Rec-Plus By-Laws

 

SMYS RecPlus Bylaws
Revised, June 28, 2010
 
History of the Recreation Plus Division
            Commencing with the Fall 2001 season, St. Mary’s Youth Soccer, Inc. (SMYS) offered Recreation Plus division (RecPlus). This division will provide above average players the opportunity to play competitive soccer in southern Maryland and continue to develop their skill set.
 
            Commencing with the Spring of 2006 season, Calvert Soccer Association (CSA) was invited to join the RecPlus division. Commencing with the Fall of 2007 season, St. Mary’s Northern Soccer League (SMNSL or NSL) joined RecPlus. Commencing with Fall of 2009 season, Waldorf Soccer Club (WALD) will join RecPlus.
 
            The goal of this cooperative effort was to be able to raise the level of play yet again while keeping travel to a minimum. Other Southern Maryland Leagues may be added in the future.
 
Coach Selection
            Because the caliber of the RecPlus player is expected to be above average, the RecPlus division teams require coaches who have above average qualifications. Therefore, each selected coach should meet the following minimum requirements:
§ Four (4) seasons coaching in Recreation League.
§ Hold at least an “E” License or equivalent.
 
Each coach is expected to:
§ Commit to coach their team for a full year.
§ Attend player evaluations, or have an approved assistant attend.
 
Children of Coaches and Assistant Coaches are automatically placed on the same team that their parents are coaching.
 
Coaches with the qualifications listed above will be given greater consideration for selection than those without.
 
Each league participating in RecPlus is responsible for selecting qualified coaches for their RecPlus teams.
 
Player Evaluations
 
Since no players are “cut” from the recreational soccer program, it is inaccurate to use the term “tryout.” Player evaluations are held to determine player placement-either on a recreational or RecPlus team. Prior to each fall season, a minimum of two (2) evaluation sessions will be held.
These evaluations will determine which players are eligible for the RecPlus division. The coaches that have been selected for the upcoming season will evaluate each player based on the evaluation format and rating form. Each player will be assigned a point total by adding the scores from each category. Players will be assigned an evaluation number at the beginning of the evaluation. Results will be posted to the SMYS RecPlus webpage after teams are selected and finalized. Evaluation formats will be the same for each evaluation in a given season so that players can be compared fairly.
 
            Players will be evaluated initially in their age specific groups. If it is deemed that a player is far superior to the other players he/she is being evaluated with, that player may be moved to a higher age group with parental permission. However, no player will be placed on a team simply for convenience. All players will have to demonstrate appropriate skill to play in this division.
 
            A supplemental evaluation may be held prior to the spring season to fill roster slots created by departing players. Normally, RecPlus teams remain together for fall and spring seasons. If selected for a RecPlus team for the fall season, a player need not attend an evaluation for the spring season.
 
            Each League participating in RecPlus is responsible for holding their own evaluations but must follow the same format for team selection.
 
Player Placement
Team Structure
 
  • The RecPlus division will consist of no fewer than four (4) and up to twelve (12) teams per division.
  • Teams will consist of a minimum of eleven (11) and a maximum of fourteen (14) players.
  • RecPlus may field girls-only RecPlus teams playing in a girls-only RecPlus division.
  • Players may only play up one age division. Specifically, a true U9 player would play up to U10 and could not participate in the U12 division.
  • Age division eligibility is determined by a player’s age as of 01 August of a given year.
  • Each roster must contain at least two (2) female players and four (4) players from the lower half of the age division (U9, U11, U13), unless such a requirement is specifically waived by the RecPlus Division Manager due to unavailability of appropriate players.
  • The roster requirement for female players will be waived if there is a girls-only RecPlus team in that age group.
  • While coaches may elect to do so, there is no requirement that players be selected for teams based on their requested geographical location.
 
Participation of Travel (select) Players
 
  • Players are not permitted to simultaneously participate as active carded travel players and RecPlus players in the same season.
  • In cases where a non-travel player is selected for RecPlus, if the player joins a travel team after the season starts, and the player wishes to also continue with their RecPlus team, a waiver may be requested.
  • A waiver is granted only for the remainder of the current season.
  • A waiver can not be granted to the same player two consecutive seasons.
  • A RecPlus team will be granted a maximum of two (2) waivers per season.
  • A waiver is obtained by notifying and receiving a written response approving the waiver from the SMYS RecPlus Division Manager.
  • Any player found to be in violation of this rule may be suspended from RecPlus play for the remainder of the current season, or until a waiver is granted.
  • Teams found to have played an ineligible player may forfeit any points earned towards standings at the discretion of the SMYS Division Manager.
  • This rule does not prohibit RecPlus players from training with travel teams or participating as an uncarded guest player in travel team tournaments.
 
 
Draft Rules
 
  •  Any coach’s and assistant coach’s children who wish to play Rec Plus in the appropriate age division must be included as reserved players. If a coach reserves fewer players than other coaches, that coach will be able to select from earlier (and perhaps multiple) draft rounds than coaches who reserve more players. A maximum of two players may be reserved in this manner.
  • A series of successive draft rounds will be held until all teams have achieved full rosters. Draft picks will be reversed after each complete round of picks. For example, if an age division has six (6) teams, the order of picks would be 1,2,3,4,5,6,6,5,4,3,2,1,1,2…. The order of the draft for the Fall season will be determined by draw, coin toss, or similar means by the RecPlus Division Manager.
  • The Spring draft order will be the reverse of team standings from the previous fall season. If as an example a division has four teams, the draft order would be 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1… based on the team’s finish order in the previous Fall season.
  • Once all teams are drafted, the Division Manager may review the rosters to determine if there are any significantly challenging practice commutes for players and in cooperation with the Coaches, seek to make any adjustments that would not create an unfair imbalance in the teams.
  • Each League participating in RecPlus is responsible for placing players on their league’s teams. While the Team Structure and Participation of Travel Player limitations are mandatory for all teams participating in RecPlus, the Draft Rules are not.
 
Season
 
            Each RecPlus team will composed prior to the fall season and stay intact through the end of the following spring season. Any exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. The RecPlus division will publish its schedule at least a week prior to the start of the season. The first week’s schedule may be published in advance of the remainder of the season schedule. The Championships of the RecPlus division will be decided by an end-of-season tournament.
 
Weather on Game Day
 
If a game is started and the game is called due to weather:
 
            If the first half is not complete and play is unable to continue, the game will be replayed. If the first half is complete, the result will stand at the point where play is halted, including a stoppage in the second half where play is unable to continue.
 
Game Format
 
            Game formats for the four (4) age groups are as follows:
 
            U8:      Two (2) 25-minute halves with a 5-8 minute halftime.
 
            U10:    Two (2) 25-minute halves with a 5-8 minute halftime.
 
            U12:    Two (2) 30-minute halves with a 5-8 minute halftime.
 
            U14:    Two (2) 35-minute halves with a 5-8 minute halftime.
 
On-Field Format
 
            All games for the U10, U12, and U14 age group divisions will be 8 vs.8 unless one team has nine (9) or fewer players, in which case the coach may request the format be adjusted to 7 vs.7. This request may be granted by the opposing coach, but is not required.
            The U8 division will play 7 vs.7 unless one team has eight (8) or fewer players, in which case the coach may request that the format be adjusted to 6 vs. 6. This request may be granted by the opposing coach, but is not required.
 
            If the game begins with the smaller-sided format due to missing players who later arrive, that game will resume with the prescribed full-sided format either immediately with the consent of the Referee, or after halftime.
 
Standings
 
            Game scores and standings will be kept throughout the regular season. The coach of the winning Team is responsible for reporting final scores to the RecPlus Division Manager not later than Monday following the game, or within forty eight (48) hours of the completion of a game if the game is not played on a Friday or Saturday. This reporting can be done via phone or email. At the beginning of the season, the Division Manager will provide contact information to the RecPlus coaches from all leagues.
 
            It is the responsibility of the Division Manager to post scores and standings to the SMYS RecPlus webpage on a weekly basis.
 
            At the end of the season, playoff brackets will be made based on the final standings in the regular season. A point system will be used as follows:
  • Win by five (5) or fewer goals = three (3) points
  • Win by six (6) or more goals = two (2) points
  • Tie = one (1) point
  • Loss = zero (0) points
Forfeits will be scored 5-0 in favor of the non-forfeiting team.
 
      Because the number of teams may vary in each division from year to year and it may not be possible to ensure an equitable arrangement of game assignments, the Division Manager may elect to declare that some of the games do not count towards the season standings. Such a declaration will be made to the coaches when the schedule is published.
 
      Division Rankings Tie-Breakers
  • Intra-League Record (only when there are more than two teams from a league and the teams have played an equal number of intra-league games)
  • Inter-League Record (only when the teams have played an equal number of inter-league games)
  • Goal Differential
  • Total Goals Scored
  • Head to Head Results
  • Coin Toss
 
Playoffs
 
            A round robin, double elimination, or some other tournament format selected at the discretion of the Division Manager may be held at the end of the regular season. The tournament is a MANDATORY event. It must be understood that preliminary games may be played on weeknights, with the finals being played on Saturday. A final tournament schedule will be released as soon as it is available.
 
            Playoff games that end in a tie will be decided by Kicks from the Penalty Mark as provided for in the Laws of the Game.
 
Disciplinary Actions
 
            Conform to SMYS Recreation division procedures.
 
 
Official RecPlus U8, U10, U12, and U14 Playing Recommendations
U.S.Youth Soccer recommended modifications to the FIFA Laws of the Game
FIFA Laws may be found at www.ussoccer.com/referee
 
Law 1- The Field of Play
  • Dimensions: The field of play must be rectangular. The length of the touchline must be greater than the length of the goal line.
  • Length: minimum seventy (70) yards; maximum eighty (80) yards
  • Width: minimum forty five (45) yards (U8 forty (40) yards)
  • Field Markings: Distinctive lines not more than five (5) inches wide. The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line. The center mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with a radius of eight (8) yards is marked around it.
  • The Goal Area: Conform to FIFA.
  • The Penalty Area: A penalty area is defined at the end of the field as follows: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, fourteen (14) yards from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of fourteen (14) yards and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the Penalty Area,
  • Within each Penalty Area a penalty mark is made ten (10) yards from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant from them. An arc of a circle with a radius of eight (8) yards from each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area.
  • Flag posts: Conform to FIFA
  • The Corner Arc: Conform to FIFA
  • Goals: Conform to FIFA with the exception (U8 and U10) that the maximum distance between the posts is eighteen (18) feet and the minimum distance from the crossbar to the ground is seven (7) feet.
 
Law 2- The Ball:
  • Size four (4), except for U14, which will use size five (5).
  • Supplied by the home team.
 
Law 3- The Number of Players:
  • A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eight (8) players, (U8: seven (7) players) one of whom is the goalkeeper.
  • A match may not start if either team consists of fewer than seven (7) players, fewer than six (6) players for U8.
  • Substitutions: Unlimited substitutions are allowed:
§ After a goal,
§ Before a goal kick,
§ Before a throw-in (if the team in possession makes a substitution, the other team may substitute as also),
§ After an injury or disciplinary action (in case of an injury, the other team may substitute player(s) in a number equal to those substituted due to injury)
§ Playing time: Each player SHALL play a minimum of 50% of the total playing time.
 
Law 5- The Referee:
  • USSF Certified Referees are used.
 
Law 6- The Assistant Referee:
  • USSF Certified Referees are used.
 
Law 7- The Duration of the Match:
  • Conform to FIFA with the following exceptions:
§ U8 being divided into two (2) halves of twenty-five (25) minutes each.
§ U10 being divided into two (2) halves of twenty-five (25) minutes each.
§ U12 being divided into two (2) halves of thirty (30) minutes each.
§ U14 being divided into two (2) halves of thirty-five (35) minutes each.
§ There shall be a halftime interval of five (5) to eight (8) minutes.
 
Law 8- The Start and Restart of Play:
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 9- The Ball In and Out of Play:
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 10- The Method of Scoring
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 11- Offside
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 12- Misconduct:
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 13- Free Kicks:
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 14- The Penalty Kick:
  • Conform to FIFA with the exceptions that the penalty mark is ten (10) yards from the goal line and that players other than the kicker and the goal keeper are at least eight (8) yards from the penalty mark.
 
Law 15- The Throw-In:
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 16- The Goal Kick
  • Conform to FIFA
 
Law 17- The Corner Kick:
  • Conform to FIFA