MYSA COACH AND PARENT GUIDE

Only the coach and one assistant coach are allowed on the team side of the field for each team. Fans must be on the opposite side of the field. If a fan line is present, sit behind it. If not, allow approximately one to two yards space between the fans and the field line. No one is allowed behind the goals. 

MYSA has adapted a Zero-Tolerance Policy for yelling at players or refs. Cheer on your team, but leave the coaching to the coaches, and refereeing to the refs. If you try to coach from the sidelines, you may counter what the coach is trying to teach them, which will only confuse the players.

MYSA fields are smoke-free. All smoking, including electronic smoking devices, is limited to the parking lots.

All players must wear shin guards during all soccer practices and games. They need to be under socks and not exposed. Uniform socks must be worn during games. Cleats are highly suggested, but must be soccer cleats (not having a spike at the front of the shoe).  No jewelry or hair accessories with hard parts are allowed, except for medical alert jewelry, which have to be secured prior to play. Only prescription glasses are allowed. Jackets with no hoods or tucked in can be worn under the jersey during play. Goalkeepers must wear a different colored jersey than their teammates and opponents. Incorrect or faulty equipment must be corrected prior to being able to play. Shirts should be tucked in. Refs must check these things before every game. Send a drink with your child for hydration during games and practices. 

PLAYERS MUST HAVE A PARENT OR GUARDIAN AT THE FIELD AT THE END OF EVERY PRACTICE AND GAME.

KYSA rules state, “Each player shall play a minimum of 50% of the total playing time.” Exceptions of injuries or illnesses may occur. In some cases, especially in the younger leagues, a coach may have a situation where a child refuses to enter the game or goes to the bathroom when it is their turn to go in. 

During a kick-off, all players are in their own half of the field, except the kicker, and opponents must be at least 10 yards (or outside the center circle for smaller fields) from the ball until the ball is in play by being kicked, and it clearly moves (any direction). The kicker cannot touch the ball a second time until another player has touched it. If this occurs, the opposing team is awarded an indirect free kick from the spot of the second touch. A goal may be scored directly from the kick-off [except in U6 and U8 for MYSA (concussion prevention)].

Handling, or handballs, may only be called when the team of the offending player receives the advantage. When the other team gets the ball, receiving the advantage, no call is needed. This call is up to the discretion of the referee.

Soccer is a contact sport. There will be trips. If both players are going for the ball causing a trip, a call may not be made, due to both players playing the ball. If a player trips another when both are not going for the ball, a call could be made when the advantage is checked.

When a player is hurt on the field, play can only stop when the team of the injured has possession of the ball, when the injured player is in danger of continued play, or by the referee’s discretion, is seriously hurt. No one can enter on the field until the referee blows his whistle for play to stop. Play resumes with a drop ball.

Scoring: The ball must have completely crossed the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar, even if it is in the goal keeper’s hands when it crosses the line. If there is an extra attacker, coach, or any unauthorized person on the field of play prior to a goal being scored, the goal does not count.

The line is part of the field. The ball must be completely over the line to be out of play. If a ball rebounds off of the goalposts, crossbar, corner flag, or any referees who are in the field of play and remains in bounds it is still in play.

Corner kicks must be in the corner arc and taken by any player. All opponents must remain 10 yards (or the same distance as the radius of the center circle for smaller fields) away from the arc. The kicker cannot kick the ball a second time prior to being touched by another player. The ball is in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.

THIS RULE WILL SOON BE EDITED; THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE LATE 2021.  Goal kicks can be taken anywhere in the goal area by any player of the defending team and must be kicked beyond the penalty area before being touched to be in play. All opposing players must remain outside of the penalty area. The kicker cannot kick the ball a second time prior to being touched by another player.

Substitution Procedure: “To replace a player with a substitute, the following conditions must be observed:

· The referee must be informed before any proposed substitution is made

· The substitute only enters the field of play after the player being replaced has left and after receiving a signal from the referee

· The substitute only enters the field of play at the halfway line and during a stoppage in the match

· The substitution is completed when a substitute enters the field of play”

Changing the Goalkeeper: “Any of the other players may change places with the goalkeeper, provided that:

· The referee is informed before the change is made

· The change is made during a stoppage in the match”

If the referee has to stop the match due to a caution administered for incorrect substitution procedures of a regular player or goalkeeper, the restart is an indirect free kick by the opposing team at the spot of the stoppage.

For leagues U10 and over the offside rule is applied. A player is offside if s/he is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than either the ball or the second-to-last opponent. It becomes an offense when the offside player interferes with play or an opponent or gains an advantage. There is no offside offense if the ball is received directly from a goal kick, a throw-in, or a corner kick or if they are on their own side of the field. The opponents are awarded an indirect free kick from the spot of the infraction.

A direct free kick is awarded at the place of the offense for any of the following if a player:

· kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

· trips or attempts to trip an opponent

· jumps at an opponent

· charges an opponent

· strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

· pushes an opponent

· tackles an opponent

· holds an opponent

· spits at an opponent (RED card)

· handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

A goal can be scored from a direct kick.

A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above is committed by a player inside his own penalty area.

An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the place of the offense for the following if a player:

· [Goalkeeper] controls the ball with his hands for more than six seconds before releasing it from his possession

· [Goalkeeper] touches the ball again with his hands after it was released from his possession and before it has touched another player

· [Goalkeeper] touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-mate

· [Goalkeeper] touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-in by a team-mate

· plays in a dangerous manner

· impedes the progress of an opponent

· prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hands

· commits any other offense, not previously mentioned, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player 

The ref signals an indirect free kick by raising an arm above his/her head (until the ball has been touched by another).  A goal can only be awarded when another player touches it prior to entering the goal.

For all direct, indirect, and penalty kicks, the opponents must remain 10 yards (or the same distance as the radius of the center circle for smaller fields) away.

Yellow and red cards may be used to control the game. Yellow cards are for reckless actions. Red cards are for excessive force.  A second yellow card offense by the same player is automatically a red card. Red cards are an ejection from the game, and the team must play a player down. Coaches and parents may be ejected from the field area as well. Games will stop until ejected individuals leave the area. Games can be terminated if ejected individuals do not leave.

Referees are human, so they are going to make mistakes—most likely for both sides. It is impossible to see every angle of the field, and therefore may not see all offenses. Some offenses do NOT need to be called.

 As part of US Soccer Player Safety Initiative, Kentucky Youth Soccer will implement the following policy by the U.S. Soccer Federation, due to the dangers of concussions and permanent damage to still developing brains. The policy goes into effect on August 13, 2016.Teams that participate in the U11 age groups and below are prohibited from deliberately heading the ball during competition & training.An indirect free-kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the infraction if a player deliberately heads the ball during a game.If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infraction occurred.Goalkeepers are prohibited from punting the ball in 7v7 games (U10 and below).If the Goalkeeper punts the ball, an indirect free kick shall be awarded and should be taken on the penalty area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement occurred.Heading is permitted in U12 age group competition and above.It is recommended that players in the U12 thru U14 age groups do not head the ball more than 15-20 times per week, in both training and competition.

MYSA In-house rules for U6 and U8 (begun Spring 2019): Kick-off is an indirect kick, which means that there is no scoring directly from a kick-off. The ball must be played by a second player. 

“The build out line promotes playing the ball out of the back in a less pressured setting” -- U.S. Soccer

· Used on 7v7 games (U10’s) -- MYSA has adopted this for U8 and U6, as well

· On a goal kick the opposing team’s players must be outside their own half of the field until the ball is in play

· When the goalkeeper has the ball in his or her hands during play from the opponent, the opposing team must move behind the build out line [halfway line] until the ball is put into play

· Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw, or roll the ball into play (punts and drop kicks are not allowed)

· Ideally, the goalkeeper will wait to put the ball into play once all opponents are past the build out line

· However, the goalkeeper can put the ball into play sooner but he or she does so accepting the positioning of the opponents and the consequences of how play resume

· After the ball is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out line and play resumes as normal

· To support the intent of the development rule, coaches and referees should be mindful of any intentional delays being caused by opponents not retreating in a timely manner or encroaching over the build out line prior to the ball being put into play

· Coaches are responsible for addressing these types of issues with their players

· Referees can manage the situation with misconduct if deemed appropriate

· Referees should be flexible when enforcing the 6 second rule and counting the time of possession should only begin when all opponents have moved behind the build out line.

· Normal offsides rule applies