U-12 Rules of Play
Characteristics of players
Coaching Tips
Rules of play
Picture Dates
Game Schedules
 Beginning at the U-12 level, our teams travel to compete against other Trumbul County Leages, therefore we must abide by Trumbull County Soccer Association (TSCA) Rules. They do not follow the USYS suggestions for small-sided games, but instead follow USSF guildlines.

Law 1: Field of Play: 84 - 90 yards long, 45 - 55 yards wide, line at the halfway point, with a 10 yard radius circle. Goal Area: Conform to FIFA. Penalty Area: A penalty area is defined at each end of the field as follows: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, ten (14) yards from the inside of each goalpost.
These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of ten (14) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the penalty area. Within each penalty area a penalty mark is made eight (10) yards from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of eight (10) yards from each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area. Flag Posts and Corner Arc Conform to FIFA.
Goals: Maximum 7 feet high and 7 feet wide: Minimum: Size of Hockey goals.
Law 2: The Ball: Size 5
Law 3: Team play and size reccomendations:
2 teams, 9 -11 players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. TCSA states that all players take turns playing varioius positions.
Playing Time: Each player shall play a minimum of 50 percent of the time.  TCSA wants coaches to do a game lineup to ensure all players present get equal game time.
Substitutions: If a player is injured and cannot play. When the next quarter starts.
No sliding or rear tackling allowed. Warn about rough play.
Teams may be co-ed, and maximum players on roster should not exceed 18.
Law 4: Player Equipment: Team shirt, black shorts and socks, shin guards worn under the socks, soccer spikes or tennis shoes, no jewelry.
Law 5: The Referee: Registered referee no less than 14 years of age. All rule infringements shall be briefly explained to the offending player.
Law 6: Linesmen: Typically not used
Law 7: The Duration of the Match: 4 equal 12 minute quarters. 2 minute breaks between quarters, and 5 minute break at the half.
Law 8: Conform to FIFA
Law 9: The ball in and out of play: Conform to FIFA
Law 10: Scoring: Conform to FIFA
Law 11: Offside: A player is considered offside when he is closer to the opponent's goal than the ball, except when he is in his own half of the field, on a goal or corner kick, on a throw in or drop ball, or if two or more opponents are nearer thier own goal line than he is. In other words, a player can’t "cherry-pick" by hanging out behind all the other team’s defenders and waiting for his teammates to boot it up to him. Punishment: an indirect free kick is given where the offside occured.

Law 12: Fouls and Misconduct: Conform to FIFA.
Major fouls result in a direct free kick and include:
use of feet: (Kicks/Attempts to kick/Trips) another player
use of body: (Jumps at/charges violently or dangerously/ charges from behind) at another player
use of hands: Strikes/Attempts to strike/spits at/ holds/ pushes/ carries/ strikes or propels the ball, or another player, with hand or arm
Minor fouls result in an indirect free kick and include:
Dangerous play
Charging Fairly: When the ball is not in playing distance
Obstructing opponents
Charging the goalkeeper in the goal area
Goalkeeper posessing the ball in hands for more than 6 seconds

Law 13: Free Kicks:
direct (where the player can try to kick it in the goal) or indirect (where the ball must touch another player before it goes in the goal.) Direct Free Kicks are awarded when a player commits a physical foul, like a handball. Indirect Free kicks are awarded for non-contact fouls like those mentioned above, or when a goalie punts the ball into the opposing team's penalty area. When a player takes a free kick, including kick-offs, goal kicks, and corner kicks, after he kicks the ball, he cannot touch the ball again until another player touches the ball. Therefore, a player cannot simply start dribbling the ball on a free kick.
Law 14: Penalty kicks: are a special kind of direct kick. Penalty kicks are awarded to a team when the opposing team commits a direct kick foul (for example, a hand ball or a physical foul) in its own penalty area. Instead of placing the ball where the foul occurred, the ball is placed on the penalty spot. Only one player on the attacking team is permitted in the penalty area to take the penalty kick and the goalie is the only defender permitted in the penalty area when a penalty kick is taken. Players must also be outside the arc at the top of the penalty area, in order to give the kicker room to approach the ball. The goalie must start with his heels on the goalline until the ball is kicked by the attacking player. If the ball hits the goalie and stays in the field, it is a live ball and any player can then play it. If the ball hits the post or crossbar, any player – except the one who kicked it – can play it.
Law 15: The Throw-In:  A throw-in has to be taken with two hands over the head and both feet staying on the ground behind the line.
Laws 16 and 17: Goal Kicks and Corner Kicks:If the ball goes over one of the endlines, it is either a goal kick or a corner kick depending on which team kicked it out of bounds. If the defensive team kicks it out, it’s a corner kick. If the offensive team kicks it out, it’s a goal kick.

A corner kick is taken from, well, the corner. There is a small arc painted in front of each corner flag. The ball has to be placed in that arc and kicked from within there. A goal kick is placed within the goalie’s box and kicked from there. A goal kick has to leave the penalty area (the 14-yard box) before any other player can play it.


 


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