper must stay outside the penalty area and be at least 10 yards from the ball.
Goal Kick
When the ball has entirely crossed the goal line after being last touched by a player from the attacking team, it is put back into play by a kick from the goal area by the defending team.
Corner Kick
When the ball has wholly crossed the goal line after being last touched by a player from the defending team, it is put back into play by a kick by the attacking team from the corner on the side the ball went out.
Throw Ins
When a ball goes beyond the sidelines, the opponent of the player who last touched it takes the throw in. The player must keep his/her feet outside the sideline, with both feet on the ground and the throw must be executed with the ball over the thrower�????�???�??�?�¢??s head, with two hands.
Ball In and Out of Play
If the ball travels beyond the sidelines, it's out of bounds -- it's then put back into play with a legal throw in.
If a ball travels beyond the goal line by a defensive player in their own field half, the ball is out of play -- a Corner Kick is then used by the opposing team.
If a ball travels beyond the goal line by offense in the opposing team's field half, the ball is out of play -- a Goalie Kick is used to put the ball back in play.
Unless the referee blows the whistle, the ball is in play.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper has 10 seconds to put the ball back into play after gaining control. A goalie may only touch the ball with his/her hands within the box. If the ball is intentionally passed back to the goalie from a teammate's foot, the goalie may not use his/her hands. The goalie may use his/her hands if the intentional pass back is from other body parts (such as chest, head, thigh, etc). On a pass back, the goalie can play the ball without time restriction because in this case, the goalie is just another player.
Scoring
A goal is considered a goal when the ball crosses the goal line in its entirety. A goal can be scored while in play and as long as there are no infringements of any soccer rules.
SPORTSMANSHIP
We're all here to have a good time and good sportsmanship is expected from everyone. Serious unsportsmanlike behavior may result in a player being ejected from the game. An ejection may result in further suspension from participation in current and/or future Rally sports or events. An ejected player(s) is required to leave the premises immediately -- refusal to do so may result in a team forfeit and/or increased length of suspension.
PLAYOFF RULES
The number of teams to make the playoffs will vary by season.
The standing tie-breakers are as follows:
1. Head to Head Matchups
2. Highest Point Differential
3. Strength of victory against common opponents
4. Strength of schedule
Tie Game In Playoffs: If a tie exists at the end of a playoff game, the game will de decided by going immediately into Penalty Kicks. Each team will pick 5 players (with a minimum of 2 females) to kick alternating shots. At the end of the 5 kicks, the team with the most points, wins. If a tie still exists, sudden death penalty kicks will take place: the same 5 kickers must be used in the same order in overtime Penalty Kicks until a winner is decided.
All other playoff scenarios that occur will be treated on a case-by-case basis by Rally Social Sports, which will have the final decision. All situations will be treated in a fair and logical manner. Please contact Rally Social Sports if you have any questions about these rules.
WEATHER/GAME CANCELLATION
Leagues may be cancelled due to existing weather conditions, dangerous or unplayable field conditions, facility constraints, etc. The parks department may close fields at their discretion. Rally Social Sports makes every effort to play all scheduled games, thus we will not cancel games until absolutely necessary. We will send an email to everyone as early as possible if games are canceled and will do our best to update you at least 1 hour prior to your game time. Depending on the time of cancellation, some teams will have to be notified on site. We do our best to schedule make up games -- we will try to make up games with double headers or by extending the season. In extreme circumstances, Rally Social Sports reserves the right to run a shortened season without a refund or schedule games on days other than our regularly scheduled league day/night.