Adult Co-Ed Outdoor Soccer
Rules & Rule Reminders

Remember: This is a recreational-level league. We are all competitive, however, we have to go to work the next day.

White Marsh Adult Soccer Rules – Spring 2024

Schedule (Based on a Six-team league):   This season has 12 weeks, with no games during the Thanksgiving holiday.

A team earns 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. The team with the highest total points wins the championship. The tiebreaker is the usual head-to-head then net goals.

Registration and the 1st game:  You must be 30 years old for men and 21 for women.  To receive a jersey the first night, you must present a picture ID with your DOB and sign the roster.  If you cannot make the first night, please make arrangements to show up for one of the other practices that week to get your shirt.  You must have a league-issued jersey with a number to play/be on the field.  Coaches will have a copy of every team’s roster and can challenge a player before the start of any game.  The player in question must produce a picture id to confirm his/her identity.  If they cannot, they don’t play.  There are NO exceptions to this rule.  No ID = No Jersey = No Play.

League-Specific Rules:

  1. The session starts on March 25, 2024. The league will play Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights. We enter the field at 9:00 pm. The game time is 9:10 pm.
  2. The minimum number of women on the field is 3.  If you are unable to field 3 women, you will play the game with a player down per woman, not on the field.  For example, the team short 1 woman will play with 8 men/ 2 women.
  3. If both teams are down 1 woman, then both teams can play using 2 women and 9 men
  4. Any team can have 1 guest woman player, as long as the guest player does not give the team a 1 player advantage on the field. i.e. the guest player cannot be used to give a team an 11 vs. 10 advantage. In this case, the guest player may be used as a sub.
  5. You must wear shin guards covered by socks.
  6. Two 35-minute halves
  7. Yellow cards — result in a 5-minute “cooling off” period so you must sub out for at least 5 minutes. If you are issued two yellow cards in the same game you can not play the rest of that game and must miss the next game.
  8. You must have a numbered, league-provided jersey to play.
  9. Substitutions on all goal kicks and throw-ins.  Coaches can decide to sub on all throws before the game starts if the heat is an issue.
  10. Foul language is prohibited.  Refs are encouraged to yellow cards for foul language.  Since this is a County Rec Facility, foul language is prohibited.  Excessive use of foul language will result in the loss of a permit for the field.  The county is nice enough to let us use the field, please respect their rules.
  11. No slide tackling.  You can slide to score or save a ball from going out of bounds, but you cannot slide when someone else has the ball.
  12. Refs are encouraged to card players for any physical or verbal confrontation after the play.  To be blunt, we don’t need hotheads in the league.
  13. Red Cards issued for fighting, physical confrontation, or verbal abuse during or after the game result in ejection from the game and ejection from the league. No Exceptions.  If you are new to the league ask around and see if we take this rule seriously. Again if 2 yellows are assessed in one game that player must sit out the rest of that game and miss the following game.
  14. Regular Season Tie Breaker Rules — Points, Head-to-Head, Goal differential for the season
  15. Playoff Tie Breaker Rules — Since we must have a winner in the playoff rounds — in the case of a tie at the end of regulation, it will go straight to PKs.  Please keep in mind we need to get this done by 10:30 pm so the game will start as close to 9 pm as possible.  Halftime will be no more than five minutes.
  16. The turf field must be maintained to county specifications.  No liquids are allowed on the field other than water and no jumping the fence.  No players are allowed on the field until all other activities have cleared it.

REGULATIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD USE:

WATER ONLY – Flavored and Sports Drinks, Soda & Coffee are NOT allowed

  • NO FOOD – This includes gum, fruit, and any team snacks
  • CLEAN UP – Do not leave any trash on the field. Coaches are responsible for ensuring their team’s area is cleaned
  • Tobacco Products of any kind are not allowed on or near the turf field
  • Glass containers are not allowed on or near the turf field
  • Group or Team use of this field is by permit only
  • Gated entrances are the only access points to and from the field
  • Players, Coaches, and Officials ONLY permitted inside the fence
  • Parents and Spectators are NOT allowed inside the fence
  • Pets are not allowed on or near the turf field
  • Unauthorized motorized vehicles are prohibited on the turf field
  • Metal or Metal tipped spikes and high-heeled shoes are NOT permitted
  • Fireworks are not allowed on or near the turf field
  • Unauthorized benches, carts, chairs, or other equipment are not allowed
  • Use or Possession of alcohol products is prohibited
  • Users of the turf field are responsible for communicating these guidelines to all players, coaches, officials, and spectators.

Failure to comply with these regulations may result in removal from the Turf field and/or revocation of your field use permit.

And finally, this is a rec-level league.  We are all competitive, but we need to respect the fact that we all have to go to work the next day.   There is no reason to take someone out to save a goal!!