Delaware Recreational Soccer Club:
Adult Soccer League
START DATE April 7 to May 12
Program Description
Delaware Recreational Soccer Club
Adult League
We are excited to let you know that we will be having our 3rd season of Adult Soccer in the DSC program.
The DRSC Adult Recreational Soccer Program provides both men and women with an opportunity to have some fun and get some exercise while playing soccer!
This program is designed for adults (18 or older) who want to play in a co-ed, recreational atmosphere.
We will be following our outline that we set up in the Fall, a "Drop In Style" games as teams will be balanced with an equal number of Competitive, Intermediate
and Recreational players every Sunday as they arrive at the field. This makes things a bit easier for players that can not commit to every wk. Please make sure to bring a dark and a light colored shirt.
Games will be 7v7, or 9V9 depending on how many adults show up to play that day. 7V7 consisting of 6 field players and a goalie, 9V9 consisting of 8 players and a goalie.
The DRSC Adult league plays one game each week…
Sunday afternoons at either 2p, or 3p . We will let you know once we have the full schedule.
The season opens on April 7 to May 12 giving you a 6 game season. Games will be played at Mingo Park. Games consist of two 25-minute halves and a 5 minute half-time break. There will be a running clock maintained by the referee who will only stop the clock during injury time-out. The adult program uses a size 5 soccer ball.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to seeing you guys out there!
Rules and Regulations
· The Delaware Recreational Soccer Club takes safety very seriously.
o To best assure the safety of all players, slide tackling is not permitted. That said, a player may slide to make a play on the ball, provided there are no other players within playing distance of the ball
o A player must wear shin guards in order to play or enter a game
o Players must play safely and responsibly.
o Problem players will be banned. Register for this program only if you are willing to comply with all rules
· The team that wins the coin toss at the start of the game will have first choice to kick-off, or choose a goal to defend. The referee will choose who calls the toss or odd/even selection.
· There is no limit to the amount of substitutions each team can make. All substitute players must notify the referee before entering the game, there is no substituting “on the fly.” Substitutions may occur during any stoppage of play, such as: Throw-ins, goal kick, corner kick, or after a goal is scored.
· Anytime the ball goes out of bounds over either sideline, a throw- in will ensue. The person throwing in the ball must throw the ball overhead with both hands and keep both feet remaining on the ground out-of-bounds until the ball is released.
· Anytime the ball crosses an endline, a corner kick or goal kick will ensue. Last touched by a defender results in a corner kick. Ball is placed on nearest corner and kicked in by offensive team. Goals may be scored directly on corner kicks. Last touched by attacker results in a goal kick by the defense.
· If the ball strikes the outstretched arm of any player it will result in a free kick for the opposing team. This is up to the discretion of the referee. If a shot from the offensive team is within the frame of the goal and strikes the arm or is blocked by the arm of a defensive player, this will result in a penalty kick. This is also up to the discretion of the referee. Yellow/red card may be given for intentionally blocking a goal with hands.
· Any touching, threatening or abusive language and behavior towards the referee will deem suspension from the league. If needed, the Police will be called and reports filed. Any abuse towards the referee will not be tolerated and action taken accordingly.
· Yellow cards are given by the referee for any act that can disrupt the flow of the game. This includes aggressive or reckless play, profanity, intentional hand balls, kicking the ball far out of bounds to run the clock, etc. Referees will use their best discretion, as yellow cards are a last resort to be sure the rules are being followed. Any player receiving 3 yellow cards in the regular season will be suspended for one game. Additionally, two yellows in one game results in a red card.
· If a player receives a red card or 2 yellow cards in the same game, they will be disqualified from the current game and must leave the park. Their team must play down a player for the remainder of the game and may not substitute for that player. The red carded player will be suspended for one game and will not be allowed at the fields the following week.
· Swearing or cursing at yourself or someone else may result in yellow or red card subject to referee discretion.
· While uniforms are preferred, we understand that not every team will have one. However, we do expect teams to be color coordinated. Players may be asked to change shirts if the color they are wearing is conflicting with the flow of the game.
· Consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted at any of Delaware’s parks/fields
· At the Referee's discretion, he/she can ask any player to remove jewelry they feel is not safe for play. Failure to comply could result in a Red Card.
· Neither fans, players or coaches are permitted to ridicule or intimidate the refs…the refs control the game…the coaches facilitate the play…the players play the game…the fans enjoy the game…and EVERYONE supports the players, the teams, coaches and the refs.
· Fans must observe the game on the sideline that is opposite from the players and coaches.
· Fans, players and coaches are not permitted to observe the game from an end-line.
· Players, coaches, fans and refs must comply with the DSA’s Code Of Conduct.
· Coaches can make substitutions on a) any corner kick, b) your team’s throw-in, c) Your opponent’s throw-in if they are sending in a sub (but not if your opponent isn’t subbing on their throw-in), d) goal kicks, e) kick-offs from mid field (following a goal) and f) 1:1 following an injury if the injured player leaves the field.
· To begin play, opponents must be a) on their own half of the field and b) outside the center circle and may not cross either until the ball is kicked. Kicking team must be on their own half, but may be anywhere on the field in their half. The ball can be kicked off forward or backward but can’t be touched a 2nd time by the initial kicker until touched by another player. Re-start if necessary. Multiple infractions may result in an indirect kick being awarded to the opponents.
· To score, the ball must completely cross the line in the goal…do NOT run up the score against your opponent.
· If one team goes ahead by 4 goals, they must pull one player off the field. If that team scores again (ie now up by 5 goals) they must pull a second player off the field. If they’re scored on (now up by 4 goals) they can put one player back on the field. If they’re scored on again (now up by 3 goals) they can put the other player back on the field so that both teams are again at full strength. This same process will continue back and forth if one team goes up by 4 again. If a team is more than 5 goals ahead, they do not need to pull any more players off the field, but they must introduce some internal team procedures such as: players must score with their weak foot, etc.
· All flagrant fouls will be called by the referee unless the referee chooses to apply ‘advantage’ in situations where the team fouled maintains possession, a promising attack may ensue, and the player fouled is not seriously injured.
· The time indicated on your schedule is the time when your GAME STARTS on the large junior fields. Please be ready to begin your game promptly at that time.
The most commonly invoked rules in soccer:
· If the defending team plays the ball over its own end line, the attacking team puts the ball back in play with a “corner kick.”
· If the attacking team plays the ball over the defending team’s end line, a “goal kick” is awarded. A goal kick is taken from anywhere inside the goal area (small box) by any player on the defending team. The goal kick is ‘in play’ once it is kicked and clearly moves. No opponents are allowed inside the penalty area until the ball is in play.
· No field player may deliberately touch the ball with their hands. If the ball inadvertently touches a player’s hands it may not be a foul—at the sole discretion of the referee. When a “hand ball” is called, the opposing team is awarded a “direct kick” (the team can score directly from the kick, without the ball having to be touched by another player) at the point of the infraction.
· In the event of an inadvertent (in the opinion of the referee) handball in the penalty area, play may continue. A deliberate hand ball in the box results in a “penalty kick” which is a free kick taken from the penalty spot. Generally in DRSC, only a flagrant foul or handball in the penalty area will result in a penalty kick, at the sole discretion of the referee.
· When a player is taking a penalty kick, all other players must be outside the penalty area and behind the penalty mark. For all other awarded free kicks, defending players must be at least 10 yards away from the where the ball is being kicked but the team taking the kick can be as close to the ball as they want to be.
· A player is in an offside position if, while in the attacking half of the field, he/she is a) not in possession of the ball, and b) closer to the opposing goal line than both the ball and the 2nd last opponent when a teammate last touches the ball. Offsides is only called when the offside player a) plays or attempts to play the ball, b) interferes w/ an opponent or c) if the offside player gains any advantage from his offside position in the sole opinion of the referee. An “indirect kick” (the team can’t score without the ball having first been touched by another player) is awarded where the player is called for an offside violation. Remember that a player EVEN with the 2nd last opponent is Onside
· “Direct kicks” are awarded at the site of the infraction for handballs, tripping, kicking, pushing, holding, violently charging, or impeding an opponent with contact. A player kicking the ball while he/she is on the ground if other players are near the ball is considered to be creating a “dangerous play,” as is a player high-kicking in proximity of—but not making contact with--any other player. Restart is an indirect kick.
· Flagrant and/or intentional ‘personal’ or handling fouls shall result in direct kicks…flagrant and/or intentional fouls inside the penalty area shall result in a penalty kick. Non-flagrant and/or unintentional fouls inside or outside the penalty area may not be called—at the discretion of the referee. All fouls should be explained clearly.
· A “dropped ball” is awarded at the spot of last touch whenever the ref is uncertain of possession, after an injury stoppage, or when the ball strikes a ref—remains in play—and either changes possession, a goal is scored, or a goal scoring opportunity is created. The dropped ball is awarded at the spot it touched the ref to the team that last touched it before it struck the ref. If, when play was stopped, the ball was in the penalty area—or was last touched in the penalty area—the dropped ball goes to the defending goalkeeper.
· Heading the ball is permitted.
· The keeper may NOT handle the ball with his/her hands if it was intentionally kicked back to him by a teammate. If so, the opposing team receives an indirect kick from the spot where the keeper handled the ball. If the ball ricochets back to the keeper off a teammate, then he may pick up the ball with his/her hands.