INTRODUCTION and DEFINITIONS

Welcome to the La Mesa Indoor soccer facility. We have written this rulebook to provide a basis for good competition and a safe, enjoyable experience for all players. We appreciate your input; if you have comments, additions or corrections, please tell us or e-mail the manager at lamesaindoor@sbcglobal.net. The following explanations of some common terms are general, not technical; they are intended to be helpful to players and coaches. After you finish reading, have a great game!!

A Bench Penalty is a time penalty given to a team where no specific player is recorded as serving the penalty. A team, coach, or spectator may cause a bench penalty and the team must play short.

Boarding is pushing, charging, or crowding an opponent into the perimeter wall. What might be a legal shoulder charge in the middle of the field may be boarding if it runs an opponent into the wall.

Dead Ball refers to the situation when the ball is out of bounds or out of play due to a stoppage of any kind

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Delay of Game is called when a player or team is deliberately trying to slow down the progress of the game. Holding the ball after a goal and kicking away the ball after a foul are examples of delay of game.

Double Touch is the violation that occurs when a player taking a kickoff or restart plays the ball a second time before it is touched by another player, (teammate or opponent). You cannot double touch the ball on a kickoff or restart (including goalkeeper throw in) even if it hits the wall or referee before it comes back to you.

A Hand Ball is a foul that is called when a player intentionally hits the ball with his hand or arm or when it is unintentional but causes a direct advantage for said player. A player may not deliberately carry, strike, or propel the ball with his hand or arm. (Except the goalkeeper inside his own arch.) A player who prevents a goal being scored by intentionally handling the ball is given a time penalty, and a shootout is awarded. A hand ball is added to a team’s six foul count, provided no time penalty is awarded.

An Individuals’ Team is a team put together by the facility. The team is usually made up of individuals looking for a team to play on. A parent for the youth teams or a player for the adult teams usually helps with the coaching and team contact duties.

Misconduct is any inappropriate behavior by a player, coach, or spectator (on or off the field) as determined by the referee, timekeeper, or facility staff. Examples of misconduct are but not limited to: door-slamming, board-kicking on the bench, or inappropriate remarks toward any player, coach, spectator, referee, timekeeper, facility staff, or even a teammate.

Obstruction is impeding the progress of an opponent when not being able to play the ball yourself. You are obstructing if you run between your opponent and the ball or use your body as an obstacle but cannot play the ball yourself. The male three touch rule for coed and the double touch rule after a kickoff or restart are examples of where you can be within playing distance of the ball, but not legally be able to play the ball.

Offsides is crossing the mid line early on a kickoff or shootout. Players may not cross the line on a kickoff until the ball has been played, or on a shootout until the referee’s whistle.

Shadowing the Goalkeeper is a foul that occurs when a player follows the opposing goalkeeper around inside his arch and obstructs the goalkeeper from the play. There is usually physical contact towards the goalkeeper.

Shielding is a legal play where a player protects the ball from an opponent using his body. Shielding is not a foul and is not obstruction. To be legally shielding a player must be within playing distance of the ball and be eligible to play the ball. A player who is not eligible or moves out of playing distance of the ball is guilty of obstuction.

A team is short handed when they have fewer players on the field than their opponent. A team can be playing short (have less than the maximum number of players on the field) and not be short handed.

Two Leagues Exception. A player who receives a minimum red card suspension, (remainder of game when card is given and next game), is only suspended from playing for that team. If the player is also on a team in another league, and that team plays on the same day he receives the red card, he may stay in the building and play for the other team.

Violent Conduct is physical force that injures or abuses any individual or arena property. Violent Conduct is also any verbally or physically threatening demeanor towards any individual.