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U-8

• Four vs. four; usually two games simultaneously
• Two twenty minute halves; short sub break midway in each half; five minutes at half.
• All kicks are indirect
• No goalies
• No penalty kicks
• No red/yellow cards
• Referee may instruct players how to do throw-ins, free kicks, spread out.
• Referee may allow many repeat throw-ins; eventually can be flexible if it’s close(r)
• On free kicks, six yard space (instead of the 10 yards for older divisions)
• Substitutions can be made on any stoppage

U-10

• Eight vs. Eight
• Two twenty-five minute halves; five minute half time.
• Offside loosely called
• Free kicks conform to FIFA Laws of the Game.
• No penalty kicks
• No red/yellow cards
• One warning for foul throw-ins
• On free kicks, six yard space
• Substitutions on own throw-in; at kickoffs; at goal kicks and with injuries.

The Field of Play
U-8s
Field is divided in half. There will be a goal box but no penalty area.

U-10s
There should be both a penalty area and goal box.

Both
There may or may not be corner flags. Areas include the lines that enclose those areas. For example, the penalty area includes the lines of the penalty area. Corner flags, goal posts, crossbar and referees are in the field of play. Balls bouncing off any of these are still in play. Balls bouncing off the referee (even into the goal) are in play.

Offside

• U-8’s: No offside
• U-10’s: Offside loosely called; the main idea is to prevent “poaching”

Penalty Kicks
Penalty kicks are not awarded in U-8 and U-10 Rec Divisions.

Red and Yellow Cards are not given out in U-8 and U-10 Rec divisions

Time Lost
There is no time added for injuries or stoppage in the U-8 and U-10 divisions.

Spectators and Coaches
Spectators and coaches must stand at least 3 feet back from the touchlines. Coaches, please move people back so that the referees have a clear line of sight along the touchlines.

Scores and Scoring

• Score is not kept in the U-8 division.
• Scores and standings are kept in the U-10 division.

General Rules

The Kickoff

• Ball must move forward; otherwise it’s a rekick
• Kicker cannot touch it twice, otherwise it’s an indirect kick to the other team
• In U-10, this is a Direct Free Kick. Therefore, a ball kicked into the goal is a goal.

Goals

• All of the Ball must legally travel across all of the goal line and between the posts and under the crossbar.

Throw-ins

• When: ball goes completely over the touchline. Throw-in to opposing team of player that last touched the ball.
• Both feet on the ground and on or behind the touchline.
• Ball must be held in both hands equally; ball must move from behind the head and over the head.
• If ball does not enter playing field: Re-throw.
• Foul throw: One extra chance at U-10, then other team gets throw-in. U-8’s unlimited.
• Defenders: Can stand six feet away in front of thrower, but cannot distract or try to interfere.
• There is no offside on a throw-in.
• Keeper cannot handle ball thrown directly to them from their own player.

Goal kicks

• When:  ball is last touched by attacking team and travels completely over the goal line.
• How:   ball may be placed anywhere in goalie box or roughly 6 yds out from goal line
• Opposing players must be outside the penalty area.
• Ball becomes live when it completely crosses out of the penalty area. If touched beforehand, rekick.
• There is no offside on a goal kick.

Corner kick

• When:  Ball is last touched by defending team and travels completely over the goal line.
• How:   Ball is placed inside corner flag within 1 yard of corner; flag cannot be moved.
• Defending team must give 6 yard distance.
• There is no offside on a corner kick.

What is offside?

• An attacking player is offside only if the player is at the moment the ball is last touched by a teammate:
• in the opponents half of the field
• in front of the ball
• closer to the goal than the second to last defender
• in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by
• playing the ball
• interfering with an opponent
• gaining an advantage by being in an offside position
• There is NO offside on 1/ throw-ins, 2/ goal kicks and 3/ corner kicks

The Ten Major Fouls (Careless, reckless or using excessive force)
            (Note: players at different age levels have differing levels of skill)

1. Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent
2. Trips or attempts to trip an opponent
3. Jumps at an opponent
4. Charges at an opponent
5. Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent
6. Pushes an opponent
7. Holds an opponent
8. Spits at an opponent (mandatory red card)
9. Deliberately handles the ball
10. Makes contact with an opponent before touching the ball while tackling an opponent for possession of the ball

The punishment for a major foul is a Direct Free Kick from the point of the infraction
(In U-8’s, all Free Kicks are Indirect!)

Penalty Kicks
Penalty kicks are awarded for Major Fouls committed in a player’s own penalty area.
There are no penalty kicks awarded in U-8 and U-10 Rec Divisions.

The Minor Fouls

1. Dangerous Play
2. Obstruction
3. Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball
4. Any other infraction not covered elsewhere
5. Goalkeeper taking more than six seconds to release ball
6. Touches the ball a second time after releasing it
7. Handling the ball if kicked back by teammate
8. Wasting time

The punishment for a minor foul is an Indirect Free Kick from the point of the infraction

Infractions in a player’s own goal area
Indirect free kick from the nearest point on the goal box; defending players can line up on the goal line (in competitive soccer, the rule is different than this for major fouls)

Red and Yellow Cards are not given out in U-8 and U-10 Rec divisions

Handball

• There is no such thing as a “hand ball”
• The foul is for deliberately handling the ball
• A player may cover their face or body to protect themself. It’s only handling the ball if they then move their hands and direct the ball.
• Remember: if the ball hits the hand, no foul; if the hand hits the ball, then it’s a foul.

The Advantage Rule
If the team that has been fouled has an advantage, a referee may choose to make the advantage signal (both hands swept out from the waist) and call out “advantage” or “play on.” If the advantage doesn’t materialize, the referee can stop play within 3 seconds.

If the Referee makes a Mistake
A referee can correct a mistake as long as play has not restarted.

Free Kicks (only Indirect Free Kicks in U-8)

• Ball must not be moving when free kicked. The ball is in play when it is touched and moved. Kicks other than kickoffs or penalty kicks can be in any direction
• Direct Free Kicks: can be kicked directly into goal (not in U-8)
• Indirect Free Kicks: must touch another player before going into goal
• If kicked into opposing goal: becomes goal kick
• If kicked into own goal: becomes corner kick
• A defending team does not have the “right” to form a wall. If the attacking team chooses to quick kick a ball, that is okay. If a defender who is within 6 yards interferes with the ball, rekick. If an attacking player asks for the referee’s help in getting the defenders to move 6 yards away, only then stop the game.
• Note: The referee signifies an IFK by raising one hand over head and keeping it up until ball touches another player.

Dropped Balls

• If play is stopped for any reason that doesn’t call for another type of restart, the referee will restart play with a dropped ball. Examples of these situations include:
• an injured player
• the referee stops play by mistake
• an outside agent touches the ball (a spectator touches the ball on the field)
• The referee asks for one player from each team. The ball must touch the ground before being touched by a player. A player may touch it twice. If a player touches the ball before it hits the ground or if the ball goes out of play before being touched, the ball is dropped again.
• (Note: there does not have to have a player from each team…for example, if one team had a clear advantage when play was stopped due to an injury, the referee may have just the other team be represented at the drop and teach them to kick the ball back to the other team as a sign of good sportsmanship.)

Rules for and about goalkeepers

• CYSA players cannot charge goalkeeper
• Keeper may dribble ball back into goal area and pick it up (as long as not originally passed by teammate)
• Keepers may dribble the ball (considered to be in the spirit of being in their possession)
• Location of the ball is what’s important, not where the goalkeeper or player is.
• Goalkeepers may not pick up balls passed back to them from their own teammates or from throw-ins by their teammates. The punishment is an IFK.

CYSA Safety Rules

• No casts, splints, jewelry, earrings (not even covered), watches: NO exceptions
• Uniforms: 5 S’s

• Shirt (tucked in), Shorts, Shoes, Shinguards (underneath) Socks
• Headgear IS allowed if ITOOTR** it is safe
• Players must give goalkeepers 1-yard space, no charging the keeper

TPSC Contact Information

www.tiburonsoccer.org (www.tpsl.org)
Telephone: 789-TILT
Email: please direct your inquiries to the addresses on the TPSC page.
            otherwise, general inquiries to: 
Webmaster:
Post Office Box 514
Tiburon, CA 94920