No rule change on slide tackles: they still are not allowed

It seems like every captains' meeting, we debate slide tackles. This year, the referee assignor tried to change the rule again - to make it more simple to adminster for the referees. The effort wasn't successful. The rule did not change.

The rule is simple - no slide tackles. They are punished automatically wtih an indirect kick, or if there is a foul as well, a direct free kick. A slide tackle in the box will usually result in a yellow card and a PK. Even though it's a matter of discretion for the ref, it's likely to happen that way so avoid it.

Here's my post from last season, which contains the actual text of the rule.

I also figured I'd share some thoughts I collected from Jer and Nate, who know a lot about the game. It's interesting to see their perspectives as referees.

Nate:

It's one of those things. I know it when I see it. Like porn.Anyway,
it took me a long time to figure out the difference between Jesse's language and
the existing. In fact, I think if we had an English professor analyze the
language there would be no difference in meaning.I actually don't see in the
current language where a slide tackle is not punished with an indirect free
kick.It's late though and I'm not reading very well.It seams like the definition
of slide tackle was not in debate last night.From what I learned from Tom,
Jesse, and Ramon is that a slide tackle has to have two parts: a slide and a
tackle.Sliding to kick the ball out of bounds if it is not playable by an
opponent is not a slide tackle...it's just a slide (this doesn't happen too
often). Tackling the ball away from another player and then falling down
is not a slide tackle. This happens all the time and is often punished as a
slide tackle - if it's questionable the ref can just say you lunged in too hard
and that's why he called a foul.Anyway, I guess were the rule gets trampled on
is that there are very few people in our league that can slide tackle without
fouling the opponent. So more often than not the call should be a direct
free kick - and if the ref chooses not to give a yellow card then the slide can
seem to go unpunished. The ref should, in this case definitely have words
with the player to tell s/he to cut it out - or give the card.Every game is
called differently by referees. I don't think we can hope to eliminate
that in CCSL. I see some teams that adjust to the ref very quickly and
take advantage. The Brazilian national team does this beautifully and gets
more favorable calls.

Jer:

I've always thought the biggest problem is that it isn't a rule that is
consistently applied by the referees, so none of the players really know what to
expect. Regardless of what should result from a slide tackle infraction
(PK in the box, etc...) the bigger problem is that some refs know how to call it
properly and some don't. I think the thing that needs to be emphasized to
the Goleros is that we need to gauge our play this year based on how good the
referee is. Sometimes, you just know that the ref isn't good and we aren't
going to get a well-reffed match, so we shouldn't spend our energy worrying
about the calls that don't go our way.

One thing that hasn't been done that should be, the CCSL needs to have a mandatory referee meeting, so that people can get on the same page and someone like Jim Sadowski can establish some baseline consistency. They have all the captains dealing with this issue, and I see it more as an issue that needs to be dealt with directly with the referees.

Report from Captains' Meeting

Ally and I attended the Spring 2010 Captains' Meeting and had a grand old time. Here are some notes, with a few of my thoughts thrown in. It's always interesting to see how the league works and how dedicated the volunteers are.



1. General notes



There was talk about how well organized the league is. Many people with a lot of experience in rec soccer think that CCSL is one of the premier leagues in the whole country. We have competitive teams, we play on great fields, and we're quite large - 37 teams with about 1000 total players, some sponsors, a functioning referee pool, a growing social scene, and a healthy promotion/ relegation system. There are many teams on the waitlist. Few ever get in. In fact, the Goleros were one of the last teams to be admitted, in 2006 I believe, when I had developed a relationship with the Scheduler, who I played with on another team. He vouched for us and moved us to the top of the list, ahead of probably 20 teams. Thanks again Lou! Anyway, one team is likely folding this year, and another will take its place, probably in the 3rd Division. Folding rarely happens because the spot is so valuable, people find a way to reconstitute the team, regardless of who's running the ship. I hope that is the case with our team someday.



2. Promotion/relegation



The Commish reminded teams that promotion is not guaranteed. The Executive Board must determine whether there is space in the next division, and that may be dictated by whether teams are being added to a particular division.



Each season, two teams are eligible for promotion (first, the winner of the regular season, and second, the winner of the playoffs) and two teams are eligible for relegation (the bottom two teams in the regular season). At the meeting, all of the eligible teams were promoted, except for Hoover FC out of the First Division, which declined, and thus the second-to-last place team in Premier avoided relegation.



3. Schedule and fields



Games start March 28th. We're on a lot of turf fields in VA and DC. Trinity, still my favorite field because it is level grass, is our "worst field" so people are pretty happy about the state of things. The Commish and the Field Guru have worked hard to build relationships. It's always fluid though. Just because you have a great reputation and find an "in" doesn't mean you will keep your spot. Field spots can be yanked for any reason - if we litter too much or whatever. I remember when CCSL got significant time on the GW fields in Georgetown. Suddenly, the next season, we were told they were full. Rumor has it the commissioner of another league - a for-profit league - had struck up a cosy relationship wtih the field manager that may have included a fancy lunch. We ain't like that. We have to do things the old-fashioned way. That's why the league constantly impresses upon captains how important our behavior is on the fields. We want to be invited back to the fields we've secured. Many of you are new to adult coed and may not realize how bad it can get for playing conditions. When you're stuck on a small bumpy baseball diamond 10 miles outside of Rockville, the game isn't quite the same. The Goleros did that for many years. This is our third league in 10 years - and it's by far the best.



By the way, before each season, the Scheduler accepts scheduling requests. If ever you know of weekends that don't work or you have suggestions, send them to me before the season starts. This season, I made two late requests -for a bye on April 11th and a late start on March 28th. We'll see if they are accommodated.



4. State and National Association news

Two former league officers are now part of the national and state associations. They are working to implement an automatic registration system (the players register and pay directly with the league) and also a reduction in the amount of insurance we pay. Since we are an accredited league, the insurance is mandatory. Currently, I believe we pay close to $18 per player per season . This is supplemental insurance, over an above your base policy, that covers some injuries sustained in the course of play. So, if you get hurt, which you won't, you may be able to get some of your costs covered. But, like I said, we're trying to reduce the cost of insurance, because right now, it's not really worth it.

5. Scheduling rules

The Scheduler reminded teams that forfeits are a pain for everyone. There is a new policy, which was passed at the meeting. Scheduling requests may be made before the season. If, during the season, a team cannot make a scheduled game, they may request accommodation. The league doesn't have to accommodate, however. And, if you do not notify the league of an impending forfeit before Wednesday COB, there is a $200 fine. $100 of the fine will go to league coffers and $100 will be used as a credit to the opposing team as compensation for being shorted a game.

6. Referee Report

The Ref assignor attempted to change the slide tackle rule to something more simple. Because the new proposal would result in an automatic penalty kick if the tackle was made in the box, the captains didn't like it and it failed. We'll cover the existing slide tackle rule in a subsequent post.

New designation on rosters - this season, all game rosters handed to the refs before kickoff must designate the team captain. So, if Ally or I aren't playing in the game, we will need to designate another captain. This person is responsible for keeping team behavior in check. While most refereees prefer only to discuss calls with captains, there is no special right of captains to object to calls or to be belligerent.

Remember, each team must supply a referee(s) that works five CCSL games each season. Our sole ref at this time is Jeremy. Without him, our dues would increase by $500.

7. Registration

Rosters are due to the league before the 4th week.

8. Fields

We are always looking for newer or better fields, or relationships that we can strike up for long-term gain. Everyone should think to see whether we can leverage connections to get our league good fields. We would benefit from this - all scheduling requests on that field and others would likely be honored, among other things.

9. Social committee

More events are planned this season.

10. Fees

We paid our $1650 dues. There was no increase versus last season.

Answer to poll: cost per game often in excess of $400

Last week's poll asked, 'What's the cost to the league of the average game on a premium field?' The choices were $600, $150, $225, and $425.

The answer is $425.

That's a good rule of thumb, but it's not the whole truth.

For the turf fields we use, our higher-end fees are $150/hr. We pay ref crews $55 for the center and $40 each for the ARs. Thus, if you calculate a 2-hour rental ($300) plus refs ($135), you actually get $435.

There are more factors. Some fields are cheaper. We have a discount price of $40/hr at DC's Ridge field right now, so we've booked it as much as possible through the summer before the District gets wise and raises the price. Some fields are even free, such as the Mall or the Marina. Wilson HS in the District costs $150/hr. The other turf fields average between $90-125/hr. Some prices are more than $150/hr, and don't forget, all prices will inevitably go up.

Of course, a soccer game is only 90 minutes plus a 5-10 minute half. So a clever scheduler can fit in a range of games throughout the day so that each game doesn't take up the full 2-hour allocation.

Still more factors. Reffing costs may have gone up - I was using costs from last year. And none of the calculations include the fixed, indirect, and in-kind costs such as the cost of nets/flags, the $1500 fee we pay the ref assignor each season, and the time contributed by volunteers.

So that's why you pay $80 per season. For eight games on premium fields, with insurance and a three-person certified reffing crew, it's a good value.

New league disciplinary policy

At last night's captains' meeting, the Executive Board successfully added (without objection) a more formal disciplinary process to the league's by-laws. Instead of emails and squabbling with an informal judgment by the Disciplinary Committee, we will now have a set process to adjudicate problems.

Highlights, or I should say, lowlights, of the policy include:

• The Disciplinary Committee will notify captains of an incident that will be reviewed.
• Team captains have 3 days to respond in writing, not to exceed 5 pages.
• Decisions will be made within 14 days.
• Captains are expected to exhibit the highest standards of good behavior and must make all efforts to limit incidents and misconduct.
• Sanctions include suspension, fines, probation, banning fans, missng playoffs, reprimand, and requiring written apologies.
• There is a right to appeal major suspensions for a $100 fee - but not of 2 games or less.
• The league will keep a record of decisions and post a Hall of Shame on the league website (my least favorite aspect of the policy).

In truth, we support many aspects of the policy. There has been a spike of misconduct and it's taking a lot of the board's time. However, certain aspects are perhaps too formal or rigid. If you have any specific concerns, we will have the option to modify the policy going forward.

The full text of the policy will be available on the CCSL website and I am pasting the current draft here:

CCSL Disciplinary and Appeal Policy
The purpose of this policy is to provide a fair, transparent and efficient procedure for investigating and, where appropriate, punishing misconduct by persons involved with the CCSL. This Policy also outlines the procedures for an appeal of a disciplinary decision.
For purposes of this Policy, the term “participant” shall be used in its broadest sense to include, without limitation, any player, coach, captain, team representative, fan, spectator, or other person that is in any way involved with a CCSL team at a CCSL match or tournament.
By participating in the CCSL, all participants are placed on notice that their conduct is subject to the authority of the CCSL, the Disciplinary Committee,[1] the Commissioner, and this Policy.
Part I. General Disciplinary Procedures and Authority.
A. General Authority of the Committee. Upon receipt of a report of misconduct, the Discipline Committee has the authority to investigate the matter and to make a disciplinary recommendation to the CCSL Commissioner. The Disciplinary Committee also has the authority to request a written statement from any person as it deems relevant to its investigation.
B. Notice of Misconduct. The Committee shall notify, in writing, the captains of the teams involved with the misconduct by sending written notice (“Notice”) by e-mail to the e-mail addresses of record for the captains of the team or teams that were involved in the incident.
C. Minimum Content of the Notice. The Notice must contain: (1) the date, time and location of the match; (2) the name of the referee(s) or other person(s) that reported the misconduct; (3) the referee or other written report containing the allegation of misconduct; and (4) a brief summary of the incident under investigation. The Committee may exclude from the Notice personal information that is not relevant to the investigation (for example, the e-mail address and phone number of the match official).
D. Response, Duty of Team Captain, and Timeline. As part of the Notice, the Committee may request that the team captain(s) submit a written response (“Response”) outlining the team’s recollection of the incident, the circumstances surrounding it, and the team’s position on any recommended punishment, if any. The Committee may also request that the Response include a statement from the participant(s) involved in the misconduct. A team captain has an affirmative duty to respond to the Notice within three (3) calendar days of receipt of the Notice and to assist all disciplinary (or other CCSL) representatives during the entire disciplinary process.
E. Content of Response. A team may include in its Response written statements from team mates, supporters, or other witnesses. The Response shall not exceed five (5) pages. The Response should be fact laden (who, what, where, when and why) and should be brief and to the point. The Response should be civil and professional. Personal attacks of any kind are inappropriate, will be viewed with disfavor, and may be redacted from any public decision.
F. Untimely Response; Failure to Respond. A Response that is not submitted by the deadline need not be considered by the Committee. If a team or participant involved in an investigation fails to provide a Response or a written statement, the Committee may consider that failure as evidence of consciousness of guilt.
G. Notice, Responses and Statements Public to the CCSL. The Notice, Response, statement, and any other material included in those documents will be a matter of record in the disciplinary process, so submitters are encouraged to include in those documents only that information that is relevant to the incident and the investigation, and to exclude any personal information.
H. Further Information May Be Requested. The Committee may, in exercising its discretion, request further clarification, in writing, of an incident or a submission. A referee, team captain or participant shall respond to any request for clarification in writing within two (2) days.
I. Other Authority of the Committee. During any investigation of misconduct, the Committee has the authority to investigate and make findings concerning any conduct that is considered inappropriate to the interests of the CCSL irrespective of whether that conduct was reported by a match official and irrespective of whether that conduct was punished by the center referee.
Part II. Committee’s Decision:
A. Timeline for Decision. The Committee shall issue its findings and recommended punishment or sanctions (“Decision”) in writing to the Commissioner within a reasonable period of time, with the goal being having a Decision issued not later than fourteen (14) days after the last set of written submissions was received.
B. Content of the Decision. The Decision must include all written materials that the Committee considered in making its Decision and a summary of the basis for the decision, except that the Committee will exclude from the report the personal email address of the captain(s) that submitted a Response.
C. Goal of Consistency in Punishment. The goal of a Decision is to recommend a punishment that will prevent further misconduct and that is consistent with prior punishments for similar incidents. Notwithstanding this goal, teams and participants recognize that all incidents must be viewed on the facts and that the “cause” of an incident may be complex. There is no requirement that all punishments be the same as those for prior incidents or that teams or participants must be punished on equal terms.
Part III Captain Duties; Types of Sanctions/Punishments.
A. Team Captain Responsibility. A Team Captain is expected to exhibit the highest standards of good behavior (whether playing in a match or not). A Team Captain has an affirmative duty at all times to be proactive, to prevent misconduct by any team player, to be in control of his/her team, fans, and anyone in the vicinity of the team’s bench area, and to take reasonable measures to gain control and prevent escalation when misconduct occurs.[2] The conduct of a team and of a Team Captain will always be considered as part of the Committee investigation. In every match the Team Captain and an Alternative Team captain shall participate in the coin toss and must be identified in the CCSL match report prior to kick off.
B. Sanctions and/or punishments for misconduct may include, without limitation:
(1) suspending a participant or participants from a subsequent match (or matches) or for a set period of time;
(2) a fine to a team and/or a participant;
(3) banning a team from having fans or supporters at a match or for a set period of time;
(4) a reduction in standing points;
(5) prohibiting a team from participating in the playoffs;
(6) public reprimand;
(7) requiring that a participant and/or a team issue a written apology;
(8) placing a participant and/or a team on probation; and/or
(9) conditioning reinstatement on a participant taking a referee training course.
C. Probation, Fines and Bond.
(1) “Probation” means that the participant and/or team may be subject to further, immediate punishment or sanction (including, without limitation, suspension or removal) should the person or team commit an offence of like nature (or of a more serious nature), during the probationary period.
(2) A fine may not exceed $200.
D. Unknown Participant. In the event that a participant found to have engaged in misconduct cannot be identified, but that participant’s conduct can be clearly traceable to a team, the team and the team captain may be disciplined for the unidentified person’s conduct to be consistent with the longstanding policy that a team captain is responsible for the conduct of his/her team and its supporters.
Part IV. The Commissioner’s Role and Decision:
A. Commissioner’s Decision. The Commissioner has the authority to adopt or modify the Decision within three (3) days of receipt. A Commissioner shall ordinarily accept the Decision unless extenuating circumstances exist or the Commissioner is firmly convinced that the findings or punishment in the Decision are clearly in error. The Commissioner will report his decision and, if the Decision is modified, the reasons for the modification (“Comm. Decision”) by written notice to the affected team(s) (“Comm. Decision”), the CCSL Captains, and the Executive Committee by e-mail through the CCSL e-mail lists.
B. Finality of Comm. Decision. The Comm. Decision shall be final and shall be effective immediately, but will be subject to an appeal as outlined in Part VI of this Policy.
Part V. Transparency of Sanctions/Punishments.
A. Record of Disciplinary Decisions. The CCSL webmaster and the Recording Secretary shall jointly be responsible for maintaining a record of disciplinary decisions that will be publicly available to the CCSL Team captains via a password protected website page.
B. Seasonal Hall of Shame. During the course of each season, the CCSL Webmaster shall publish on the CCSL web site, on a week-to-week basis (by Fridays), a list of all misconduct reported by referees that will be entitled the “Hall of Shame” and that will include: (a) the name of the person and team name; (b) the date of the misconduct; (c) the category of misconduct (caution - yellow card; ejection - red card); (d) the type of misconduct as outlined in the FIFA Laws of the Game; and (e) the terms of any participant or team suspension or probation. Once the season is over, the Hall of Shame for that season will be taken down and archived to a password protected web page. The Recording Secretary shall maintain a master list of each season’s Hall of Shame.
Part VI. Appeal Procedure for Disciplinary Decisions
This Part outlines the procedures for an appeal of a Commissioner’s Decision on misconduct.
A. Who May Appeal. An Appeal may only be lodged by a Team Captain. There can be no appeal of a suspension of two (2) matches or less.
B. Appeal Requirements. The appellant must submit the appeal, in writing, to the Commissioner and Chief Justice within three (3) days of the Comm. Decision. The appellant must submit a $100 appeal fee (money order or cashier’s check only). The appeal fee must be sent so that it is postmarked within the three (3) day period and sent to the Treasurer at the league PO Box. A copy of the appeal and all correspondence that the appellant wants the Appeal Panel to consider must be included. The Commissioner shall forward the Appeal to the past Commissioners by e-mail within three (3) days of receipt. The appeal may not exceed three (3) pages.
C. The Appeal Panel: An appeal will be considered by a board consisting of two or more of the past CCSL Commissioners. If a past Commissioner was involved with the Decision or the Comm. Decision, then that person should recuse himself/herself from participating on the Appeal Panel unless the appellant consents in writing to that person participating on the Appeal Panel. If an Appeal Panel of past Commissioners cannot be convened, the Appeal panel may include a former CCSL officer or Chief Justice, with preference being considered to having an Appeal Panel that contains someone with prior experience in the CCSL disciplinary process (such as a former Chief Justice or Committee member).
D. Appeal Panel Discretion. The Appeal Panel may affirm (uphold) or reduce the sanctions in the Comm. Decision, but may not increase those sanctions unless in the Comm. Decision the Commissioner reduced the sanctions from those contained in the Decision. The Appeal Panel shall issue its decision in writing, which will include a summary of the grounds for the decision, to the appellant and to the Executive Committee. The Commissioner shall send any Appeal Panel decision to the Team Captains by e-mail within three (3) days after receipt. The Hall of Shame will be promptly updated in conformance with the disposition of the Appeal.
E. Appeal Panel Decision Timeline and Finality. The Appeal Panel shall use reasonable efforts to decide the Appeal within fourteen (14) days. The Appeal Panel’s decision shall be final with no right of further appeal or challenge.
F. Refund Limitation. Because the CCSL is comprised of volunteers, appeals are strongly discouraged. The appeal fee will only be refunded if the relief sought by the appellant is granted by the Appeal Panel in its entirety. There will be no partial refund of the appeal fee.
Part VII. Additional Considerations.
A. Calculating Time. For purposes of calculating time, the day that the Notice or other request was sent will not be counted and weekends and federal holidays will not be counted.
B. Page Limits. A page will be measured as 8 ½ x 11 in size, with one inch margins, and the minimum type face will be 12 point type.
C. Time of the Essence. Time is of the essence with respect to a Team Captain, referee, participant or appellant’s responsibility to comply with the deadlines in this Policy. No extensions of the time shall be granted unless a force majeure prevented a timely response.
D. Effect of Failure to Comply. In no event will the failure of the Committee, the Commissioner, the Appeal Panel, or a referee to strictly comply with any time limitation or guideline in this Policy be considered as a grounds for failing to honor, or for overturning, a disciplinary decision. Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted to prevent the Commissioner from exercising the plenary power to temporarily suspend a team and/or a player as provided in the Constitution and Bylaws.
E. Matters Not Provided For. If any matter arises that is not expressly or impliedly addressed in this Policy, the Chief Justice, Commissioner, or Appeal Panel may take such reasonable measures as are appropriate under the circumstances. In the event that there is a dispute between any of these persons regarding a matter not provided for, the Executive Committee shall, on an expedited basis, decide the dispute.
[1] All further references to the “Committee” refer to the Disciplinary Committee.
[2] Note that under the FIFA Laws of the Game, neither a team captain nor an alternate team captain has any special right to question or challenge a referee’s decision.

Another perspective

We did a great job of not yelling at the refs in the last game - we focused on our own play. When I got a little vocal in the second half from the sidelines, Jer turned and gave me the "shut it" sign.

And speaking of that...The email below offers the perspective of a (former) referee who officiated a game in which there was a lot of dissent. It's reminder of how important it is for the Goleros to avoid yelling at refs or engaging in dissent. We should address reffing issues during stoppages in play through the captains. That is the most effective way of getting the point across without turning the refs against us - something we have experience with, by the way.

This email exchange isn't that relevant to us - it doesn't make a point about anyone on the team or us in particular. I just wanted to pass it on.

All:

Passing this along. I respectfully ask that you
remember the referees working your soccer games are doing the best jobs that
they can. I would appreciate it if you could reciprocate the same
respect that they exhibit for your play, as it will help us keep the best
officials in the State wanting to come back and to officiate our league's
games. Constant disparagement of referes on the field discourages people
from working in our games and does not set a good example for teammates,
spectators, friends, or family members.

If you have a
specific concern or compliment about a CCSL referee, I encourage you to bring it
to my attention so that it can be addressed.

Thank you
for your consideration.

Best regards,

Jesse
Rosenthal
USSF Assignor
----- Forwarded Message ----From: REFEREETo: Jesse
Rosenthal <globalprisms@yahoo.com>; Sanjay Nayar <spnayar@gmail.com>Sent:
Friday, September 25, 2009 12:01:36 PMSubject: Done with reffingHi Jesse and
Sanjay,I think I am pretty much done with reffing. Last weekend's game no
exceptionally wild moments, but it was nonetheless an altogether depressing
experience. The general obnoxiousness of several players and their
incessant belligerence -- this past Saturday it was almost unilaterally from the
players -- left me feeling so crummy that I wished I had never
volunteered in the first place.I know of no mercenary refs in CCSL, only people
trying to lend a hand when they can -- and in my case, at the expense of
focusing on more important work and my family. Few individuals seem to
realize that in order to ref a 2-hour game, one is basically committing as much
as 4 hours to the task, including prep and travel. For this support, no
ref expects gratitude, but we should be able to expect a limit on the rude
comments and general personal insults. I've had enough, and am hanging up
my whistle. It is literally a depressing experience.A simple example: my
AR mistakenly called a throw-in when there should have been a goal kick.
Having already over-ruled this individual a couple times earlier, I opted to go
with the call out of respect. For this, I was harangued for nearly 20
minutes thereafter by several players.So maybe they are right, and I should give
up the ref badge. Seriously, I'm done.

Rules for the tournament

The tournament commissioner has posted rules for the upcoming tournament, if anyone cares. Your captains will explain the key rules, so don't worry. This is just for those avid readers of the blog. There are avid readers, right?

Columbia Coed Soccer Classic - 11-v-11 Rules

General
A team shall consist of 11 players. Seven (7) players are
required to start and continue a game, no more than six (6) of one gender on the
field at any given time.
Primary UNIFORMS shall be like-colored jerseys with
permanent numbers on the back (bring a permanent marker :).
Each team's
ROSTER is due 30 minutes before the team’s first game and is limited to 24
players. All names MUST be on the roster. Any set of individual awards for adult
teams will only have 18 items.
A player may play on only one team in the
tournament. Players not listed on an official roster may not play on any team.
The above rules apply for the entire tournament and any violation of these
rules will result in game forfeiture.

Game Play
All games are 60 minutes (2 x 30-minute halves). Round-robin
games will remain tied.
Slide-tackling is allowed in all divisions.
All
goals shall be scored as ONE (1) point.
Unlimited subs on your team’s
possession, after a goal and any goal kick, 1 sub on an injury.
A forfeit is
awarded (1-0) if a team is not present to play within 5 minutes of their
scheduled game time.
The HOME team, listed first on the schedule, MUST
change their jersey in case of any color conflict (as determined by the
referee). The AWAY team, listed second, MUST provide the game ball.
Penalties
‘Hot Head Rule’ - Yellow-carded players MUST sit out for 5
minutes but may be replaced by the same gender.
RED-Carded players may not
be replaced and must sit out for the game in which they're ejected and the
team's next scheduled game. Repeat red-carded players will be ejected from the
tournament. A team will play short by whichever gender was carded.
There are
no protests, all referee decisions are final.
Weather
All games will be
played as scheduled unless lightning or other conditions cause the referees or
park officials to suspend play. Games on the turf are only affected by lightning
only, not rain. Each coach is responsible for notifying his or her team of any
weather-delay, which will last 20-minutes. Play will resume in 20 minutes,
please have your team ready to play.
Unless modified by this set of rules,
all games shall be played in accordance with the current F.I.F.A.
rules.
Group Standings & Playoffs
Group standings will be determined
as follows: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, zero points for a loss.
Tie breakers will be determined as follows: (1) Head to head competition, (2)
Number of goals scored against, (3) Number of goals scored for, (4) Number of
'shutouts' (games where your team was not scored on), (5) 5v5 sudden death
shootout.
Bracket winners are eligible for the playoffs. Uneven brackets
will draw wildcards to fill available playoff spots. Wildcard teams are
selected based on total points, goals against, goals for, and # of shutouts,
sudden-death shootout.
Playoffs games ending in a tie after regulation play
will go straight to a shootout, no overtime.
The shootout will be a regular
5-vs-5 penalty kick shootout, followed by a sudden death shootout which
will continue until a winner is determined.
Each coach is responsible
for making sure the officials record the last 11 players on the field at the end
of regulation play. Only these 11 players may participate in the shootout. Teams
may begin with either gender but then MUST alternate genders throughout the
entire shootout period (i.e. if #5 was a man, #6 must be a woman).
Awards
ONE team trophy will be given to the championship and runner-up team in each
division.

Reminder: slide tackles are not allowed

In CCSL, slide tackles normally result in an indirect free kick, with a possible yellow card.  This season, the execs added a new rub.  Slide tackles in the box may result in a penalty kick.  I don't expect the rule change to alter our style.  Let's continue to tackle the ball hard but fair.  In the box, let's be extra careful to give the appearance of standing up.  I suspect the refs will misapply this rule frequently.  This rule creates enough mischief for refs to determine the outcome of games.

Here's the rule:

There are no slide tackles. A slide tackle is punished with an indirect free kick

(or a direct free kick if also a foul under FIFA Laws of the Game). The referee

has the discretion to issue a caution (yellow card) for a slide tackle. A slide

tackle in the penalty area by a defender against an attacker that denies a goal

scoring opportunity will result in the award of a penalty kick.

Here's the ref assignor's explanation of the rule:

All:

I have been working with Jim Sadowski to resolve some questions/points of interest with respect to the changed language regarding slide tackle rules adopted at the Spring 2009 CCSL Captains meeting, as my previous communication of the rule change was incorrect.  The language of the new rule is as follows: 

" A slide tackle in the penalty area by a defender against an attacker that denies a goal scoring opportunity will result in the award of a penalty kick."

Here are the bottom lines for our implementation

1) If a slide tackle is commited by one player against an opponent OUTSIDE the penalty area while a ball is in play, the restart remains an INDIRECT FREE KICK.

2) If a slide tackle is commited by a defending player against an attacking opponent INSIDE the defender's penalty area, the referee should then consider the Four D's to determine if the slide tackle disrupted a goal scoring opportunity.

If the number of defenders, distance to ball, and distance to goal confirm that a goal-scoring opportunity is a possible consideration, depending on direction of attack - here is the restart guidance:

a) If direction of attack is toward the goal, restart is PK.
b) If direction of attack is NOT toward goal, restart with IFK.

3) Slide tackles may NOT result in red cards.

Thank you for your consideration.  If you have further questions, please let me know.

Best regards,

Jesse Rosenthal
USSF Assignor

Offside?

I'm sure you're watching the Euro.

Controversial no call in the Netherlands-Italy game this week. One of Italy's defenders was pushed off the field of play by his own goalie in a collision. On the ensuing rebound, a Dutch player sent a shot back into the area that Van Nistelroy deflected into the goal as pictured above. The goal was allowed.

But was it offside?

Italians everywhere think Van Nistelroy was off. The ESPN analysts, including the respectable Julie Foudy, also thought it was a blown call.  UEFA thinks the referee got it right. 

Whether the call was correct depends upon the interpretation of the offside rule.  Rule 11 of the Laws of the Game states simply that "A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than the ball and the second last opponent." There's nothing about this unique situation in the rule itself.  UEFA says that the Italian defender got injured and left the field on his own momentum.  Therefore, he is still part of the game and taken into consideration for the offside rule.  It makes sense if you think about it.  Without this rule, a player could deliberately step off the field to put her opponent in an offside position.

What do you think?

We've had some controversy of our own about the offside rule. It's one of the great rules in sports. So simple but hard to officiate. The rule has a major impact on the way the game is played, emphasizing action in the midfield and rewarding the teams that can build an attack.

Oops, a tie

We played hard and well this morning, seemingly doing enough to get the win. But it was not to be. Instead, we ended with a 1-1 tie against Tsunami Naranja. Hey, cheers, the result keeps our playoffs hope alive (for now) and extends our no-loss streak to 5 games.

The decisive moment of the match came in the 80' on a controversial and late offside call. Jon had received a through ball down the right wing, which he dribbled to the goal line and crossed back for Nathan. Nathan received the ball at the 5 yard line and finished nicely for what should have been our second goal. The line judge raised the flag after the play and the center ref accepted the call. No goal. The diagram above depicts the situation as it should have been viewed by the refs. Oh, well, there's no use crying over spilt milk!

We picked up an early goal when Chris threaded the defense and shot from 15 yards in the 5'. We'll credit Ally for the assist despite what I viewed as a possible deflection before the ball came to Chris' feet. Our initial assaults on goal showed strength and tactical awareness because Tsunami started the game shorthanded. For most of the first half, we controlled the pace.

In the second half, we yielded control for a few minutes, but made satisfactory adjustments. Eventually, though, Tsunami did well to finish a relatively low percentage opportunity in the 87'. The ball bounced to Brian at the top of the box, and he put just enough on the ball to roll it to goal before Mike could retrieve it on the goal line. It's a frustrating goal, but nothing to fret about because we can't stop everything.

We were good in all phases of the game. We should be happy with the game actually. The defense was outstanding, right to left, top to bottom, and especially Liam who broke up a one-on-one well outside the box! Midfielders made the adjustments they needed to in order regain control of the match and impede counterattacks. Yes, finishing was an issue, but the forwards did put the ball in the net twice in the second half, it's just that the goals were called back (foul on Jon; offside). The forwards played well!

Good game everyone! Congratulations to Tsunami on their sportsmanship and performance today.

Notes: 1-1 tie versus Tsunami Naranja, Oct. 28, 2007, Trinity. Goals: Chris (Ally). GK: Liam. Yellow: Jon. Two goals called back!

Slide tackles!

The league posted this information about slide tackles. Get to know the rule. Basically, don't do it!

Slide Tackles

To address some questions regarding the interpretation of the slide tackle rule for CCSL, Carm has provided the following language to clarify things:
Slide tackles are not allowed in CCSL. If a player commits a slide tackle – it is considered a “Dangerous Play” and an Indirect Free Kick will be awarded. At the referee's discretion, a player committing a dangerous play (and in particular a slide tackle) may be sanctioned with a yellow card, but is not required. If the slide tackle results in a FIFA recognized foul then the referee will make the proper re-start based upon the foul committed (trip, violent tackle from behind etc). Like any dangerous play foul, you can allow play to continue if there is advantage but the referee can still elect to blow the whistle after the play and award a yellow car if needed.

A slide tackle involves a slide PLUS a tackle. CCSL referees have the final discretion on identifying a slide tackle as distinct from a slide, a lunge, a clumsy fall or a player tripping over a blade of grass. The distinction is not black and white and referees are instructed to put player safety first when making a CCSL Slide Tackle call.

Handball!

The league sent out this message today regarding how "hand balls" will be dealt with in our league. I too think it is something that is called too often.

Posted by: "Carmella Alvaro"

Captains, This is an email recently sent to our ref corps. Please forward it to your players for some leisure reading. Knowledge of the game makes it a more enjoyable day out on the field for everyone involved. Subject: Clarification of Handling Hello Refs, In an effort to continuously train and develop our ref corps, I will send out occasional clarification on the Laws of the Game. For the first installment, I have chosen my personal #1 pet peeve in all of the misunderstanding of the rules of our great sport: “Handball”, or really, the lack thereof… THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A HANDBALL FOUL in soccer, futbol, calcio or whatever you call it. Law 12 says a foul occurs when a player “deliberately handles the ball." To show the players you are truly not blind and saw the ball contact the hand but not result in a handling foul, it is ok to yell out “No Foul!” etc to get ahead of dissent. To see the full article, click below: http://www.vadcsoccerref.com/whistletalk/57893.htmlHere is an excerpt:“Let me give some examples of "handballs" that are not fouls:Players are standing in a wall with their hands placed across their chest or in front of the groin area to protect themselves. The ball is kicked into their arms or hands. While the ball has made contact with the hands or arms, this is not deliberate handling of the ball and is not a foul.

A hard shot, taken 3-5 yards away from a player, streaks toward the player’s head. In a flinch reaction, the player throws his hands up to protect his face and, in the process, strikes the ball. This is not deliberate handling of the ball. It is an involuntary reaction that is guaranteed to happen no matter how good the player is. This is not a foul. \u003cbr\>\n A player dribbles the ball on one of our "smooth as satin" fields when the ball hits a rock or clump of grass and bounces up. The ball strikes the player in the hand. This is not deliberate handling of the ball. \u003cbr\>\n And it doesn’t even matter if an advantage is gained. Consider the following:\u003cbr\>\n \u003cbr\>\n A striker shoots on goal. The keeper catches it. The striker turns and begins running up field vigorously pumping her arms. The keeper gets off a low line drive punt that arrives at the striker just as she swings her arm backwards. Her elbow strikes the ball driving it backwards into the goal. Did the player gain an advantage? Certainly, she scored a goal. Did she deliberately handle the ball? Not hardly. She was running with her back to the ball and didn’t even see it. Unless the referee sees the team practicing this play before the game, it is not a foul!!! Proper restart is a kick-off after the goal.”\u003cbr\>\n Please feel free to suggest topics or ask for clarifications or tips at any time across the season.


A hard shot, taken 3-5 yards away from a player, streaks toward the player’s head. In a flinch reaction, the player throws his hands up to protect his face and, in the process, strikes the ball. This is not deliberate handling of the ball. It is an involuntary reaction that is guaranteed to happen no matter how good the player is. This is not a foul. A player dribbles the ball on one of our "smooth as satin" fields when the ball hits a rock or clump of grass and bounces up. The ball strikes the player in the hand. This is not deliberate handling of the ball. And it doesn’t even matter if an advantage is gained. Consider the following:A striker shoots on goal. The keeper catches it. The striker turns and begins running up field vigorously pumping her arms. The keeper gets off a low line drive punt that arrives at the striker just as she swings her arm backwards. Her elbow strikes the ball driving it backwards into the goal. Did the player gain an advantage? Certainly, she scored a goal. Did she deliberately handle the ball? Not hardly. She was running with her back to the ball and didn’t even see it. Unless the referee sees the team practicing this play before the game, it is not a foul!!! Proper restart is a kick-off after the goal.”Please feel free to suggest topics or ask for clarifications or tips at any time across the season.

Thanks, Carmella AlvaroUSSF Assignor