VSL D1 Rules

Fees and Registration

The VSL Board will establish fees and registration deadlines for the League in advance. Teams wishing to compete, must by the date established by the Board, have paid their fee in good funds and submitted the appropriate application properly completed. No applications will be accepted if received late or without the proper fee or other required material.

Program Structure and Administration

VSL will provide divisional competition for the following ages:

Boys/Girls under 12

Boys/Girls under 13

Boys/Girls under 14

Boys/Girls under 15

Boys/Girls under 16

Boys/Girls under 17

Boys/Girls under 18

These teams will be divided into competitive skill groupings.  The D1 Coordinator decides these groupings and the VSL Board will approve them.

Rosters

Rosters shall be due prior to the date set by VYSA office.  Generally, this is months before the D2/3 roster due dates because of the additional processing of player passes.  Signed VYSA rosters must be available for referees at every match.

 

Basic Requirements

A VSL league roster may contain no more than 14 players for U12, 18 players for U13 - U15 teams, and 22 players for U16 - U19.  Rosters may only be altered pursuant to USYSA rules for adds, drops, and transfers. Dual rostering [on a non-VSL D1 team] shall be permitted.  Deadlines for declaring the freezing of rosters will be determined on a yearly basis by the State Registrar, the VSA Competition Committee or the State Cups or National Cups Commissioner as appropriate.

Field Availability

Each team entering VSL must have access to fields of VSL quality.

Fields will not be considered of VSL quality unless they are at least 100 yards by 65 yards, reasonably flat and level, grassed throughout [allowing for normal wear in goal areas], and are on game days equipped with regulation goal posts, nets and corner flags; mowed and fully lined in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game.

Rules - In General

Rules of play shall be as determined by the USYSA for National Challenge Cups, except as otherwise specified in these Rules.

Game Length

All League games shall be of regulation length as follows:

·         Under 12 two 30-minute halves

·         Under 13 & 14 two 35-minute halves

·         Under 15 & 16 two 40-minute halves

·         Under 17 & 18 two 45-minute halves

If two matches are played in the same day, matches will be shortened 5 minutes per half.

Substitution

Substitution for League competition will be unlimited, and may be made by either team on goal kicks and re-starts after goals and at the beginning of the second half, by the throwing team on throw-ins, and after injuries.

Uniform Numbers

All uniforms must be numbered. Duplicate numbers on any team are not permitted. It is the home team's responsibility to change uniforms if a color conflict arises. Pennies, which permit the underlying number to be discerned, are acceptable for this purpose.

Uniform Deportment

Shirts must be tucked in and socks must cover shin guards. Boxer shorts, bike shorts, jams and the like, unless of the same color as the shorts over them, must not hang below the uniform shorts.

Shinguards

The use of shin guards is mandatory. Referees will exclude players not so equipped from play.

Game Ball

The home team for each game will provide a suitable game ball. Ages U-12 will use a size 4 ball; all other ages will use size 5. Suitability of the ball is the sole determination of the referee.

Coaches & Managers

Presence & Qualification

Teams must have a responsible coach or manager present at each game, whose responsibilities shall include maintaining control and discipline over the team. A team, which appears without such a person, or a clearly responsible adult substitute, shall forfeit. In no case shall the coach, manager or other responsible substitute be eligible by age to play in the age group which he or she is coaching or managing. If the game is conducted with an adult substitute, the referee shall note the person's name, address and telephone number.

Game Rosters and Player Passes

Each coach must have rosters and player passes available at all matches.  Fifteen minutes prior to the start of the match, the players will line up in front of their bench on the sideline with player passes in hand.  The coach will present a VSA signed roster to the referee.  The referee will then verify the roster and player pass.

-Player passes will be given back to the coach after the player pass inspection.
-If the team does not have their player passes or roster, it will be reported to the coordinator by the referee.  The match(s) will be declared a forfeit by the offending team.  If both teams don’t have their player passes or roster, both teams will forfeit this match. If the teams agree to play this match as a friendly, the opposing coaches have the following options: Agree on a single substitute referee for the entire game; do not play the game.   Forfeit fees and fines will apply.

-If a player is not on the roster, the player cannot play.

 

Conduct & Responsibility

Coaches and managers are responsible for their own conduct, and for the conduct of their players and fans at all games. Abusive or obscene language, violent play, violent conduct or other behavior detrimental to the game will not be tolerated. Failure of a coach to control his or her players and fans may result in action against him or her by the referee and/or the Protest Officer.

Coaches must remain within the bench area and not on the playing field during the course of play. They must refrain from loud, persistent or intrusive coaching of field players from the touchline. Only they and other qualified coaches and managers may be on the sideline with the teams during the game. Parents and other spectators must remain on the opposite sideline. Failure to observe these rules will be considered behavior detrimental to the game and may be punished accordingly.

[See Referees section for referee support responsibilities.]
[See Scores section for reporting responsibilities.]

Under Suspension

Coaches and managers who are ejected or are under suspension must leave and remain completely away from the playing site or complex where his or her team is playing a game for the entire length of his or her suspension. Failure to abide by this rule may result in additional disciplinary action, possibly including permanent suspension from the League.

[See also the Ejection's section below for special penalties for coaches, assistants & managers.]

Referees

Assignment and Payment

The league Referee Assignor will assign referees. Each year the VSL Board will establish fees for referees and linesmen and publish the fees to all the members. Referees will receive this amount in the event that the game is not played because one team forfeits or a coach does not notify the Referee Administrator of a change in the schedule and the referee is at the field.

Unofficial Referees

If the scheduled referee does not appear, the opposing coaches have the following options: Agree on a single substitute referee for the entire game and the game counts; do not play the game and set a make-up date.  No protests will be heard on the quality or judgment of substitute referees.

Authority

The referee is responsible for the conduct of the game. The referee keeps the time of the game. The referee is the sole judge of the suitability of the field at game time and its equipment, and the players' uniforms and equipment.

Responsibilities

In the event of a red card or other ejection, a report on the incident must be sent to the Referee Administrator on the day following the game.  The player pass must be pulled and sent to the VSA office address:

Vermont Soccer Association, 25 Omega Drive, Suite 220, Williston, Vermont 05495

Coach Support

Before, during and after the game, coaches and managers will support the referee and assist in maintaining order. In any cases of non-compliance, the situation will be reported by the referee to the Referee Administrator for appropriate action by the Protest Officer.

Results

League Results

The League Coordinator will be responsible for maintaining the standings of the League, and for communicating these to coaches and League officials.

If the referee does not report the score of the match, it is the responsibility of the winning team’s coach for transmitting the score to the League Coordinator Sunday evening by one of the methods determined by the Commission. The League Coordinator's records are final.

Game Results

A Game which has been started and then stopped by the referee due to weather or field conditions will be resumed from the point of stoppage if this can be done within the same day.  If the game is in the second half, and the referee calls the game due to conditions above the score will stand.  If the game is in the first half, the game will be rescheduled and replayed in its entirety.  

Scores

The Referee’s will report the game score to the USOfficials website.  In the case of a substitute Referee, the winning team’s coach will report the score to the league coordinator.  In the event of a dispute about a game score, the Referee's game record is dispositive. Coaches are responsible for checking the Referee's record prior to leaving the field at the conclusion of the game.

League Final Results

League standings at the end of the season will determine the division champion. 

Ties in the standings at the end of the season will be resolved as follows:

first, in the basis of head-to-head play;

 

if still tied, on the basis of goal differential in head-to-head play; provided that, in determining “goals for” for this calculation, a team will only be given credit for a maximum of six goals more than its opponent

if still tied, a tie will be declared and awards will be awarded to both teams.

Championship Cup: Teams entering the VSL-D1 assume “Premier” status and are eligible for the Vermont State Championship Cup.

 

Protests

Any protest must be forwarded in writing to (postmarked [with evidence of mailing] or accepted by) the Protest Officer within 24 hours of the game in question, together with a protest fee of $150.00. Written disposition of the protest will be given within 14 days of the receipt of the protest. The fee will be returned if the protest is upheld. Judgment calls by the referee may not be protested.

Grounds for Postponement

Once the schedule is determined and sent to the teams, there is no reason acceptable for postponing a game other than lack of a playing field, or absence of a referee if both coaches don’t agree to a referee substitute. It is the sole responsibility of the home team to notify the visiting teams coach and referee and referee administrator.  At the time of contacting the visiting team coach, a rematch should be set according to the Make-up deadlines below.

Make-ups

Postponed games must be made up by the end of the Monday following the last scheduled game of the season, at a time and place agreed between the involved coaches. The originally scheduled home coach must notify the Referee Administrator as soon as a date is set, but no later than three days prior to the scheduled make up.  If the game is not played by the deadline, it will be a forfeit for both teams.

Forfeiture and Fines

Forfeiture will be governed by USYSA and VSA rules as supplemented by these By-Laws.  The forfeiting team will pay a forfeiture fee equal to the total referee/s fee for the match.

Late Arrival

The referee and the teams should be present at the field at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start. A forfeit may be claimed if a team arrives more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start.

Team Bond

New teams that are accepted into the league will be required to post a bond equal to referee fees for two matches.  This bond will not be required the second season if no forfeits occur.

Fines and other Penalties

Any team, which forfeits more than two-scheduled VSL matches in a single season will result in its disqualification from that year's year-end tournament and potential league qualification the following soccer year.

A Club including teams with unpaid fees or forfeiture or other fines will not be permitted to register teams for any subsequent season until such fines are paid.

Determination of what constitutes a team or club for purposes of this Article is the sole responsibility of the VSL Board.

Ejection’s - Automatic Suspensions; Further Punishment

Ejection of a player shall result in the automatic suspension of the player for one game after the one in which the ejection occurred. Ejection of a coach, assistant coach or manager shall result in the automatic suspension of that person for one game after the one in which the ejection occurred. In either case, the VSL Board may assess further suspension or other punishment upon review of the referee’s report and other pertinent information.

Ejection’s - Fracas

If a player or coach is involved in a fracas or fighting incident, he or she will be indefinitely suspended until a decision is made by the VSL Board Officer on appropriate punishment. Such punishment shall not be less than the minimum automatic suspensions set out above.

Ejection’s - Automatic Suspensions; Further Punishment

If a player receives a red card, the player pass can be picked up at the VSL office during the week after his suspension has been served.