Fouls and Misconduct:

- Fouls include intentional head and handballs, slide tackles, high kicks, as well as attempting to or actually kicking, tripping, pushing, or striking an opponent.

- Coaches and referees should address these fouls with free kicks during practices and games.

- Players should not use hands, arms, elbows, or lower their shoulders to gain an advantage.

- Raised arms or elbows should not be used to keep players away from the ball or gain possession.

- Pushing and tripping are not allowed.

- Outstretched arms to "guard" opposing players impede their progress and free movement and are considered indirect holding.

- Players should not cover opposing team players like in basketball.

Head and Hand Balls:

- No headers are allowed in the club for any age group, including during practice.

- If a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the offense.

- If the header occurs in the goal area and had a chance of going in the goal, a goal will be awarded.

- If the header had no chance of going in, a direct free kick should be taken 10 yards back, parallel to the goal line, at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

- If a player does not deliberately head the ball, play should continue.

- Determination on whether a header was deliberate or not will be the sole discretion of the referee and coaches.

- The same rules apply to intentional handballs, which include any part of the arm up to, but not including, the shoulder.

- If the ball is kicked into the hand or arm while in a natural position or if the player is attempting to protect themselves from a kicked ball, play should continue.

- Any handball above the shoulder/face should be called, and a direct kick awarded to the opposing team.

Slide-Tackling:

- Slide-tackling is not allowed in the club.

- All players should remain on their feet when around other players.

High Kicks:

- Coaches and referees should address high kicks during practices and games.

- High kicks to gain control of a ball at or above waist level are dangerous to other players.

- Players can use their chest, trap techniques, etc. to stop or gain control of the ball, but heads should not be used.

- Coaches and parents can practice and work with players to develop skills to handle high balls without using a high raised foot.

The Method of Scoring:

- A goal is scored when the whole ball goes over the whole goal line between the goalposts.

Out of Play:

- When the whole ball goes over the whole boundary line, the ball is out of play.

- The team that did not touch it last is awarded a throw-in.

Offside:

- There is no penalty for offside in small-sided games.

Throw Ins:

- When the entire ball goes out of bounds on the sidelines, the team that did not touch the ball last receives a throw-in.

- A proper throw-in consists of both hands on the ball, the ball being brought directly back and forward over the head (not to one side), and both feet must remain in contact with the field while the ball is being thrown.

- The thrower may not touch the ball again until it has touched another player.

- A direct free kick is awarded to the opponents where the second touch occurred.

- Opponents must be no closer than 5 feet to the thrower upon throw-in.

- A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in. If the ball enters the opponent's goal directly from a throw-in, a goal kick should be awarded. If the ball enters the thrower's own goal directly from the throw-in, a corner kick should be awarded.

Goal Kick:

- If the team attempting to score the goal kicks the ball over the goal line outside the goal post, the opposing team puts the ball into play with a goal kick.

- The player may place the ball anywhere within the goal box for the goal kick.

- Opposing players must be 10 yards back.

Corner Kick:

- If the team defending against a goal being scored kicks the ball over the goal line outside the goalposts, the opposing team puts the ball back into play with a corner kick.

- The player may place the ball anywhere within the corner marking.

- Opposing players must be five yards away.

- The corner flag may not be moved or removed for any reason.

- Players should be aware of which foot they will be striking the ball with and place the ball appropriately within the corner markings.

Free Kicks/Direct Kicks:

- All free kicks will be direct, meaning the ball can be kicked directly in for a goal.

- All opposing players should be 5 yards away from the ball prior to the kick.

- A goal cannot be scored off a kick-off.

- If the ball is closer than 10 yards from the goal box, the position of the ball will be moved up to 10 yards away from the goal box before the free kick is taken.

- The kicker is not allowed to contact the ball a second time after the initial kick and before the ball contacts another player.

- The opposing team should be awarded a free kick at the position of the second touch.

Goal Box:

- There are no goalies in the club.

- Instead, we exercise a goal-box rule, which is essentially a no-touch box.

- Players may enter the goal box but may not touch the ball once in the box.

- If a defender touches the ball within the goal box, the opposing team puts the ball back into play with a corner kick.

- If a defender touches the ball within the goal box and prevents an obvious goal, then the goal will be awarded.

- If an offensive player touches the ball inside the opposing team's goal box, then the ball is put back into play with a goal kick.

- Just as a ball is not out of bounds until the whole ball goes over the whole line, the same applies to the goal box, where the ball is still playable when it is on the line.

The Advantage Rule:

- The referee does not have to stop play every time he detects a foul.

- If the offending team gains an advantage from the offense, the referee will certainly do so.

- The referee may apply the advantage rule to allow play to go on if stopping play would penalize the attacking team.

Suntree Soccer Club's mission is to introduce kids to the game of soccer and help them develop soccer skills. The game should be fun for all involved, with teaching and developmental moments. We encourage teamwork, communication, involvement, skill development, and achievement both on and off the field by players, parents, and coaches.