top of page

Rules for U9—U12

We are thrilled to have you join us this soccer season! Please remember that this is recreation, not competition. The goal is to have fun, learn the game of soccer and develop soccer skills!

 

The focus should be on developing skills to help the players be successful in games. An example is dribbling – “inside, outside, laces” with
lots of repetition to see improvement. You may also begin teaching pullbacks and hook turns! The score is irrelevant. Encourage correct development of skills not “winning.”


Coaches Responsibilities

  • Home Team Coach – supervises from the sidelines at mid-field (not on the field)

  • Visiting Team Coach – supervises from the other sideline at mid-field (not on the field)

  • Assistants – stands by the coach and helps


Game Play

  • Game Ball

    • Size 4

  • Number of Players

    • 7v7 players on the field

    • A minimum of 4 per team is required to start play. Teams are recommended to be equal but it is up to the coaches and teams to decide whether “borrowing” a player to create even teams will be allowed.

  • Duration of the Match: The match is divided into:

    • Two (2) halves of twenty-five (25) minutes each
      Five (5) minute half time
      All time is kept by the referee

  • Substitution

    • After a goal kick is called for either team

    • After a goal by either team

    • After a throw-in is called for your team (or during the other team's throw-in if they are subbing)

    • At halftime

    • You CAN NOT sub on corners or free kicks
      Substitutions may ONLY OCCUR with the referee's permission (you can get their attention by yelling “sub” and waiting for them to signal it is ok to sub)
      Players entering and leaving the field should do so at the halfway line

  • Refereeing

    • A registered referee will officiate each game

    • All rule infringements shall be briefly explained to the offending player

  • Fouls and Misconduct

    • No caution or send-off shall be issued to players

    • If a child is acting out of control, the coach will make a substitution of that player to give the child a chance to calm down before returning to play

  • Starting and Restarting Game Play

    • Kickoffs, free kicks, throw-ins, goal kicks, and corner kicks are used to start or restart play

  • Throw-in

    • This is the only time a player other than the Goalkeeper is legally allowed to pick up the ball with his hands

    • For a throw-in ball to be legal:

      • the ball must be thrown from behind and over the head

      • it must be thrown using both hands

      • the thrower must face the field

      • both feet must be on the ground, either on or outside the sideline

      • the ball must be thrown-in from the place where it went out of bounds (referees usually let the throw-in be taken from the approximate point where the ball went out of bounds)

      • if the thrown ball does not enter the field, the throw-in is retaken by the same team

      • the thrower may not touch the ball again until it has touched another player

      • the penalty for an illegal throw-in is that your team loses the ball and the other team gets to take a throw-in from the same spot

      • a goal MAY NOT be scored on a direct throw-in (i.e., it doesn’t count if it is thrown into the goal without another player touching it first)

      • a player is not offside if he receives the ball direct from a throw-in

  • Goal Kicks

    • The ball is placed in the goal box. The defending players must stand at least four yards away from the ball until it is in play

  • Corner Kicks

    • The defending players must stand at least four yards from the ball until it is in play.

  • Offsides

    • Offsides will be called by the referee

    • A player is not offside if any of the following occur:

      • on their own half of the field (a team's half is the one with their goalkeeper in goal)

      • are even with or behind the ball at the time of the pass

      • don’t go past the “Second to Last Defender” (the goalkeeper is usually, but not always, the last defender; this might be the case if the goalkeeper is out of the goal)

      • receive the ball direct from a goal kick, corner kick, or throw-in. (But you can be offside if you receive it direct on a “free kick”)

      • are the ballhandler (the ballhandler can be closer to the goal than the ball if he has his back to the goal)

    • The penalty for Offside is that an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the offside occurred

  • Scoring

    • No score or standings should be kept. Coaches should remind parents that the primary objective is fun, skill development, and improvement with each game

  • Weather

    • Games are not canceled for any reason except lightning. That decision is only made at game time on the field by administrators at the complex. Plan to play in all kinds of exciting weather

​

Heading Policy
Heading in all U12 and younger games (and practice/training) is prohibited. Even though UYSA rules on heading are different for U12 because U11 players play with U12, Orem Youth Soccer prohibits heading for this recreation age group and younger.


If a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick (IFK) should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

​

Player Registration

Registrations may continue to be accepted and players may be added to your teams throughout the fall and into spring seasons. Coordinators will contact coaches when an addition is made.

 

Each team should have a Head Coach, 1-2 Assistant Coaches, and several Team Parents who are assigned by the coach to help with communication, treat schedules, distribute uniforms, and help with unifying parties and activities.


Head Coaches decide when and where to practice. Practices may not be held at Lakeside. All city and school parks are available for soccer practices.


How to Check the Team On the Computer

  1. Go to www.uysa-oys.affinitysoccer.com

  2. Top left, click on “user login”

  3. Type in the user name and password you used/created to register your player (if you don’t remember it, click on “forgot password” and follow the instructions – note: the affinity website works best in the web browser internet explorer)

  4. You will see on the screen your family information.

  5. Click on the child you are looking for

  6. Click on the tab that says, TEAMS.

  7. This will show your team name and information.

* You may also click on the “view” link on the right of the line to see the team roster.


Resources

They are now endless. Search on the internet for helpful websites and Youtube videos.

There should be plenty of practice plans you can use.

​

Thank you for volunteering. OYS is a Volunteer Organization and we are always looking for great people to join us.

bottom of page