LEAGUE RULES

LEAGUES

Registration

Captains must register their players by sending the team registration link provided by Soccer5s when they sign up to the players for completion.
All registered players (including the captain) must make individual payment arrangements to play in the team either by being a Member or by opting to Pay Per Season.
Players can register to Pay Per Season or as a Member through the online team registration provided to the team captain.
Payment is made through Soccer5s Self Service online portal for Memberships.
A Player has only joined the Team once payment has been received by Soccer5s for either Pay Per Season or Membership.
Teams can register as many players as they wish per season
5-a-side teams must register a minimum of 6 players, prior to season commencing
7-a-side teams must register a minimum of 8 players, prior to season commencing.
All players must have completed their payment option prior to the commencement of the season.
Additional Players can be added to a team during the season at reduced rates depending on the number of games left in the season.
Free agents can play providing they are registered in your team and have made payment prior to the match.

Free Agents
As a social venue, we also allow teams to bring one off players in to assist if registered players are unavailable. These players are referred to as “free agents”. Free agents can play for a team under the following rules:

The free agent pays a $20 fee for the match or is a member and registers to play in the team pre match
A free agent who has played in your team on 3 or more ocassions is eligible to play in finals, providing that the free agent has made payment for the match prior to kick off.
A free agent who plays in leagues at lower grades must respect the spirit of the that league.

If a free agent is asked not to participate by Soccer5s management as they deem the free agent to be of level that is not in the spirit of the specific league, then the free agent must accept the decision

Attire

Shin Pads are highly recommended but are not compulsory. All Players are advised to wear shin pads. All players play at their own risk at Soccer5s and are fully aware of the increased possibility of injury without proper safety equipment
Footwear with metal or screw in studs are not allowed.
Indoor or casual footwear is not recommended
Training shoes, molded soles and astro boots (AG) are advised.
Teams should attempt to colour coordinate their tops, if not teams may be given bibs by the referee and must wear them if provided
Where there is a colour clash, the team stated 2nd on the match fixture will be required to wear the bibs provided

League Management

All Leagues season will run for a controlled number of rounds advised during sign up by Soccer5s.
All players must hold a valid Season Pass or Membership for the team to participate in the league
Christmas shutdowns apply, some public holidays and extreme weather postponements could affect the consecutive weeks
Depending on the number of teams in a league teams may not play equal number of times over the course of a season. The season is a controlled number of rounds regardless of number of times you play each team.
Finals and a non competition round are included in the controlled number of rounds
Finals format may vary from league to league and are scheduled at the beginning of the league
Finals format may vary during the season at Soccer5s discretion
Teams will receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
League placing will be decided by points gained, followed by goal difference, followed by goals scored, followed by the aggregate result between the two teams in question.
Teams are asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to appointed kick off times.
Teams must be on the pitch and ready to begin the match at the appointed kick-off time
If a team is more than 5 minutes late at the appointed kick off time but have 3 or more players available then game will begin the game with a deficit of 3 goals.
If a team is more than 10 minutes late of the appointed kick off time with less than 3 players available, the game will be considered a forfeit with the opposing team receiving a 10-0 win.
In the event players arrive later than 10 minutes after the appointed kick off time, a friendly game may be played with consent of the opposing team and for the duration of the original scheduled match fixture.
The referee will shorten games by time deemed wasted in the delayed kick off at their discretion and in alignment with the allotted time of the original game schedule. Time will only be cut if a team is 5mins or more late and a 3-0 deficit has been awarded to the team who were ready.
Half time is a 2 min break unless the referee instructs team to turn around quicker.
Teams may be replaced at any stage of the season. Replacement teams may inherit the scores, schedule and points of their predecessors this would be determined by Soccer5s.
Teams who play a suspended player will automatically lose the match 10-0. A suspended player will still have to serve his suspension even though the team has been punished this match will not count as a match which the player has missed.
Teams failing to appear for their designated match, will have the match awarded to their opponents 10 – 0, for repeated absence the team may be removed from the League. No refunds will be given
Soccer5s will notify a team in advance if they know the opposition team have forfeited. The team will be able to use the allocated pitch slot for the full allocated fixture time. No refunds will be given
If a team does not show up for a scheduled match Soccer5s will allow players of the attending team to play on the allocated pitch for the full allocated fixture time. No refunds will be given
In the event that a team refuses to play their scheduled opposition or complete a match that has already started, Soccer5s management will investigate and make a decision based on their findings. No refunds will be given
In the event a match is called off during the 1st half, the match will be rescheduled. No refunds will be given
In the event a match is called off during the 2nd half, the score will stand. No refunds will be given
In the event a match is called off at any point due to disorder on the pitch, the match will not be rescheduled. No refunds will be given

All Weather

Soccer5s pitches are all weather pitches.
Games will be played at all times and weather conditions unless adverse weather conditions make the pitches unplayable.
Any decision to cancel a game can only be made by Soccer5s management and will be final.
Postponements of matches by teams are not allowed, except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of Soccer5s management

Kick Off Times

Kick off times for the entire league will be scheduled prior to the first match.
Monday - Friday KO Times Adult - 6.15pm, 7pm, 7.45pm, 8.30pm and 9.15pm.
Monday - Friday KO Times Junior - 4.45pm, 5.30pm 6.15pm, 7pm and 7.45pm.
Saturday KO Times Junior - 9am, 9.45am, 10.30am and 11.15am.
Teams are sent a link to their fixtures for the season when the draw is made
Please check this schedule each week for your game times.
Times can only be changed by Soccer5s under extreme circumstances (forfeit of another team etc.).
You may only request preferential kick off times when registering to play in the league, prior to the draw being made.
If you need preferential times please be aware, they are not guaranteed. Soccer5s will do their best to accommodate.
No refunds will be given if you do not have all your preferential kick off time.

Match Scheduling

Match Schedules will be listed list at the start of each season and will be posted on the Company’s website www.soccer5s.com.
All players can use the website to see future schedules.
All league results will be displayed on the website, but Soccer5s will not accept any responsibility for any omissions from or inaccuracies in any such fixture lists and/or results. Soccer5s will attempt to resolve any issues arising.

PLAYING RULES

For 5-a-side matches a team may field four (4) outfield players and a goalkeeper on the pitch at any one time.
5-a-side League matches. A maximum of nine (9) players per game may be used. Teams exceeding 9 players will lose the match 5-0 without proper reasoning, clearing it prior to the game being played and gaining approval from Soccer5s and the opposition team.
For 7-a-side matches a team may field six (6) outfield players and a goalkeeper on the pitch at any one time.
7-a-side League matches a maximum of twelve (12) players per game may be used. Teams exceeding 12 players will automatically lose the match 5-0 without proper reasoning, clearing it prior to the game being played and gaining approval from Soccer5s and the opposition team.
Mixed games must have 2 female outfield players at all times for 5-a-side and 3 females outfield players at all times for 7-a-side.
Substitutions are unlimited during the game, can be made at any time as long as the referee is aware and the substitution happens quickly.
Outgoing substitutes must leave the field of play before the replacement enters the playing area.
Teams will receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.
League placing will be decided by points gained, followed by goal difference, followed by goals scored, followed by the aggregate result between the two teams in question.
The pitch gate must be closed completely after a substitution is made and must not be held or left open at any other time during play.
Substitutes must stand outside the pitch perimeter
Spectators must not enter the field of play under any circumstances.
Teams can change their goalkeeper during the game but only when the ball is dead and the referee must be notified.
Jewellery (including, without limitation, watches, rings, necklaces etc) is not to be worn on the pitches. Jewellery can get caught easily and players should not play with jewellery.
Outfield Players are not to wear caps (front or back) whilst playing
Referees may refuse to allow players to play with inappropriate footwear, without shin pads and/or are wearing any form of jewellery.
The match will consist of two equal halves.
The length of half will be 20 mins unless determined by Soccer5s or due to delayed kick offs.
The first half will begin with the team specified as first on the fixture kicking off from the centre
The second half will begin with the team specified as second on the fixture kicking off from the centre
After a goal has been scored the game will be re-started by the team who conceded the goal kicking off from the centre.
Both teams must be in their own half at any kick off.
Opposing Players must be a minimum of 2 metres from the centre at a kick off
Play is not live until the ball is played after the referees whistle
The ball may move in any direction from the kick off
Players cannot score directly from the kick off
Only the defending goalkeeper is allowed to play the ball inside the goal area and only he may handle the ball in this area.
A goalkeeper gaining or seeking to gain an advantage by leaving his area or by playing the ball when it is outside the area will have a penalty awarded against his team.
A goalkeeper who leaves his box immediately before, during or as part of a save will have a penalty awarded against them.
An outfield player gaining or seeking to gain an advantage by entering his own goal area will have a penalty kick awarded against his team.An outfield player entering his opponent’s penalty area will be penalised.
The game will be re-started from the goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper can return the ball into play by throwing it or kicking it.
The goalkeeper can only score if he plays the ball from the ground, the ball must beplaced on the ground and be stationary before he kicks it. No drop kick goals are allowed.
The first player to receive the ball from his goalkeeper cannot pass it back to the goalkeeper. A penalty will be awarded against the offending team.
If the ball goes out of play off the goalkeeper, the game will be restarted by the same goalkeeper as ‘goalie’s ball’.
For clarity, the goal area is defined by a white semi circle and it is the outside edge of this line that defines the end of the goal area, by definition a goalkeeper may be on or inside the line whereas an outfield player may not be on the line at any time. The position of the ball has no relevance to the players position. The referees view of this situation and decision is final
No sliding or slide tackles are allowed. Infringement of this rule will lead to a freekick being awarded against the offending players’ team
A player who commits a slide tackle will receive an automatic yellow card and may be sin binned at the referee’s discretion. For definition, a slide tackle is an attempt to win the ball from an opposition player by going to ground.
When the ball goes into the corner then the closest player attacking or defending (not the fastest or the player who pushes in front- the player who is closest going into the corner) has the right to the ball.
The opposing player must remain 2 metres from the player in the corner and allow the player to turn and play the ball. Any opposing player who goes to close, makes a tackle or has ‘a poke’ will be penalized with a free kick in the corner to the other team.
A player in control of the ball in the corner must make an effort to play the ball within good times and if the referee deems time wasting a free kick will be given to the opposing team
All free kicks will be indirect.
Opposition players must be at least two meters from where any freekick is taken. If opposing players do not retreat the required two meters they may receive a yellow card.
Free Kicks less than 2 metres from the goal area of the opposition team will be moved back to the 2 metre mark to allow opposition defenders an opportunity to defend.
The Goalkeeper must be on the goal line when a penalty is being taken.
Players may only take one step whilst taking a penalty. If any doubt, Referees will demonstrate prior to the kick.
A timeout is an additional control for our referees. A timeout is when player is asked to leave the pitch with or without receiving a yellow card. A timeout is designed to give an opportunity to players who may be frustrated a chance to calm down with out negatively effecting the whole game.
If a player is asked to take a timeout (sin bin) by a referee or by Soccer5s management, the team may bring on another player during the timeout. The referee will decide at their discretion when the player may return to the pitch.
These League Rules are not exhaustive and may be added to or amended at any time.

Finals Rules

All full time Registered players to a team are eligible for finals
All Players that are not registered into the team as full-time players must have played a minimum of 4 times (and paid as a free agent) for the team to be eligible to play in the finals.
Free agents may be refused entry to Finals by Soccer5s if Soccer5s deems their participation as not in the spirit of the league.
Finals in all competitions have the “Challenge Rule”.
The Challenge Rule is based in the Finals part of the Season only.
The Challenge can ONLY be made in the first 2 minutes of the Finals if a player thought not to be part of the squad enters the field of play.
The referee will report the challenge to Soccer5s management who will investigate whilst the match continues as scheduled. If the player plays in the match whilst Soccer5s investigate then if Soccer5s do not deem the player eligible the match will be forfeited and awarded to the opposing team.
This rule has been brought in to stop teams fielding higher grade players in lower grade Leagues just for Finals.

The Referees decision on all on-field matters is final and no discussions will be entered into either on or off the field with him about any decision. The Referees jurisdiction on disciplinary matters will apply until players have entered the changing rooms. Players repeatedly disputing decisions may have further disciplinary action taken against them. Teams with a valid complaint against a match official must be put in writing within 48 hours of the said match. The complaint should be addressed by email to Soccer5s Centre Management, who will make a decision. This decision is final.

Suspension

A player sent off for a second offence may be suspended for a minimum of 1 WEEK.
A straight red card will result in an automatic 1 WEEK suspension.
In the case serious foul play, foul or abusive language the suspension may be extended should Soccer5s deem this necessary.
If a player is given a red card whilst off the field of play (for unacceptable conduct on the sideline), the team must correspondingly reduce the number of players on the field.
If a team is 3 players or less for any reason the match will end. The result will be awarded 10-0 to their opponents. If the score at the time produces a goal difference greater than 10-0 then that score will stand. No refunds will be given.
If a match is abandoned for any reason the team at fault will receive a 10-0 defeat unless the opposing team already has a greater advantage in which case the score will stand. If both teams are judged to be at fault the game will be void and both teams may be deducted 3 points. No refunds will be given.
Violent conduct on or off the pitch will result in the immediate suspension of the individual and could result in a ban from all Soccer5s premises. Soccer5s reserve the right to ban an individual or team from further participation in any or all activities within Soccer5s. Any teams found not cooperating with Soccer5s or attempting to deceive could be removed from the league program. No refunds will be given.
Referees must be treated with respect from all teams. Teams found guilty of abusing Referees will be removed from the Leagues, as will Teams in material or persistent breach of these Rules. No refunds will be given
For age grouped leagues (Junior Competitions) players can play in older age groups and may be allowed to play down an age group by discretion of Soccer5s management if Soccer5s deem their participation appropriate based on numerous factors associated with the player ((including, without limitation, ability, size, development level, team composition etc)

6 AND 7 A SIDE RULES FOLLOW THE SAME RULES AS ABOVE EXCEPT ALLOWING FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN PLAYER NUMBERS.

The decision of Soccer5s management in all matters pertaining to the administration of the league is final.

SPECTATORS AT SOCCER5S

The behaviour of players, their parents, spectators, officials and administrators is absolutely critical in ensuring that all players enjoy an appropriate environment playing football.
Junior Players should be encouraged by coaches, parents and spectators. The major focus should be on letting the children play with minimal instruction and plenty of encouragement.
Its of the expectation from Soccer5s, that managers, parents and supporters of teams refrain from using any negative call outs and course language, gestures towards opposition players, referees, coaches, staff and other spectators. Only POSITIVE calls and encouragement are to be called out from the sidelines.
Spectators are not allowed to enter the field off play at any time to participate or fuel any issues escalating on the park. and get involved in any situations. Soccer5s view spectators entering the field of play as a major issue. Teams will receive harsher punishments in the event spectators get involved on on field issues.
During times in the game where fouls are made, the referee is in charge at all times.
Below are a series of Codes of Behaviour that all people involved in junior football, must be aware of and abide by. Team Managers should exchange a Code of Conduct with each parent giving an undertaking, on behalf of their players, parents and spectators, to behave in an appropriate manner. If inappropriate behaviour persists, Soccer5s representatives would need to become involved.

Parent Code of Behaviour

Remember that children participate in sport for their enjoyment, not yours;
Encourage children to participate, do not force them;
Focus on your child’s efforts and performance rather than whether they win or lose;
Encourage children to play according to the rules and to settle disagreements without resorting to hostility or violence;
Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a competition;
Remember that children learn best by example. Appreciate good performance and skilful plays by all participants;
Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from sporting activities;
Respect officials’ decisions and teach children to do likewise;
Show appreciation for volunteer coaches, officials and staff – without them, your child could not participate;
Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion

Soccer5s reserves the right to alter the rules and punish accordingly if teams or individual players are attempting to gain unfair advantage by using an interpretation of rules set by Soccer5s