Youth Soccer Rules
Arena soccer is a fast-paced game with lots of action from end to end. Although very similar to the outdoor game, arena soccer does have a few slight modifications.
Substitutions: Substitutions are permitted on fouls. Play will not be delayed to permit the completion of player subs on fouls. If too many players are simultaneously on the field when the ball is put in play and either player participates in play or gains an unfair advantage this is an illegal substitution “too many men”, and shall result in a 1-minute power play penalty.
Balls played to goalkeepers: A player may not use a deliberate trick to pass the ball (including from a free kick) to the goalkeeper with the head, chest, knee, etc. to circumvent the rule.
Blows to the Head: Stampede has a point of emphasis to follow the MASL rules on blows to the head: Contact to the head / face / neck region of players will not be tolerated. A deliberate act which is outside of game play that includes: a blow or strike, whether open or closed handed, headbutt, or elbow, to the head region of a player, coach, referee, fan or other person. Failure to follow these instructions will result in one or more game suspension.
Disciplinary:
The Director of Operations will work with referees to handle any on-field incidents that require extra attention. The purpose of the director is not to re-referee the games, but instead to give support and extra attention to sensitive aspects of the game like violent conduct, embellishment, contact above the shoulder, mass confrontation and players leaving the bench during an altercation.
Number of Players on the Field – Age Groups: u4 - u7 (4v4), u8-u10 (6v6), u11 - u14 (8v8) main field.
Out of Bounds – Arena soccer is played within walls and the ball is live at all times it is in the field of play. It is very common for players to bounce the ball off the wall as they pass to teammates or create attacking opportunities.
If the ball goes over the wall and into the netting, the ball is considered out of bounds and will be kicked in from the spot nearest where it went out of bounds.
Penalties - Fouls committed during youth games are penalized with a direct kick (indirect during 4v4), if the foul is severe enough, the referee may show the player who committed the foul a blue, yellow or red card.
Blue Card - A Blue Card indicates a two-minute timed penalty. The committing player will have to spend two minutes in the penalty box. His team will not be able to replace him on the field during those two minutes, resulting in a 'Power Play ' man advantage for the opposing team. If a goalkeeper receives a Blue Card, his team can choose another field player to serve his penalty for him. If his team is scored on before the two minutes expire, the player is excused from the remainder of the timed penalty.
Yellow Card - A Yellow Card indicates a Misconduct Penalty and results in the committing player spending five minutes in the Penalty Box. A player serving a Misconduct Penalty can be replaced on the field and his team will not be short-handed. However, when the five minutes has expired, the player can not return to the field until a guaranteed substitution.
Red Card - Violent conduct, serious foul play and penalty accumulation are some of the reasons a referee might show a Red Card, resulting in the committing player's immediate ejection from the game. Following the ejection, the committing team will send a different player to serve a two-minute timed player and his team will not be able to replace him on the field during those two minutes, resulting in a 'Power Play ' man advantage for the opposing team.
Blue Card Power Plays
● Four Fouls by a player in a half
● Any foul committed by Goalkeeper on Shootout PENALTY KICK
● Goalkeeper striking by throwing the ball at or violently pushing opponent while in
control of the ball
● Kick (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
● Trip (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
● Reckless Tackle (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
● Two-Footed Tackle
● Charging from behind or Charging Violently or Dangerously (Severe, tactical, or
blatant in nature)
● Striking (Severe or blatant in nature)
● Contact Above the Shoulder/Elbow (Severe or blatant in nature)
● Push (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
● Boarding (Severe or blatant in nature)
● Shootout: Denies an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity
● Unsportsmanlike Conduct (misconduct during mass confrontations or dead ball
situations)
YELLOW CARD 5-MINUTE MISCONDUCT (NON POWER PLAY)
● Dissent
● Bench Misconduct (not identifiable) assessed against coach (no one serves
5-minutes)
● Delay of Game after Time Penalty - failing to immediately report to the penalty
box
● Diving, Embellishing, or Faking a foul after Team Warning
● Delay of Game Violation (Restarts) (following Team Warning)
● Encroachment (following Team Warning)
● Severe Unsportsmanlike Manner
RED CARD EJECTIONS
● Violent Conduct or Serious Foul Play
● Offensive, insulting, obscene or abusive language and/or gestures
● Headbutt
● Third man into an altercation
● First off bench joining an altercation
● Leaving the penalty box to engage in an altercation or dissent
● Spitting on the field, official or at opponent
● Accumulation of 3rd penalty
● Automatic one game suspensions. All red cards reviewable by Director of Operations and subject to additional suspension
Youth Soccer Soccer Formats:
4v4 Youth Soccer Format
Game Length: 4 10 min quarters. (1 min water break between quarters, and 2 min half time)
Cost: $450 team fee for 6 games or $550 for 8 games. The cost for a free agent is $85 individual fee (6 games) or $100 individual fee (8 games) to join Stampede’s house team. House teams will also get 4 indoor practices included in their cost. ($25 yearly membership for each player is required)
Uniform: Team color and Player Card (Guest team changes when colors match).
Games: 6 or 8 game season
Format: Co-ed u4-u5 / Co-ed u6-u7
Scoring: All goals count as one. Scoring will be placed on referee cards, but not on the scoreboard.
Fouls: 6 team fouls for a shootout penalty. The foul count restarts at the half.
Overtime: Occurs only in playoff and championship matches. One 5 minute overtime. If tied after overtime 5 minute kick-ins will be played. Teams will select 4 players to shoot from the bottom circle to the goal on the opposite end. If tied after the 4 shots, the remaining kick-ins will be sudden death each round. A player can not shoot twice until every other player on the team shoots.
Youth Mercy Rule: If a team goes up by 6, their opponents may bring an extra player on the field until the score difference is below 6. If a team goes up by 6 or more the winning team will have to remove a player from the field and play down until the score difference is below 6.
6v6 Youth Soccer Format
Game Length: Two 20 minute halves. 2 Minute halftime.
Cost: $600 team fee for 6 games or $700 team fee for 8 games. The cost for a free agent is $85 individual fee (6 games) or $100 individual fee (8 games) to join Stampede’s house team. House teams will also get 4 indoor practices included in their cost. ($25 yearly membership for each player is required)
Uniform: Team color and Player Card (Guest team changes when colors match).
Games: 6 or 8 game season plus championship ( 7 or less teams), or playoffs (8 or more teams)
Format: Boys&Girls u8-u10
Scoring: All goals count as one.
Goalkeeping: No Punting (Drop Kicks Allowed)
Fouls: 6 team fouls for a shootout penalty. The foul count restarts at the half.
Overtime: Occurs only in playoff and championship matches. One 5 minute overtime. If tied after overtime 5 minutes, a penalty shootout will be played. Teams will select 5 players to shoot from the yellow dotted line. If tied after the 5 shots, the remaining penalty kicks will be sudden death each round. A player can not shoot twice until every other player on the team shoots.
Youth Mercy Rule: If a team goes up by 6, their opponents may bring an extra player on the field until the score difference is below 6. If a team goes up by 6 or more the winning team will have to remove a player from the field and play down until the score difference is below 6.
8v8 Youth Soccer Format
Game Length: Two 20 minute halves. 2 Minute halftime.
Cost: $600 team fee for 6 games or $700 team fee for 8 games. The cost for a free agent is $85 individual fee (6 games) or $100 individual fee (8 games) to join Stampede’s house team. House teams will also get 4 indoor practices included in their cost. ($25 yearly membership for each player is required)
Uniform: Team color and Player Card (Guest team changes when colors match).
Games: 6 or 8 game season plus championship ( 7 or less teams), or playoffs (8 or more teams)
Format: Boys&Girls u11-u19
Scoring: All goals count as one.
Fouls: 6 team fouls for a shootout penalty. The foul count restarts at the half.
Overtime: Occurs only in playoff and championship matches. One 5 minute overtime. If tied after overtime 5 minutes, a Texas Shootout will be played. Teams will select 5 players to dribble up from the red line. The shooter has 5 seconds to release the ball. The ball is dead once the time limit is done and the ball hits the wall/net, or if the keeper gains possession. If tied after the 5 shots, the remaining dribble ups will be sudden death each round. A player can not shoot twice until every other player on the team shoots.
Youth Mercy Rule: If a team goes up by 6, their opponents may bring an extra player on the field until the score difference is below 6. If a team goes up by 6 or more the winning team will have to remove a player from the field and play down until the score difference is below 6.