GAME REFEREES:  The home team/club provides the ref for their home games. In the event of a referee no-show, a referee shall be chosen with mutual consent of both coaches. No games will be played without a referee.
See the Referees Required page to see assignments needed per division.
LIGHTNING / THUNDER (Practice or Games)
When should activity be resumed?  Play should resume 30 mins after the LAST thunder/lightning witnessed.
Any large structured building will make a good shelter. If a building is not available, a vehicle with closed windows will provide good protection.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

​In order to participate in league play, players must meet the following criteria:
  1. Must be currently registered with a LARS affiliated club.
  2. Must be an intramural player and not "carded" on any travel team roster. Carded players must "de-card" through LANCO before registering with Rec. A player cannot just stop playing with travel. Also, those registered with a Travel Tournament as a "Direct Player" will be considered travel players and not eligible to join Rec league.
  3. A player can play for more than one team in the same club as long as the team is within the same age group and/or at a play up age group as long as the player is filling a roster in order to prevent a forfeit.
PLAYING DOWN RULE
In order for a player to be eligible to play-down, the club cannot be fielding a team in the next age division up.
The play-down player cannot be more than one birth-year older (according to the birth year chart) than the age-group in which he will be participating. If there is an issue of any kind, contact the commissioner.
  • Divisions that play a 7v7 or 9v9 format can have a maximum of two (2) players play down.
  • Divisions that play 11v11 can have a maximum of three (3) players play down.
Play-downs in the Spring
 If a player is eligible to play down in fall, he/she can also play down in the spring even though they might be more than one year older in the spring.
GIRLS PLAYING ON BOYS TEAMS  This is allowed as long as the female plays within the same age group and does not have travel status. - The max number of girls that can be fielded on game day is 50%.
​BOYS PLAYING ON GIRLS TEAMS is not allowed.
GAME INFORMATION
GAME DURATAION:
U10 - 50 min - (2) 25 min halves + 5 min halftime.
U12 - 60 min - (2) 30 min halves + 5 min halftime.
U15 - 70 min - (2) 35 min halves + 5 min halftime.
U19 - 90 min - (2) 45 min halves + 5 min halftime.
MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS
​ REQUIRED TO START A MATCH
U10-7v7 (5)     U12-9v9 (6)     U15 & U19-11v11 (7)
RECOMMENDED ROSTER SIZES
There is no maximum but it is recommended teams limit to provide ample game time
U10 = 12     U12 = 16     U15 = 22     U19 (Coed) = 22
​GAME DELAY & FORFEITS (A forfeit will be scored as 1-0):
The referee should allow a 15 minute delay if a team does not have enough players to start the game. After 15 minutes of delay, the game is shortened by the amount of wait time. After 15 minutes any team without enough players will forfeit. Also, a team that does not have an adult coach will not be allowed to play and will be forfeiting.

A team which uses a non-rostered or ineligible player in a match will be charged with a forfeit.

A team/club which does not properly follow the rain-out policy and causes another team to arrive at a field without a match will be charged with a forfeit.
PLAYER EQUAL PLAYING TIME RULE:​ The league requires all players must get equal playtime.
***Note: If a team is unable to field a full team the opponent does not have to play short players also. - However - It is highly recommended that the opposing team fields the same number of players. An option would be for the team with the most players, donate a player or two. Rec is about fun and gaining experience.
U19 & GIRLS U15 PLAY FORMAT
​GIRLS U15 9V9 FORMAT FOR FALL: The Girls U15 division may play 9v9 if they don't have the minimum of 12 players in fall rather then the traditional 11v11 based on some clubs not having enough players. Coaches need to be agree and the referee needs to be informed. Games will be played on the regular size fields for U15 age group. Boys format is 11v11.

U19 CO-ED BOYS TO GIRLS RATIO - If a team is unable to field two female players this team must play short one player.

​U19 (Coed) 11v11 with the option to play a small sided game if a team is not able to field 11 players but both teams must field the same number of players.
CARDED PLAYER
CONSEQUENCES OF RED & YELLOW CARDS
  • If a player is red carded, he must leave the field of play immediately and is not permitted to play next game
  • If a player or players are red carded the team must play short equal to the number of players that have been red carded.
  • A yellow card given to a player two games in a row equals a red card. Upon receiving a yellow card in the second consecutive game, the player must leave the field of play immediately and cannot play in the next game.
  • If a Goal Keeper receives a red card the keeper must leave the field of play immediately. A replacement keeper can take his place and an outfielder position must be forfeited so the team is still short a player.
  • Although the team must finish the game short equal to the number of red cards that were issued, and the red carded players can not play in the next game, the team does not have to play short players next game.
  • A player that has been red carded must attend the game in which he can not participate but they can not be in uniform.
GAME RULES
FIFA RULES APPLY with the exception of the rules/regulations on this page
Please review these rules here: FIFA (IFAB) NEW CHANGES - Laws of the Game Web Page
NEW CHANGES TO THE LAWS OF THE GAME are in red.
COACH MOBILITY will be restricted from the halfway line to approximately the 25-yard line on their own half without switching at halftime.  All team coaches must be on the same side of the field as their team.  No more than 3 coaches on the team side of the field.  Coaches are to be on one side of the field and fans on the other side.

OFF SIDES: Enforced for all age divisions (U10 thru U19).
  • Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and the build out line.
  • Players can be penalized for an offside offense between the build out line and goal line.​
  • U10 off sides rule: Off sides starts at the build out line
​FIELD & GOAL SIZES
SMALL SIDED FIELD SIZES: For 7v7 and 9v9
When the league decided to adopt USYS recommendation of playing small sided games it was understood that not all clubs have the real estate in which to add small sided game fields. For the clubs that could not provide separate fields they were to do the best they could which included sharing resources including goals. If space is tight the fields should be laid out as close as possible to the recommended USYS small sided field setup parameters. One possibility is to place a field inside of a field. However, if this option is used both fields must be lined with a different color with a strong enough color contrast that the players & refs can easily tell which field is which.

GOAL SIZES
  • U10 & U12 (7v7 & 9v9): 6.5x18.5 ft..
  • U15 & U19 (11v11) use standard full size goals (8x24 ft..)​
SUBSTITUTION RULES: All substitutions will occur at the mid-field line only, with the permission of the referee.
**NEW** The substituted player leaving the field should leave at the nearest point on the boundary line, then they will proceed to walk around the field. All substitutions will be with the referee's permission and will no longer require possession or during specific stoppages in play.
​**NEW**
GOAL KICK / FREE KICK
At a goal kick and a free kick for the defending team in their own penalty area, the ball is in play as soon the kick is taken (it can be played before it leaves the penalty area).

OTHER RULE CHANGES
Clearer wording for 'handball'
Attacking team players must be at least 1 yard away from a defensive 'wall'
The goalkeeper only has to have one foot on the goal line at a penalty kick
A new dropped ball procedure (including a dropped ball being awarded if the ball hits a match official and goes into the goal, team possession changes or a promising attack starts).
​HEADERS/PENALTY
No headers in U12 and under. This includes practices.
When a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick (IFK) should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense unless the infraction occurs in the 6 yard box in which case the ball is placed on the 6 yard box line.
​ BUILD OUT LINE RULES: Only to be used by the U10 division
  • The build out line promotes playing the ball out of the back in a less pressured setting.
  • When the goalkeeper has the ball, either during play (from the opponent) or from a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the build out line until the ball is put into play.
  • Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw or roll the ball into play at any time (punting and drop kicks is not allowed).
  • After the ball is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out line and play resumes as normal.
  • If a goalkeeper punts the ball, an indirect free kick should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense.
  • If the punt occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement occurred.
  • The build out line will also be used to denote where offside offenses can be called.
  • Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and the build out line.
  • Players can be penalized for an offside offense between the build out line and goal line.

ROMP GUIDELINES: SEE ROMP GUIDELINES PAGE HERE

5 POINT RULE
If a team is down by 5 goals, then the team that is down may add a player (adding a player is optional) for the remainder of the game. This can be done without a stoppage in play with the referee's approval. This does not change the responsibility of the coach of the leading team to institute restrictions on scoring. The additional player does not have to be removed if the goal (score) gap closes.
Although the league does not have a 'romp rule' we do have guidelines to prevent game scores from getting 'out of hand'. Before each game coaches are to discuss how to handle a lopsided high scoring game (when one team is leading by 4 points) if the situation would arise. Suggestions are provided which can be utilized to keep the score from getting out of hand.