OCL Rules with IFAB LOTG will be followed with the following exceptions:

Roster

Every team is to complete and submit a roster with signed waivers prior to the first game with all player names, date of birth and parent signature.

Field and Area Sizes

Field size: about 60ftx100ft

Penalty area: 3 yards from each post and 6 yards into the field

Penalty mark: 8 yards from the mid-point of the goal line

Substitution zones: 6-yard zone on the bench side of the pitch

Goals: 6 ft high x 12 ft wide

Center circle: 5-yard radius

Corner arcs: 2-foot radius

Player Information

4 field players and 1 goalie.

All players must wear shin guards, or will not be allowed to play.

Players may wear outdoor soccer shoes that have cleats, however, the shoes should be free of mud, dirt, etc.

All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play. If both teams are wearing the same color, the home team must change.

Players wearing protective casts must receive written approval by the League Director and a doctor. The cast must be wrapped with a minimum of three layers of bubble wrap or ½” slow recovery foam.  If the referee on the field of play deems a player’s protective cast is unsafe in any way, the player will not be allowed to play until the League Director allows the player to play.

No jewelry will be allowed, including taped/untaped earrings, rope necklaces and bracelets. The only exception will be players wearing medical bracelets.

Substitution: Substitutions can be made on the fly.

Referees / Timing:
There will be no abuse of the referees tolerated, verbal or otherwise. Any indication of such behavior by a coach or parent will result in immediate removal from the facility. No abuse of any player, coach or referee will be tolerated. Please keep all comments (cheering) positive.

The first whistle starts the clock on all fields & game ending whistle ends games on all fields.

Game Length: 36 Minute Game – No Halftime 

Teams must be ready to enter the field at least 5 minutes prior to scheduled game time.  There is NO warm-up time!  Teams are to go to benches immediately upon entering the field area.

Kick Offs / Kick Ins / Direct and Indirect Kicks / Goal Kicks / Penalty Kicks:

Kick Offs

May be kicked in any direction. You cannot score directly from a kick off (ball must be 100% over the mid-line to be considered on the offensive half of the field). The kick off is an indirect kick.

Kick-ins

The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline, rather than thrown in. The ball is considered in play when the ball is touched and changes position. This is an indirect kick, and a goal cannot be scored from this kick.

Direct and in-direct kicks

All dead-ball kicks (kick-ins, kick-offs, free kicks) are indirect with the exception of corner kicks, “contact fouls” (i.e. pushes, holds, HANDLING, etc.), and penalty kicks. If a free kick is awarded within five yards of the opposing goal line, the ball will be moved back to five yards from the line. It is the referee’s discretion where the ball will be placed.

Goal kicks

May be taken from any point of the penalty area.  All Goal Kicks are indirect kicks.

Penalty kicks

Shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by an infraction (the infraction does not automatically result in a red card). Penalty kicks are DIRECT kicks taken from 2 yards outside the Penalty Area in the center of the field (8 yards from the goal line)

Five-Yard Rule

In all dead-ball situations, defending players must stand at least five yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal is closer than five yards, the ball shall be played five yards from the goal line in line with the direction of play prior to the penalty.

Goal Scoring

A goal may only be scored from a touch (offensive or defensive) within the team’s offensive half on the field. The ball must be completely on the offensive half of the field, and cannot be touching the mid-line (Example: kick-off). If a player in their defensive half kicks the ball across the midline and the ball hits another player (offensive or defensive) in their offensive half, and the ball goes in the goal, a goal will be awarded. If a ball is kicked from the defensive half and is not touched before the ball rests in the goal, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. A goal cannot be scored from an indirect kick, such as a kick-in from out-of-play. See below for “Plane of the Goal / Net Interference.”

Goal Keepers / Offside / Slide Tackling / Hand Ball Clarification:

Goal keepers may use hands OR feet inside the penalty area. and no slide tackling is allowed. GKers are treated as field players if playing the ball outside of their penalty area.  GKers may not punt/drop kick  the ball.  If a player is sliding for the ball, contact with any player(s) from the other team is NOT ALLOWED. If a player slides and contact is initiated, a free kick shall be awarded. This does not prevent players from sliding to stop/intercept a ball where contact is not initiated during the slide. Example: a player may slide to save a ball from going out-of-play.  There are no offside considerations (i.e. “Offside is not to be called)

Hand Ball Clarification

Deliberate handling of the ball that denies a team of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity will result in the following: (1) A penalty kick (at the discretion of the referee) (2) A yellow or red card given to the player committing the hand ball (at the discretion of the referee).

 Game Balls / Sizes:

Teams are responsible for providing game balls. The ball size for each group is as following:

– U8-U12 will use a size 4 ball
– U13+ will use a size 5 ball

Tiebreakers:

The following tiebreakers will decide who the winner is:

• Points

• Head-to-head

• Goal differential (4 Goal max each game)

• Goals scored (Recorded as max of 4 goals more than non-winning team)

• Goals against (Recorded as the non-winning team score)

• Coin toss

Training Center Rules

• Only players and staff on the fields.

• Parents/non-players must stay in the lounge area only. Do not enter the main field.  

• Do not allow children to play with balls in the lounge or the small field.

• Clean outdoor cleats may be worn on the field only. Do not put them on in the lounge or entrance area. Cement is slippery and unsafe.

• Only water may be brought onto the field. No sports drinks.

• Only Club Ohio Staff behind the bar or in the office.

• Parking in the front of the facility OR in the back of the facility.  Do NOT park on driveway into the facility! Parking outside of the facility property is VERY LIMITED.

• Car pool when possible (ESPECIALLY for 5:30PM/6:10PM/6:50PM games on Fridays!