General:

SWASL is a recreational adult soccer league for men and women 18 years and older. The purpose of the league is to promote and support adult soccer play on the Temecula/Murrieta area. FIFA, USSF and USASA rules govern SWASL play, except as amended by these rules and the SWASL director and/or Board of Directors.

It is the intent of SWASL to

· Promote the game of soccer in a spirit of teamwork, fair play and sportsmanship.

· Provide coherent competition among area players and soccer teams.

· Develop and foster interest in soccer in the Southern California area.

These rules are broken into four major areas

· Participation in SWASL

· League Operations

· Scoring and points calculations

· Deviations from FIFA and USSF rules

Participation in SWASL:

Players and coaches joining SWASL must follow any additional guidelines found within these SWASL rules.

ROSTER - Teams are limited to a maximum of 16 players and a minimum of 12. A SWASL roster will be provided for team use prior to the 1st match. Drops or additions can take place ONLY within the first half of the season and there will be a $10 fee for any change in the roster once the league has began. After the 8th game of the season there will be NO changes in the team rosters.

LEAGUE FEES - Payment is due in full before any team will be scheduled for the season. (Fee's are to be paid by one check or money order ). Bounced checks will result in forfeit of all games played prior to the date the check bounces, plus the league will require a cash payment, and a $50.00 return check charge in addition to the amount of the NSF check. Returned checks will not be re-deposited and require a cash payment to clear the check.

CROSSOVERS - No player will play in more than one team during the same season unless otherwise approved by the League Board.

ACCEPTABLE ID - All players must present appropriate identification to the referee prior to the start of each game. The required ID is a USSF player pass. If a player does not have a USSF player pass at the beginning of the season, a current driver’s license, military ID, or birth certificate may be required during registration in order to obtain USSF pass. No one will play without a validated USSF player pass. Passes provided by SWASL are the property of SWASL. There will be a $10.00 fee to replace lost player passes.

PLAYER RESPONSIBILITIES - Player participation in SWASL-sponsored matches may be disallowed if a player’s actions result in an accumulation of excess cards. If a player receives in any given season five yellow cards, that player will be suspended for the following game. A red card issued in a game is an automatic suspension for the next scheduled game. Accumulation of eight yellow cards or three red cards in a season will result in suspension from the league for six months, dated from the date of the last card that causes the suspension letter. The suspended individual must also take and pass a referee training class and provide a letter of completion from the instructor before allowed to re-enter SWASL league play.

1. 5 yellow cards = suspension for one game.

2. 8 yellow cards in a season = a 6-month suspension.

3. 3 red cards or the equivalent = a six month suspension.

League Operations:

SWASL WEB SITE - SWASL operates a web site at http://www.southwestsoccerclub.com/swasl. The web site provides the latest information on league operations and should be consulted for all questions concerning SWASL.

SEASONS - Fall season runs from Oct through January. Spring season runs from Feb to April.

TEAM DIVISION PLACEMENT - Teams will be placed in divisions based on level of experience and participation in the league. League staff will try to maintain parity within the division.

FINALS: - At the end of the regular season, for the divisions with eight or less teams, the top four teams will advance to the play-offs. For divisions with ten teams, the top eight teams will advance to the play-offs. If there are fewer than four teams, all teams will advance to the tournament.

BEGINNING OF THE SEASON TOURNAMENT – Before the beginning of a new season, the League will conduct a pre-season tournament, time permitting, where all teams will participate for a small fee. Teams will play each other in a round-robyn series to define a champion that will be ranked #1 at the beginning of the following season.

SCHEDULE CHANGES - Once a season schedule is published to the SWASL web site, no changes will be made. The only exception is weather related changes, which will be posted in as timely a manner as is possible. Weather and field availability permitting, all teams will play a ten match series each season.

MAKEUP GAMES AND CANCELLATIONS - A match is considered official once the 1st half has been completed. If play must be halted after the start of play, but before the half is complete, the SWASL scheduler will make every attempt to reschedule the shortened game. However, if field, weather or other situations preclude timely rescheduling, the game may not be replayed. If this occurs, standings will be adjusted in a fair manner.

FORFEIT - Failure to have a minimum of five team members show up for a scheduled match will result in a forfeit for that team. Referees will allow a ten minute grace period from posted start time to field a five man team. A two point deduction from the offending team’s division standing will be reduced for the forfeit. The team that wins by default will add maximum points to their division standings 3 points and 1 goal. If a 2nd forfeit occurs, the forfeiting team will not be eligible for post season play. If a forfeit occurs during the play-offs, players who are not present and the team will not be allowed to participate in the next SWASL season.

PLAYER CONDUCT - Players are responsible for fair, sportsmanlike and polite behavior at all times while participating in SWASL-sponsored activities. Absolutely NO fighting will be tolerated. Foul, vile or vulgar language will not be used on the field either toward other players or to yourself in general. Referees are instructed to card offenders. Any fight will result in immediate one-year suspension from SWASL without a refund. Referee abuse will not be tolerated. Assault includes, but is not limited to the following acts committed upon a referee: hitting, kicking, punching, choking, spitting at, or on, grabbing, stepping on, or running into a referee; the act of kicking or throwing any object at a referee that could inflict injury, damaging the referee’s uniform or personal property. Referee abuse is also defined as a verbal statement or physical approach that implies or threatens physical harm to a referee or the referee’s property or equipment. Verbal threats are remarks that carry the implied or direct threat of physical harm. Threats such as, "I’ll get you after the game" or "You won't get out of here in one piece" shall be deemed referee abuse. Commission of any of the preceding acts will carry a one-year suspension from SWASL.

REFEREES - All decisions made by the referees assigned to SWASL matches are final. USSF and AYSO referees are contracted to referee our games if you have a problem with the referees that officiate our games, we suggest that you look into leagues on the northside. No appeals will be accepted pertaining to decisions by the referee. No player or individual shall enter the field of play without the referee's express permission.

REFUNDS - Once entered on the schedule, no team or player shall receive a refund for any reason. Refunds to players during the season are the responsibility of the team coaches / organizers.

GRIEVANCE POLICY/PROTEST - A grievance/protest is a complaint with a suggested resolution. The only matters that are grievable/protestable are treatment of players by coaches, actions of spectators, or any clear violation of the SWASL rules that has escaped the attention of the SWASL board. Any grievance/protest shall be filed in writing, with a $50 nonrefundable protest fee, to the league president or his representative within three days of the action under protest. Upon receipt, the President will convene all available members of the board, review the relevant facts, and render a determination, in writing, to the protestor within seven days. The following items, while not exclusive, are not grievable/protestable:

· SWASL rules

· Referee decisions

· Decisions of the SWASL Board regarding suspensions

SCORING AND POINTS CALCULATIONS:

SCORING SYSTEM - The following method will be used to add and subtract team points to determine division standings.

· Win = 3 points

· Tie = 1 points

· Loss = 0 points

Teams will lose standing points for red cards issued to team members during matches.

Red card - loss of 1 point for each card

Second red card - loss of 2 more points when in that same match.

Deviations from FIFA, USSF and USASA Laws of the Game

Unless otherwise indicated here, all Laws of the Game as prescribed in FIFA’s sanctioning bodies’ rule books will apply to all SWASL matches.

Law 1 – The Field of Play. Local conditions may mandate use of non-standard or sub-optimal fields. The field size used will be 80 X 50.

Law 3 – The Number of Players. Teams will play with a maximum of 8 players at one time. Free-substitutions are permitted for both teams during all dead-ball situations by letting the center referee know.

Coed only. Each team WILL NEED at least TWO female players on the field at all times during each one of the games (starting Spring 2005 season). If only one (1) female is present, then the team will play short, if both female players are missing, team will have to forfeit.

Law 4 - The Player’s Equipment. All players must have shinguards and uniforms with matching jerseys and permanent numbers on the back with no duplicate numbers. Jersey numbers must match those on roster provided for that match. In the event of team color conflict the home team will change to their alternate jersey (pinnies are permitted).

Law 7 – The Duration of the Match. If weather or field conditions mandate, and with the concurrence of both involved coaches, matches may be shortened from the normal 30 minute halves.

Law 8 – The Start And Restart of Play. From goal kick and goalie punt, ball needs to be touched or it has to bounce on own half. Goalie throws are allowed to cross the half line starting Spring 2005 season.

Law 10 – The Method of Scoring. When a female player scores a goal in the ‘Coed Over 30’ competition, the team will be awarded 2 points.

Law 11 – Offside. There will not be any offside position.

Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct.

1) VERBAL WARNING FOR:

a) Cussing to oneself for missing a shot, bad pass, etc. in English, Spanish or any other language

b) Cussing at a teammate jokingly in English, Spanish or any other language

c) Softly complaining to referee about a call

d) Telling referee that he is wrong on a ‘judgment’ call

e) Substituting without letting the referee know

f) Discreet pushing

2) YELLOW CARD FOR:

a) Slide tackling in the over 30 leagues

b) Cussing again in English, Spanish or any other language

c) Mistreating another individual with ‘soft’ foul language example: “shit-head”

d) Faking a fall or pretending to be hurt

e) Constant and intentional whining or complaining

f) Intentional handball on the field and not to stop a goal

g) Intentionally wasting time or delaying the game

h) Obvious pushing

i) Touching the referee

j) Holding somebody by their jersey

k) First violation by team supporters who verbally attack opposing players or supporters. Yellow card will be given to team manager or team Captain.

3) SOFT RED FOR: (player will leave the game immediately, but will NOT be suspended for the following game)

a) A field player who saves ball with hands intentionally from entering his own goal.

b) Player who plays on both leagues and does a second clean slide tackle against another player.

c) Persistent cussing for a second time after a previous warning.

d) Complaining and requesting the referee to explain him/herself over and over again.

e) Second violation by team supporters who verbally attack opposing players or supporters, then team charged with the foul must pull one player from the field of play for the remainder of the game. The group of supporters needs to quiet down or game will be over.

4) STRAIGHT RED (must leave immediately, suspended for at least one game)

a) Any kind of abuse to another individual but not limited to verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, derogatory statements, racial statements, sexually explicit statements, etc.

b) Spitting on anyone

c) Gestures to initiate a fight and/or getting in somebody’s face

d) Aggressive play trying to harm another individual

e) Disrespecting the referee in any way

f) Last player fouling an opponent on his way to the goal with a chance of scoring

g) Retaliating

5) ‘DOUBLE’ RED: (2 game-suspension) + WILL BE ANALIZED BY THE SWASL DISCIPLINARY COMMETTE

a) Starting a fight or being part of a brawl

b) Consistent Foul Language used towards any individual AFTER a red card offense

c) Punching and/or kicking another individual or animal

d) Not complying with referees request to leave the premises after a red card.

Procedure To Determine The Winner Of A Match.

TIES - In the event that any two teams in a division end the season in a tie, the tie will be broken by comparing, in this order:

1. head to head competition

2. goal difference

3. goal for

4. goals against

5. red cards issued quantity

6. coin toss.

In final play, if teams are tied up and the game moves to overtime, the overtimes will be played without the goalkeepers