For complete Instructions for U-8 and U-10 Referees, click HERE...

1. Use these games as an opportunity to teach rules and some basic skills.

2. Generally, ONE retake is allowed on a bad throw-in before giving the restart to the other team.

3. Fouls are called as in the FIFA Laws of the Game, with ONE exception. There are no penalty kicks. Instead, when there is a foul in the penalty area, the kick will be direct but placed as it would be for an indirect free kick in the penalty area. (If in the goal box, the ball shall be placed on the 6 yard line and the defensive team will be allowed to form a wall on the goal line.)

4. Red and Yellow cards are NOT used in U-10 Rec. In extreme circumstances, a referee may ask a coach to sub out a player who needs a "time out."

5. A "loose" offside rule is enforced, mainly to prevent poaching (a player significantly offside who, in the opinion of the referee, gains an unfair advantage by being in that position). Referees and parents should take into account the developing skills at this level--a player who is marginally offside will not usually have the skills to be able to convert this position into an advantage.

6. The teams on the field consist of 8 players per team.

7. 25 minute halves with a 5 minute half-time.

8. Games may be refereed by a licensed center referee or coach, with volunteer 'club referees' (parents) as linesmen who will ONLY call out of bounds. Some games may have TPSC "Referees in Training" who will be sideline assistant referees. Licensed referees who work with this RITs should consider themselves teachers and use this as an opportunity to help the RITs learn their AR duties AND as an opportunity to develop their own skills of working with ARs (running a diagonal, communication, positioning, etc).