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Cornell University

Recreational Services

8v8 Soccer Rules

Location

  • All games will be played in the fields located Jessup Fields.

Format

  • This is a team activity with eight players per team playing on the field.
  • FOR OPEN RECREATIONAL
    • Open Rec teams will receive two additional regular season games.
    • There are no playoffs or t-shirt prizes for Open Rec
  • FOR OPEN COMPETITIVE, FRATERNITY, AND WOMEN'S
    • Teams will be placed in a round-robin pool play for the regular season.
    • The top half from each pool will be placed into a single-elimination playoff bracket.

Officials and Staff

  • On-site personnel and professional staff reserve the right to rule on situations not specified in the rulebook or IM Participant Handbook when safety and sportspersonship are involved.
  • The officials have absolute control of the game. Their decision will be final and are not to be disputed by members of either team.
  • Any participant that refuses to abide by Intramural Sport rules, policies, or instructions from Intramural Student and Professional Staff cannot participate and may be removed from the playing area.

Eligibility

  • All individuals must have an active ID from Cornell University, overseen at Day Hall.
  • Club Players - No team may have more than
    • One (1) club player on an Open Rec team
    • Two (2) club players on an Open Comp, Fraternity, or Women's team
  • All individuals may play on:
    • One open competitive team
    • One open recreational team, and
    • One single-sex team (Women's or Fraternity)

Forfeit Procedure

If a team fails to have the required number of participants at the scheduled match time, the opposing team who is present will have the following options:

  1. Take the win by forfeit at that time. No contest will be played.
  2. Give the opponent ten (10) minutes for the minimum amount of players to arrive. The following will occur if this option is chosen:
    • The official game clock will start and run as scheduled.
    • The team present will immediately lead 2-0 in the game on the scoreboard and scoresheet.
    • Game commences once the minimum amount of players arrive and check-in with IM Staff.
    • Game will immediately start with the time remaining on the running clock.
    • If the opposing team is not ready to play (having the minimum number of players here and checked in) ten (10) minutes after the scheduled game time, IM Staff will declare the game a forfeit for the waiting team.

A forfeit fee of $40 will be applied to the team captain bursar account if a team forfeits. Teams with two forfeits will be removed from the league and ineligible for playoffs.

Default Procedure

A team may default a game if the team is unable to field the minimum amount of players for their scheduled game.

  • Teams can default their game by contacting the IM Sports Office prior to 4:00pm the day of their game.
  • All teams have one default per season per activity. Using a second or subsequent default will be counted as a forfeit.
  • Defaults will not be rescheduled, and teams using a default will have the game count as a loss.
  • A default will not be charged a forfeit fee.

General Rules

  • Proper attire must be worn for intramural sport activities. Items that may not be worn during activities may include, but are not limited to:
    • Head gear including hard-billed hats, visors, and bandanas with exposed knots.
    • Jewelry other than nose studs and ear studs (TAPED JEWELRY is NOT acceptable)
    • Casts and exposed metal braces.
    • Any clothing or items that may be deemed potentially injurious or advantageous.
  • Religious and medical identifications/devices must be approved by the Director of Intramural Sports prior to the contest, and must be secured.
  • Players bleeding or that have blood on clothing will be prohibited from participation until appropriate measured have been administrated.

Specific Rules

The NFHS Official Soccer Rules shall govern play for all intramural soccer games with the exceptions listed in these rules:

A. SPECIAL INTRAMURAL RULES

  • Eight players (including a goalie) per team are allowed on the field at a time. A minimum of six players is necessary to begin and continue play. In the case of an injury or other reasons, a team can finish with less than 6 players.
  • Games will consist of two 20-minute halves, running time. There are no time outs.
  • Sneakers, turf shoes or molded rubber cleats may be worn. Not allowed: bare feet, toe shoes, metal cleats, plastic molded-in or screw-in cleats, and boots of any kind.
  • Shin guards are not required but are strongly recommended.
  • The goal post may not be used in any way to assist the goalie or players from making a play on the ball. A goal may be automatically awarded to the offensive team if the official rules the ball was heading into the goal when a defensive player interfered by moving the goal post. If the offensive player moves the goal to gain an advantage, a direct kick will be awarded to the defensive team.
  • Kicks or attempts that simulate a Scissor, Bicycle, or Scorpion kicks may constitute a dangerous play (officials’ discretion)
  • ABSOLUTELY NO SLIDE TACKLES! (automatic yellow card for slide tackling, automatic red card for illegally slide tackling). It is for your safety as well as others! All individuals carded for slide tackles must leave the field and report to the supervisor on duty and fill out an incident report before return to play.
  • Slide Tackling may affect individual and teams unsporting behavior count/total
  • Sliding to save the ball with no opponents around is permitted (officials’ discretion).
  • Ties will stand during the regular season. For the playoffs, a shoot-out will occur immediately after regulation has ended.
  • Shoot out procedure (after a tie score in playoffs):
    • Only players who are on the field at the end of regulation are eligible for the shoot-out.
    • Goalies finishing regulation must remain in goal (for all kicks) during the shootout.
    • Each team selects 5 players for alternate kicks.
    • Coin toss decides which team kicks first.
    • Once the whistle has been blown by an official, the kicker must kick within 10 seconds or lose the chance.
    • If the score is tied at the conclusion of the first five rounds of penalty kicks, teams will continue to alternate kicks until one team scores and the other doesn’t.
  • With ten minutes remaining in the game or at any time thereafter, the game will end if a team is leading by 7 goals or more.

B. CARDS

  • Yellow: Warning for unsporting conduct, intentional handballs, slide tackling, use of foul language.
  • Red: Automatic ejection for extreme unsporting conduct (i.e. abusive language or gesture, serious foul play) or a foul by a player against an opponent who is moving towards their offensive goal with an obvious opportunity to score. The ejected player must leave the playing site within five minutes. Suspensions may follow. All individuals ejected from the game must leave the field and report to the supervisor on duty and fill out an incident report before leaving Jessup Fields.
  • An ejected player may not be replaced; the team must play with one less player during the game.
  • Two yellow cards given to the same player equals a red card (see above).

C. OFFSIDE- A player is in an offside position when nearer to their opponents’ goal line than the ball unless:

  • The player is in their own half of the field of play; or
  • The player is not nearer to the opponent’s goal line than at least two opponents.

NOTE: A player is NOT offside if that player receives the ball directly from a throw-in, corner kick, or goal kick.

D. GOAL KICKS

  • Must be taken from within the first half of the goal box.
    • Anyone can take the kick.
    • The ball does not have to leave the goalie’s box and go out into the field before touching another player.
  • Are direct.

E. CORNER KICKS

  • Are direct.

F. THROW-INS

  • Are indirect.
  • Must be legal (on an illegal throw, the throw-in is awarded to the other team).
    • Two feet must be on the ground all the way through the follow through.
    • Ball must be released in front of the player’s head, not behind.
    • Ball must come directly overhead with no side spin.
    • Throw must be in one motion all the way through.

G. PENALTY KICKS

  • Goalie cannot be changed for penalty kicks.
  • Goalie must keep at least one foot on the goal line until the ball is kicked.
  • Goalie may move laterally across the line, but not forward until the ball is kicked.
  • Distance: 12 yards from the goal line.
  • Kicker must wait for official’s whistle.
  • Other players must line up outside of the penalty area (Goal Box).

H. DIRECT KICKS

  • Awarded for: tripping, holding, handball, charging, jumping on, kneeing, punching, kicking, hitting, pushing, fighting, swinging, slide tackling, or others - anything deemed by the official(s) to be extremely dangerous and/or inappropriate behavior.
  • Ball is placed at the point of infraction and the opponents must be 10 yards from the ball.
  • Offensive team can score off the kick without having the ball touch another player.
  • The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched or played by another player.

I. INDIRECT KICKS

  • Awarded for:
    • Offside
    • Dangerous play.
    • A player playing a ball a second time before it has been touched by another player on all free kicks.
    • A goalie taking more than 6 seconds to put the ball back into play once the individual takes control of the ball with the hands, regardless of the number of steps that might be taken during this time.
    • Failure to put a kickoff in play within 10 seconds.
    • Passing the ball back to their own goalie intentionally then having the goalie play the ball with their hands.
    • All others deemed by the official(s) to be inappropriate behavior.
  • Ball is placed at the point of infraction and the opponents must be 10 yards from the ball.
  • Ball must touch another player after the kick in order to score the goal.
  • The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched or played by another player.

J. KICKOFFS

  • Are taken from midfield.
  • Defending team must allow 10 yards.
  • The kicker shall not play the ball a second time until it has been touched or played by another player.
    • Failure to comply will result in an indirect kick from the center by the defensive team.
  • The offensive team has 10 seconds to put the ball in play.
    • Failure to comply will result in an indirect kick from the center by the defensive team.
  • Are direct.

K. GOALS

  • Awarded for a ball completely over the line.

L. OUT OF BOUNDS

  • Ball is only out if it is completely over the line either on the ground or in the air.

M. SUBSTIUTIONS

  • Must be authorized by an official and can only be made in the following situations:
    • Goal kicks
    • Following a goal
    • For an injured player
    • The team in possession of the ball for a throw-in may substitute.
      • If the team in possession of the ball chooses to substitute, the opposing team may substitute at the same time, as well.

Sporting Behavior Points

Sporting behavior ratings will be determined by the accumulation of unsporting acts and penalties for individuals and teams during the activities' season. Any acquisition of unsporting behavior conduct fouls during a contest will be added to an individual's and team's unsporting behavior foul total for the activity's season.

The following will be in effect for the activity:

  • The accumulation of TWO (2) unsporting behavior conduct fouls in a game by an individual will result in the ejection of the individual from the game, as outlined in the Intramural Participant Handbook.
  • The accumulation of THREE (3) total unsporting behavior conduct fouls by an individual during an activity's season will result in the dismissal of the individual from the activity for the remainder of the season, as outlined in the Intramural Participant Handbook.
  • The accumulation of FOUR (4) unsporting behavior conduct fouls by a team in a game will result in the team forfeiture of the contest, as outlined in the Intramural Participant Handbook.
  • The accumulation of FIVE (5) total unsporting behavior conduct fouls by a team during an activity's season will result in the dismissal of the team from the activity for the remainder of the season, as outlined in the Intramural Participant Handbook.

Accumulations of unsporting behavior conducts do not reset during playoffs.

  • If an individual or team meets the prior criteria during playoffs, they will be subject to dismissal during playoffs.

Additional actions may be taken depending upon the infractions outlined in Section IX., Disciplinary Procedures, as outlined in the Intramural Participant Handbook.