SWASL RULES
General:
SWASL is a recreational adult soccer
league for men and women 18 years and older. The purpose of the league is to
promote and support adult soccer play on the Temecula/Murrieta area. FIFA, USSF
and USASA rules govern SWASL play, except as amended by these rules and the
SWASL director and/or Board of Directors.
It is the intent of SWASL to
·
Promote the game of
soccer in a spirit of teamwork, fair play and sportsmanship.
·
Provide coherent
competition among area players and soccer teams.
·
Develop and foster
interest in soccer in the Southern California area.
These rules are broken into four major
areas
·
Participation in SWASL
·
League Operations
·
Scoring and points
calculations
·
Deviations from FIFA and
USSF rules
Participation
in SWASL:
Players and coaches joining SWASL must
follow any additional guidelines found within these SWASL rules.
ROSTER - Teams are limited to a maximum of 16 players and a
minimum of 12. A SWASL roster will be provided for team use prior to the 1st
match. Drops or additions can take place ONLY within the first half of the
season and there will be a $10 fee for any change in the roster once the league
has began. After the 8th game of the season there will be NO changes in the
team rosters.
LEAGUE
FEES - Payment is due in full before
any team will be scheduled for the season.
(Fee's are to be paid by one check or money order ). Bounced checks will
result in forfeit of all games played prior to the date the check bounces, plus
the league will require a cash payment, and a $50.00 return check charge in
addition to the amount of the NSF check. Returned checks will not be
re-deposited and require a cash payment to clear the check.
CROSSOVERS - No player will play in more than one team during
the same season unless otherwise approved by the League Board.
ACCEPTABLE
ID - All players must present
appropriate identification to the referee prior to the start of each game. The required ID is a USSF player pass. If a player does not have a USSF player pass
at the beginning of the season, a current driver’s license, military ID, or
birth certificate may be required during registration in order to obtain USSF
pass. No one will play without a validated USSF player pass. Passes provided by
SWASL are the property of SWASL. There will be a $10.00 fee to replace lost
player passes.
PLAYER
RESPONSIBILITIES - Player
participation in SWASL-sponsored matches may be disallowed if a player’s
actions result in an accumulation of excess cards. If a player receives in any given season five yellow cards, that
player will be suspended for the following game. A red card issued in a game is
an automatic suspension for the next scheduled game. Accumulation of eight
yellow cards or three red cards in a season will result in suspension from the league
for six months, dated from the date of the last card that causes the suspension
letter. The suspended individual must also take and pass a referee training
class and provide a letter of
completion from the instructor before allowed to re-enter SWASL league
play.
1.
5 yellow cards =
suspension for one game.
2.
8 yellow cards in a
season = a 6-month suspension.
3.
3 red cards or the
equivalent = a six month suspension.
League
Operations:
SWASL
WEB SITE - SWASL operates a web site
at http://www.southwestsoccerclub.com/swasl.
The web site provides the latest information on league operations and
should be consulted for all questions concerning SWASL.
SEASONS - Fall season runs from Oct through January. Spring
season runs from Feb to April.
TEAM
DIVISION PLACEMENT - Teams will be
placed in divisions based on level of experience and participation in the
league. League staff will try to maintain parity within the division.
FINALS: - At the end of the regular season, for the
divisions with eight or less teams, the top four teams will advance to the
play-offs. For divisions with ten
teams, the top eight teams will advance to the play-offs. If there are fewer
than four teams, all teams will advance to the tournament.
BEGINNING
OF THE SEASON TOURNAMENT – Before the
beginning of a new season, the League will conduct a pre-season tournament,
time permitting, where all teams will participate for a small fee. Teams will play each other in a round-robyn
series to define a champion that will be ranked #1 at the beginning of the
following season.
SCHEDULE
CHANGES - Once a season schedule is
published to the SWASL web site, no changes will be made. The only exception is
weather related changes, which will be posted in as timely a manner as is
possible. Weather and field availability
permitting, all teams will play a ten match series each season.
MAKEUP
GAMES AND CANCELLATIONS - A match is
considered official once the 1st half has been completed. If play must be halted after the start of
play, but before the half is complete, the SWASL scheduler will make every
attempt to reschedule the shortened game. However, if field, weather or other
situations preclude timely rescheduling, the game may not be replayed. If this
occurs, standings will be adjusted in a fair manner.
FORFEIT - Failure to have a minimum of five team members show
up for a scheduled match will result in a forfeit for that team. Referees will
allow a ten minute grace period from posted start time to field a five man
team. A two point deduction from the offending team’s division standing will be
reduced for the forfeit. The team that wins by default will add maximum points
to their division standings 3 points and 1 goal. If a 2nd forfeit occurs, the
forfeiting team will not be eligible for post season play. If a forfeit occurs
during the play-offs, players who are not present and the team will not be
allowed to participate in the next SWASL season.
PLAYER
CONDUCT - Players are responsible for
fair, sportsmanlike and polite behavior at all times while participating in
SWASL-sponsored activities. Absolutely
NO fighting will be tolerated. Foul,
vile or vulgar language will not be used on the field either toward other
players or to yourself in general.
Referees are instructed to card offenders. Any fight will result in immediate one-year suspension from
SWASL without a refund. Referee
abuse will not be tolerated. Assault includes, but is not limited to the
following acts committed upon a referee: hitting, kicking, punching, choking,
spitting at, or on, grabbing, stepping on, or running into a referee; the act
of kicking or throwing any object at a referee that could inflict injury,
damaging the referee’s uniform or personal property. Referee abuse is also
defined as a verbal statement or physical approach that implies or threatens
physical harm to a referee or the referee’s property or equipment. Verbal threats are remarks that carry the
implied or direct threat of physical harm. Threats such as, "I’ll get you
after the game" or "You won't get out of here in one piece"
shall be deemed referee abuse. Commission of any of the preceding acts will
carry a one-year suspension from SWASL.
REFEREES - All decisions made by the referees assigned to
SWASL matches are final. USSF and AYSO referees are contracted to referee
our games if you have a problem with the referees that officiate our games, we
suggest that you look into leagues on the northside. No appeals will be accepted pertaining to decisions by the
referee. No player or individual shall enter the field of play without the
referee's express permission.
REFUNDS - Once entered on the schedule, no team or player
shall receive a refund for any reason. Refunds to players during the season are
the responsibility of the team coaches / organizers.
GRIEVANCE
POLICY/PROTEST - A grievance/protest
is a complaint with a suggested resolution. The only matters that are
grievable/protestable are treatment of players by coaches, actions of
spectators, or any clear violation of the SWASL rules that has escaped the
attention of the SWASL board. Any grievance/protest shall be filed in writing,
with a $50 nonrefundable protest fee, to the league president or his
representative within three days of the action under protest. Upon receipt, the
President will convene all available members of the board, review the relevant
facts, and render a determination, in writing, to the protestor within seven
days. The following items, while not exclusive, are not grievable/protestable:
·
SWASL rules
·
Referee decisions
·
Decisions of the SWASL
Board regarding suspensions
SCORING
AND POINTS CALCULATIONS:
SCORING
SYSTEM - The following method will be
used to add and subtract team points to determine division standings.
·
Win = 3 points
·
Tie = 1 points
·
Loss = 0 points
Teams will lose standing points for red cards
issued to team members during matches.
Red
card - loss of 1 point for each card
Second
red card - loss of 2 more points when in that same match.
Deviations
from FIFA, USSF and USASA Laws of the Game
Unless otherwise indicated here, all
Laws of the Game as prescribed in FIFA’s sanctioning bodies’ rule books will
apply to all SWASL matches.
Law
1 – The Field of Play. Local conditions may mandate use of
non-standard or sub-optimal fields. The field size used will be 80 X 50.
Law
3 – The Number of Players. Teams will play with a maximum of 8 players
at one time. Free-substitutions are
permitted for both teams during all dead-ball situations by letting the center
referee know.
Coed only. Each team WILL NEED at least TWO female players on
the field at all times during each one of the games (starting Spring 2005
season). If only one (1) female is
present, then the team will play short, if both female players are missing,
team will have to forfeit.
Law
4 - The Player’s Equipment.
All players must have shinguards and uniforms with matching jerseys and
permanent numbers on the back with no duplicate numbers. Jersey numbers must
match those on roster provided for that match. In the event of team color
conflict the home team will change to their alternate jersey (pinnies are
permitted).
Law
7 – The Duration of the Match.
If weather or field conditions mandate, and with the concurrence of both
involved coaches, matches may be shortened from the normal 30 minute halves.
Law
8 – The Start And Restart of Play. From goal kick and goalie punt, ball needs to
be touched or it has to bounce on own half.
Goalie throws are allowed to cross the half line starting Spring 2005 season.
Law
10 – The Method of Scoring. When
a female player scores a goal in the ‘Coed Over 30’ competition, the team will
be awarded 2 points.
Law
11 – Offside. There will not be
any offside position.
Law
12 – Fouls and Misconduct.
1)
VERBAL WARNING FOR:
a) Cussing to
oneself for missing a shot, bad pass, etc. in English, Spanish or any other
language
b) Cussing at
a teammate jokingly in English, Spanish or any other language
c) Softly
complaining to referee about a call
d) Telling
referee that he is wrong on a ‘judgment’ call
e) Substituting
without letting the referee know
f) Discreet
pushing
2)
YELLOW CARD FOR:
a) Slide
tackling in the over 30 leagues
b) Cussing
again in English, Spanish or any other language
c) Mistreating
another individual with ‘soft’ foul language example: “shit-head”
d) Faking a
fall or pretending to be hurt
e) Constant
and intentional whining or complaining
f) Intentional
handball on the field and not to stop a goal
g) Intentionally
wasting time or delaying the game
h) Obvious
pushing
i) Touching
the referee
j) Holding
somebody by their jersey
k) First
violation by team supporters who verbally attack opposing players or supporters.
Yellow card will be given to team manager or team Captain.
3)
SOFT RED FOR: (player will leave the game immediately, but
will NOT be suspended for the following game)
a) A field
player who saves ball with hands intentionally from entering his own goal.
b) Player who
plays on both leagues and does a second clean slide tackle against another
player.
c) Persistent
cussing for a second time after a previous warning.
d) Complaining
and requesting the referee to explain him/herself over and over again.
e) Second
violation by team supporters who verbally attack opposing players or
supporters, then team charged with the foul must pull one player from the field
of play for the remainder of the game.
The group of supporters needs to quiet down or game will be over.
4)
STRAIGHT RED (must leave immediately, suspended for at
least one game)
a) Any kind of
abuse to another individual but not limited to verbal abuse, intimidation,
threats, derogatory statements, racial statements, sexually explicit
statements, etc.
b) Spitting on
anyone
c) Gestures to
initiate a fight and/or getting in somebody’s face
d) Aggressive
play trying to harm another individual
e) Disrespecting
the referee in any way
f) Last player
fouling an opponent on his way to the goal with a chance of scoring
g) Retaliating
5)
‘DOUBLE’ RED: (2 game-suspension) + WILL BE ANALIZED BY THE
SWASL DISCIPLINARY COMMETTE
a) Starting a
fight or being part of a brawl
b) Consistent
Foul Language used towards any individual AFTER
a red card offense
c) Punching
and/or kicking another individual or animal
d) Not
complying with referees request to leave the premises after a red card.
Procedure
To Determine The Winner Of A Match.
TIES - In the event that any two teams in a division end
the season in a tie, the tie will be broken by comparing, in this order:
1.
head to head competition
2.
goal difference
3.
goal for
4.
goals against
5.
red cards issued
quantity
6.
coin toss.
In final play, if teams are tied up and
the game moves to overtime, the overtimes will be played without the
goalkeepers.