12U PROGRAM GUIDELINES

PLAYING THE GAME

Field

• Dimensions: 70-80 yards long and 45-55 yards wide (maximum).

• Markings: The field of play must be rectangular and marked with lines shown on the diagram.

• Goals: The maximum goal size is 7’ high x 21’ wide.  The recommended goal size is 6.5’ high x18.5’ wide.

Ball

• Size 4
  

Players

• Number: Nine per team on field; one of which is a goalkeeper. 18 maximum on roster.
• Substitutions: Between periods, at halftime and for injuries.
•  Playing time: Minimum of two periods per game and no player should play four periods until everyone has played three.

• Teams: Separate girls and boys teams should be promoted at all levels of play, if not enough players register Coed may be formed

Players’ Equipment

• Footwear: Soccer shoes are recommended (or similar type athletic shoes).

• Shinguards: MANDATORY for both practices and games, and must be covered entirely by socks.

Duration of Match

• Matches should have two equal halves not to exceed 30-minutes each.

• Halftime break of 5–10 minutes.

Referee

• AYSO-certified referees. RESPECT!

12U LAWS OF THE GAME
ESSENTIAL FACTS FOR AYSO COACHES

Introduction

The AYSO National Coaching Commission in cooperation with the National Referee Commission has prepared this information to assist coaches in learning and understanding the Laws of the Game. As your coaching experience increases, so will your needfor additional instruction. Our courses are designed to support those needs as they arise. You should obtain a copy of “RegionalReferee” to supplement your training and understanding of AYSO policies and interpretations of the Laws.AYSO is an affiliate member of US Soccer, the national governing body of soccer in the United States recognized by FIFA(Federation Internationale de Football Association), the international governing body of soccer. All AYSO matches are played inaccordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game and the AYSO National Rules and Regulations. Since FIFA meets annually to considerchanges to the Laws and AYSO considers proposed changes to its National Rules and Regulations each year at the AYSO AnnualGeneral Meeting, it is strongly recommended that each year you obtain the current AYSO edition of the FIFA Laws of the Game andthe AYSO National Rules and Regulations to familiarize yourself with the most recent changes.As you gain knowledge and experience as an AYSO coach you will find that your understanding of the Laws of the Game and of thejob of the officials will increase. To truly understand officiating, we recommend strongly that you “walk a mile in his shoes”. Thatis, try your hand at actually refereeing some matches. Experience as a referee can only improve your skills as a coach and is wellworth the effort. Thank you again for volunteering your time and talents.

LAW 1: THE FIELD OF PLAY
Essential Facts About the Field of Play:

• Regular season play: Goal dimensions and field size at discretion of the region.

• Post-season play-off games: The field must conform to all requirements of Law 1.

• A coaches’ area shall be marked, where possible, ten (10) yards on either side of the halfway line, and at least one yard from the touch line.

• Touch lines: Define sides of the field.

• Goal lines: Define ends of the field.

• Goals: The maximum goal size is 7’ high x 21’ wide. The recommended goal size is 6.5’ high x 18.5’ wide.

• Halfway line: Divides field in half and belongs to both halves.

• Center mark: Location for kick-off.

• Center circle: 8-yard radius from center mark.

• Penalty area: Area in which goalkeeper may use hands and where certain fouls result in a penalty kick.

• Penalty mark: 9-inch spot 10 yards from goal line indicates location for penalty kick.

• Penalty arc: 8-yard radius from penalty mark.

• Goal area: Defines location for goal kicks.

• Corner area: 1-yard arc defines location for corner kicks.

• Corner flag: Locates corner of field. May not be moved or removed during corner kicks.

• Optional equipment: Goal nets, halfway flags (1 yard outside touch line), hash mark along the goal line 8 yards from the corner.

LAW 2: THE BALL
Essential Facts Regarding the Ball:

• The referee approves the game ball.

• Ball cannot be replaced without the referee’s permission.

• The size used in AYSO matches is regulated according to age division:

Size 3: 6U, 8U
Size 4: 10U, 12U
Size 5: 14U+

LAW 3: THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Essential Facts Regarding Number of Players:

• 12U: 9-aside

• A player who has been sent off may not be replaced.

• Substitutes come under the jurisdiction of the referee.

• One player on each team must be designated as the goalkeeper.

• Field players may change places with their goalkeeper at any normal stoppage in play. The referee must be notified that the change is taking place.

• In AYSO, each team member must play a minimum of one half of the match, and no player shall play 4 quarters until every player has played 3.

• Play may be stopped at any time by the referee to attend to an injured player who may be replaced or the team may play short while the injured player recovers. Only the injured player receives credit for playing that quarter. A dropped ball is used to restart play if the ball was in play at the time of the stoppage.

LAW 4: THE PLAYERS’ EQUIPMENT
Essential Facts Regarding Players’ Equipment:

• Jersey, shorts, footwear, and shinguards covered by stockings are required. Sleeveless jerseys are permitted as are rolled or tied up sleeves provided, in the opinion of the referee, it is done in a safe manner.

• Shinguards are required in all practices and games.

• The goalkeepers must be distinguishable from all other players on the field.

• Players may not wear anything that could endanger either themselves or another player.

• Casts or splints, jewelry, watches and articles of adornment are not allowed.

LAW 5: THE REFEREE
Essential Facts Regarding the Referee:

• Should interfere with the game as little as possible, penalize only deliberate breaches of the Law, and not whistle for trifling or doubtful offenses.

• Authority includes all pre-match, half-time and post-match activities.

• May refrain from penalizing if it is to the advantage of the team against which the offense was committed.

• Is official record and timekeeper, and may add any time lost through accident or other cause.

• May stop the match and suspend or terminate play for any reason deemed necessary such as: the elements, interference by spectators, or other cause.

• Shall submit a detailed report of any misconduct.

• Allows no person other than the players and assistant referees to enter the field of play without permission.

• May stop the match to have an injured player attended.

LAW 6: THE ASSISTANT REFEREES
Essential Facts Regarding the Assistant Referees:

• Indicate when the ball is out of play.

• Indicate which side is entitled to a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in.

• Indicate when a player may be penalized for an offside offense.

• Indicate when a substitution is requested.

• Assist the referee in the control of the match in accordance with the Laws.

• May signal any misconduct, incident, or breach of the Laws which occurred out of view of the referee.

• Assistant referees’ decisions may be overruled by the referee.

• Referee decisions may not be overruled by an assistant referee.

• Referees may consult with and accept the decision of neutral assistant referees to determine whether or not a legal goal was scored

LAW 7: THE DURATION OF THE MATCH
Essential Facts Regarding the Duration of the Game:

• The match is divided into two equal periods (halves), which varies with age group. Halves in 12U matches may not exceed 30 minutes each.

• The teams will defend each goal for one period (half).

• Players have a right to an interval at half-time, which, in AYSO, shall be a minimum of five and maximum of ten minutes.

• Allowance shall be made, at the discretion of the referee, for time lost due to injury, substitution, time wasting or other cause.

• Time shall be extended to permit a penalty kick to be taken at or after the expiration of the normal time period.

• The referee is the sole timekeeper for the match.

LAW 8: THE START AND RESTART OF PLAY
Essential Facts Regarding the Start of Play:

• Play is started with a kick-off from the center mark:

• At the beginning of the match.
•  At the beginning of the second half.
•  Following a goal.
•  At the beginning of overtime periods.

• Play is restarted with a dropped ball where the ball was when the play was stopped while the ball was in play:

• Following an injury where no foul occurred.
•  For outside interference.
•  For needed repairs to the ball or field equipment.
•  When the ball hits or touches the referees under certain circumstances per Law 9.For any cause not mentioned in the Laws.

• The team winning the coin toss chooses either the goal they would like to attack or to take the kick-off. Based on the previous decision, the other team takes the kick-off or decides which goal to attack in the first half.

• The ball is in play from a kick-off once it has been kicked and moves.

• Every player, except for the player taking the kick-off, must remain in his own half of the field, and players of the team not taking the kick-off must remain at least eight yards from the ball until the ball is in play.

• The player taking the kick-off shall not touch the ball a second time until it is has been touched by another player. The penalty for this “double touch” is an indirect free kick.

• A goal may be scored directly from a kick-off.

• The kick-off shall be retaken for any infringement occurring before the ball is in play.

• The ball is dropped to one player from the team that last touched the ball before play was stopped. All other players from both teams must be at least 4.5 yards away. A dropped ball in the penalty area is dropped to the goalkeeper if the ball was in the penalty area or the last touch was in the penalty area.

• The dropped ball is in play once it has touched the ground.

• The dropped ball is retaken if it is touched by a player before it has touched the ground or if it goes out of play without being touched by any player.

LAW 9: THE BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY
Essential Facts Regarding Ball In and Out of Play:

• The ball is out of play when:
  •  It has wholly passed over the goal line or touch line, either on the ground or in the air.
  •  The referee has stopped play
  •  It touches a match official, remains on the field of play and:
    •  A team starts a promising attack or
    •  The ball goes directly into the goal or
    •  The team in possession changes
  •  In all these cases, play is restarted with a dropped ball.

• It is the position of the ball and not the player playing the ball which determines whether or not the ball is out of play.
•  The ball remains in play unless signaled out of play by the referee.

LAW 10: THE METHOD OF SCORING
Essential Facts Regarding Method of Scoring:

• The ball must completely cross the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar for a goal to be scored.
•  Only the referee may award or disallow a goal.
•  The referee may accept the opinion of a neutral assistant referee regarding a possible goal that the referee did not see.
•  The position of the ball is relevant when determining whether a goal has been scored, not the position of the goalkeeper.
•  In cases of an outside agent (spectator, dog, etc.) interfering with play prior to the ball entering the goal, the referee may stop play. If the ball is going into the goal and the interference by the outside agent did not prevent a defending player playing the ball, the goal is awarded, even if contact was made with the ball.
•  A goal should not be awarded if the Laws of the Game were violated by the attacking team immediately prior to the ball entering the goal
•  The referee may reverse his decision regarding the scoring of a goal as long as play has not yet been restarted.

LAW 11: OFFSIDE
Essential Facts Regarding Offside:

• A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second to last defender. Being in an offside position in itself is not an offence. A player is not in an offside position if:
  •  He is in his own half of the field of play or
  •  He is level with the second last opponent or
  •  He is level with the last two opponents

• The player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball is touched or played by a teammate, the referee considers him to be actively involved in the play by:
  •  Interfering with play or
  •  Interfering with an opponent or
  •  Gaining an advantage from being in that position

• There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
  •  A goal kick or
  •  A throw-in or
  •  A corner kick

• The punishment for being offside is an indirect free kick for the opposing team.
•  The indirect free kick is taken from the location of the offside player.
•  The referee may or may not declare a violation of the Offside Law depending upon his judgment of the circumstances.

LAW 12: FOULS AND MISCONDUCT
Essential Facts Regarding Fouls:

There are two categories of fouls; direct free kick fouls from which a goal may be scored directly and indirect free kick fouls from which a second player on either team must touch or play the ball before a goal may be scored. If a direct free kick foul is committed by a player in his or her own penalty area, the opponents are awarded a penalty kick (see Law 14).

Essential Facts Regarding Direct Free Kick Fouls:
A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offenses against an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or done with excessive force:

• Kicks or attempts to kick
•  Trips or attempts to trip
•  Jumps at
•  Charges
•  Strikes or attempts to strike, including head-butt
•  Pushes
•  Tackles or challenges

A direct free kick is also awarded if a player:

• Commits a handball offense (except for the goalkeeper inside his own penalty area)
•  Holds an opponent
•  Impedes an opponent with contact
•  Bites or spits at someone
•  Throws an object at the ball, an opponent or a match official, or makes contact with the ball with a held object.

Essential Facts Regarding the Indirect Free Kick Fouls:
An indirect free kick is awarded if a player:

• Plays in a dangerous manner.
• Impedes the progress of an opponent without contact being made.
• Is guilty of dissent or other verbal offenses.
•  Commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12, for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player.
•  Prevents the goalkeeper from releasing the ball from the hands.
•  An indirect free kick is awarded if a goalkeeper, inside their penalty area, commits any of the following offences:
  •  Touches the ball with the hands/arm after releasing it and before it has touched another player.
  •  Touches the ball with the hand/arm after:
    •  It has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate receiving it directly from a throw-in taken by a team-mate.
    •  If the goalkeeper has clearly kicked or attempted to kick the ball from a pass or throw-in from a teammate and the kick is unsuccessful, the goalkeeper can then handle the ball without committing an offense.

Essential Facts Regarding Cautionable Offenses:

A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if guilty of:

• Unsporting behavior
• Dissent, by word or action,
• Persistent offenses
•  Delaying the restart of play
•  Failing to respect the required distance during corner kicks, free kicks, dropped ball, or throw-ins
•  Entering, re-entering, or deliberately leaving the field of play without permission of the referee

Essential Facts Regarding Sending-Off Offenses:
A player, substitute, or substituted player who commits any of the following offenses is sent off and shown the red card:

• Serious foul play.
•  Violent conduct.
•  Biting or spitting at someone.
•  Denying opposing team a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing deliberate handball offence (except a goalkeeper within their penalty area).
•  Denying opposing team a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity by committing a non-deliberate handball offence outside their own penalty area.
•  Denying a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent whose overall movement is towards the offender’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick.
•  Using offensive, insulting, or abusive language and/or gestures.
•  Receiving a second caution in the same game.

Additionally, coaches can be warned, cautioned and shown the yellow card, or sent-off and shown the red card for misconduct.

Where the offender cannot be identified, the senior coach will receive the sanction.

LAW 13: FREE KICKS
Essential Facts Regarding Free Kicks:

• Direct free kicks are awarded for direct free kick fouls and a goal may be scored directly against the opponents.
•  Indirect free kicks are awarded for indirect free kick fouls and certain technical offenses, including heading at 12U. After the ball is in play, it must touch or be played by a second player from either team before a goal can be scored.
•  The opposing team must remain at least eight yards from the ball until the ball is kicked into play.
•  The ball is in play from a free kick once it has been kicked and has clearly moved.
•  The player taking the free kick may not touch the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player. The penalty for violation is an indirect free kick for the opponents from the point of the offense. When a defensive wall consists of three or more members of the defending team, all attacking players must remain 1 yard from the wall until the ball is in play.

LAW 14: THE PENALTY KICK
Essential Facts Regarding Penalty Kick:

• A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick.
•  The kick is taken from the penalty mark located ten yards from the goal line.
•  The ball is in play once it has been kicked and clearly moves. The ball must be kicked forward.
•  All players must be on the field of play, outside the penalty area, eight yards from the ball, and must stand behind the penalty mark, except for the kicker and the opposing goalkeeper.
•  The defending goalkeeper remains on the goal line between the goalposts facing the kicker until the ball has been kicked.
•  The goalkeeper must have at least part of one-foot touching, in line with, or behind, the goal line. 
•  The kicker must wait for the referee’s signal before taking the kick.
•  The player taking the penalty kick may not play the ball twice in succession without it first touching another player (penalty is an indirect free kick for the opposing team).
•  Once completing the run-up, players may not feint to kick the ball. Players can feint during the run-up.
•  For infringements of the Law by the defending team, the kick shall be retaken if a goal has not been scored.
•  For infringements of the Law by the attacking team, except for the kicker playing the ball twice in succession, the kick shall be retaken if a goal was scored.
  

LAW 15: THE THROW-IN
Essential Facts Regarding Throw-In:

• The throw-in shall be taken from the point at which the ball left the field.
•  The thrower must face the field and part of both feet must remain on or behind the touchline.
•  The ball must be thrown with both hands from behind and over the head.
•  Opposing players must stand no less than 2 yards from point at which the throw-in is taken.
•  The ball is in play as soon as it is both released and has entered the field of play.
•  The thrower may not play the ball a second time in succession (penalty is an indirect free kick for the opposing team from the point of the infraction).
•  If the ball is improperly thrown in, it shall be retaken by a player of the opposing team.
•  A goal may not be scored directly from a throw-in.
•  Exception to Offside Law is permitted for the first person to receive the ball from a throw-in.

LAW 16: THE GOAL KICK
Essential Facts Regarding Goal Kick:

• The ball may be placed anywhere within the goal area.
•  The ball is in play once it is kicked and clearly moves.
•  Opposing players must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is kicked.
•  A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team.
•  The player taking the goal kick may not play the ball twice in succession (penalty is an indirect free kick for the opposing team).
•  Exception to Offside Law is permitted for the first person to receive the ball from a goal kick.

LAW 17: THE CORNER KICK
Essential Facts Regarding Corner Kick:

• The ball is placed within the corner arc at the nearest corner flag post.
•  A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick.
•  The ball is in play after it has been kicked and clearly moves.
•  Opposing players must remain eight yards from the corner arc until the ball is in play.
•  The corner flag must not be moved or removed during the taking of the corner kick.
•  The kicker may not play the ball twice in succession (penalty is an indirect free kick for the opposing team).
•  Exception to Offside Law is permitted for the first person to receive the ball from a corner kick.

Heading: Consistent with the US Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is banned for all division players 11U (12U for programs without single age divisions) and below in both practices and matches. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a player age 10 or younger deliberately touches the ball with his/her head during a match. The indirect free kick will be taken from the place where the player touched the ball with his/her head.  Players 10 years old and younger, approved to play up in a division where is heading is allowed, are still prohibited from heading the ball. The player, parents and coaches are responsible for ensuring the player does not head the ball in practice or in matches consistent with the standards set by US Soccer.