East Central Soccer District

East Central Soccer District By Laws

To have any team sport run smoothly, there needs to be a joint effort and guidelines to follow.  The responsibilities of coaches, players, parents, and spectators are as follows: 

Players are expected to show a sportsman-like behavior 

• TOWARD TEAMMATES 
  • Teamwork and cooperation are absolutely essential for success in any group effort.  Group spirit, unselfishness, a concern for others, and self-sacrifice are all necessary for the best team performance. 
  • Criticism and sarcasm seldom accomplish anything beneficial.  The end result, nearly always, is less relaxation, more tension, and a corresponding decrease in skill. 
• TOWARD OPPONENTS 
  • The other team members are guests and should be treated accordingly. 
  • Uncomplimentary remarks toward or concerning the opposing team should never be made. 
  • Competition would not be possible without the cooperation, the appearance, and participation of the opponent.  Treat your opponents as you yourself would like to be treated. 
• TOWARD OFFICIALS 
  • The official’s task at best is a difficult one, and respect, rather than antagonism, should be the attitude of all players. 
  • Their decisions must be respected in order that the players and the spectators will receive the greatest benefit from the game. 
  • Officials are attempting to handle a difficult job to the best of their ability, and players have a great responsibility in establishing patterns of conduct for the spectators by the way they accept decisions. 

Conduct of Coaches, Parents, and Spectators 

• TOWARD PLAYERS 
  • Players should be encouraged to play according to the rules regardless of the tide of victory or defeat. 
  • Players should be encouraged to play their best!  Win, lose, or draw, they should still be accepted as people. 
• TOWARD OPPONENTS 
  • The same type of courteous and considerate treatment should be given the guests, as you would like your team to receive on out -of-town trips. 
• TOWARD OFFICIALS 
  • An official deserves fair treatment and encouragement.  He/she is trying to see that no one gets an unfair advantage over others. 
  • Let them know about their good calls.  Like anybody, they perform better with encouragement and feedback. 
  • Officials are human and, thus, subject to error.  But remember they must interpret what is happening on the field from their position. 
  • Continued booing and derogatory remarks are generally the poor sportsman’s way of displaying feelings in a group which lacks courage to express directly as an individual. 
  • The players view the coaches, parents, and spectators as role models.  Therefore, we need to control our own actions.   

Definition of ‘Clubs in Good Standing – For any organization to thrive it needs good partners, within the organization and outside.  Partners with common goals, mutual respect and professionalism.  For soccer to thrive and grow in our area the district needs good partners.  A club’s standing in the district is one of tools available to us to help ensure that the clubs that wish to be a part of USYS/WYSA soccer in Northeast Wisconsin are upholding/maintaining the values we have.

• WYSA defines ‘good standing’ this way: A team or organization shall be considered in good standing if all of its players have been properly registered with their National State Association or approved organization and so long as the team or organization is not subject to any disciplinary sanctions prohibiting travel or hosting imposed by the National State Association, US Youth Soccer or approved organization.
• East Central further defines a club in ‘good standing’ as :
  • Attending East Central meetings
  • Having no past-due invoices
  • Completing district-requested actions on a timely basis.  This includes but is not limited to
    • Submitting applications for teams for league play
    • Field information uploaded for league play
    • Meeting district scheduling deadlines for league play
    • Player info uploaded
    • Game results reported
    • Payment of dues, fines and referee pay
    • Responding to district inquiries
  • Teams appearing at scheduled games
  • In compliance with East Central’s Policies and Procedures, having not intentionally nor egregiously violated East Central, WYSA, nor US Youth Soccer policies and procedures.
• There will be no service for a new season until the prior season is cleared and the upcoming season is paid in-full. Services withheld can include:
  • registration of teams and players
  • scheduling of teams for league play
  • clubs may be required to pay for team scheduling services (no longer being invoiced by the district registrar)
  • issuance of player pass cards
  • insurance coverage
  • ability to vote at district meetings
• Any club in bad standing must prepay all district fees for league entry. 
• The duration of a sanction will be determined by the district, and a club’s return to good standing will only come after a written request by the club to the district is considered, and the club’s president meets with the (executive?) EC board, with the club outlining the steps they are taking to ensure they have addressed the issue(s).
• If a club returns to bad standing after reinstatement, sanctions can be more severe and of greater duration.

Beginning at 11U, each coach/manager will present the Official East Central roster (printed in color) to the referee prior to their team’s check-in.  The referee will utilize the roster to properly check-in the team.  Player’s jersey numbers need to be added to the roster either in the registration system or by hand.  Rosters can be printed from PlayMetrics using the Game Card feature. Failure to provide the referee with the roster prior to the match will delay the match, during which teams will have 10 minutes to produce the roster. After that time the game will be declared a forfeit and may not be rescheduled. Game cards should include:

• A clear head-shot of each player
• No hats or sunglasses
• Printed color roster
• Uniform numbers listed on the Official East Central roster

Beginning August 1, 2009, any player 14U and below may register up a maximum of two age levels on any East Central 11U-16U League.  For example, players defined as a 11U player can be eligible for a team that registers with East Central to play in a 13U league. If a State level team elects to play in the East Central League, they are to play in a competitive appropriate league as determined by East Central. 

Red card suspensions must be served in the environment in which they were obtained, that is:  red cards obtained in league play must be served in league play; and tournament red cards will be served in tournaments. When a player received a red card in league play, the referee will fill out the report in Game Officials.  The East Central Games Committee will determine the appropriate length of suspension.  

• Players must serve suspensions in games by the team on which they are rostered.
• Players must be present at games served for suspension
• Multiple league game suspensions cannot be served in tournaments, even though they are ineligible to play in league games.

The East Central Games committee has the power to suspend players and coaches. Any player that is ejected and/or suspended may choose to have a hearing.  This request for a hearing to review the suspension/ejection must be done in writing within 10 days of receiving the suspension notice.  This subsequent hearing will take place within 30 days.  During this time, the player may not be able to participate in any league game.  All league appeal options must be exhausted before legal, civil action can be taken.

Multiple game suspensions may occur due to repeated red card/ejection incidents and/or severity of the event.  Suspensions received near the end of the season which will not be fully served by the end of the season will be carried over to the next East Cental playing season.  Failure to complete prior years suspensions will result in additional suspensions and may result in team, club or association fines. 

A team, club or association using a suspended player or players in any sanctioned game will be assessed a fine of $100.00 and will forfeit the game involved.  East Cental teams playing against suspended teams, clubs or associations will be fined $100.00

Player Ejection Suspensions  updated March 2022

A suspension of 1 or more games will be imposed on any player who is ejected from a game for any of the following offenses.  The severity and circumstances of the offense will be considered when handing down the suspension. 

• Serious Foul Play (occurs when attempting to play the ball)
• Violent Conduct (inappropriate contact when the ball is not in the immediate area)
• Spitting at someone                                                                    
• Deliberate handling of the ball to prevent a goal.       
• Fouling a player with an obvious goal scoring opportunity 
• Offensive, insulting, or abusive language                               
• Receiving two cautions in a match       

Excessive Cautions – Players who have received a caution (yellow card) in two consecutive league games or who accumulate three cautions during the regular season will be suspended for an East Central/Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association league game, pending notification.  Two cautions received in a game resulting in a player’s ejection will not be counted towards a second suspension.  A single caution during a game where the player subsequently receives a red card will be counted toward the second suspension for excessive cautions. 

Substitution after cautions (Yellow Cards) – The East Central District encourages coaches to substitute players who receive cautions, at the next available time for normal substitution.  The referees will NOT stop play at the time of the caution to allow for the substitution. 

Cautions and suspensions will be logged in PlayMetrics.

Mandatory Attendance of Suspended Players – Player suspensions will be logged in PlayMetrics and will show on the game card. A player who is serving a suspension must be present at the game of which is to count towards a suspension. For the game to count towards a suspension, a player must have the lead referee sign the PlayMetrics roster and indicate the suspension was served. A photo of this card is to be e-mailed to the East Central Games Commissioner as verification.  All players that receive suspensions must serve their suspensions on the team they are rostered on.  

Probation Policy – Because of various behavioral problems stemming from actions by players, coaches, referees, and spectators per review of Referee Game Reports and East Central Incident reports, the Competition Committee (or its equivalent), after a hearing, may place a player, coach, team, club, or referee on a year’s probation. After the year, and if the behavior on and/or off the field does not improve, the East Central District may ban from league play for a year a particular player, coach, team, club, or referee. 

Protest and Appeal Process 

• A player or coach suspension may be appealed, and the outcome of a game may be protested to the East Central Games Commissioner.  However, no dispute, claim, protest or appeal will be considered unless it is presented in writing. 
• For appealing suspensions/or the outcome of a game, the “event” that initiates the five-day time limit will be the date in which the letter notifying of the suspension is received. The appeal must then be submitted to the Games Commissioner along with a $75.00 appeal fee. The fee should be in the form of a check made out to the East Central Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.  
• The East Central Games Commissioner will within 30 days after being notified that the player wishes to have a hearing to appeal a suspension/ejection will inform all parties of his/her decision. The East Central Competition Committee will review the information. If the appeal or protest is upheld, the fee will be returned. If denied, the fee will be forfeited to the East Central District treasury. The decision of the committee will be binding to all parties concerned, subject only to further appeal. 
• A denied protest or appeal may be further appealed to the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association Appeals Board. This appeal process is covered under the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association By-Laws, Rules and Regulations.  
• Any written communication to the East Central Games Commissioner that does not follow the protest/appeal protocol will be considered informational only and may not be acted on or responded to. 

Coach Send-off / Warning– Any coach cited for a warning in an official game report or harassing a referee during the post-game “Verification Meeting” will be suspended at the discretion of the East Central Coaching Commissioner.   If a coach is ejected at any time during the game and there are no available coaches with a coaching pass card and appropriate license level where required, to oversee the team, that game may be declared a forfeit. 

Coach Misconduct:  

• Coaches in the East Central Leagues are expected to exhibit the highest level of sporting behavior and are responsible for the attitudes and behavior of their assistant coaches, players, and spectators. 
• In the event the referee determines the conduct of the coach is detrimental to the game, the referee may ask the coach to leave the immediate vicinity. Immediate vicinity shall be defined as sufficient distance from the playing field where the offending party cannot cause additional disruptions to the game. This is considered the “out of sight and out of sound principle”. 
• Any time a coach is sent off the field, the referee must report it in Game Officials.   
• When a coaching send-off report is received by the East Central Coaching Commissioner, the coaching commissioner will investigate the incident and recommend an appropriate response, in consultation with the coach’s club president, and to the East Central District President. Repeat offenses will factor into the severity of the response. This response can take the form of one or more of the following: 
• Suspension from one game (automatic) to lifetime dependent upon the severity of the incident.  
• Attending and completing an anger management course (Cost to be borne by the coach and/or club for which they coach) 
• Attending and completing an introductory referee training course (Cost to be borne by the coach and/or club for whom they coach). 

Probation 

• If the response (decision) includes anger management training or introductory referee training, these courses must be completed at the next opportunity or the coach will be suspended until the course has been completed.  
• An investigation can be initiated by a signed letter or e-mail from a third party.  The response to this investigation can take the same form as a send-off report.  
• Decisions may be appealed per the East Central Appeals process with a $75.00 appeal fee being posted within 48 hours of being advised of the decision. The appeal will be heard within 20 days of the appeal being accepted. If the decision is overturned or modified the appeal fee will be returned to the appellant. 

Bad weather prior to the start of the game:

• Before teams arrive at the field: In the event of pre-existing poor field conditions or weather, a designated club officer may determine that the game should be postponed. The designated club officer should notify the referees and the visiting team of this postponement. Either team may start the rescheduling process by submitting 3 options for new game dates and by following the East Central rescheduling guidelines.
• At the field: The referee will determine if a team will take the field or continue play if weather conditions deem it necessary to suspend the game. In instances when the referee suspends a game due to weather conditions, darkness, etc., a game will be considered complete if the first half has been completed prior to the game suspension. Once a game has been suspended and the first half or more of the game has been completed, the teams will not take the field again and the game will be recognized as a complete game. Scores will be recorded at the point the game was suspended. If the first half has not been completed, the game must be rescheduled and played in its entirety. If there is a game following the first suspended game the teams and referees should wait to see if they could get at least half of the game in. They should wait the 30 minutes form the last sound of thunder before taking the field. This policy is meant to save on rescheduling games.
• Once a game has been suspended due to thunder, teams must vacate field and take shelter. Referees and coaches should communicate the dangers of lightning and instruct players and spectators to take shelter.
• Order of authority: Referee, club official, coach and parents. If at any time, a parent thinks that it is unsafe to play a game when they hear thunder or see lighting they have a right to pull their child from the competition.

Thunder Rule

• If you hear thunder you must wait for 30 minutes before you start a game or restart a game that was in progress.  When hearing thunder, assume there is lighting. Thunder is a better indication of when to stop a game because you can see lightning from a greater distance than what is necessary for game stoppage. Hearing thunder means there is lighting very close and it is unsafe to continue a game. 

A player or coach suspension may be appealed, and the outcome of a game may be protested to the East Central Games Commissioner.  However, no dispute, claim, protest or appeal will be considered unless it is presented in writing. 

For appealing suspensions/or the outcome of a game, the “event” that initiates the five-day time limit will be the date in which the letter notifying of the suspension is received. The appeal must then be submitted to the Games Commissioner along with a $75.00 appeal fee. The fee should be in the form of a check made out to the East Central Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.  

The East Central Games Commissioner will within 30 days after being notified that the player wishes to have a hearing to appeal a suspension/ejection will inform all parties of his/her decision. The East Central Competition Committee will review the information. If the appeal or protest is upheld, the fee will be returned. If denied, the fee will be forfeited to the East Central District treasury. The decision of the committee will be binding to all parties concerned, subject only to further appeal. 

A denied protest or appeal may be further appealed to the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association Appeals Board. This appeal process is covered under the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association By-Laws, Rules and Regulations.  

Any written communication to the East Central Games Commissioner that does not follow the protest/appeal protocol will be considered informational only and may not be acted on or responded to. 

The goal of the scheduling process is to complete a schedule prior to the start of the season that can be played with minimal changes once the season begins. 

• Team Coach that wants to request a scheduling change should contact their club DOC and/or Scheduling Person and ask for the reschedule and provide a reason why.   No coach from Club A should be reaching out to the coach from Club B.
• Club DOC and/or Scheduling Person then makes the decision if it warrants asking the other club – aka coach cannot make the game or missing 1 player, not valid to move the game
• If it warrants a request, then the club Scheduling Person emails the other club DOC, Scheduling Person & Coach (all 3 should be included in the email) with at least 2 if not 3 dates for the reschedule after they have looked at both the current East Central schedule for both teams & the blackout dates for each team (if they are provided)
• The other club then needs to get back to the club asking for the reschedule with-in 24-48 hours 

Teams should also provide a team contact on the application different from the team coach.

Rescheduling Rules

1. The district has adopted a One Week Rule and all requests to reschedule a game for conflicts must be made more than one week prior to the originally scheduled game date/time.  If the game is rescheduled with-in one week of the game being played and the referees have been assigned, the club requesting the reschedule has to pay the referees in full.  Referees need to be paid in full within 1 week of the rescheduled game. 
2. Clubs, NOT COACHES should work out between each other whether the feel the reschedule is a reasonable one. · Team Coach that wants to request a scheduling change should contact their club DOC and/or Scheduling Person and ask for the reschedule and provide a reason why.   No coach from Club A should be reaching out to the coach from Club B.· Club DOC and/or Scheduling Person then makes the decision if it warrants asking the other club – aka coach cannot make the game or missing 1 player, not valid to move the game· If it warrants a request, then the club Scheduling Person emails the other club DOC, Scheduling Person & Coach (all 3 should be included in the email) with at least 2 if not 3 dates for the reschedule after they have looked at both the current East Central schedule for both teams & the blackout dates for each team (if they are provided)· The other club then needs to get back to the club asking for the reschedule with-in 24-48 hours
3. Any fees associated with the reschedule is charged to the club by your referee assignor.  

Reschedules:  If a game is being postponed prior to the teams being on the field, the Home Club should be communication with their team, the visiting team and the club’s Referee Assignor to make sure they are all updated that the game will not be played.

• The Home Club Scheduler should put the game in a TBD status while seeking a new date and time to reschedule the game.  The Home Club Scheduler just removes the date and time from the game and saves it to the schedule.  Teams playing each other will remain on the schedule in a TBD status.
  • Either team can suggest a new play date, but it will be up to the home club to update the schedule and contact their referee assignor.
  • Suggestion:   offer a couple of play dates as options to keep the rescheduling process moving. 

Sometimes changes happen at the LAST MINUTE and we all struggle to adapt. But when a game gets rescheduled at the last minute, it’s effects impact two teams of players, their families, coaches, and referees assigned to that game. Upwards of 100 people or more can be impacted and often in a negative way. To add a little bit more certainly into our soccer lives, the district has adopted a One Week Rule. 

All requests to reschedule a game for conflicts must be made more than one week prior to the originally scheduled game date/time. Any rescheduling requests must be made at minimum ONE WEEK before the date of the regularly scheduled game. Any requests made less than one week in advance will be denied.

Example: If a game is scheduled for Monday, June 13th at 5:30 PM the request to reschedule must be submitted no later than Monday, June 6th – 5:30pm.  It will be the responsibility of the club to bring any requested reschedules less than one week of game time to the attention of the East Central Soccer District for them to respond to.  

The intent of the One Week Rule is to give certainty to families, players, coaches, and the assigned referee crew that when the calendar reaches the point one week out from a scheduled game that in almost every situation that game will be played unless game day weather or field conditions dictate otherwise.

In today’s crazy and uncertain world, we know there will be the rare extreme circumstances or tragic events that supersedes the importance of soccer and dictates a game be rescheduled.  When those situations happen we can and will make exceptions. Reach out to directorofoperations@eastcentralsoccer.com to discuss in these instances.

There will always be a few times each year when a forfeit is necessary and prudent but unfortunately forfeits have started to become much more prevalent in our leagues and the rationale behind them more diverse.  Teams are frequently choosing to not play an opponent because:

1. They feel they cannot be competitive
2. They can’t field enough players to be competitive
3. They are missing key players which may make them uncompetitive
4. They are missing their coach
5. Or they don’t want to travel to play the game.

None of the above instances are approved reasons to forfeit a game. We do what we do so that kids can play soccer.  We do our best to make our divisions as competitive as possible but there will always be instances when games are not competitive. Deciding to forfeit not only takes the opportunity to play soccer away from your own team but away from your opponents as well.

Should you still choose to forfeit rather than play the game, East Central has instituted Fines/Fees that will be invoiced to the club of the team forfeiting.  You can find more information on each specific type of forfeit and those fines/fees by clicking HERE. For instances of forfeit not specifically spelled out, the East Central Games Commissioner has the authority to issue rulings and assess fines.  Clubs are responsible for the actions of their coaches and teams. Failure to pay forfeit fees levied by the district may place a club in “poor standing.” Clubs whose team’s have excessive forfeits, as determined by the district, may be warned and or placed in “poor standing” by the district.  

Updated March 2023

Refusal to Play Forfeit: If a team chooses not to play a scheduled game for whatever reason but notifies the district and opposing team more than 24 hours before the game. 

• Fee: $250.00 Classic and Adult (Club invoiced by district)
• Fee:  $100.00 per academy team (Club invoiced by district)
• Depending on notification, the referee crew is to be paid by the home club.
• Game result will be recorded as a 1-0 victory for the opposing team.

No Show Forfeit: Team does not show up to the game without any pre-notification of intention to forfeit or contact is less than 24 hours before the game.  Referees and opposing teams may be present.

• Fee: $250.00 Classic and Adult plus FULL referee fees (No show team’s club will pay the referees) 
• Fee $100.00 Academy per team (No show team’s club will pay the referees)
• Only referees in attendance will be paid.
• Game result will be recorded as a 1-0 victory for the opposing team.

End of Season Forfeit: For instance, when a game at the end of the season is postponed due to weather or unplayable field conditions and there are no viable dates remaining within the season to reschedule the game.

1.  If both teams agree to NOT PLAY:

• The district will set the scheduled game status as TBD.
• The game will go as “unplayed” and not have any weight in the standings.
• No fees are accessed to either team’s club.

2.  If only one team wishes to reschedule the game to a date past the typical end date of the season

• The game will go unplayed since both teams cannot agree to a playdate.
• The district will set the scheduled game status as TBD.
• The game will go as “unplayed” and not have any weight in the standings.
• No fees are assessed to either team’s club.  

Short Players at the Field Forfeit: For instance, when one team or both teams are short players at the field at game time. Minimum players required to start a game for one team are as follows: 

Both teams have less than the minimum number players

• Coaches should mutually decide before kickoff to one of the following options:
• Play the game with a predetermined small-sided number of players on the field. (6v6, 5v5, etc) Final game score will count as game result and be recorded with the district.
• Play a “Friendly” between the two teams. Game results will not count. Game will be rescheduled the same as if the game was “Weather Postponed.”
• Play a “Friendly” between the two teams. Game results will not count. Mutually agreed that the game will NOT be made up in the future. Notify the district to place the game as TBD in the schedule, the game will go as “Unplayed” and not have any weight in the standings.
• No game is played. Game will be rescheduled the same as if the game was “Weather Postponed.”
• Referees should be paid by both teams with any of the above scenarios.

One team has less than 7 players:

• Referees should be paid by both teams with any of the above scenarios.
• The game will be recorded as a 1-0 victory for the team with at least 7 players.
• Coaches should mutually decide before kickoff to one of the following options:
• Play a “Friendly” between the two teams with a predetermined small-sided number of players on the field. (6v6, 5v5, etc.) 
• Play a “Friendly” between the two teams, sharing players to make the game the most competitive.

All teams are required to have the 3 following items as the first 3 components of their team name, followed by any additional descriptors the club deems necessary

1. Club Name
   • Each club can determine the name they want. This could be a full club name, city, acronym, or combination of (e.g. Synergy, Neenah, Oshkosh United).
   • We ask that each club decide what that name is and to only use that name on rosters and team applications (schedules). The Club Name should be the same for all teams in the club and the same as on the team roster.
2. Year
   • This will be the Birth Year that designates either the oldest player on your roster, or the year associated with the level of play
   • It should always be a FOUR DIGIT NUMBER, ie 2011, as a two digit abbreviation of ‘11 could be confused with the division name 11U
3. Gender
   • This will be the gender that designates your team’s desired divisional play. The choices are
     • BOYS or COED (either are permitted in COED Divisions): Technically we have no Boys Divisions, they are listed as COED. However , most clubs identify the teams playing as Boys. Either is acceptable.
     • GIRLS
   • It should always be spelled out as a complete word. C, B, or G will not be acceptable
4. Anything else the club wants to add
   • This is where clubs can add anything other descriptors they want to the team name, i.e. Division (11U, 12U, etc), Team Names (Flash, Riptide, etc), Coaches Names, Program name (Elite, Select, Classic), Colors, etc.
   • The club can add as many or as few of these descriptors as they wish AND they can be placed in any order as long they follow the first 3 required elements.

Coaching is a privilege granted by clubs and parents and with this privilege comes responsibilities.  Coaches should keep in mind their position as a role model for their players.  The coaches set the tone in the sportsmanship for the players and spectators.  Coaches should remember that socceer is mor than “winning at all cost.” The object of youth sports should be:

1. Enjoyment
2. Skill Development
3. Participation in a team sport
4. The development of good sportsmanship

The coach, the primary influence on the players, determines if the objectives of the State Association for youth soccer players are met. The State Association expects coaches to abide by the following guidelines:

• Coaches are required to have in their possession a WYSA issued coach pass card.  To obtain a WYSA coach pass card, review WYSA requirements.
• Coaches should refrain from negative coaching from the sidelines and refrain from yelling at players, opponents and game officials from the sidelines.

The East Central Soccer District is committed to a safe and respectful environment for all participants, especially our referees. We strictly adhere to the Referee Abuse Prevention Policy, which outlines clear consequences for any form of physical or verbal harassment. Our zero-tolerance stance ensures that any reported incidents are taken seriously and addressed immediately, with disciplinary actions ranging from game suspensions to lifetime bans. By upholding these policies, we work to protect our officials and foster a culture of sportsmanship and respect throughout our district.

• Referee Abuse Prevention Policy
• Referee Abuse Penalty Summary
• Respect the Call

East Central Soccer District is a member of the national governing body for the sport of soccer in the United States, the U.S. Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer). U.S. Soccer has developed the Safe Soccer Framework as a foundation from which all participants in the soccer community, be they athletes, coaches, referees, administrators or volunteers, play an active role in creating an environment free from emotional, physical or sexual abuse. The Safe Soccer Framework is a comprehensive program of policies and process, screening, education and training, reporting, monitoring and enforcement designed to help participants detect and report abuse, respond to it, and prevent future occurrences.

All East Central Soccer coaches, referees, and volunteer coaches are expected to be Safe Soccer certified, which can be complete in the U.S. Soccer Learning Center.

Learn more here: Safesport and Disciplinary and Risk Management Action Report (DARM) – US Youth Soccer

When determining the age group for a season, the year the season ends should be used for determining the birth year. Also note that the format “U followed by age” really means that age and younger. For example, U8 should be read as 8 and younger. For more age-group information please reference U.S. Soccer’s Player Development Initiatives.

Build out lines for are used in 8U-10U Academy and 10U Classic games. The build-out line in 9U and 10U soccer is a line on the field that creates a safe zone for teams to build an attack from their defensive end. Its purpose is to help young players develop skills like passing and decision-making by reducing the pressure from the opposing team.

It works in two main situations:

• Goal Kicks: When a team is taking a goal kick, the opposing players must stand behind the build-out line. They can’t cross the line to pressure the ball until the ball has been put into play. This gives the team taking the kick time and space to pass the ball out from their own goal instead of just kicking it as hard as they can down the field. For further insight on how the build out line impacts Law 16, refer to the following: U.S. Soccer Law 16 & BOL Clarification Memo
• Goalkeeper Possession: When the goalkeeper gets the ball in their hands, the other team has to retreat behind the build-out line. They must stay there until the goalkeeper releases the ball. This rule also means goalies can’t punt or drop-kick the ball, forcing them to distribute the ball with a throw, roll, or ground pass.

The build-out line also changes the offside rule for these age groups. Instead of the halfway line, the build-out line is used to determine if a player is offside. A player can’t be offside between the halfway line and the build-out line. This encourages players to spread out and gives attackers more space to move into, which in turn helps them learn how to make smart runs and time their attacks.

Additional details:

• Build out lines should be equidistant between the penalty area line and halfway line.  Paint (solid or dashed mark) is preferred but disc cones can also be acceptable.
• For the 7v7 game, the field will include build out lines to promote individual skills and facilitate game flow. 
• Punting the ball is not allowed as this would defeat the purpose of the build out line and reduces the opportunity to play out of the back in an unpressured setting. 

The home team is responsible for reporting the score of a match. You must be assigned as a team admin in MAYSA PlayMetrics system to record the score. 

• Record scores online within 7 days of match:
• Go to https://playmetrics.com (sign in if needed)
• Navigate to your Team Admin—MAYSA role by selecting it from dropdown at top left
• Click on “Schedule” and select desired game
• Click on “set score” and enter score 

• The home team is responsible for making fields, placing corner flags, and putting up nets.  They must also provide a ball which is acceptable for play.
• Home Club must maintain safe goals.  Proper anchoring is mandatory.  If a coach refuses to play a game due to unsafe goals, the East Central Games Commissioner could declare the game as a forfeit against the home team. 
• It is imperative that the home team or hosting organization ensures that the goals used for all sanctioned league games are properly and securely anchored to the ground.
• Home teams are responsible to make sure that the similarities in uniform and identifications do not result in difficulty in officials carrying out their assignments.
• The team personnel should remain in their own team area, not less than 10 yards from the center line.  The area near the center line will be reserved for substitutions. 
• A team has 10 minutes grace period in which to be ready to play, after the scheduled game time.  In the event of a field change, the visiting team should be given an additional grace period to be determined by the referee.  The minimum legal number of players to start a game is 7 players.
  • The grace period is not intended to be used to fill your numbers from 7 or 8 players to a full roster.  If you have 7 players at the scheduled game time, then the referee is instructed to start the game on time. 
• In the interest of better soccer, coaches will manage fans.  No spectator, coach or player should place himself or herself behind a goal.  Team personnel (coaches, assistant coaches managers, trainers, DOC etc.) and non-participating players are required to remain in the coaching area, which should extend no more than 10 yards on either side of the mid-field line.  Where possible, bench areas should be marked at least five yards from the touchline.  Players’ benches should be placed opposite of the side of the field where the parents and spectators shall be.  At no time may the number of team personnel exceed a total of four individuals.  
• The respective league directors are responsible for making sure proper procedures are followed.  At their option, league directors may institute disciplinary and/or remedial action which may include their assigning of qualified referees and moving games to adequate or neutral sites.  The costs associated with such actions may be assessed on the offending teams.  Complaints concerning improper procedures should be directed to the league directors by visiting coaches.  League directors will make determinations of facts and may assess penalties including forfeiture and fines.  Repeating incidents of using unregistered referees unprepared fields or encouragement of unruly fans or uncontrolled coaches can result in forfeiture of games and possible fines. 
• The end of the game ceremony is a soccer tradition and should be honored in the spirit of good sportsmanship.  Both teams are encouraged to return to the middle of the field for a ceremonial handshake regardless of the outcome of the game. 
• Coaches and teams are expected to pay half of referee fees with exact change for each referee, placed in separate envelopes.