SYA is the place to play for over 13,000 children and 5,000 families in Southwestern Fairfax County. We’re a local nonprofit volunteer organization giving the next generation the universal experience
SYA is the place to play for over 13,000 children and 5,000 families in Southwestern Fairfax County. We’re a local nonprofit volunteer organization giving the next generation the universal experience
of sport.
Player safety is of utmost importance. We want a safe, fair, and enjoyable game for players, coaches, team officials, and spectators.
Watch out for rough, aggressive, careless, or reckless play. Deal with rough play early in the game especially unsafe challenges, for example, pushes in the back, tackles from behind, and high feet or legs. Although some contact may appear trifling or inconsequential to the outcome of a play, blowing your whistle early in the game sets the tone for the rest of the match. Players and coaches will quickly adjust to the level of contact you allow. If something seems unfair, it probably is so trust your instincts and be firm with your decisions.
Ensure players are properly and safely equipped, including no jewelry. Medical and religious jewelry exceptions are listed in Law 4 of the SYA Soccer Age Group Rules. Use common sense when judging the safety of players’ equipment. For example, soft items that adorn a player’s hair (headbands, pre-wrap, ribbons, etc.) are generally acceptable if they do not endanger the safety of any player.
Be mindful of players who may be injured or show signs of concussion. The referee has authority to stop the game immediately if you think a player is injured. Do not allow a player to reenter a game if you suspect they have a head or other serious injury, regardless of whether the player, coach, parent, or spectator thinks the player is ok.
Thunder and Lightning Policy (30-Minute Rule)
Without exception, any time thunder is heard or lightning is observed, the referee shall immediately suspend the game and direct all persons to leave the field and proceed with haste to the nearest shelter.
All persons including referees should remain in a sheltered location (for example, vehicles, buildings, etc.) for thirty (30) minutes before resuming soccer activities.
The 30-minute waiting period begins each time thunder is heard or lightning is seen.
Referees should monitor the location and direction of thunder and lightning using a weather app on their mobile device (WeatherBug, My Lightning Tracker, etc.).
If thunder and lightning are no longer a threat and field conditions become safe the referee should let coaches know when a game may be resumed. The referee should give players a few minutes to warm up.
Play should not be resumed after a weather-related suspension if doing so would cause the game to be finished after its scheduled time slot, unless resumption does not interfere with any subsequent game.
Sportsmanship
Match officials must not ignore or tolerate irresponsible behavior. SYA Soccer has a Code of Conduct that applies to all coaches, team officials, and spectators. Coaches are responsible for managing the sideline behavior of their players, team officials, and spectators. Address irresponsible behavior firmly and early in a game. If necessary, ask coaches for help managing unruly spectators or getting a dismissed spectator to leave the vicinity of the field. Referees can show yellow or red cards to coaches and team officials but cannot show cards to spectators.
Match officials should not deal with disruptive spectators directly. If necessary, stop the game and respectfully ask the head coach to take care of any problems. If the coach refuses, you can caution the coach. Terminate any game that no longer has a safe environment.
All yellow and red cards must be reported to the Referee Commissioner and Referee Assignor. For yellow cards, referees have 24 hours to file a report (email is sufficient). All red cards, ejections, or dismissals from the field must be reported via phone call, text, and/or email on the same day as the game.
SYA Soccer wants to hear about unacceptable or irresponsible behavior by anyone. Call, email, or text the Referee Commissioner and Referee Assignor if you have any sportsmanship issues at your game, even if it doesn’t result in a yellow card, red card, or dismissal from the field. You can always reach out to us if you just want to reflect on your game or talk about how you felt afterwards.
Professionalism
Know the rules. SYA soccer is played in accordance with the current IFAB (FIFA) Laws of the Game as modified by the respective SYA Soccer Age Group Rules. The IFAB has a free app you can download to your phone. If you’re unsure about a Law, SYA rule modification, or SYA policy, ask the Referee Commissioner, Referee Assignor, or a fellow official for clarification.
Honor your assignments. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may cause you to turn back games. The sooner you contact our Referee Assignors the more time they’ll have to find other referees.
Arrive on time. On time is twenty (20) minutes before kickoff to ensure you have enough time to inspect the field, meet with head coaches, inspect the players, and conduct a proper pre-game conference with your officiating crew.
Dress properly. You are an ambassador for all U.S. Soccer officials so please take the standards of dress seriously. Referee shirt tucked in, black socks pulled up, black shorts and black shoes. Yellow is the primary shirt color, but referees have discretion to wear any color as long as the entire crew wears the same color.
Late arrivals or no-shows. Always contact your Referee Assignor if you’re running late or having an emergency, injury, or sickness that prevents you from being at your games. Never fail to show up for your games unless you have contacted our assignors and they have taken you off the game. Failure to show may result in lost pay or other sanctions.
Goal Safety
Check the goals before every game and never start or continue a game if a goal is or becomes unsafe. Referees are responsible for ensuring goals and nets are properly secured and safe for play. Portable or movable goals must be staked to the ground and/or weighted down with enough sandbags, weights, or anchors to ensure the goal cannot tip over. Referees should get in the habit of checking the goals when they arrive at the field, prior to the first half kickoff, prior to the second half kickoff, and before any overtime period or penalty kick shootout. Never let anyone play or hang on the goal frames.
Communication and Teamwork
Positive communication begins when you arrive at the field. Be friendly, courteous, and approachable.
Always introduce yourselves to the coaches. Use this opportunity to address any game-related issues like rule questions, field conditions, weather, spectators, hydration breaks, or any other items. If a Referee Coach or mentor is at your field, introduce yourself and be open to honest and constructive feedback.
Conduct a pre-game and post-game conference with your officiating crew. Talk about each referee’s responsibilities during the game including communication and teamwork. Be sure to address what to do during game-critical situations like penalties, goal/no goal decisions, player and/or bench misconduct, irresponsible behavior by coaches or spectators, and serious injuries. Use the halftime interval to talk about what’s going well and what might need improvement. Revisit these items in your post-game conference.
Players’ Equipment
Referees must ensure all players are properly and safely equipped before the game begins.
Referees are reminded that players are responsible for the size and suitability of their shinguards. Be mindful of players that attempt to wear shinguards or shoes that are not safe or do not provide a reasonable degree of protection.
Referees must never allow any player to play in a game if they are wearing prohibited jewelry. This includes watches, fitness trackers (for example, Fitbits, Apple watches) and body piercings that a player insists will close if they remove a piece of jewelry.
Referees should be familiar with SYA Soccer rule modifications regarding headgear, eyewear, medical bracelets, religious items, and special-needs players.
Foul Recognition and Misconduct
Referees should endeavor to be fair and consistent when deciding whether fouls or misconduct have been committed, and if so, whether something should be penalized. Remember to judge the result, not the intent, of an individual’s actions.
Referees should apply advantage when and where appropriate and let everyone know by upswinging one or both arms and loudly saying “Play on!” or “Advantage!”. Do not use advantage terms or signals to indicate that players should keep playing when there is no foul or infraction. Try using different expressions like “keep going,” “no foul,” “keep playing,” or something similar. Referees are reminded that advantage should not be applied in situations involving serious foul play, violent conduct or a second cautionable offense unless there is a clear opportunity to score a goal.
Referees must be particularly mindful of players committing unfair or unsafe challenges for the ball, like charging a goalkeeper who has possession of the ball, tackling a player from the side or from behind, elevating or exposing one’s cleats, and committing unsafe aerial challenges for the ball.
Handballs
According to the IFAB (FIFA) Laws of the Game handball is evaluated from the fingertips to the upper boundary of the arm in line with the bottom of the armpit.
Handball occurs when a player:
Deliberately touches the ball with their hand/arm
Makes their body unnaturally bigger and touches the ball with their hand/arm
Scores directly from their hand/arm, even if accidental
Uses their hand/arm to deny the opposing team an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
Referees can apply four general criteria to determine whether a ball touching the hand or arm is the result of a deliberate or unintentional action by a player:
Did a player put their hand/arm in an unnatural position or move the hand/arm toward the ball (as opposed to the ball moving toward the hand/arm)?
Did a player have sufficient time to move their hand/arm out of the way but chose not to or failed to do so? Referees should consider the distance between the player and the ball, as well as the speed and trajectory of the ball.
Did a player score directly after the ball touched their hand/arm?
Did a player deny their opponents from having an opportunity to score a goal by touching the ball with their hand/arm?
Players are allowed to reflexively protect their face, head, neck or other sensitive areas of the body from impact with the ball. Referees often see this when the ball is played with force or speed close to other players, like when a defensive wall is set up for a free kick. The referee has the final decision as to whether any such action is fair and legally executed.
Developing players, like those in our recreational leagues, can be given more leeway when it comes to handball. The ball may hit players in the hand/arm several times during a game. This is not, in and of itself, sufficient for handball to be called. Before you blow your whistle, take a moment to ask whether a player decided to touch the ball with their hand/arm even though they had other options to play the ball, or they decided to make themselves bigger, for example by raising their hands over their head or far away from their body. If so, blow your whistle for handball or give advantage to the opposing team. If not, keep playing!
Positioning, Mechanics and Work Rate
Whistle and signal confidently and appropriately. Remember, these tools are an extension of your voice. Make sure players and coaches can hear your whistles and see your signals. Vary the length and tone of your whistle based on your call. Whistle only when necessary. Not every restart requires a whistle.
Do your best to stay sufficiently close to play. Work hard on your positioning so you can get the best angles to see what’s going on. Get wide and deep enough to see what’s happening in the corners of the field. Try to be in the proper position to call offside, goals, and balls in and out of play.
Showing cards to younger players. Use all your officiating tools, personality, and experience to manage the game but do not ignore misconduct. This does not always mean showing a card. Sometimes all you need to do is talk to the player or ask for help from the coach or team captain to manage unacceptable behavior.
No Heading the Ball for U12 and Below (Recreational League Only)
Although current U.S. Soccer guidelines specify no heading for players U11 and below, SYA Soccer has modified this guidance to apply toU12 and below in our recreational league games. U11 and U12 recreational players are often combined into a single age group. In addition, multiple U11 and U12 games are often played on the same field on the same day, so it’s easier for referees to enforce the no heading rule for all U11 and U12 recreational league games.
Play must be stopped whenever the ball hits a player on the head. Referees must not apply advantage.
The restart depends upon whether a player deliberately played the ball with their head.
If the referee decides the ball was headed intentionally the restart is an indirect free kick (IFK) to the opposing team at the spot where the ball was headed. If this occurs within the goal area, the IFK should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line, at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
If the referee decides the ball was headed accidentally (or simply hit a player in the head), the restart is a dropped ball to the team that last played the ball before head contact. If heading occurs inside the penalty area, the ball should be dropped to the goalkeeper regardless of which team last touched the ball.
Build Out Lines for U9 and U10 Small-Sided Games
To improve focus on younger player development, U.S. Soccer has implemented several modifications for small-sided games including the build out line.
Build out lines are located equidistant from the halfway line and the top of each penalty area.
Build out lines do not have to be marked on the field.
Build out lines designate areas where opponents cannot be during certain phases of a game.
Opposing team players must move behind the build out line whenever the goalkeeper has the ball. The 6-second requirement for the goalkeeper to release the ball does not start until all opposing players are behind the build out line.
Opposing team players must move behind the build out line on a goal kick.
Opposing team players may not cross the build out line until the ball is put back into play.
Attacking team players (with possession of the ball) can play before opponents move behind the build out line.
Players cannot be penalized for being in an offside position between the halfway line and build out line.
U.S. Soccer Field Standards and Markings for 7v7 Play (U9 and U10) Showing Build Out Lines
No Sliding for U9 and U10 Recreational League
Sliding is defined as a field player intentionally leaving their feet and propelling themself along the ground, for example, to slide tackle or block a pass or shot. Stumbling or falling on the ground is not sliding.
EXCEPTION: A goalkeeper in their own penalty area is allowed to slide (NOT slide tackle) if the referee decides the action is safe. Goalkeepers are permitted to make sliding saves to prevent a goal or stop a ball from leaving the field.
Referees may apply advantage for a sliding infraction but they should not ignore sliding. For example, a defender may attempt an illegal slide tackle but the attacker keeps the ball and has an immediate goal-scoring opportunity. Referees should remind players to stay on their feet or ask a player’s coach to help manage their behavior. If necessary, referees have authority to show a yellow card to a player who persistently slides or slide tackles.
