League Rules and General Information 

Effective August 26, 2009

Starting Times:  Early games start PROMPTLY at 8:30am, Late Games start PROMPTLY at 10:30am. First team listed in the schedule is the home team.

Playing time and Grace Period: Each game consists of four (4) twenty (20) minute periods.

NOTE: There is a ten (10) minute Grace Period for teams that do have a minimum of eight players at the designated starting time.  If both teams have eight or more players the game is to start at the scheduled time. If a team cannot field eight players within the grace period the offending team forfeits that game. Repeated forfeitures will jeopardize that team’s continued participation in the league.

Equipment:  Each team is to have at least one game useable size five (5) soccer ball. Uniforms shall be, at minimum, matching color jerseys. If there is a conflict in colors, the home team shall change jersey colors. The goalie is to have a jersey color that is noticeably different from those jerseys of both teams.

Roster and Entrance Fee: Each team is to provide the league with a roster of current players on or before the fourth game. The rosters shall have a minimum of each player's full name and date of birth. A player can only be on one roster. The fee for the current season is $450 per team. The fee is due on or before the 3^rd game.

Team Registration checks should be made payable to “Art Hansell”

Age Requirement:  All players must be 40 years of age or older. The 40^th birthday may occur during the current season. To avoid confusion January 31, 2010 is considered the end of the season.

Point system: League standings will be determined on a point system based upon wins, losses and ties. A forfeit is a 2-0 win for the non-offending team.

WIN = 3 POINTS            LOSS = O POINTS        TIE = 1 POINT

Determination of standings for playoff berths:  In the case of a tie in points, the outcome of games between the tied teams will be the first determining factor. If a tie still exists, the number of goals scored against the tied teams will be the next tie breaker. The third tie breaker will be the total number of goals scored for the season. The fourth tie breaker is total goal differential for the season. If a tie still exists we will determine placement by lottery.

Playoff Format: Please see the posted schedule for this season.

Playoff Game Format: Game times and format will be the same as in the regular season. During the first round of the playoffs, if a tie exists at the end of regulation time, two (2) 15 minute overtime periods will be played. To be clear, these 2 overtimes will not be sudden death.  If the game is still tied at the end of the 2 overtimes a third 15 minute overtime will be played. This overtime will be sudden death. If the game is still tied after the third overtime, the game will be decided by penalty kicks. Each team will select five (5) players from those on the field at the end of the game to take PKs. All five will kick. If the game is still tied, a second group of five different players who were also on the field at the end of the game will be selected and will kick.  If a tie still exists, each remaining player of the whole team, playing at the end or not, will attempt a PK in rounds of one player per team in each round. A winner is then declared when one team out scores the opposing team in any round of kicks. All players who played in the game must be used in PKs before players in the first group can be reused. During the Final round of the playoffs, if a tie exists at the end of regulation time, two (2) 15 minute overtime periods will be played. To be clear, these 2 overtimes will not be sudden death. If the game is still tied after these 2 overtimes, the teams will be declared co-champions.

Playoff eligibility of players:  To be eligible for playoff participation, a player must be on the team roster and must have played in a minimum of 7 games.

Fouls: Fouls are to be called only by either one of the players directly involved in the play or (new ’06) by the manager of the team member who in his judgment committed a foul. Please remember there are no referees and we are expecting each player to understand this is a gentlemen’s sport. Each player is expected to control their attitude and actions. Managers are expected to exert extra judgment and control. Please remove players, even for a few minutes, who need time correct their attitude. 

NO SLIDING TACKLES          NO OFFSIDES          NO REFEREES

ALL Players read the following carefully. This has been the rule for several years and still there is confusion.

A foul in the penalty area awards a direct kick. The kick is to be taken from the eighteen (18) yard line centered on the goal. The kicking team, at its discretion, can move the ball backward, away from the 18 yd. line. The defending team can set a wall a minimum of ten (10) yards from the ball.

A handball must be called even if the ball “plays” the player.  There is no unintentional handball. The only exception to this rule is when the hands are placed for protection.

A blatant and obvious handball that would prevent a goal will result in the awarding of a goal.  To try to be more clear, this is an instance where usually the offending player is the last player before the goal line. Two (2) intentional handballs (anywhere on the field) by the same player will result in the immediate ejection of that player for the remainder of the game. Teams continue to play with eleven players.

Goalie Rule: The goalie cannot receive a ball into his hands that is intentionally played by the foot or hands (throw-in) from a player on his team.

FIGHTING CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!! For any incident of fighting, all players involved, no exceptions, are to be removed from the game for a cooling off period of no less than 5 minutes. If a player throws a punch or a flagrant elbow they are automatically and immediately ejected from the game. This rule has not been followed and has led to more incidents. All players involved in fighting are to be removed even the party who “did not start it.”

The success of the league is dependent on all who participate.  All incidents of fighting will be reported to Rules Enforcement Committee even if no action is needed. Likewise overly aggressive or consistently dangerous play should be reported. The Committee will address a situation in which repeated unacceptable behavior occurs. Repeated reports concerning a player could result in that player’s disqualification from the league.

Rules Enforcement Committee

Tim O'Sullivan (Sunset Lakes G.C.)

Mark Lockhart (Holiday Inn)

Jake Heilich (Kutis)

Reporting game results is the responsibility of the winning team or the home team in the case of a tie.  Report your score to Art Hansell by phone or email as soon as possible. The whole league would like to see early results each week. Bryan Dieter does maintain a website for our league at www.stlmenssoccer.org where we keep track of the standings and scores. He will typically send out an email to all of the team managers on Sunday or Monday requesting that you reply to him and Art with your scores. Please reply as soon as you can. Everyone appreciates this a great deal. If you see Bryan, thank him and give him a beverage.

League Officials:

Mark Lockhart     314.892.8704 work       email: mlock8704@aol.com

Art Hansell          314.434.9330 home      email: ahansell@charter.net

Jake Heilich        636.464.7125 home      email: hbsales@charter.net

Inclement Weather/Poor Conditions:  Managers will be called at the earliest possible moment if it is determined the fields are not playable. Unless a call is received, the scheduled games are to be played. If one of the fields is determined to be unplayable, the games on the other field will not count in point standings if the cancelled game cannot be made up. We do try to post rainouts on the website, but that is subject to Bryan’s availability, so the call to the manager is the official method of communication even if the website is not updated.

St Louis Men's Soccer!