AYSO 324 Rules
AYSO 324 follows the AYSO Standard Regional Guidelines as outlined by the National AYSO Organization. Those rules can be found as a downloadable Microsoft Word document here.
The travel team guidelines are here.
General Rules for All Divisions
Age of Players - Region 324 follows these age guidelines in placing players in divisions.
Jewelry - Players are NOT permitted to wear any jewelry. Earrings are not permitted under any circumstances, even if they are covered by tape.
Dogs - Dogs are NOT permitted at AYSO games in our region.
Ball size - Our region uses a size 3 ball for U-5, U-6 and U-8, a size 4 ball for U-10 and U-12 and a size 5 ball for U-14 and older.
Safety Line - All spectators must stay behind the Orange Line adjacent to the sidelines. This will allow the linesmen/lineswomen room to cover the sideline, room for coaches to move along the sideline, etc. (However, coaches should stay in the coaches' box on their half of the field.)
Wait List - Coaches should send an e-mail ASAP to the division head coach if their team is in need of players.
Player Sharing - At a game, if one team is short players, the other team should share its excess players with their opponent. Look to balance the teams. This is AYSO soccer and our mission is to ensure that players on both teams have fun. All teams should try to have extra uniforms in order to facilitate the sharing of players.
Team Records - We do not maintain team records or standings. AYSO has no "first place teams." Coaches should keep track of the results of Fall games, and send the results by e-mail to the division head coach, in order to help us balance the schedule in the Spring.
Field cleanup - The last team on a practice field is responsible for cleanup. Please make sure all garage is removed. When games are scheduled, the home team who plays last on the field is responsible for cleanup.
AYSO Region 324 Slide Tackling Rule - Slide tackling is prohibited for all teams playing in the U-10, U-8, U-6 and U-5 divisions. A slide tackle will be considered dangerous play and will result in an indirect free kick in U-10 and a direct free kick in U-8 and U-6 divisions. A slide tackle that results in a trip or other penal foul will result in a direct free kick in all divisions. Sliding on the ground when no one is in immediate proximity of the sliding player (e.g. to keep the ball from going out of bounds) is not considered slide tackling. This rule does not apply to games played against other regions, e.g. Extra Team games.
AYSO Region 324 Rule for Team Assignments and Practice conflicts - For all teams in divisions U-8 and older, practices will usually be scheduled for a one hour time period on Saturdays between 8:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Since balanced teams are formed long before the schools and communities issue their field permits, and before coach assignments are confirmed, it is not possible for our Region to accommodate requests for players to practice at a certain time. In order to accommodate our volunteers, head coaches select their practice times among the available time slots for their division. Team practice times are set at the beginning of each Fall and each Spring session so your son or daughter may have a different practice time in the Spring than in the Fall.
For all teams in divisions U-8 and older, games are usually scheduled on Sundays between 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM. The schedule changes every week so it is likely that your son or daughter’s game time will change weekly.
In Region 324 players will not be “traded” to another team to accommodate their personal schedule even if they have a rational reason for their request. (Further, even if your son/daughter was assigned to different team because of a conflict with the scheduled practice, the new team may have the same conflict in the Spring.) Do not ask a coach to try to get your son or daughter assigned to a specific team. Coaches are not allowed to trade players nor to request friends, neighbors, etc., even if both coaches agree.
In order to accommodate players whose assigned weekly practice time conflicts with confirmed religious studies we will arrange, if possible, for such players to practice with another team that practices at a different time.
U 5 Coed “Jamboree One with One” Guidelines
- Players: 3 vs 3
- Training session directly before the games
- Two parents selected each week to act as game supervisors
- No “coaching” during games
- 4 five (5) minute quarters
- No goal keeper
- No offside
- No penalty kicks
- No goal kicks
- No corner kicks
- Free kicks: play may need to be stopped occasionally to sort things out, in this case a free kick is awarded to the deserving team, this is a direct free kick meaning it can be a kick that scores a goal
- When the ball goes out of play in U 5 games across the touch line (side line) or the goal line (end line), a throw-in is awarded to the team that did not touch the ball last (at point the ball crossed the line)
- Infractions on throw-ins are not called (no “Do – overs”, let them play)
- Yellow cards and red cards not used
U-6 Boys and U-6 Girls
- Players: 3 vs 3
- 4 six (6) minute quarters
- No goalkeeper
- No offside (However coaches shall not instruct players to intentionally stay in an offside position)
- No penalty kicks - Place ball outside penalty area for direct kick
- Minor infractions on throw-ins, goal kicks - "Do-overs"
- Yellow Cards and Red Cards not used
- AYSO does not have "blowout rules" or "mercy rules." The objectives of soccer are to score and to avoid being scored upon and neither objective can be compromised or abandoned without betraying the spirit of the game or the mission of player development. However, since "Good Sportsmanship" is one of AYSO's core philosophies, coaches are expected to avoid attempting to run-up the score.
- Fall session only - One coach from each team allowed to remain on field to coach and referee
- Spring session only- Coaches remain on sidelines, volunteer referee obtained from spectators or assistant coaches
U-8 boys and U-8 girls
- Players: 5 vs 5
- 4 ten (10) minute quarters
- No offside (However coaches shall not instruct players to intentionally stay in an offside position)
- No penalty kicks - Place ball outside penalty area for direct kick
- Minor infractions on throw-ins, goal kicks - "Do-overs" But after the first 2 games if there is a second obvious infraction the other team takes possession of the throw-in or has an indirect kick
- Yellow Cards and Red Cards not used
- AYSO does not have "blowout rules" or "mercy rules." The objectives of soccer are to score and to avoid being scored upon and neither objective can be compromised or abandoned without betraying the spirit of the game or the mission of player development. However, since "Good Sportsmanship" is one of AYSO's core philosophies, coaches are expected to avoid attempting to run-up the score.
- Coaches remain on sidelines. Assigned referee or referee obtained from spectators.
U-10 boys and U-10 girls
- Players: 7 vs 7 (If one or more team is short players the coaches may agree to either give players to the other team or to play short sided games)
- 4 twelve and one half (12 ½) minute quarters
- offside Rule applied
- Penalty kicks called
- Minor infractions on throw-ins, goal kicks - "Do-overs" for first 2 games only. After the first two games all infractions should be called as appropriate.
- Yellow Cards and Red Cards not used
- AYSO does not have "blowout rules" or "mercy rules." The objectives of soccer are to score and to avoid being scored upon and neither objective can be compromised or abandoned without betraying the spirit of the game or the mission of player development. However, since "Good Sportsmanship" is one of AYSO's core philosophies, coaches are expected to avoid attempting to run-up the score.
- Assigned referee or referee obtained from spectators.
U-12 boys and U-12 girls
- Players: 9 v 9 (If one or more team is short players the coaches may agree to either give players to the other team or to play short sided games)
- 4 fifteen (15) minute quarters
- offside Rule applied
- Penalty kicks called
- All infractions should be called as appropriate.
- Yellow Cards and Red Cards used as appropriate.
- AYSO does not have "blowout rules" or "mercy rules." The objectives of soccer are to score and to avoid being scored upon and neither objective can be compromised or abandoned without betraying the spirit of the game or the mission of player development. However, since "Good Sportsmanship" is one of AYSO's core philosophies, coaches are expected to avoid attempting to run-up the score.
- Assigned referee or referee obtained from spectators.
