CCSL - Silicon Valley Soccer Officials

(updated 3/21/22)

CYSA California Soccer League (CCSL)

CCSL is the alternative playing league in North California with Gold to Bronze divisions.

CCSL Home page is here with the official rules here. Send-off report is linked through Arbiter.

CYSA California Soccer League (CCSL)

2021-22 Season

Referee Procedures

All rules modifications have been merged into the descriptions below. General Rules Archive, see Article 5, 8, 10, 18. Guest player rules are in Article 3.

CRL rules are here for CalNorth and general rules are here (CalSouth sourced)

The rules are summarized below.

Pre-Game

Both teams on same side of the field, spectators on opposite side.
Home team supplies 3 copies of the Match Card (printed paper) and game balls. See Post-Game for details of match report.
Home team must change in the event of a color conflict.
Check players and coaches/managers against their CYSA passes. NO PASS, NO PLAY! The player passes SHOULD be laminated with Picture on the front.
SPRING - Blue or White CYSA passes or USClub passes or AYSO passes or USYS passes. All passes must be from the same issuer (all CYSA or all AYSO or all USClub). CYSA and USYS passes can be mixed (Blue and White CYSA passes can be mixed)
Match card should
Guest Player rules are below in a separate section as there isn't an online version except in big documents.
Check players' equipment.

Jewelry is not allowed. It is NOT OK to put tape over earrings or bracelets. Medical bracelets are allowed if made safe to the Referee's satisfaction.
Orthopedic supports:

Knee and ankle braces okay - hard parts padded.
Hard arm/wrist splints may be allowed - if no danger.
Soft cast okay - if no danger.
Hard casts that cover the entire circumference of the arm/wrist are NOT permitted (even if padded).
Players wearing any dangerous equipment or device including orthopedic casts, air-splints, or metal splints, shall not be eligible to participate in any game, practice, tryout or training session.

Diagonal System of Control (DSC) only. The Dual-Referee system is not to be used on any USSF-affiliated match.

Post-Game

Return all passes to the team when you have confirmed the game card is correct. DO NOT KEEP THE PASS OF THE SENT OFF PERSON.
At the end of the match the referee fills out and signs (2) match cards, and gives them match card back to the teams. Referee keeps the other match card, ensuring the sent off player/coach information is complete and correct.
Referee enters game report into Arbiter, noting any incidents that may be contentious, especially Yellow cards. If Red Cards were issued, check the "Send-Off" checkmark..
All reports must be submitted within 24 hours. The unified send-off portal is now up and running. For all CCSL sendoff reports go to here. PENSRA has a nice quick tutorial on the sendoff process.

Guest Player Rules

The FALL CCSL Coast Guest Player Policy is detailed in the official rules document.

- Maximum of 4 guests in Fall, Spring season maximum number of guest players for 7v7 games is five (5) and seven (7) for 9v9 and 11v11 games.
- Soccer age of the guest player must be the same soccer age or younger than the age group of the team on which the player will be guesting
- Guest players must have Cal North passes
- Guest players may be from the same District as the team they are guesting for.
Guest Team Officials
- An adult who is registered with Cal North with a team other than the one for which the adult is acting in the capacity of a team official.

Playing Rules

CCSL and CRL Substitution Rules:

No limit on number of subs or re-entry
Substitutions are at the referee’s discretion.
Substitutions by either team are allowed at any stoppage (including Foul and Corner Kick) of play with the permission of the referee.

Substitutions should not be used as a means to disrupt the flow of the game (time wasting). Be aware of the attacking team interest in a quick restart. Do not take that away with a sub from the defending team!

Maximum Game day roster:

U8-10 - 14 players
U11-19 - 18 players

Coach Behavior - Make sure it is acceptable

See IFAB Law changes for 2019/20. Ask, Tell/Show (with Yellow Card), Dismiss (with Red Card)

US Soccer Mandate - Heading

No Deliberate Heading of any player 12U or younger (11 years old or younger). All players age eleven (11) years old and younger, who are playing up in 13U and older games, are prohibited from heading, and must clearly be identifiable to the match official. (i.e. armband). If a deliberate heading of the ball occurs, the restart is an IFK from the spot that the heading took place. See 7v7 and 9v9 descriptions below for specifics.

Talk with both coaches prior to kickoff to ensure they are aware of the Heading rule change and how it will be officiated.
Deliberate heading is not a foul, rather it is a violation of permissible playing technique in the defined age brackets.
For deliberate heading, play must be stopped immediately. Verbalize your call as older players may be confused.
If a goal is scored by a player deliberately heading the ball, the goal should be disallowed and an IFK should be awarded.
As is the case with deliberate handling, this call will potentially be controversial. Be consistent and use common sense. Tactical heading to stop an attack may happen, it is a frustrating downside of the no-heading policy.
No advantage can be applied for a "Heading Violation"
Heading Violation can not considered for misconduct, so no Yellow card for persistent infringement and no DOGSO (a defensively headed ball off the goal line is JUST an IFK at the top of the goal area or penalty area for 7v7 play).
If a player "can't stop heading" or appears to tactically heading, talk with the coach to sub the player out

Concussion Protocol

In accordance with the US Soccer return to play guidelines, any player removed from the field for a suspected head injury will not be allowed to return to the field of play unless cleared by a Healthcare Professional.
A health care professional is defined as “a licensed health care professional such as an athletic trainer certified (ATC), or a physician (MD/DO), with a skill set in emergency care and sports medicine injuries and with knowledge and experience related to concussion evaluation and management.” It will be up to each club to decide whether they will provide a health care professional at their matches, and to ensure that their health care professional has the correct certification to be evaluating players for head trauma. If a club plans to use a health care professional to evaluate suspected head injuries during a NorCal match, the health care professional must be presented to the referee prior to the start of the match. Referees will not allow the re-entry of players removed from the field of play for suspected head injuries unless they are informed of the presence of, and meet with, a health care professional prior to the start of the match.

US Soccer Mandate - Buildout Lines

Build out lines are additional field markings for 7v7 play. They extend the full width of the field equidistant from the halfway line and the penalty area line. The spirit of the mandate is promote playing out from the back when the Goalkeeper has the ball. Review the mandate with the coaches before the game, talk to Goalkeeper and opposing team players to encourage proper implementation. Penalize for infractions as a last resort, especially early in the season. See page 29-33 of US Soccer doc, GameOfficials has this document, see page 15-19. See also this video Explaining The 7v7 Build Out Line: Part I.

Procedure:

For a goal kick or when the goalkeeper has the ball in his or her hands during play, the opposing team must move behind the build out line until the ball is put into play. Teammates of the goalkeeper can be behind the buildout line and inside the penalty area.
For a goal kick, the opposing team must stay behind the build out line until the ball is kicked (and moves). If the opponent moves beyond the build out line prematurely, stop play, and restart with Goal Kick.
Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can kick (for goal kick restart), pass, throw or roll the ball into play (punts and drop kicks are not allowed). There is no restriction on the ball traveling beyond the halfway line.
After the ball is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out line and play resumes as normal.
Teammates of the goalkeeper will be behind the buildout line so they can receive the ball from the goalkeeper without immediate pressure. This is a primary rational for the implementation of this rule.
Ideally, the goalkeeper will wait to put the ball into play once all opponents are past the build out line. However, the goalkeeper can put the ball into play sooner but he or she does so accepting the positioning of the opponents and the consequences of how play resumes.
Finally, the build out line will be used to denote where offside offenses can be called. Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and the build out line.

Infractions:

Players can be penalized for an offside offense only between the build out line and goal line.
If goalkeeper punts or drop kicks the ball, an indirect free kick should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If the punt or drop kick occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement occurred.
Opponents must not waste time moving out past the build out line. Referees should be flexible when enforcing the 6 second rule and counting the time of possession should only begin when all opponents have moved behind the build out line.
If a team is slow to retreat behind the build out line for the purpose of time wasting or encroaches beyond the line before the ball is put back in play, the referee may show the yellow card and caution the offending players to manage the situation.

7v7 (U8-10)

25 Minute Halves
10 Minute Half-Time
Ball Size: 4
7v7; Min. Players: 5, 14 player game day roster
Opponents must be 8 yards from kickoffs, free kicks and corner kicks.

Buildout Line mandate is in effect. See above for description.

Offside is modified as per Buildout mandate - a player can only be in an offside position between the buildout line (vs halfway line) and the goal.

Goal kicks are taken as per IFAB from within the goal area. Opponents should be beyond the buildout line before the goal kick is taken unless the kicking team elects not to wait.

Direct free kicks and Penalty kicks for fouls are allowed, spot is 10 yds out.

No deliberate heading of the ball.

If a player deliberately heads a ball within their penalty area (defending team player), the IFK by the attacking team should be taken on the penalty area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

Restrictions on keeper distribution, No Punts or Drop Kicks. The ball is allowed to go over the halfway line if thown, passed, or via a goal kick.

Explain your call to the offending player.

9v9 (U11-12)

30 Minute Halves
10 Minute Half-Time
Ball Size: 4
9v9; Min. Players: 6, 18 player game day roster
Opponents must be 8 yards from kickoffs, free kicks and corner kicks.
Penalty kicks for DFK fouls in the penalty area. The penalty spot is 11 yds. out (vs. 12 on a full size field).
No deliberate heading of the ball.
If a player deliberately heads a ball within their goal area, the IFK by the attacking team should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
Explain your call to the offending player

U13/14

35 Minute Halves
10 Minute Half-Time
Ball Size: 5
All players age eleven (11) years old and younger, who are playing up in 13U and older games, are prohibited from heading, and must clearly be identifiable to the match official. (i.e. armband)

U15/16

40 Minute Halves
10 Minute Half-Time
Ball Size: 5

U17 - U19

45 Minute Halves
10 Minute Half-Time
Ball Size: 5