5 A SIDE RULES  

1. TEAMS RULES  

1.1 Teams will receive 3 points for a win and 1 for a draw and zero for a loss. League standings will be decided by  points earned, followed by head to head, goal difference, followed by goals scored, followed by the aggregate result between  the two teams in question, followed by a penalty shootout between the two teams.

1.2 Teams that cancel at any point before their scheduled match will result in a loss and deducted 3 points from their standings.  In addition, Team will have to pay a $50 fine.

1.3 Teams may only register a maximum of 10 players and no player can be registered to more than one team in the same league division. 

1.4 Any team playing an unregistered, ineligible or suspended player will have to forfeit the game and 3 points will be deducted from their league total per suspended or unregistered player. 

1.5 All teams must be at the center and ready to begin the match at the appointed kick-off time. If a team is more  than 5 minutes late their opponents may take a 1-0 lead. After 10 mins, this goes up an additional 2 goals to a 3-0  lead. After 15 mins, the game is abandoned, and the team takes a 3-0 win. 

1.6 Home teams will be listed first on the schedule. Home team will wear a light color uniform and the away team will wear dark colors.  If there is a clash, the home team will be responsible to change their uniform.

1.7 All players who are registered to the league are not refundable and are not transferable to other players at any time.

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2. GAMES RULES 

2.1 Each team may have four outfield players and a goalkeeper on the field at any time. 

2.2 Open Substitution. 

2.3 The match will consist of two equal minute halves of 20 minutes. 

2.4 Each half will begin with one team kicking off at midfield. After a goal has been scored the game will be re-started  at midfield again. The ball must go backwards off a kickoff. 

2.5 The ball is in play as long as it remains inside the field of play. Balls may be played on rebounds off boards, cage, and side netting only. 

2.6  An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposition if the ball hits the roof net.   

2.7 No slide tackles are allowed. Infringement of this rule will lead to an indirect free kick being awarded against the  offending player’s team. 

2.8 Only the defending goalkeeper is allowed to play the ball inside the goal area and only he may handle the ball in  this area. 

2.9 A corner kick will be awarded if the goalkeeper makes a save and the ball hits the roof net.

2.10 An outfield player entering his opponent’s goal area to seek advantage will be penalized by the award of an  indirect free kick against the offending team from where the infringement took place. 

2.11 All free kicks are indirect. Observe the referee's signal. Opposition players must be at least three feet from where any free kick is taken. 

2.12 Teams may not change their goalkeeper more than once during the course of the half. A change of goalkeeper must be authorized by the referee. 

2.13 NO screw-in studded footwear is permitted to be worn by any player on the field. Only training shoes, blades  (not metal), molded studs and turf shoes may be worn. All Players must wear shin guards.  The wearing of any jewelery is not permitted during play. 

2.14 In the knockout stages (not group play), if the scores are level, penalties will decide who progresses through to the next round (No extra time is played). 

Penalties consist of 3 per team -the winner is the team with the highest total. If scores are level after 3 penalties, the  fourth and fifth player who finished the regular game MUST take the next penalties (inclusive of goalkeeper).  Penalties from this point onwards (fourth penalty) are SUDDEN DEATH. No substitutes are allowed to take ANY of the  penalties. After 5 penalties, if the scores are still level, teams continue to rotate kickers until a winner is decided.  Players may not take any step before striking penalty kicks. 

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3. DISCIPLINARY RULES 

3.1 Players may be sent to the ‘sin bin’ at the referee’s discretion. Depending on the offense, the duration of the sin  bin will vary at the referee’s discretion. A player may only be sin binned once per game as a second offense would  involve a sending off. 

3.2 Players sent off for any reason will be suspended for one match and will miss the team’s next game. Players sent off for serious foul play, foul or abusive language will be suspended for further games at the discretion of the referee and management, followed by a fine decided by the league manager.

3.3 If a player is sent off when off the field of play (for unacceptable conduct on the sideline), the team must  correspondingly reduce the number of players on the field. 

3.4 If a team is permanently reduced to three players due to sending offs the game will end. The match will be awarded  3-0 to their opponents. If the score at the time produces a goal difference greater than 3-0 then that score will stand. 

3.5 If a match is abandoned for any reason the team at fault will receive a 3-0 defeat unless the opposition already has a  greater advantage in which case the score will stand. If both teams are judged to be at fault,then both teams will receive 3-0 forfeits against them. 

3.6 The decision of the referee in all matters pertaining to the playing rules of the individual game is final. 

3.7 The decision of Sportsplex Bakersfield in all matters pertaining to the administration of the tournament is final. 

3.8 Sportsplex Bakersfield may overturn any rule if they feel a team is deliberately using an interpretation of the rules to gain an unfair advantage.