LAW 1 - The Field EPLW fields have been laid out according to all applicable regulations except for size. The size of the fields has been adjusted to match the endurance of the age group which uses that field most often.
LAW 2 - The Ball The ball must be round with a circumference of 27”-28” for regulation adult play. The weight should be 14-16 oz. This is a “Size 5” ball. For medium sized children Size 4 is often used (age 7 - 12). The circumference is 25”-26” and the weight is 12-14 oz. For very small children a size 3 ball is often used (ages 4-7). The circumference is 23”-25” and the weight is 10-12 oz.
LAW 3 - Number of Players Play may begin with a maximum of 11 players on the field (9 players for 6-7, 4 players for age 4-5) from each team. A minimum of 8 players (6 players for ages 6-7, 3 players for age 4-5) for each team will be allowed, one of whom must be the goalkeeper. (Note ~~The 4-5 year olds are not to use a goalkeeper.) Games will begin with the same number of players from each team on the field. Should a team not be able to field the least amount of players, that team forfeit’s the game.
LAW 4 - Player Equipment The usual uniform of the soccer player is a jersey, shorts, calf socks, shin guards and shoes. Nothing potentially injurious to another player may be worn. All jewelry is considered dangerous. Referees do not have any leeway on jewelry below the highest level of professional play. No jewelry should be allowed, period, in any youth or amateur play. Cleats are normally rubber, plastic, aluminum or leather. The goalkeeper must wear a different jersey color than the field players. Shin guards must give a reasonable degree of protection.
Shirt, shorts and socks are supplied by EPLW. Shin guards and shoes are the responsibility of the player. Shirts must be tucked in and the entire uniform must be visible at all times. In cool weather, sweats may be worn under the uniform. Shin guards must be worn during all practices and games, and must be under the socks. If sweat pants are worn, socks must be outside.
Non-billed, soft knit hats are permitted during cold weather. They may not have any hard buttons or pins attached. No jewelry, such as earrings, hair clasps, bracelets or watches may be worn. Hair can be kept out of the face with rubber/cloth hair bands. Sneakers may be worn. Cleated shoes , if worn must be made of approved materials. No toe cleats will be allowed.
Uniforms shirts and shorts will be returned to the coach at the end of the last game of the season. Socks will be kept by the player. If uniform is not returned, player will not receive any awards that may be available.
Casts: If a player has a cast, it is not recommended by the association that the child play. If the child does play, a written note form the player’s physician, giving consent to play, Must be available for every game and practice in order for the child to play. The cast must be wrapped as to cause no harm to any other player, the referee will make the decision on the cast wrapping.
LAW 5 - The Referee The referee is in charge of all game activity and is to make sure each team abides by the Laws of the Game. He is to stop, suspend, or terminate a match as appropriate. His decisions are final. It is the referee’s responsibility to keep the game clock, and enforce proper game conduct by players, substitutes, and team officials. He can send off players or others who commit an act of misconduct. His authority extends from the time he arrives in the area of the field to the time he leaves the area. Cards can only be shown to players and substitutes, and only during the match. Other cautions and send offs are done without showing a card, but count the same as if a card had been shown.
Teams aged 4 - 5 will use a Coach from each team on the field. Teams 6-7 will use an Assistant Coach from each team on the field. Team ages 8-11: 1 adult (over 18 years old) and 1 junior (age 12-17) or 2 adults will be assigned to these games. Teams ages 12 -18: 2 adults will be assigned to these games. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the referee assignor
LAW 6 Assistant Referee If used, tow Assistant Referees are appointed, whose duties subject to the decision of the referee, are to indicate when the whole of the ball has passed out of the field of play, which side is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick, or throw-in. also when a player may be penalized for being in an offside position, when a substitutions is requested, when misconduct or any other incident has occurred out of the view of the referee. When offences have been committed whenever the assistants are closer to the actions than the referee (this includes, in particular circumstances, offences committed in the penalty area) and whether, at penalty kicks, the goalkeeper has moved forward before the ball has been kicked and if the ball has crossed the line.
LAW 7 Game Duration Teams age 4 -5 will play quarters, each quarter will be 8 minutes in length. The rest of the league will play halves. For teams age 6-7 & 8-9, each half will be 25 minutes long. For teams 10-11, each half will be 30 minutes long. For teams age 12-15, each half will be 35 minutes long. There will be a break of approximately 5 minutes at halftime. Time duration of halves may be reduced only by common consent of the referees and both head coaches. This options should only be used in cases of inclement weather arising during the play of the game.
When an injury occurs that the referee determines to be serious, play will be stopped. The clock will not be stopped for an injury on the field unless, in the opinion of the referees, it would be harmful to the injured player to remove him/her from the field prior to medical personnel arriving upon the scene. Coaches are only permitted to enter the field to attend an injured player with permission from the referee. The injured player must then be removed from the field of play until the next official stoppage of play.
Should an injury occur where blood is present the following steps will be taken:
--The player must be removed from the playing field (if possible). The bleeding must be stopped and the open wound covered. If there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform it must be replaced with another shirt/short before the player may be allowed back on the field.
**Proper procedures should be followed in the care of blood (immediately wash hands, use rubber gloves).
LAW 8 Start of Play A flip of a coin, called by the visiting team will give the winner of the flip the choice of which goal to defend. The other team will take the kick-off to start the match.
Each team must stay in its own half of the field and the defending players must be at least 10 yards from the ball until it is kicked. The ball must roll forward from the kickoff before being touched by any other player, it may not be kicked backwards from the center line at the kick-off.
After a goal is scored, the team scored upon will kick off from their side of the field. At half time, the teams will change ends of the field and the opposite team will kickoff for the second half. A goal can be scored directly from a kick-off.
LAW 9 In and Out of Play After the whole ball completely crosses the touch line or goal line, either on the ground or in the air, it is out of play. Any ball striking the referee, goal post, or corner post and remaining on the field is in play. The line itself is in bounds, and the ball is out of play (or a goal is scored) only when all of the ball is completely past the outer edge of the line. If any part of the ball is still touching any part of the line (extended from the ground up into the sky), it is still in play. The ball is out of play when the game has been stopped by the referee.
LAW 10 Method of Scoring A goal is scored when the entire ball has passed over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the cross bar. A goal is not scored if the referees’ whistle sounds (for any reason such as a foul by the offensive team, end of the time period, etc.). Before the ball goes wholly across the goal line, regardless of whether the ball is on the ground or in the air headed in that direction. The ball is dead as soon as the whistle blows.
LAW 11 Offside It is not an offense in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second to last opponent (counting the keeper, if he is one of the two defenders closest to the goal line). A player is not offside when in his own half of the field of play. The referee is to call an offside infraction only if, in his judgment, the player in an offside position when the ball is played or touched by a teammate, interferes with play, interferes with another player, or gains an advantage by being in that position. There is no offside offense if a player receives the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw in, or a corner kick. When offside is called, the defending team is awarded an indirect free kick from where the infringement occurred.
LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offenses in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or by using excessive force, kicks or attempts to kick, trips or attempts to trip, jumps at, charges, strikes or attempts to strike, or pushes an opponent.
A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following four offenses: tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball, holds an opponent, spits at an opponent, or handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area).
A direct free kick is taken from where the offense occurred. A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offenses is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.
An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following five offenses: takes more than six seconds while controlling the ball with his hands before releasing it from his possession, touches the ball again with his hands after it has been released from his possession and has not touched any other player, touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate, touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw in taken by a teammate, or wastes time.
An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player, in the opinion of the referee: plays in a dangerous manner, impedes the progress of an opponent, prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands, or commits any other offense, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player. The indirect free kick is taken from where the offense occurred.
A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he commits any of the following seven offenses: is guilty of unsporting behavior, shows dissent by word or action, persistently infringes the Laws of the Game, delays the restart of play, fails to respect the required distance when play is restarted with a corner kick or free kick, deliberately leaves the field of play without the referee’s permission, enters or re-enters the field of play without the referee’s permission.
A cautioned player shall leave the field and may be replaced. Should the team with the cautioned player elect to play shorthanded, the cautioned player may not re-enter nor be replaced until the next legal substitution opportunity. An indirect free kick shall be awarded to the non offending team from the spot of the ball, unless the game had been stopped for some other reason calling for a different restart.
A player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offenses: is guilty of serious foul play, is guilty of violent conduct, spits at an opponent or any other person, denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area), denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or penalty kick, uses offensive or insulting or abusive language and/or gestures, or receives a second caution in the same match.
A penalty kick is awarded if, while the ball is in play the goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, strikes or attempts to strike an opponent by throwing the ball at him.
A player who commits a cautionable or sending off offense, either on or off the field of play, whether directed towards an opponent, a teammate, the referee, an assistant referee or any other person, is disciplined according to the nature of the offense committed.
The goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball by touching it with any part of his hand or arms. Possession of the ball includes the goalkeeper deliberately parrying the ball, but does not include the circumstances where, in the opinion of the referee, the ball rebounds accidentally from the goalkeeper, for example after he has made a save. The goalkeeper is considered to be guilty of time-wasting if he holds the ball in his hands or arms for more than 5-6 seconds.
LAW 12 Fouls and Misconduct (continued) Subject to the terms of Law 12, a player may pass the ball to his own goalkeeper using his head or chest or knee, etc. if, however, in the opinion of the referee, a player uses a deliberate trick while the ball is in play in order to circumvent the Law, the player is guilty of unsporting behavior. He is cautioned, shown the yellow card and an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team from the place where the infringement occurred.
A player using a deliberate trick to circumvent the Law while taking a free kick, is cautioned for unsporting behavior and shown the yellow card. The free kick is retaken.
A tackle from behind which endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Upon receiving a red card the player will be ejected from the game by the referee and will be required to sit quietly on the sideline with their team for the remainder of that game, and is required to sit out the next game. The player must attend the next game in uniform. The player may not be wandering around the grounds during that game. Should the player fail to attend the next team game, the suspension will extend to the next game the player attends.
Replacement of an ejected player is not permitted for the duration of the current game. That team will complete the game one player short.
LAW 13 Free Kicks For both direct and indirect free kicks, the ball must be stationary when the kick is taken and the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player. If a direct free kick is kicked directly into the opponent’s goal, a goal is awarded. If a direct free kick is kicked directly into the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
The referee indicates an indirect free kick by raising his arm above his head. He maintains his arm in that position until the kick has been taken and the ball has touched another player or goes out of play. A goal can be scored only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal. If an indirect free kick is kicked directly into he opponent’s goal a goal kick is awarded. If an indirect free kick is kicked directly into the team’s own goal a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
Direct or indirect free kick to the defending team: A free kick awarded in the goal area is taken from any point inside that area and all opponents are at least 9.15m (10 yds.) from the ball and will remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play. The ball is in play when it is kicked directly beyond the penalty area.
LAW 14 Penalty Kick A penalty kick is a direct free kick taken at the penalty mark. All players except the player taking the kick and the goalkeeper must be behind the ball and stay outside the penalty area and at least 10 yards from the ball (hence the arc at the edge of the penalty area). The goalkeeper may move laterally.
LAW 15 Throw In When the ball has wholly crossed the touch line (sideline), it is put back into play by a throw in from the spot where it left the field and by a player from the opposite team that last touched it. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in. A player cannot be called offside if they receive the ball directly from a throw in.
The ball must be thrown from behind the head, directly over the head using both hands, and in one continuous motion. The ball should have little or no spin or rotation when thrown with equal pressure from both hands. Both feet shall remain on the ground, on or behind the touchline. If the throw in is not completed successfully, the ball is then turned over to the opposing team for a throw-in.
Only the teams in the 4-5 year old and the 6-7 year old groups will be given a second chance at a throw in, if necessary. All other ages will be given one chance only should the ball not enter the field of play, the throw in will be awarded to the opposition.
LAW 16 Goal Kicks When the ball has wholly crossed the goal line after being last touched by a player from the attacking team, it is put back into play by a kick from the goal area by the defending team. The ball can be kicked from anywhere in the goal area. All attacking team players must be outside the penalty area when the ball is kicked and must remain outside the penalty area until the ball has wholly passed out of the penalty area. The ball cannot be touched by any player from either team until it has wholly passed out of the penalty area. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team if the ball is not kicked directly into play beyond the penalty area then the kick is retaken. The kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player.
LAW 17 Corner Kicks A corner kick is awarded when the whole of the ball , having last touched a player of the defending team, passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, and a goal is not scored. The ball is placed inside the corner arc at the nearest corner flag post, the corner flag post is not moved and opponents remain at least 9/15m (10 yds.) from the ball until it is in play. The ball is kicked by a player of the attacking team and is in play when it is kicked and moves. The kicker does not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player. A player cannot be called offside on a corner kick if he receives the ball directly.
EPLW RULE 1 Playing Time All players who are present at the start of the game, must play at least half of the game. Exceptions may be made for physical limitations, player’s willingness , injuries, or red card situations. Referees must be made aware of these situations prior to the start of play. Players may not play in the goalkeeper position for more than half of the game.
EPLW RULE 2 Substitutions Coaches may make substitutions on their own team’s throw in, on either teams goal kick, to replace an injured player, or before a kickoff after a goal has been scored.
Coaches may not send a substitute on to the field until the referee motions for the substitute to enter the game. The coach must make the referee aware that a player wishes to make the substitution prior to the current play. Substitution without the referee’s knowledge is a cautionable offense.
EPLW RULE 3 Goalie Possession The goalkeeper is said to have possession of the ball when in control of the ball. Should any player from the opposing team charge or touch the goalkeeper, a foul will be called and a direct kick awarded to the goalkeeper’s team.
EPLW RULE 4 Four Goal Lead Should a team be dominant enough to obtain a four goal lead at any time during a game, the coach will be required to reposition at least two of the players from the front line. It is recommended that the leading scorers be repositioned or substituted.
EPLW RULE 5 No Slide Tackles Slide Tackles are not allowed at any time. The result will be a direct kick if outside the penalty area, and a penalty kick inside the area. The ball is to be placed at the point of the infraction and to be put in play by any player on the affected team. Slide tackles do apply to goalkeepers. Inside the box the goalkeeper is not allowed to slide cleat first into a player that has control of the ball (at the referee discretion). Outside the penalty area the goalkeeper is not allowed to slide tackle, same as a regular player, with the same penalties applying.
EPLW RULE 6 Spectator Area No spectators or coaches may position themselves at the goal line. Spectators and substitute players may position themselves no closer than four feet from the touch line. Coaches should also follow this rule. Coaches may not be positioned on the opponents touch line, nor may spectators be positioned there for coaching purposes.
EPLW RULE 7 Behavior/Adults loud, boisterous and obnoxious behavior will not be tolerated. EPLW referees have the right to dismiss adults who are deemed unruly. Coaches shall control their fan, and are responsible for their fans behavior. If the head coach has been warned, and has been removed from the game, the assistant coach will take over his responsibilities. Continued obnoxious behavior will warrant the suspension or termination of the game. Commissioners and/or Board Members shall be notified as soon as safely possible.