Background



FIFA/US Soccer have recently updated and posted revisions to the Laws of the Game which when written were intended for the professional level games and are not as beneficial for the youth game. The following are clarifications and revisions that will be followed and enforced in CPYSL.



Law 3 Substitutions



Players entering & leaving the field.  In CPYSL play the teams are still situated on opposing sides of the field to help referees & coaches identify fans during play, as such CPYSL would still encourage players leaving the field on their teams side of the field to assure player safety, however players may still leave anywhere from the field upon notifying the referee of the intent. Players shall still proceed to their team’s technical area.



As in the past, substitutes will enter the field at the halfway line and shall be summoned into play during any goal kicks, scores, and their own team’s throw-in by the referee. (If opposing teams wish to sub during the opponent’s throw-in there must be a player substitution awaiting at that time to allow the piggy-back sub). At stoppages such as injuries, the allowance of any substitutions shall be made for both teams.



Laws 5/12 – Regarding Team Officials



Effective for the Fall 2019 season, coaches (& team officials) guilty of a misconduct shall be shown a yellow card (caution) or red card (send-off) to assure coaches & teams that the offence has been noted and is being dealt with properly.  In the past, coaches have not understood through the ask, tell, dismiss directive that they were receiving the sanction. It is also noted that coaches are responsible for their team’s bench, fans, & spectators and shall receive the correct sanction for not controlling those areas, referees are to deal with the coach only in these instances, it is up to the coach to then control the technical area and their side of the field.



Law 7 – Medical Breaks



In the interest of player safety, in matches played when certain weather conditions warrant a cooling break to help in lowering player body temperatures, a ninety-second (90) to three (3) minute ‘cooling break’ will be part of the match to assist in rehydration and the lowering of the player’s core temp. Referees shall discuss with both coaches prior to the match of the likelihood of providing this break prior to the match, referees will then determine a fair stoppage point during the half provide the break,



Laws 8/9 – Dropped Ball



To keep from aggressive confrontations occurring, or balls being kicked into touch to stop play, upon stoppages of the game (e.g. injuries) the ball will be dropped to the team last playing the ball when obvious, in the case of play stopped inside the penalty area, the ball will be dropped to the goalkeeper. All opposing players must be a minimum of 4.5 yards (4m) away.  



If the ball strikes the referee during play and then enters the goal or changes possession, thus an unfair advantage to the defending team, a dropped ball will be awarded.



Law 12 – Handling the Ball



• The following ‘handball’ situations, even if accidental, will be a free kick:

o The ball goes into the goal after touching an attacking player’s hand/arm.

o A player gains control/possession of the ball after it has touched their hand/arm and then scores or creates a goal-scoring opportunity.

o The ball touches a player’s hand/arm which has made their body unnaturally bigger.

o The ball touches a player’s hand/arm when it is above their shoulder (unless the player has deliberately played the ball which then touches their hand/arm).

• The following will not usually be a free kick, unless they are one of the above situations:

o The ball touches a player’s hand/arm directly from their own head/body/foot or the head/body/foot of another player who is close/near.

o The ball touches a player’s hand/arm which is close to their body and has not made their body unnaturally bigger.

o If a player is falling and the ball touches their hand/arm when it is between their body and the ground to support the body (but not extended to make the body bigger).

o If the goalkeeper attempts to clear a throw-in or a deliberate kick from a team-mate but the clearance fails, the goalkeeper can then handle the ball.



Law 13 – Free Kicks



Changes to the defending wall of three (3) or more players, attacking players will not be allowed within one (1) yard of the ‘wall’ during the free kick process, attacking players infringing on this will be cause for the referee to award an indirect free kick to the defending team.



If a free kick is taken before the referee can issue a sanction (yellow/red card) to an offending player, the player can be sanctioned at the next convenient opportunity (stoppage).



Law 14 – Penalty Kicks



Goalkeepers must be stationary and is not allowed to be touching goalposts/crossbar/net prior to the penalty kick being taken. Referee must not signal for the kick to be taken until the goalkeeper has met these conditions.

Goalkeepers need only one foot to be on the line prior to the kick being taken.



Law 16 – Goal Kicks



At the taking of the goal kick, the ball is in play the moment it is kicked and moved; therefore, the ball is in play before it leaves the penalty area and opposing players may challenge for the ball. In U10 matches this does not change the intent for the for the ‘build-out’ line, opposing players must remain behind the line until the ball is in play, defending teams are at risk if they put the ball into play prior to their opponents moving to the ‘build-out’ line.