IN EFFECT FOR ALL AGE GROUPS:

LAW 3 - THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS:

Substitutions. Substitutions shall be unlimited with permission of the referee at the following times:

• Prior to a throw-in by the team in possession. However, the opposing team may also sub if the subsitutes are ready to enter at the halfway line.
• Prior to a goal kick by either team
• After a goal
• At half-time (or quarter break for U08s)
• For a player who has been cautioned; or
• For an injured player; the opponents may also sub on a one for one basis

IN EFFECT FOR U08 THROUGH U12:

Mercy Rule. A team trailing by five or more may add one player beyond the maximum. A team trailing by six or more may add a second player beyond the maximum. Once the deficit is cut below these amounts, the extra player(s) must come off the field. This is not a responsibility of the referees to manage but permit if the coaches agree and add details in the game report.

• Teams and their fans take up opposite sides of the field.
• Player passes must be checked against the present players by referees prior to each game. If a team does not have their passes with them they should be given until the end of the match to produce the player passes. Any irregularities should be reported on the Match Report Card. If the passes cannot be produced the referee should report this on the match report.
• A team may have a 15 minute grace period in which to meet the player minimum. The beginning of the game may be delayed 15 min if the field is unplayable, while the home team makes repairs or corrections.
• Field players’ jerseys must be numbered and must be tucked into the shorts at all times.
• The ODSL REFEREE GAME REPORT and an Online Arbiter Game report must be completed and mailed within 24 hours. NEW! SPRING 2008 -- The referee is required to email the report as well using ODSL's online reporting system.
• NEW! FALL 2007 -- Both teams are now permitted to sub on a throw-in if requested by the team in possession of the ball.

Players: 11v11. Coed: Teams can play with no more than ten men on the field unless both captains agree before the match and inform the referee. Forty-five minute halves. For late starting matches due to the players' the referee can shorten each half by five minutes. Metal cleats are allowed (but not at Claffey). No Slide Tackling Permitted. Discussion: Slide tackling must be sanctioned as dangerous play. Think, playing the ball on the ground and high kicks. Neither action by itself is dangerous but performed in the presence of others can be. The same with slide tackling. There is no need to sanction a slide tackle where a player slides to keep a ball in play and no one is around. But in the presence of an opponent it must be sanctioned as a dangerous play (IFK). If contact is made, sanction it as a foul (DFK). If careless, sanction the foul. If reckless, sanction the foul and the misconduct. If excessive force, sanction the foul and send the player off for serious foul play.

Players: 7v7, minimum 5. Subs using limited sub rules plus for a player who has been cautioned. The cautioned player must leave the game and cannot return until the next stoppage of play. Twenty-five minute halves. Offside: Call only if attacker is ahead of the second-last defender and the ball AND in the penalty area. No slide tackling. Players must yield 8 yards on free kick. Penalty kick mark 10 yards from goal line.