NRASL – Laws of the Game – In‐House
Law 1—Field of Play
- The NRASL Field Manager is responsible for adhering to Law 1 to the best of his ability with the fields NRASL manages.
- Sizes of fields, goals, lines, etc. are space dependent and may be non‐conforming for some age groups
- The Referee should defer any Law 1 questions from coaches and players to the field manager.
- Play on the assigned field, don’t deviate
Law 2—Ball Size
- Size 3 balls from the Tots and U5/U6 Academy should not be used in games for U7+
- U8 (U7/8) and U11 (U9/10/11) – Size 4 ball
- U14 (U13/14)– Size 5 ball
Law 3—Players
- U8(U7/8) – 6v6 including goalie
- U11 (U9/10/11) – 7v7 including goalie
- U14 (U13/14) – 8v8 including goalie
– Equal playing time and player position rotation is recommended.
– Any substitutions should occur ONLY when permission granted by the referee during a momentary pause
(but clock running) in action from a throw‐in, goal kick, or restart.
– The coach must request substitutions and be granted permission by the referee
– Substitutes should enter the field of play at the midfield line.
– Goalie changes at breaks in quarters and half‐times are preferred because of no game stoppages.
– Play continues on the referee’s whistle once the exiting players are off the field.
Law 4 – Players Equipment
- Socks over shin guards are required to secure the shin guards in place.
- Cleats are not required, but recommended.
- Tennis‐shoes are allowed, but not recommended.
- Hard cleats (metal cleats) are prohibited
- Team colors. Goalies should be differentiated with goalie shirts or pinnies
Law 5 – Referee Authority
"If I keep the game safe and fair, everything else will take care of itself.”
1. Fun
2. Fairness
3. Safety
4. Learning
- The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play are final.
- The referee may only change a decision on realizing that it is incorrect or, at his discretion, on the advice of an assistant referee or observing board member or lead referee, provided that he has not restarted play or terminated the match.
Law 6 – Assistant Referee (AR) Authority
- The assistant referees also assist the referee to control the match in accordance with the Laws of the Game
- Most matches will be conducted without an AR in NRASL in‐house
- A Lead Referee may assist you in officiating a match as an AR, or as a sideline observer.
- A Linesman flag should be used by an AR for signaling to the referee.
- When you are working a game as an AR (Assistant Referee):
- The AR assists the main referee with some decisions. The AR has NO decision powers, but it is their to
point out fouls, handles ball, misconducts, out of bounds, etc. which may not be seen by the main referee.
- The main referee may choose to call the foul, etc. that the AR has pointed out (signaled). It is the main
referee's judgment, not the ARs.
- When an AR sees a foul, handles ball, misconduct, out of bounds, etc. he/she raises their arm (with or
without a flag) toward the sky. Once the main referee sees this and acknowledges that you have seen an
infraction, then use your arm to point to the location on the field of the infraction.
- If the main referee doesn't see your arm up to the sky, or waves you off and continues play, bring your arm
down and get ready to call the next infraction.
- Keep the game clock. They can have a watch to make sure the main referee is accurate, but the game clock
is controlled by the main referee.
- Don't blow whistles. The main referee is the only one who can blow a whistle.
- Don't make ruling on the field, only the main referee can make ruling, you are there as an AR to point out
infractions that the main referee may not see.
- Don't argue with the main referee.
- Don't bunch up and work the field right next to the main referee. Work the other sidelines. If the main referee
is at midfield near the bench, work midfield near the spectators. Stay separated. Run goal to goal with the
progression of the ball.
- Volunteered Linesman for U14
- So, as the head referee, we ask you to recruit prior to game time some parents or spectators to assist you
as linesmen. 2 will be needed, one for each side of the field.
- If you can't recruit 2 linesmen, that's okay. You can go ahead without them. But the option is there, and it will
make your job as the official easier.
- Remember, no offsides in U11, and U14 we will be calling only the most obvious offsides.
- The linesman flags will be in the concession stand. Please collect and return to the concession stand promptly after your game.
Law 7 – Duration of the Match
- U8 and U11—12 minute quarters. 2 minute breaks between quarters. 5 minute half break. (57min)
- U14—28 minute halves. 5 to 8 minute half break. (64min)
- Referee is in sole control over the clock.
- Games that start late will be cut short in order to keep the field schedule.
- Game Clock should only be stopped by the referee for significant injury, weather, rare instance of goalie substitution, and to consult with a NRASL Board Member.
Law 8 – Start and Restart of Play
- Coaches and Referee determine who gets 1st kick and which team gets which goal.
- A coin toss can be used to determine this, or mutually agreed upon by the coaches prior to match
- If coin toss is used to decide
A. Referee will toss a coin and visiting team will call heads or tails.
B. Winner of coin toss will choose possession of ball or side of field to defend.
C. If winner chooses ball, the opposing team chooses side of field to defend.
D. If winner chooses side of field to defend, opposing team gets ball.
E. Teams will alternate kick off at quarter and half‐time restarts.
- Start the ball at midfield circle after a goal.
- Start the ball at midfield circle at the beginning of each quarter.
- If, while the ball is still in play, the referee is required to stop play temporarily for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game, the match is restarted with a dropped ball.
- Referee may choose to restart match without favoring attacking or defending teams with a drop ball
– Play starts as soon as the ball touches the ground
– Use this to restart play after a reconsidered foul
Law 9 – Ball in and out of play
- The ball is out of play when:
– It has wholly crossed the goal line or touch line whether on the ground or in the air
– Play has been stopped by the referee
- The ball is in play at all other times, including when:
– It rebounds off a goalpost, crossbar or corner flag post and remains in the field of play
– It rebounds off either the referee or an assistant referee when they are on the field of play
Law 10—Scoring
- If a player asks the score, say ‘there is no score – have fun’
Law 11—Offsides
- No offside rules in effect except for U14 games.
- In U14, call only the MOST OBVIOUS offsides
- Some referees may not be accurate in calling off‐sides because of the lack of ARs or the lack of experience in calling offsides
- The coaches are instructed not to get upset if these are called wrong or not called at all.
Law 12—Fouls and Misconduct
- 100% Misconduct Enforcement
- The referee may feel that a player is so excessive with their violent conduct / serious foul play, that the referee temporally suspends play and stops clock.
- The referee will seek out a NRASL board member to consult about an ejection
- Ask the players to stay on the field take a knee
- Ejected players can be replaced by the offending team and the game and clock resume
- Sending‐off (ejection) Offences Examples
- Serious foul play
- Violent conduct
- Spitting at an opponent or any other person
- Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
- A COACH maybe sent off if he/she commits:
- Violent conduct
- Spitting at an opponent or any other person
- Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures
Law 13—Free Kicks
- Only Indirect Free Kicks, no Direct Free Kicks
– The referee indicates an indirect free kick by raising his arm above his head. He maintains his arm in that
position until the kick has been taken and the ball has touched another player or goes out of play.
- A goal can be scored off an indirect free kick only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal:
– if an indirect free kick is kicked directly into the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded to the defenders
– if an indirect free kick is kicked directly into the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing
team
- Free Kick Inside the Penalty Area
- Indirect free kick to the defending team:
- All opponents must be at least 8 yds from the ball
- All opponents must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play
- The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area
- A free kick awarded in the goal area may be taken from any point inside that area
- Indirect free kick to the attacking team:
- All opponents must be at least 8 yds from the ball until it is in play, unless they are on their own goal line
between the goalposts
- The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves
- An indirect free kick awarded inside the goal box must be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred
- Free Kick Outside the Penalty Area (Most Common)
- All opponents must be at least 8 yds from the ball until it is in play
- The ball is in play when it is kicked and moves
- The free kick is taken from the place where the infringement occurred
- If, after the ball is in play, the kicker touches the ball a second time (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
– An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the
infringement occurred
- If, after the ball is in play, the kicker deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
– an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred
- Free kick taken by the goalkeeper
- If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper touches the ball a second time (except with his hands),
before it has touched another player:
– an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the
infringement occurred
- If, after the ball is in play, the goalkeeper deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
– an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the
infringement occurred
Law 14—Penalty Kick
- No Penalty Kicks given/taken
Law 15—Throw‐ins
- Goalie Throw‐ins Delays greater than 6 seconds will be called and provide an indirect free kick to the attacking team from the midfield center circle
- A second attempt must be allowed if the player commits a foul on the initial attempt of the throw‐in.
- The referee shall explain the proper method before allowing the player to re‐throw.
Law 16—Goal Kicks
- When the whole of the ball has crossed the entire width of the goal line, not counted as a goal, and last touched by an attacker, a goal kick is awarded
- Goal kick may be taken anywhere within the goal box area
- If a any player plays the ball before it leaves the penalty box area, a goal kick shall be retaken
Law 17—Corner Kicks
- When the whole of the ball has crossed the entire width of the goal line, not counted as a goal, and last touched by an Defender, a Corner Kick is awarded
- To be taken from the corner where the touchline and goal line meet
- The ball is kicked by a player of the attacking team
- The ball is in play when it is kicked, and therefore the ball does not need to leave the corner arcto be in play
- A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick
- If the kicker touched the ball a second time before it has touched any other player, even if the ball rebounds from the goal post, an indirect free kick shall be awarded to the opposing team in the position where the second touch occurred
- If a player, while correctly taking a corner kick, intentionally kicks the ball and succeeds in hitting at AN OPPONENT in order to play the ball a second time, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the ball strike on the opponent
- If deemed not intentional, or without reckless or excessive force, the referee shall allow play to continue without the indirect free kick