SROP Soccer

SCRIPPS RANCH OLD PROS SOCCER LEAGUE RULES

(Revised January 2025)

 

SROP League Administration

  1. Eligibility: Only those individuals who have a completed application with signed release of liability on file with the league Commissioner for the current season may play in the SROP soccer league.
  2. Family Member Requests: During the application process, players may request to be placed on the same team as another family member in the league. Both players must request this on their application form. The league will attempt to honor legitimate requests to the maximum extent possible.
  3. Field Lining: The team specified on the schedule is responsible for lining the field.
  4. Field Set-up: Both teams for the first game are responsible for setting up goals and corner flags. Both teams for the last game are responsible for returning goals and corner flags and for locking the goals and shed.
  5. Absences: A player who misses two consecutive games (without requesting a sub) is subject to immediate substitution (for minimum two more games) by the League. ○ A player who misses three total games during a season (without requesting a sub) is subject to immediate replacement for the season and will not be eligible to be assigned to a team the following season. The player will be eligible for the sub list only.
  6. Red and Yellow Cards: If a player (goalkeepers included) receives a yellow card, he must immediately sit out five minutes except when playing with only seven players. An active player on the team is allowed to sub during the five-minute suspension for a yellow card to maintain 11 players on the field. A player who receives a red card during or after a game must leave the field immediately and is required to sit out the next game. A substitute may be requested for the game for which the player is suspended. A sub who receives two yellow cards in a single game or a red card is ineligible to play the following week, but the returning player can play. If a player receives a red card in the last game of the season, he is not required to serve a one-game suspension the following season but is subject to disciplinary action as determined by a vote of the managers or the judgement of the commissioner. A player who receives four yellow cards during the regular season must sit out the match immediately following the match in which he receives the fourth yellow. A player who receives two yellow cards during playoff matches must sit out the next match. (Note: Seeding games are considered part of the regular season for the purposes of accumulated yellow cards.)
  7. Managerial / Commissioner's Warnings: All SROP soccer officials (consisting of the current commissioners of any SROP soccer league and all managers of the current season) may issue a player a Managerial Warning for any conduct unbecoming to our leagues that takes place on or around the fields, before, during or after league games or events in the sole discretion of the official. Manager(s)/Commissioner(s) can stop a game to immediately issue a managerial/commissioner’s warning to the offending player. The managers/commissioners of the teams playing the game will consult with each other regarding the offense. If the offense is discriminatory of any kind, the managers/commissioner will immediately remove the offending player from the game. The game will not resume until the player has left the field and surrounding area. A player who receives two Managerial Warnings or a single Commissioner’s Warning in a season must sit out his team’s next game. Additional discipline, up to and including suspension, is at the discretion of the Commissioner and applies to all SROP soccer leagues.
  8. Penalty for Red Cards / Managerial / Commissioner's Warnings: If a player receives any combination of three red cards and/or Managerial / Commissioner’s Warnings in a season, he is banned from playing the rest of the season, his money will not be refunded, and he will be ineligible to play in any SROP soccer league for a period of no less than one year. Additional discipline is at the discretion of the current commissioners in consultation with the SROP director of soccer or director of sports.
  9. Managerial Suspensions: At the Manager’s Draft Meeting prior to each season, Managers may impose a one-season Managerial Suspension on any player who has consistently exhibited behavior that is considered to be contrary to the spirit and benefit of the league and its players. Such suspension would require a 2/3 vote of the managers present at this meeting.
  10. Request for Substitute / Replacement: A substitute player is entitled to be eligible for a minimum of one game. Multi-game substitutions are at the discretion of the commissioner and sub coordinator in consultation with the managers. The league will attempt to provide a substitute (temporarily fills the spot of the player requesting substitution) or replacement (permanently fills the spot of the player being replaced) player as requested. However, replacement players are only allowed with two or more regular season and/or seeding games remaining. Requests submitted 48 hours or more before the player’s match will be given priority. Requests of 24 hours or less will be done on a best-efforts basis. Subs requested after the final game of the regular season will be allowed with a player of an equivalent rating or lower. Any player who is replaced on a team is not eligible to return as a substitute or replacement for the remainder of that season. A subbing player who confirms but does not show for the match will receive one warning; upon the second occurrence, the sub will be removed from the sub list with no refund provided.
  11. Standings: Standings are determined by points based on overall record; three points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss. Tiebreakers, in order of precedence: head-to-head, number of wins, goals against, shutouts, goals for. coin toss. (Website will not reflect head-to-head ranking.) Playoff seeding will be determined by the above criteria unless seeding games are used. Seeding games will also follow the above criteria.
  12. Golden Boot: Standings are determined by the total goals scored over the course of the regular season not including the seeding game, if played, or any playoff games. Tiebreakers, in order of precedence: goals from the run of play (ie. total goals minus penalty kicks); goals per game played.

Rules of the Game

  1. Match Duration: Each half is 40 minutes long for the Night/Open and Masters Leagues and 40 or 45 minutes long for the Sunday League as indicated in the application for the season. If the match is terminated because of outside interference of any kind with less than 15 minutes remaining, the game is considered complete. If a game is discontinued within the first half of play, the game is to be replayed in its entirety. If the game is interrupted during the second half with more than 15 minutes remaining, the game is continued at a later date from the point of interruption (e.g. score carries over, time re-starts at the point it was stopped).
  2. Slide Tackling: No slide tackling allowed (goalies excluded inside their own penalty box). This is any playing or attempting to play while not on one’s feet when other players are within playing distance. This is considered dangerous play. A deliberate slide tackle will earn an immediate yellow card. Playing the ball from one knee or when another player is not within playing distance is not considered a slide tackle.
  3. Equipment:
    • Shin guards and soccer cleats are required.
    • Headbands and Full90 Performance Headguard™ are allowed.
    • No beanies or hats allowed except soft-billed hats for goalkeepers.
    • Glasses must be for prescription-wear only and frames must be safety or sports approved.
    • Stud earrings are allowed; any earrings that extend below the player’s ear lobe are not permitted.
    • Watches, fitness bands or any similar items must have a soft covering (e.g. sweatband) and may be removed at the discretion of the referee.
  4. Minimum Players: Each team must have a minimum of seven players from its roster or assigned subs at the starting time of the game or they forfeit. A forfeit by one team will be scored 1-0 and by both teams 1-1.
  5. Substitutions: Substitutions, including those for goalkeeper, during the match are allowed on any dead ball with consent of the referee. Each team is allowed an unlimited number of substitutions during the match. Any player can play goalkeeper at any time. However, players registered as 100% goalkeepers cannot be replaced in goal and play on the field at any time.
  6. Regular Season Ties and Playoff Tie-Breakers: Regular season games are allowed to end in a tie. For all playoff games that are tied at the end of regulation, games will be decided by kicks from the penalty spot with no extra time. At the discretion of the commissioner and communicated to the managers prior to the game, for the championship game, two 10 or 15-minute periods will be added. There will be a golden goal during extra time. If the championship game is still tied at the end of two extra time periods or if extra time is not played, the game will be decided by kicks from the penalty spot. Any eleven players who have played in the game are eligible to take spot kicks. Players do not have to be on the pitch when time expires. One of the eleven players must be the player assigned to play goal during the spot kicks. Any player can play goalkeeper for playoff spot kicks. If one team has fewer than eleven players eligible for penalty kicks, the opposing team must reduce its number of eligible players to provide an equal number of penalty takers.
  7. Penalty for Cards: If a player (goalies included) receives a yellow card he must immediately sit out five minutes except when playing with only seven players (replacement allowed). If a player receives a red card he must sit out the rest of that game (replacement not allowed) and his team’s next game. The player receiving the red card may request a sub effective as of his next game, but must still serve the one-game suspension when he returns from the sub period.
  8. FIFA® Rules: FIFA® rules apply unless in conflict with local rules above; in such case, local rules supersede.

FIFA® Discrimination Rules

Discrimination of any kind on account of race, skin color, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, disability, language, religion or sexual orientation is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.

Manager(s)/Commissioner(s) on the field can stop a game to immediately issue a manager/commissioner warning to the offending player. The managers/commissioners of the teams playing the game will consult with each other regarding the offense. If the offense is discriminatory of any kind, the managers/commissioner will immediately remove the offending player from the game. The game will not resume until the player has left the field and surrounding area.

After the game, the commissioner and managers will confer to review the actions surrounding the incident. If the incident is determined to be discriminatory in nature, the player will be expelled from the league for the remainder of the season and the player will be ineligible to play in another SROP soccer league for a period of at least one calendar year. Exceptions to this expulsion can only be made by the Commissioner of the respective soccer league and only after review and majority approval of the Active Soccer commissioners (Sunday, Nights and Masters).

© 2025 Scripps Ranch Old Pros Soccer