NYC Social Rules
Number of PlayersA team consists of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 players. A team will field 5 players (4 and a goalie), at least 2 of which must be women. A minimum of 4 players from your roster and/or pre-registered substitutes is needed to start or continue a game. If a team is short of the required number of women, they must play down one male player. Teams may also invite Substitute Players to join them as per below: SubstitutionsIf a team is short the required number of players in a regular season game, they may invite players from other Teams within the division. Subs from within the division are subject to the Referee’s discretion. Teams can only invite enough Subs from within the division to meet the maximum number of players allowed on field (5) plus one additional player to rotate in. Substitute players from within the division should be the last one to cycle into the game (barring gender requirements). If players from a team’s roster arrive late, the Subs from within the division must rotate out. Substitutions from outside the division are allowed; for more info and to register as a Sub, CLICK HERE. Substitutions during the Playoffs are not permitted. Teams using pre-registered substitutes may not exceed the headcount of their original roster and individuals may not serve as a pre-registered substitute player more than 3 times during a Season. Substitute players must check in with the Game Coordinator onsite to receive a league issued pinnie to wear in the Game. Substitute players must leave a form of identification with the Game Coordinator in exchange for the participation pinnie. The ID will be returned to the player when the pinnie is turned in after the Game. Game Length and StructureGames consist of two 18-minute halves with a 2-minute intermission. Game time is kept by the Referee. There will be no overtime during the regular season. Scores will be capped with an 8 goal differential. Play will continue, but no team will be awarded more than 8 more points than their opponent in the official scores / standings. GENERAL SOCCER RULESEquipmentThe game ball will be provided by NYC Social for all matches. Shin guards are recommended for all players and are the responsibility of each individual player. They will not be provided by the league. All players must wear rubber-soled shoes. No cleats are allowed. Mid-Game SubstitutionsBoth teams may Substitute an unlimited number of players at anytime during play. The exiting player must be off the court prior to the Substitute entering the court. If the Referee stops the game for an injury, the injured player must be replaced by another player until the injured player recovers, or for a period of 5 minutes. GoalkeeperThe goalkeepers can only use their hands in the goal box, but may not touch the ball with their hands if a player on their own team has deliberately kicked it to them. Goalkeepers cannot drop-kick or punt the ball. They can only roll the ball underhand or set it down and kick it. Once the ball is set down, it cannot be picked up again. If the ball is picked up again, the opposing team receives an indirect kick from the spot of the retouch. Goalkeeper throwing infractions result in kick-ins for the opposing team from the touch-line (sideline) at mid-court. Goal Kicks and Corner KicksGoal kicks occur when the ball lands on the net behind the goal after being touched last by the offensive team, at which point play is stopped. Goal kicks are indirect kicks and are taken from anywhere inside the penalty area. Corner kicks occur when the ball lands on the net behind the goal after being touched last by the defensive team, at which point play is stopped. Corner kicks are indirect. Out of BoundsAll four walls of the gym are part of the field of play. The ball is considered out of bounds if it comes to rest on the bleachers or in a designated dead ball zone. Dead ball zones are gym-specific and will be explained by the Gamestaff. If a ball goes out of bounds, the opposing team receives a kick-in from the touch line. If the ball hits the ceiling while in play, the game will be restarted with an indirect kick taken by the opponents of the team that last touched the ball. The kick is taken from the point on the ground above which the ball hit the ceiling. If a player is pinned against the wall or bleachers, play is stopped and the team with the ball receives a kick-in from that spot. Kick-Ins (No Throw-Ins)Kick-ins are taken from the touch line. All kick-ins are indirect kicks. The ball will be placed on the line and players from the opposing team must be at least 5 feet away from the ball. OffsidesNo offsides rules are in place for this division. HandballsHandballs are called at Ref’s discretion. The handballs that affect the flow or outcome of a play will be called. Many inadvertent incidents of contact between the ball and arm/hand area will go uncalled. Players may protect vital body parts from the ball with their hands as long as such movements are reactive in nature and close to the body. If the handball is intentional or impacts the flow or outcome of a play, the opposing team will receive an indirect kick at the placement of the infraction. Penalty CardsWHITE: White cards serve as a warning to players that they are exhibiting unsportsmanlike conduct. There is no formal penalty for receiving a white card. Any player that continues to exhibit such behavior will be awarded a yellow or red card, and removed from the game. YELLOW: Yellow cards are issued to players exhibiting any of the following behavior: -Unsportsmanlike conduct RED:Red cards are notifications that a player has been sent off/ejected from the game. Red cards are issued to players exhibiting any of the following behavior: -Serious fouls and dangerous play Any player receiving a red card must leave the game immediately without Substitution. They may be replaced at the next Substitution opportunity. The player receiving the red card will not be allowed to continue in the league. Slide Tackles Slide tackles (determined at the Ref’s discretion) are defined as plays in which a player leaves their feet to slide towards an opposing player who has the ball. Slide tackles will not be tolerated and are punishable by a yellow card. Free Kicks and FoulsAll free kicks are indirect with the exception of tripping, slide tacking and intentional (defensive) handballs in the goal box which are penalty shot offenses. An indirect kick is one where a player from the team with possession of the ball must first pass it to a teammate before a shot on goal can be taken. An indirect kick that is shot on goal will result in a change of possession and an indirect kick for the opposing team at the spot of the foul. Free kicks resulting from fouls will occur at spot of of the foul. Penalty shots are only awarded for slide tacking, tripping and intentional handball offenses in the goal box. Penalty shots are direct kicks and do not have to touch another player prior to a goal counting. Penalty shots may be attempted by any member of the offended team provided that the member the same gender as the player fouled and was on the court when the foul occurred. Penalty shots will be taken from the basketball foul line. A free kick is awarded to opposed team if player commits any of the following offenses in a manner considered by a Referee to be careless, reckless, or using excessive force: -kicks or attempts to kick an opponent -trips or attempts to trip an opponent -jumps at an opponent -charges an opponent -strikes or attempts to strike an opponent -pushes an opponent -tackles an opponent -plays in a dangerous manner (high kicking, slide tackling, dangerous tackles from behind) -impedes the progress of an opponent -prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from his hand ForfeitsTeams should report to the gym at least 15 minutes before their scheduled starting time of the game time. A game will be ruled a forfeit in favor of the opposing team at game time if any of the following occur:
Teams will receive a forfeit loss of 5-0 in the official standings, if they have not shown up by the scheduled game time. Exceptions may sometimes be made in the event of known transit issues if a team is waiting on a couple of players with the understanding that the delay will cut time from the end of their game. The exception is at the discretion of the Referee and must be made clear to both teams on site. Sportsmanship points will be deducted from teams that forfeit a game due to a 'no-show' or a 'low-show.' Teams can minimize the deduction by Contacting Us ahead of time. Teams will receive:
Inclement WeatherIn the event of heavy snow that results in the conditions of travel being unsafe, NYC Social will update the Weather Information Line (347.491.7001) with any postponements 90 minutes before game time or as they occur, should they occur after the 90 minute advance mark. Season AbandonmentRegistered teams that miss two weeks of play will be considered to have abandoned their place in the league. Teams in this category will be contacted by a NYC Social staff member to confirm their status. Teams failing to respond within two business days will be removed from the Season schedule and will forfeit their registration fees. Teams that do respond will be required to supply reasoning for lack of attendance and petition the league for reinstatement. Season abandonment and reactivation decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the league management and must be resolved before returning to play in the current Season or in subsequent Seasons. Team T-ShirtsEach player on the official team roster will receive a league-issued shirt at the start of the Season. The shirt must be worn and visible during each and every game of the Season. Players who forget their Team T-Shirt will cause their team a 0.5 point deduction (each) from that week's Sportsmanship Rating. Players who forget their Team T-Shirt or wear an illegally altered shirt (see below) to the game will be made to wear a pinnie in order to participate in the game. Players must leave a form of identification with the Game Coordinator to receive the participation pinnie. The ID will be returned to the player when the pinnie is turned in after the Game. Team T-Shirts are also used by staff at the sponsor bar to determine whether a player is eligible to receive league discounts. While shirt customization is allowed, teams/players mush abide by the following rules when personalizing shirts:
Names, nicknames, numbers, and team logos are all welcome additions to the Team T-Shirts. Please also feel free to bedazzle, tie-dye, or apply patches to them, if you are so inclined. If a player's shirt no longer fits into the guidelines above, the player will be charged $10 and issued a replacement shirt. Alcohol, Controlled Substance, and Safety PolicyIndividuals (players, fans, or friends of players) will, at the discretion of NYC Social, be ejected immediately if any of the following are true:
Anyone who is ejected from one of our venues or sponsor bars will be required to petition the Club for reinstatement before participating in or attending any subsequent NYC Social event. Team(s) associated with the offending player, friend, or fan will lose 2 Sportsmanship points from its Sportsmanship Rating. These policies are in place for the safety, enjoyment, and continued camaraderie of all players, the sponsoring venues, sponsor bars, and the entire Club. Sportsmanship ScoreA Sportsmanship score (SP) is given to every team after every game, and is factored into overall league ranking. Teams (and their fans) begin with a ‘4.5’ and can gain an extra .5 point for displaying exceptional sportsmanship and spirit. Conversely, points are deducted for policy infractions, poor attitudes, low attendance, or absence as described below. Any team receiving a score below 3.5 must email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to explain their actions and receive official approval prior to participating in future Club games, leagues, or hosted events.
Note: Players must wear appropriate colored, league-issued Team T-Shirts during games. Half a point (.5) will be deducted from a Team’s Sportsmanship Rating for each missing shirt. Ejected ParticipantsAny ejected individual must get approval by NYC Social prior to attending or participating in future Club games, leagues, or hosted events, including Post-Game Parties. Attempted participation without approval is subject to further penalties. Rulings may include, but are not limited to, probation, game/league suspension, or permanent expulsion. PLAYOFFSRegular Season team standings are determined by 1) number of wins, 2) Sportsmanship, and 3) point differential. Teams not advancing to the Playoffs will be awarded a Consolation Game. Top teams will advance to the Playoffs – typically a single elimination tournament – where they will compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and prizes. Please note: Spirit and Bar Awards are given to deserving teams, regardless of ranking. To be eligible for Playoffs, teams must have an average Sportsmanship rating of at least ‘4.0’ and cannot have forfeited more than one game during the regular Season. Sorry, no substitute players are allowed in the Playoffs. Any team receiving less than ‘3.5’ Sportsmanship in a Playoff game forfeits its spot in the bracket, plus they must receive approval from NYC Social prior to participating in future Club games, leagues, or hosted events. MOST IMPORTANTLY!THIS IS A SOCIAL LEAGUE: Have fun and make new friends. The game may or may not go your way, but the beer is still cold and cheap afterwards! |
