Turf Soccer (6-on-6)

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Turf Soccer (6 vs. 6) Rules

SPIRIT POINTS: An integral part of all the sports that the Ottawa Sport & Social Club offers. It is based on the primary focus of the OSSC, which is sportsmanship and to have FUN...NOT on competitive and aggressive sport.

1. Equipment/Set-Up: Team captains are responsible for bringing the provided Wilson soccer ball to all of their game sites. All teams should bring both a light and dark colored shirt to all games.

2. Game Time/Default: Please arrive at least 15 minutes early so that games will start on time. Games are 55 minutes in length. There is no stoppage for halftime and teams do not switch sides. Games CANNOT finish late (even if your game starts late!). Teams are comprised of six (6) players with a minimum of two (2) of each gender. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 10 minutes past the official start time. A team can play with a minimum of 4 people, as long as two (2) of the players are women and two (2) are men. Women may play any position on the court. Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum players but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!

3. General Rules: In general, standard soccer rules apply to all OSSC games. Notable exceptions are listed below:

1. Teams are comprised of 6 players (including goalie) with min. of 2 of each gender on field.
2. The game begins with one team initiating play by making a pass from the centre of the field (forward or backward).
   Player substitutions can be made at anytime (i.e. changing on the fly is allowed). However, please ensure that the player coming off has completely entered the team area before the new player joins the action and the change does not disrupt the flow of the game. Goalies cannot change on the fly - please wait for a stoppage in play before substituting goalies.
3. A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a player’s arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the shoulder). In addition players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area, and women can also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest. This rule will reduce the number of stoppages in play. Please don’t abuse this rule.
4. All free kicks are indirect. To score off an indirect kick, the ball must be touched by another player (offense or defense, but not the goalie). This is a modification of the original rule to deter players from blasting the ball at the goal in an attempt to hit the ball off the goalie and into the net. Defensive players cannot be within 3 feet of the ball when an indirect kick is being taken.
5. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the sidelines, a kick-in is awarded to the opposite team. There will be NO throw-ins at any time.
6. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the offence, a goal kick is awarded to the defending team.
7. If a ball is kicked out of bounds along the goal line by the defense, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team.
8. The offending player should call their own infractions, however any players involved with the incident can also make a call. Players not on the court at the time of any incident CANNOT make a call at any time.
9. Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out if needed, except in the final 10 minutes of play.
10. If a ball hits the top or sides of the Bubble, an indirect kick is awarded to the opposite team. The ball should be placed at the spot on the field that is closest to where the ball made contact with the Bubble. i.e. directly underneath the point at which the ball hit the ceiling and on the sidelines for balls that hit the side of the Bubble.

4. Slide Tackling: Even if contact is made with the ball first, slide tackling is not allowed under any circumstances. As well, no players (with the exception of the goalie) can slide to block a shot or pass at any time.

5. Scoring: To score a goal, the ENTIRE ball must pass over the goal line and into the net. If a discrepancy arises as to whether the ball was in or not, the person deemed to have the "best perspective" will ultimately make the call. Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated, co-ed, social league, so any arguments or disputes should be kept to a minimum.

6. Off-sides: There are NO off-sides. However, a strategy of consistently "cherry-picking" is considered to be unsportsmanlike.

7. Goalies:

• Goalies can use their hands ONLY when they are inside the lined goalie crease.
• When inside the goal crease, a goalie CANNOT pick up a ball with his/her hands if the ball has been played back on purpose to the goalie by a player on his/her team. This includes all forms of passing and kick-ins. The only exception is if the player directs the ball back to the goalie with their head - in this case the goalie CAN pick the ball up with his/her hands. A violation of this rule results in an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the goalie inappropriately used their hands.
• A goalie can "roam" as far from their goal as they want, but once outside their lined crease, the goalie CANNOT use their hands at any time.

8. Rough Play: ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER LEAGUE PLAY AND MAY RESULT IN LIFETIME LEAGUE EXPULSION. PLEASE SEE THE OSSC POLICY SHEET FOR OUR OFFICIAL POLICY ON THIS SUBJECT. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable – however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.

9. Playoffs: Games are 50 mins in length. A game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a three-minute sudden death overtime period. If still tied, a shoot-out will commence; five of the players on the floor at the end of the game takes one shot each at a distance of ten paces. Only the players on the court at the end of the game can participate and the goalie that finished the game remains the goalie for the shoot-out. After five shots, if still tied, teams continue taking single shots until one team has scored (and the other team does not). The order of shooters must be maintained.