C’ville Social Soccer is an adult league. No players under the age of 18 are permitted to participate. All players are required to complete the online Player Registration or Player Waiver Release Form for each team season in which they participate. Unrostered players are not allowed to participate, unless they complete the player waiver release form and check in with the referee to provide a valid form of ID.

• Each team can carry on its roster no more than 14 players. C’ville Social suggests having at least 6 males & 4 females on the roster to ensure you can field a team every week.
• A team must have 5 players at the start of the game to play, 2 of whom must be female. Failure to have 6 players within 5 minutes of the schedule kickoff time will result in a forfeiture of the match.
• Each team must field a minimum 2 female players as part of their 7 players on the field.
• Team captains must bring a copy of their roster to the field. There are no pre-game requirements to check a roster, but if an opposing team questions whether a player is legitimately on a roster, then both teams must present their roster to the referee to resolve the player in question. The roster must be presented to the referee upon request. The rosters can also be found on the website under the Team Information / Standing tab.
• All players must wear shin guards. If a player does not have shin guards, they will not be allowed to play.
• A Player may only be listed on one teams roster per league day/night. For example, a player in the Tuesday Night Competitive Division cannot also play for a team in the Tuesday Casual or Elite Division. They are able to play on another team in the Sunday league since these are different leagues.
• For a player to be considered playoff eligible (eligible to participate in the playoffs), he/she must be listed on a teams roster and must have played in a minimum of two (2) regular season games for that particular team.
• Any team that does not have a full roster uploaded to the website and visible to the public by week 2 will not be eligible for the playoffs. No exceptions will be made!

Guest Players

For regular season (non-playoff) matches, each team may use up to four (4) guest players (an individual not listed on the official team roster) in a match. Before the match kicks off, each guest player must identify themselves to the referee and present a valid form of identification (license, passport) with a photograph. If a guest player does not have a valid form of identification, they cannot play in the match. Additionally, the guest player MUST HAVE a permanently numbered shirt/jersey that is the same color as the team.

No Offsides

• There are No Offsides in this league .

Substitutions

• Either team may substitute during a kick off from the center mark and a goal kick.
• During throw-ins, the team in possession can substitute. If that team elects to substitute, the opposing team may also substitute. Teams can substitute as many players as they wish.
• If an injured player is substituted, then the opposing team may substitute one player.
• Neither team can substitute on a corner kick.

Length of Match / Field Permits

• The Match will play a 60 minute game (25 minute halves)
• Referees will be expected to have a copy of the field permit with them at the field for all matches. If another League claims to have the field, the referee;in consultation with team captains; will present a copy of the permit to the appropriate park authorities to resolve the issue. If there is ever an issue at the field, please text 434-825-9804 immediately and we will resolve the issue.
• If a field permit issue cannot be resolved at the field, team captains will call the League President and the referee will call the referee assignor for assistance in resolving the issue.
• A game will be final, as long as one full half (or equivalent minutes) is played. The score will be then recorded as a complete game.

Playoff Overtime Rules

1. For a player on the roster to be considered “playoff eligible” (eligible to participate in the playoffs), he/she must be listed on a team’s roster and must have played in a minimum of two (2) regular season games for that particular team.
2. Guest players are NOT allowed to play in a playoff match.
3. ALL players on the roster MUST show the referee proper legal identification with photo (driver’s license, passport, green card, etc) before the match if they wish to play in a playoff match. Players arriving after the match has started will NOT be allowed to substitute into the match until the referee crew has had an opportunity to check their identification against the roster either during a stoppage in play during the first half or at halftime.
4. If a playoff game ends in a tie, the match will be decided by Kicks from the Mark (penalty kicks). ONLY players on the field at the end of regulation time in the match may participate in the shootout.
   1. If one team is playing with fewer players than a full team (ie, six or seven players), then the opposing team will reduce the number of kickers on their side by the same number (reduce to equate).
5. For COED teams, the first five kickers MUST include 2 female players who may kick in any order. The five teams will take kicks alternating between teams. If the score remains tied after the first five kickers from each team has taken their shot, the remaining six players from each team will have an opportunity to shoot in any order desired, alternating between teams, in sudden death to determine a winner.
6. No player may take a second shot until ALL players on their team participating in the Kicks from the Mark, has taken their first shot.
7. The referee will conduct two coin tosses to begin Kicks from the Mark:
   1. The first coin toss will determine which goal will host the kicks, assuming there is no natural difference between the two goals; Heads Goal A; Tails Goal B.
   2. The second coin toss will determine who will shoot first. The visiting team will get to call this coin toss. The team that wins this coin toss chooses if they wish to shoot first or second.

Slide Tackling

1. As a matter of safety, and for the protection of all players, slide tackling is prohibited in all matches. Players are permitted to slide to play a ball provided they are NOT in proximity to any other player, including a teammate.
2. The re-start for a slide tackle is an indirect free kick for the opposing team.
3. If in the referee’s opinion the slide tackle is reckless and could injure a player, a Caution (Yellow Card) MUST be issued.
4. If in the referee’s opinion a slide tackle is violent with intent to injure a player deliberately, the player will be Sent Off (Red Card).
5. Further Clarification of Slide tackling: The League does not allow slide tackling; this is a safety rule for the League. Does that mean that a player can never leave their feet. No! A player may slide to make a play on the ball, provided there are no other players (opponents OR teammates) within playing distance of the ball. Like with most other soccer laws, it is the judgment of the referee that will determine whether another player is within playing distance of the ball when a slide is performed. Thus, a sliding player does not have to “touch” or “make contact” with another player to have violated the league’s law on slide tackling.

Enforcement of 10 Yards for Free Kick Explanation / Clarification

1. The Laws of the Game (FIFA, USSF, and C’Ville Social) require that after a foul is committed, the team committing the foul MUST immediately retreat 10 yards and not attempt to prevent or delay the team that was fouled from restarting play. For 7v7 games, the required distance 8 yards.
2. The team taking the kick DOES NOT have to ask the opponents to retreat the required distance on a restart, the opponent is required by the laws of the game to retreat automatically.
3. If the opponent(s) who committed a foul fail to retreat the required distance automatically, and thus delay or prevent the restart of the play, the Laws of the Game REQUIRE the referee to caution the player(s) delaying the restart.
4. Further Clarification of the 10 Yard Issue: Referees recognize that an opponent, after committing foul, will seek to regain a tactical advantage by preventing the team that was fouled from restarting play. Referees are taught NOT to interfere with the retaking of a kick by enforcing the required distance law if such an action could rob a team of a quick restart. Some teams like to restart very quickly to catch the defense off guard. A referee who interrupts their restart to enforce the required distance would thus penalize the team taking the kick.
   • Likewise, although any player on the team taking the restart can request the required distance be enforced, most referees are trained to heed the request only from the one or two players setting up to take the restart. Why? Well just imagine a winger 12-14 yards away screaming for 10 yards, but the player taking the kick sees the opportunity for a quick restart to score a goal because the defense and goalie are out of position. The referee, hearing the winger yell for 10 yards, attempts to halt play just as the person taking the rekick takes the kick and scores! Now the referee has to disallow the goal and bring it back to enforce the 10 yards. The kicker is furious, the team is protesting, and suddenly that winger is nowhere to be found or owning up to his requesting 10 yards be enforced. Hence, a smart referee will watch what the player taking the rekick is doing, and will take his cues from that player alone.

Goalie Restart of Play

Once a goalie has possession of the ball by catching it in their hands, he/she may put the ball into play by rolling, throwing, punting, or releasing to the ground and then kicking the ball. In NO instance, however, can the goalie who has caught a ball throw, punt, or kick a ball he/she has released on to the ground in the air across midfield. If the goalie who has caught a ball throws, punts, or kicks the ball across midfield in the air, the restart is an Indirect Free Kick for the opposing team at the spot on the midfield line where the ball crossed the line. There are no restrictions for balls being kicked across midfield in the air from a goal kick, so a goalie can take these and kick the ball across midfield.

• Further clarification: 7v7 soccer is designed to allow players maximum touches on the ball with short, quick, crisp passes. It is not intended for goalies to pass the ball from one end of the field to the other. Hence, the restrictions above on goalies who are putting the ball into play once they have possession of the ball in their hands is for the intent of developing short, quick, crisp passing.

Foul Language / Dissent

1. The League, in response to USSF guidance, has instructed the referees to eliminate foul, abusive, or degrading language, especially when directed at another player, a teammate, the referee crew or a spectator. Foul and abusive language includes, but is not limited to, profanity, racial/gender/religious/ethnic slurs or degrading comments, and harassing or demeaning words, phrases, or gestures. It also includes taunting.
   1. Such foul, abusive, or degrading language will be treated equally regardless of the language in which it is spoken.
2. When it is directed at another player, a teammate, the referee, or a spectator, referees will automatically issue a Red Card ejection to the player. The ejected player must immediately leave the field complex. In addition to sitting out the remainder of the match the player was ejected from, the player will be required to sit out two additional matches. Additional match suspensions will be added for such things as continuing to use foul and abusive language, failing to leave the field complex immediately, and other actions which bring the game into disrespect.
3. When a player uses a non-racist expletive in frustration (missed shot, errant pass, etc) that is muttered under the player’s breath and not directed at anyone in particular, the referee is NOT required to card the player but is advised to have a quiet word with the player to remind him/her to watch his/her language.
   1. Referees have been instructed to take the context of the game into account when determining whether the use of foul, abusive, degrading language in frustration should be result in a Caution or an Ejection.
   2. Rule of thumb, if the foul language can be heard by spectators on the Side line, where young children might be present, it MUST result in a Yellow Card. Likewise, if a player repeatedly continues to use foul, abusive, or degrading language in frustration, even after receiving one or more verbal reminders from the referee to curb their language, it MUST result in a Yellow card.

Cautions / Ejections / Red Card Fines

• Referees will report ALL Cautions (Yellow Cards) and Ejections (Red Cards) to the Referee Coordinator.
• If a player receives two cautions in one match, he/she will receive a Red Card and MUST sit out the remainder of the match. The player MUST also sit out the teams next scheduled match.
• If a player is ejected from a match (Red Card), he/she must sit out the remainder of the match AND the teams next two (2) scheduled matches. This law applies only to hard Red cards, i.e. not an ejection that results from two cautions in the same match per Law # 2 above.
• If a player is ejected for fighting or striking another player, he/she must sit out the remainder of the match AND they MUST sit out (at minimum) the teams next 4 scheduled matches.
• Team captains must provide a Red Card Sit out Report to the referee documenting any player sitting out a match due to a Red Card. If a player fails to sit out any of the games he/she is required to sit out, the League will require the player to sit out two additional games beyond the required sit out.
• The Referee Coordinator will keep track of all Cautions and Ejections. Should a player persistently received Cautions during multiple matches, the Referee Coordinator will report this to the League President who will determine whether the player must sit out one or two matches.
• All Player Cautions (Cards) will be visible on the website using thePlayer Cautions (Cards) / Goals tab. The Key Code for all Cards received is as follows:

Caution (Yellow Card)

1. Unsporting Behavior (USB)
2. Dissent
3. Slide Tackle
4. Persistent Infringement
5. Interfering with the goalkeeper
6. Fail to Respect the Required Distance (10 yard rule)
7. Enter/Leave the field of play without the referees permission
8. Attempt to deceive the referee (faking an injury, taking a dive

Ejection (Red Card)

1. Double Yellow
2. Persistent Dissent
3. Foul and Abusive Language
4. Serious Foul Play
5. Violent Conduct
6. Denying a goal scoring opportunity
7. Spitting at, Hitting, Striking
8. Fighting

Player Waiver Release Form

1. 1. • Complete roster and online player waiver release forms must be submitted prior to the first scheduled game of the season. Any team / player that has not submitted these forms by the first game will have its scheduled games declared a forfeit until all such information is received. If a player fails to complete submit their online player waiver release form, all liability and legal issues will be the responsibility of the team captain. Fairfax Athletics will not be responsible for players that do not submit an online waiver. All players are required to complete the online player waiver release form for each team season in which they participate.

Scores Entered Incorrectly

Teams have 2 weeks (14 days) to inform the league of an incorrect score posted to the website / standings. If they find the error after 15 days, the league cannot guarantee the score will be changed.

Forfeit Fees

If your team needs to forfeit a game (for whatever reason), please make sure to let us know ASAP. C’ville Social Soccer has now implemented the following forfeit fees:

1. 1. • $50 within 24 hours of gametime.

Weather Cancellations / Field Conditions

Games may be cancelled due to existing weather conditions, dangerous or unplayable field conditions, facility constraints, etc. C’ville Social staff makes every effort to play all scheduled games, thus we will not cancel games until absolutely necessary. With that said, we will update the schedule and notify all players as soon as we have updated status.

If the games are cancelled, C’ville Social will update the schedule immediately, which will notify all rostered players.  It is still the captains responsibility to inform all teammates of the cancellation. If a game is cancelled on site, C’ville Social will attempt to contact those teams still scheduled to play the remainder of the day/night. Depending on the time of cancellation, some teams will have to be notified on site. If we do cancel, follow next weeks schedule unless otherwise notified, (i.e. If June 20th games are cancelled, teams should follow the June 27th schedule for their next game). The games that are cancelled will be made up towards the end of the season if time allows.

In extreme circumstances, C’ville Social reserves the right to run a shortened season without a refund. C’ville Social will make every attempt to get all regular season games played, however for every two (2) game cancellations due to weather, the season may be shortened one (1) regular season game. C’ville Social also reserves the right to schedule games on days other than your regularly scheduled league day/night if necessary.

These policies are designed to make the league run as smoothly and safely as possible, and provide continuity for its participants. Each player in the league is responsible for this information: please advise your team of these rules / league policies and thanks for playing.

No Jewelry Policy

At the Referees discretion, he/she can ask any player to remove jewelry they feel is not safe for play. Failure to comply could result in a Red Card.

Handling the Ball

1. 1. 1. In accordance with FIFA and USSF, A player shall be penalized for deliberately handling, carrying, striking, or propelling the ball with a hand or arm. Within USSF during the past several years, there has been a concerted effort to have referees make fewer such calls. Referees are now instructed on two key aspects, deliberate and intent.
      2. It is NOT enough for just the ball to hit the hand or arm. Rather, the referee must determine whether the player “deliberately” intended to hit the ball with their hand. If there was no deliberate intent, there is no foul.
      3. In general, referees are instructed to look for several key factors:
         1. Deliberate movement of the hand towards the ball; NOT the ball towards the hand; the position of the hand does not necessarily mean there is an infringement;
         2. The distance between the player and the ball; the closer the player is to the play when the ball is kicked and then hits a hand is less likely to be charged as handling because it was unexpected and the player didn’t have time to deliberately try to handle the ball;
         3. Touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard) or hitting the ball with a thrown object (shinguard, boot) is considered deliberate handling.
      4. Likewise, a player cannot extend their arms above their head or out to their sides in attempt to make themselves “bigger”. If they “deliberately” do so, and the ball makes contact with their hand or arms, they are guilty of handling the ball. But if they are turning to race up field, or putting their arm out to regain lost balance, with no “intent” to play the ball and the ball strikes them, they would not be guilty of ‘handling”.
      5. As can be seen from the specific language of the law, there is NO language regarding whether the player gained an advantage or not from a ball that struck the hand or arm. The determining factors are “deliberate” and “intent”. If the player deliberately intended to handle or strike the ball, it is a foul, regardless of whether it lands close to him or not. But if the player had no intention to handle or strike the ball, and it hit her hand or arm and fell to her feet, allowing her to gain or maintain possession, it is still NOT a foul because the player did not deliberately, or intend to, play the ball.

Player Safety–Concussion Protocol

Player safety is paramount for C’Ville Social. All players assume responsibility for injuries, which can occur. However, USSF has mandated that soccer programs at all levels take deliberate steps to address the issue of concussions as they occur in soccer.
C’Ville Social will use the following protocol for players who appear to have been involved in an incident in which a concussion might occur:

1. 1. 1. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that interferes with normal brain function. A player does not have to have suffered a direct blow to the head or lose consciousness (be “knocked out” to have suffered a concussion.
      2. Common Signs/Symptoms of Concussion include (not an exhaustive list):
         1. Appears dazed or confused;
         2. Is confused about assignment or position;
         3. Forgets an instruction;
         4. Is unsure of game, score, or opponent;
         5. Moves clumsily or has balance problems;
         6. Answers questions slowly;
         7. Headaches or “pressure” in the head;
         8. Sensitivity to light, noise;
      3. No player should return to a match on the same day as suffering a concussion;
      4. If a referee suspects a player may be suffering effects from a concussion, the player will be immediately replaced (they can be substituted for) and cannot re-enter the match for at least three minutes. During this time, a trained medical personnel (if present), or the player’s teammates (if no trained medical personnel are present) will work with the player to determine if signs of the concussion are present.
      5. If after the three minute (or longer) rest period, the player feels prepared to play, they will check in with the closest member of the referee crew. If the referee concurs, the player will be allowed back into the game. If the referee believes the player still exhibits signs of a concussion, the player will not be allowed to re-enter the match.

C’ville Social Indoor Soccer follows all regular Co-ed Rules with the following modifications:

• Format: 6v6 (4 males, 2 females)
• Out of bounds: the ceiling is out of bounds.
• Restarts:
  • No direct kicks. Fouls inside the goalie box will result in a penalty kick; all other fouls are an indirect kick.
  • Sideouts are restarted by an indirect kick from where the ball went into touch.
  • Corner kicks are taken from the sideline adjacent to the top of the goalie box.
  • Ceiling hits are restarted by an indirect kick from the midcourt division line.
• Substitutions: May be made “on the fly”, player subbing out must be just about off the floor before the entering player can step on the floor.
• Shin guards: are not mandatory, but are strongly recommended.