Rules:
Full FIFA Laws of Play will be enforced, except as noted: there will be no slide tackles, no limit to the amount of substitutions that occur in a game. For the purpose of ensuring games are played and not canceled or rescheduled: If a team is short-handed, they may pick up players from a team that has a bye. Team executives or captains should reach out to the executives or captains of other teams to inquire about player availability, ensuring the team picking up players does not exceed the maximum limit of 14 players (3 subs).
Sunday Games – each team will play a full 11 a-side game with 45-minute halves and an approximate 5-10-minute halftime.
Wednesday Games – each team will play a full 11 a-side game with 35 minute halves and an approximate 5-10 minute halftime. Game lengths and the amount of players on a field may vary depending on circumstances between team executives, as long as both parties agree. If both parties cannot agree, the standard rules apply.
The minimum number of players allowed to start and complete a game is 7. A team has defaulted if they do not have the minimum number of players at the games’ scheduled start time.
Equipment: soccer boots, shin guards, socks (must entirely cover shin guards), jerseys & shorts must be worn by all players.
Jewelry must be removed or taped. Any medical/sports braces etc. with sharp corners should be covered to prevent injury. If a player wears a knee brace it must be covered with a fabric sports cover. Fabric knee braces are okay without one.
No blood rule is a FIFA rule: Any player that is bleeding must leave the field and return only when the bleeding is stopped and/or covered and after the referee has given permission to enter the field.
Absolutely no foul language (referees will issue cards for language and dissent, at their discretion).
Discipline
All cards are issued according to FIFA Laws of Play.
A player who receives a yellow and/or red card, must pay the fine(s) before they are allowed to play again. It is $20 for a yellow card and $50 for a red card. The fees must be e-transfered to info@scwsl.ca.
A player who accumulated 3 yellow cards during a single season must sit out the team’s very next game. If a player reaches 5 yellows, they may be required to attend a formal discipline hearing held by the executives.
For every red card received by a player, the player will be suspended from the game in which the infraction occurred, plus, automatically, the next scheduled game (including exhibition and the “year-end tournament”). All players who receive red cards may be required at the discretion of the committee, to go before an Adult Soccer Disciplinary Committee to determine further consequences for their actions. All cards will be carried over to the next scheduled game, including exhibition, “year-end tournament”, and the following season.
Pregnancy:
It is recommended by the SCWSL that pregnant players not play past their first trimester.
Dues (Team Fees)
Each existing team must pay their league fees before the start of each season in order to participate.
Penalties for late dues
Teams that have not paid by the above-mentioned dates will forfeit all games until paid. If full dues are not paid by the first game of the season, the offending team will forfeit the season.
New Teams
New teams must have the dues paid in full and a roster of a minimum of 18 players submitted to the Executive at the August pre-season executive meeting.
If a new team is unable to consistently field a team the executive will have an extra meeting to decide if that team will forfeit the schedule. If the team forfeits prior to the end of the first half, they will be reimbursed the remaining amount of their dues after the fixed costs (ie. insurance) and variable costs (ie. referees for games played) have been deducted.
If the forfeiting team folds after completion of the first half of the schedule they will forfeit 100% of their dues.
Completed Games
A game will be considered complete if 68 minutes of play have occurred. The referees are responsible for the official time.
Team Rosters and Player Eligibility
Roster limit of 30 players per team. The team roster and signed Code of Conduct must be submitted to the league by posting on the executive Facebook page and email address at info@scwsl.ca by the beginning of the first game of the season. Any game played without a submitted team roster will be forfeit by the team that has failed to submit its roster.
All players must submit a waiver / Code of Conduct to their team’s executive member before the first scheduled game in which they play, including any scheduled exhibition games but excluding the “year end tournament”.
The league is restricted to players 18 years of age in the year they play (when they are no longer eligible for the youth league).
Roster changes must be posted on the executive Facebook page and sent through the league email address at info@scwslca, 48 hours prior to the first game in which the new player to the team roster is to play (including exhibition but excluding the “year end tournament”). Rosters are available for viewing on the roster page of this website.
Each player must complete a minimum of 5 league games with the team for which they are on the roster of (including exhibition but excluding the “year end tournament”) in order to be eligible to play in the year-end tournament. A league game is considered played if a player shows up to the field with their gear ready to play, even if that game is then cancelled or postponed by the referee before kick off or before completion due to weather or field conditions.
Any infraction of the roster rules will result in the violating team defaulting the game in which the illegal player played and/or a deduction of points from the league standings.
Folding of Teams
In the event that a team folds during the season, those players are eligible to be put on other rosters according to the protocol above (i.e. the team must make the decision to fold before the roster change cut off date). If a team folds after the league ends and before the year end tournament, players will be ineligible to play in the tournament. The 5 game minimum rule does not apply for players coming from a folded team.
League Meetings
Teams must send a representative to all league meetings.. These are the forums for which comments, concerns and questions are discussed and decided. If a decision is made and a team does not have a representative there to cast their teams’ vote, they forfeit their vote and the decision is made without them. Any discussion around league decisions arising from a team who were not in attendance at a meeting will have to wait until the next scheduled meeting.
We will attempt to run the league with 2 meetings per year. We will increase the number of meetings if it is necessary for smooth operation of the league.
Protests
All protests and/or Code of Conduct complaints (excluding disciplinary issues) must be emailed to the league executives email info@scwslca, following a 24 hour “cooling off” period. Code of Conduct complaints must be made by the team executive. A 2 week time limit applies (within the current season) for eligible player protests. Upon review of the email, league executives will prepare for a vote on the issue.
If there are any questions or comments with regards to the referee’s decision(s) during a game or conduct of other players, only captains and/or league executives can approach the referee and/or the other team’s captain and/or league executive. It is strongly encouraged that any communications be done during halftime or at the end of the game to reduce delays to the game.
Game Cancellations
48-hours notice needs to be given to cancel any game (ie. before noon on Friday, or before noon on Monday). If a team cancels with less than 48 hours notice it will result in a forfeit.
Each team is eligible to have one reschedule of a game each half of the season. Any additional reschedules will be considered a forfeit by the team requesting the reschedule. **This rule does not apply to external rescheduling of games (i.e. weather or field closures). If a team reschedules/forfeits more than 3 times because they are unable to field a team the executive will discuss whether the team should continue to play in the league.
The Referee has the authority to cancel a match due to undesirable field conditions, including weather complications and lack of lines or posts. Referees use discretion following the local municipalities field guidelines.
Team Responsibility
The home team is responsible for corner flags, lining of fields, pinnies/alternate jerseys, nets and game balls. Team Executives/captains must review the schedule before each game to ensure they have the necessary equipment required.
Teams are responsible for the behaviour of their teammates, coaches and fans. We expect that team captains and officials will assist in upholding the spirit of the Laws of the Game and the League Code of Conduct.
Teams are responsible to ensure that all of their players are in fit condition to play the game. If a team is aware that a player is unfit to play, and may be a danger to themselves or others, they should be removed from the field.
Alcohol is not permitted in our parks – if teams are enjoying refreshments they should do so in a discrete manner.
Smoking is not allowed on any field or sidelines. Any smoking can be done in the parking lot well away from the field. Following local municipal bylaws.
