Many players will be new to playing soccer, following is a guide to the administration and rules.

  2011  Season Dates   -  Saturday 2^nd April through until Saturday 27^th August

Your Team

• Match Officials: Your team will play two games of 4-a-side simultaniously. Normally you will have a parent in charge of interchange on each field. As well, your team will provide a Game Leader (referee) for one game, your opposition provides the other. Your team manager will need to complete a results card at the end of each game and hand it to the Grounds Controller at the field. If refereeing and a child is taking a long time to kick, try a countdown eg 5....4....3....2....1 . Blank match cards will be available for pick up at Warrimoo soon.
• Replacements/interchange: Players can be swapped on and off the field at any time. You can also borrow players from any st ives team in the same or lower age group. If you think you will be short players, you can often ask the team playing before you if a player wants a second game. Canteen: Our home ground, Toolang Oval, has a canteen, There are three sets of fields at Toolang. If your team is playing on Field1 at Toolang your team will be rostered on for canteen duty during your game (if no St Ives team is on field 1, we look to field 2). Your team will probably be rostered on between 5 and 9 times during the season. You will only be selling chips, drinks etc (no hot food). We also have a coffee provider at the canteen. Income from the canteen pays for kick-start training.
• Rosters: Many teams roster shirt washing, bringing oranges/jelly snakes etc. What tends to work best is for the person returning with shirts also bring other items for that week.
• Draw: The draw is prepared by Ku Ring gai District Soccer Association (KDSA). As soon as it is available it will be on our web site and theirs. Every 5 weeks KDSA reviews opponents, teams that are losing will be moved down to play weaker teams and stronger teams moved up. For this reason, the draw is only ever available in 5 week sets.
• Arrival and departure: Arrive 10-15 minutes before start time. There is a central hooter for start and finish, if your game starts late it must still finish on time otherwise later games will be delayed, it would be silly to spend all the time getting ready and then only play for 15 minutes.
• Wet Weather: Failing rain does not stop games however Council may close grounds if there is too much water on the ground. This decision is usually made by 4pm Friday and available from a link on the St Ives web site. Lightning close by will close games.
  PLEASE DON'T ARGUE WITH OPPONENTS OR REFEREES, there is nothing to be gained, the club can take up your cause later (yes it happens every year)

General Requirements/Guidelines

• Match days are divided into 5 sessions on up to 7 pairs of fields at each centre
• Games are conducted between two squads. The start and finish times will be controlled by the Ground Controller at each centre with a siren or similar.
• Each squad of 10 will be divided into 2 teams of 4 players and each team will play one game against the corresponding team of another squad on adjoining fields (E.g. Team A v Team A; Team B v Team B).
• Squads will be assigned to a ”home” field and the draw will be conducted on a “home and away” basis. Under 6 games will start at 8:30 m and 9:15 am and 10 am.
• Under 7 games will start at 10:00 am, 10:45 am and 11:30 am.

 

• Coaching of young players is permitted only from the sideline. At no time are coaches allowed to be on the field to coach. It is confusing and ultimately disadvantageous to the development of the players soccer skills to have adults getting in their way on the field.  
• Standing behind or on the goal line IS NOT PERMITTED. This includes spectators and officials / coach /manager. The presence of people on the goal line is intimidating, can cause confusion, and can be counter productive. Children enjoy being left to play the game under the sole control of the referee.  
• All spectators must observe from the sidelines only. One parent may stand behind each goal line to collect the ball.  
• Shin pads are mandatory.No watches or jewellery are permitted on the field.

Safety Glasses only to be worn. Players who wear glasses should obtain a letter from their optometrist and carry it with them at all times stating glasses are safety glasses.  

 

• Interchange: Play does not have to be stopped for interchange to take place.  
• Players must enter field from same side as the coach. 
• Players leaving the field can exit from anywhere.  
• There is unlimited interchange.  

RULES
Duration of Games  two periods of 15 minutes, There will be a 5-minute break between each half.  

Number of players  
a) Under 6 and Under 7 squads shall consist of a minimum 8 players and a maximum of 12 players. 

b) In Under 6 and Under 7, each squad is divided into 2 teams of 4 players, with up to two (2) players in each team being nominated as interchange. There are no goalkeepers.  
c) If a team/squad is short, players may be borrowed from any other team/squad of equal or similar ability from the same club. 
d) All players in attendance at a game shall receive equal playing time  

Playing Rules 
a) Play should be as continuous as possible with no stoppages.
b) There is NO offside.
c) The game is started with a kick off at halfway.
d) The team kicking off will be determined by the referee using the “which hand is the whistle, rock etc. in” method. 
e) The team taking a restart has 3 seconds to recommence play.
f) No corners – goal line restart regardless of which team touched the ball last. Opposing team back to half way line.  

g) When a goal is scored play is restarted from the half way line.
h) The following restarts can be started with a pass or a dribble:-  
     i. Sideline kick in (when the ball travels over the sideline).
     ii. Goal kicks ( when the ball travels over the goal line). 
     iii. Kick offs (except at start of game which must be passed to a team mate). 
i) All free kicks are indirect free kicks (you can't score until it touches a player) and must be kicked into play (no dribbling). 
j) At every restart all opposition players must stand at least 4.5m from kicker until ball is played or the referee has finished his countdown and has called “Go!”.  
k) The ball must be touched twice before a goal can be scored from any restart. 
l) It is not permitted to have a player permanently stationed immediately in front of the goalmouth as an attacker or defender.  
m) Where goal posts are not available cones may be used. Where cones are used a goal is scored when a ball passes over the goal line and between the cones without knocking the cones over.  

n) Players cannot switch from one team from his/her squad to the other team from his/her squad during a session unless a player from the other field is unable to continue due to injury and not transferring the player would result in a team being short.  

Refereeing  
a) Before the match starts both teams will agree on a person to act as the “game leader”.  
b) The “game leader” must record the score on the scorecards provided and return the cards to each squad’s manager.  
c) The “game leader’s” role is to instruct players in the correct way to play the game and help them to enjoy the game. 
d) The “game leader” must use common sense to ensure that the game flows as much as possible.  
e) The “game leader“ must ensure that the game is restarted quickly by enforcing the three-second rule and calling, “Go” at every restart of play. 
f) The “game leader” should try to give advantage to the attacking team where possible.  
g) The “game leader” must be fair to both sides.