MYSA Referees & U8 Coaches:
Rules for U8 Division:
SUMMARY:
Ball: Size 3
Game Duration: Four 8 minute quarters, 2-3 minute breaks between
quarters
Number of Players: 4 on field at any one time (no goalies)
Substitutions: Any stoppage in play, with the Referee's permission
Restarts: Throw-ins for sidelines, goalkicks and corner kicks for goal
lines
Throwins: One retry if a foul throw is committed, kick-in if a 2nd foul
throw occurs
Offside: No offside rule, but "cherry-picking" can be called by the
referee, at his or her discretion, if it is blatant
Free Kicks: All fouls result in indirect free kicks (no penalty kicks),
opponents must be 4 yards away
Goalkeepers: No goalkeepers, no player can come within 9 feet of the
goal, unless the ball moves within that range first
Other: FIFA rules apply to all other situations - the referee has the
final say, however.
REFEREES: We try to assign one referee to each U8 game. The referee is
responsible for all calls (coaches should help with calls on their sideline).
If no referee is available, the coaches should officiate the game
themselves, or find a volunteer parent to help.
NO SCOREKEEPING: No scores are kept in the U8 division - this is a developmental age
group. Referees should still fill in gamecards properly.
PLAYING TIME: In the U8 division, all players should play approximately equally.
The only exception is health issues or misbehavior. Missing practice is
a not a valid reason for not playing a player, in rec soccer.
GOAL ARC: Around each goal, there is a 9 foot arc. No player from either team is
allowed inside the arc prior to the ball entering the arc (i.e. the
ball must go in before the players). Any violation is an indirect free
kick (move the ball away from the goal for the offense, put it at the top
of the arc for the defense). We don't want this called TOO tightly -
some common sense should prevail. The key is that we don't want the
defense standing right in front of their goal, when the ball is in their
end.
DEFENSE AND OFFENSE: When the ball is deep in the defensive team's zone, we want all of the
players on the offensive team to be in that half of the field. What we
want to avoid is the situation where a player on the attacking team is
left back near his goal, playing defense. This defeats the purpose of
the small-sided 4v4 game. So, please make sure the defense move up
with the play. Conversely, a team may not leave an offensive player by
the unguarded defensive team's goal (i.e. cherry-picking). Basically,
when the ball is deep in one half, all of the players on the field
should be in that half. This leads to attacking and dribbling
opportunities, and keeps all of the players involved in the game. Yes, you'll give
up some goals on counter-attacks, but development is the key, at this
level - not winning. The referees have the power to give a free kick to
a team, if the other team is not making a good-faith effort to follow
these guidelines. If you are officiating, please ask the coach to make
sure that his or her defensive players move up into the play, if you
believe that they are staying too close to their own goal, when the ball
is deep in the other team's end. We need everyone to work together on
this.
THROW-INS: U8 players have a very hard time taking throw-ins. We do not want the
referees to call this too tightly. If a foot comes up a bit, or if the
ball is thrown a bit sideways, that's ok. If the throw is blatantly
incorrect, the thrower may try again. If the throw is still incorrect,
then the player can kick the ball in. Under no circumstances should a
foul throw result in a change of possession (i.e. a throw-in for the
other team), as it would at higher levels. The referee and coaches
should help the player learn how to throw the ball in.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions may be made at any stoppage in play by either team, but
the referee does need to approve the sub.
LOP-SIDED GAMES: We don't want any "blowouts" in our U8 games. If one team is clearly
dominating the other, the coaches should get together and do what they
can to make the game more even. This could include exchanging players.
Just do your best!
FINAL WORD: Again, the U8 division is about development. Focus on teaching the
players and having fun.