NIPISSING DISTRICT ADULT SOCCER CLUB

I – A TEAM APPLICATIONS (Club Members)

Except for the inaugural 2007 season of The Club, team applications for membership in the outdoor season, accompanied by all necessary forms and the application fee, shall be made by April 15th of each year. Team membership application for the Indoor Season shall be made by September 15th of each year.

Team application fees are non-refundable.

Team applications must include a completed roster form with a minimum of sixteen (16) players.

The acceptance of team applications shall be at the discretion of The Board which may also impose performance bonds based on previous season performances.

When division sizes make such application unfeasible, The Board shall hold discussions with the teams concerned and then make binding decisions on acceptance.

Each team must have a minimum of two individuals designated as official team contacts, one of which must be designated as a coach, in order to be accepted into the league. Completed forms designating team officials must be submitted at time of application to the league.

The Club recommends that coaches be encouraged to attend clinics to obtain appropriate levels of certification.

B. TEAM APPLICATIONS (New Teams or ‘Guest’ Teams)

Players who wish to register and apply to enter a new team into a league governed by the Club shall make application by April 1st of each year for the outdoor league and by September 15th for the indoor league.

The application shall state the following:

The full name of the team

The team colours, “subject to Club approval”

The proper completion of the official Club/OSA form, registering the coach and manager

The payment of the league team entry fee

If the team is not accepted into the league, the team entry fee shall be returned and the coach and manager will not be registered with the OSA

A new team accepted into the league shall be on probation for “a minimum” of two calendar years and “may” be confirmed into full membership by a vote of acceptance by the teams who are full members of the Club at the time of the appropriate AGM.

A performance bond of $ 250.00 may be applied in the second year of play if the team’s lack of discipline during games in the first year of play is an issue.

II – MAKE UP OF DIVISIONS

The Board may divide The League into divisions if and how it sees fit.

– RECOGNIZED COMPETITIONS

Teams wishing to take part in competitions which conflict with league scheduled games must request permission from The Board to do so.

Notice to attend tournaments must be received a minimum of thirty (30) days before the date of the event.

IV – REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS

All players participating in Club sanctioned competitions shall be registered through the Nipissing District Adult Soccer Club on forms provided by The League.

Properly completed registration forms accompanied with a completed waiver form and full payment of fees must be received a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours prior to the player being eligible to participate in any league games.

All players registered by The Club must have a properly validated OSA Player Book.

A player must appear on a minimum of five (5) game sheets before being eligible to participate in playoff games for that team.

Team roster sizes for individual divisions shall be set by The Board.

All youth players under the age of 18 at the time of registration shall have an indemnity form signed by a parent or guardian that will absolve the League, its governing bodies and any of its coaches or organizers from responsibility in case of accidents causing injury. Responsibility for ensuring that indemnity releases are obtained shall rest solely with the teams for which the players are registered. The forms shall be valid for one playing season.

IV – REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS (cont’d)

Any team playing any unregistered player or one not registered with the team, or one who is ineligible to compete at the level of the team, or a player who is under suspension shall forfeit all games in which such player competed.

Any team playing such an ineligible player will also be subject to a fine or forfeiture of the game plus point reduction in league standings.

A player must be registered a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours prior to game time with notification to the League Registrar, or in his absence the League Chairman, along with the league approved registration forms and payment of the individual player registration fee.

Where it comes to the attention of The League that one or more ineligible player(s) has/have allegedly participated in a game, The League may investigate and take appropriate corrective action.

V – YOUTH PLAYERS

Any person 18 years of age or over on January 1st of each year shall be eligible to register as a member of the Nipissing District Adult Soccer Club. When competitions are available, players under the age of eighteen (18) must register and play with their respective Youth Clubs.

Youth Select teams may apply for membership as ‘Guest Teams’ through an Affiliation Agreement between their respective Youth Club and the NDASC.

Special permission, with the approval of the respective Youth Club, may also be granted for individual youth aged players under the age of 18 to register and participate in Adult League play.

A maximum of three (3) youth aged players shall be allowed to register on an adult team.

On approval from their respective Youth Club, youth players may be called up for play on adult teams on trial permits as approved by the Board and as per OSA Affiliation Agreements between Youth and Adult Clubs.

A youth player may play a maximum of five (5) regular season games if playing for the same adult team. A maximum of three (3) adult games will be allowed if called up for more than one adult team.

Unless approved by the Youth Club coach, any youth player missing a youth team activity to take part in Adult League play will immediately be restricted from any further Adult League participation.

Only Youth Clubs with membership in-good-standing with the Soccer NorthEastern District Soccer Association will be considered for Affiliation Agreements with The Club.

VI – TRANSFERS

A player shall be entitled to a transfer from the team for which he/she is registered to another team of his/her choice with approval of the The League.

Transfer requests must be in writing with a copy of the request forwarded to the team transferring from.

A team shall be permitted to transfer a player from its team to another. A maximum of two (2) transfers per team will be allowed in a season. The request date of such transfer(s) shall be the postmark date or the date it is given to the League Registrar. The transferred player may play for his/her new team in either league or cup play on the day following the date his/her transfer is approved by the Registrar.

No player may play for more than one team during any playoff or cup competition.

Each player is permitted a maximum of one (1) transfer per playing season.

No transfers shall be accepted after June 30th of any Outdoor Season or January 31st of any Indoor Season.

VII – STANDINGS

In all league games, three (3) points shall be awarded for a win and one (1) point for a tie. The team with the most points at the end of the regular season shall be declared the League Champion. The victorious team at the completion of the playoffs shall be declared the Playoff Champion.

If two or more teams are tied in points at the end of the regular league schedule, the higher place in the standings will be awarded to:

the game(s) between the tied teams shall be considered

the team that has the better goal difference

the team having scored the most goals

If a tie still exists, the League Chairman shall toss a coin to establish the placement.

A team forfeiting a game shall lose the game by a score of 2:0 in addition to suffering any other penalties prescribed by The Board.

Playoff games shall be played as decided annually by The Board.

Teams which fail to pay monies owing to The League, or to appeal such debts within twenty-one (21) days of being due, shall forfeit games until such time as the account has been paid.

VIII – DEFUNCT TEAMS

A team withdrawing from The League, a team failing to fulfill 2 consecutive or a total of 3 fixtures, or a team under disciplinary action that results in their failing to fulfill 2 consecutive or a total of 3 fixtures, shall be asked to withdraw from the League if they have not already done so. The entire record for the season for that team shall be expunged from the standings. The remaining players will have the opportunity to transfer to the remaining registered teams through a draft process and subject to Board approval.

IX – RESPONSIBILITIES OF TEAM OFFICIALS

For every game, an individual shall be designated by the team as team coach. The coach is responsible for the conduct of his team.

The coach’s name shall be entered on the game sheet and he/she shall identify himself to the referee.

No coach may enter the field of play, except where he/she is a player, unless requested to do so by the referee.

Objectionable conduct by a coach may result in the coach being cautioned, ejected and/or reported by the referee to The League and may be subject to further disciplinary action.

Team officials are responsible for the conduct of their players, officials and spectators at and in the vicinity of games in which they participate.

Claims for losses or damages against The League arising from misconduct may be assessed by The Board against the player(s), official(s) or team deemed to be responsible.

X – EQUIPMENT

All players on the same team (except the goalkeeper) shall wear identical shirts of the same colour. The goalkeeper shall wear a shirt of a different colour from those of his team or the opposition.

All teams shall register their colours with The League prior to playing their first league game. If possible, they should state their colours when applying for membership in The League.

Teams wishing to change uniform colours must receive Board approval.

Where there is a similarity of colours and both teams have used the same registered colour for an equal duration, the home team shall change providing the visiting team’s colours are listed with The League. Where one team has worn a registered colour longer than the other, the team that was second to choose the colour shall change. It is the responsibility of the coach/manager of the team that is required to change to have alternate shirts ready.

In all games, all shirts shall be properly numbered on the back, including the goalies. No two players on the same team may wear the same number.

The player’s number shall be indicated on the game report beside his/her name and no player shall change their number during the course of the game without the permission of the referee.

Each home team shall provide a properly dressed and marked field, including corner flags and goal nets.

The home team shall provide a properly inflated size 5 ball.

XI – GAME REPORTS

The game sheet shall be provided to the referee prior to the game, containing a list of players, including substitutes, complete with OSA registration numbers and jersey numbers.

Players who arrive late may participate in the game after being added to the game sheet, customarily at half time or other stoppage in play at the referee’s discretion. A player may not play in the game unless listed on the official game sheet.

The report, when complete shall show the final score, scorers, and full details of any incident that resulted in a caution or ejection of a player or team official. The referee may record the information on either the game report or a separate sheet, but he shall sign all sheets.

Failure to supply the required equipment, including a game sheet, shall be noted on the referee’s game report and the team(s) will be subject to discipline.

The referee is responsible for transmitting the game report to the league office but it is the responsibility of the home team coach/manager to phone the score to the league office upon completion of the game.

XII – POSTPONEMENT OF GAMES

A game can only be postponed by The Board who will notify both teams and the Referee Coordinator. The Chairman of the League Management Board shall be responsible for assigning the time and location of the rescheduled game. Teams shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours notice of the time and location of the rescheduled game.

Notification of postponement shall be made at least twenty-four (24) hours before the game, except in the case of an unfit field where there may be no prior notice.

The referee shall have the final decision as to whether a field is unfit for a game due to inclement weather or safety issues.

XIII – UNPLAYABLE AND ABANDONED GAMES

Any team failing to field a team as defined in Article XVI within ten (10) minutes of the schedule kick-off time shall be considered to have failed to appear and they shall default the game. They shall be fined in the amount laid down by the board that shall include the amount of referee fees for that game. The score will be recorded as 2:0 for their opposition.

Any team forfeiting more than one (1) game in a season shall have their performance bond retained by the League. The performance bond must be replaced by the team after a second forfeit if the team wishes to continue play in the League.

If both teams fail to appear, there shall be no points and no score for the game, but each team will have one loss added to its record.

The Board may order a defaulted game rescheduled where

the defaulting team benefits from having defaulted

a team other than the defaulting team is adversely affected by the default

Any team that refuses or is unable to replay the game may have its record deleted from the league standings

If a game is abandoned by the referee for reasons of weather or field conditions before the completion of two-thirds (sixty minutes) of the normal playing time, it shall be rescheduled. The Board will rule on the status of those games abandoned in the final one-third (thirty minutes) of playing time.

In the absence of a referee, the home team coach may, after consultation with the away team coach, at the field and at the scheduled game time, declare a field unplayable.

Inclement weather is not, by itself, sufficient grounds for cancellation but a game shall be abandoned, at least until danger passes, if an electrical storm occurs.

If a game is abandoned by a referee for reasons other than weather or field conditions before two equal halves have been played, The Board shall rule on the status of the game.

Referees and coaches are subject to any supplemental rules set by field owners such as school boards, cities, etc.

XIV – RESCHEDULING

Teams shall be given at least forty-eight (48) hours notice of the time and location of a rescheduled game. Notice shall be by telephone.

The team not requesting postponement may refuse to play in a rescheduled game unless it receives five (5) days notice of the rescheduled game.

Notification shall be deemed to have taken place when the required information has been communicated to an adult person or answering machine answering the telephone at the number listed for the team contact. The League shall not assume any further responsibility with respect to delivery of a message.

Rescheduled games may also be posted on a designated website.

XV – REFEREES

Referees shall be appointed to all games by the League from the League approved list supplied by the District Association.

Referees shall receive fees for their services in an amount set by the League. Remuneration shall be made monthly.

Where an officially appointed referee fails to appear, the teams concerned shall endeavour to agree on a person to act in his stead. Once so appointed, such an individual shall have any and all powers of an official referee.

The referee shall be responsible for the conduct of the game in accordance with the FIFA laws and the rules and regulations of the League.

Subject to such rules laid down by the authority responsible for permitting use of a facility, the referee shall have the power to decide on the fitness of the grounds in all matches and his decision shall be final.

At the conclusion of the game, the referee shall ensure that all sections of the game report are completed and shall forward it together with any supplementary sheets to the League immediately after each assignment.

Games shall be played in accordance with FIFA laws except as noted in the League By-Laws.

XVI – DURATION OF THE GAME

Outdoor games shall consist of two equal halves of forty-five (45) minutes duration during regular season play. In playoff games, overtime will consist of two halves of fifteen (15) minutes each.

Each team shall name a home venue for the season. In the event of a sudden death playoff game, the game shall be played at the home field of the team which placed higher in regular season standings, unless the higher placed team requests a change of venue.

Duration of indoor games shall be specified by the League.

XVII – NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

A minimum of 7 and a maximum of 18 players from the accepted team associated roster names shall constitute a team.

Unlimited substitutions shall be allowed on the signal of the referee at half-time, goal kicks, after a goal is scored or to replace an injured player.

XVIII – DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

The Board shall appoint a Discipline Committee to deal with infractions occurring at games under the jurisdiction of The League.

Discipline shall be administered by either the D.B.R. (Discipline by Review) or D.B.H. (Discipline by Hearing) systems as per OSA Policies and Procedures.

The Discipline Committee shall be comprised of at least three (3) persons plus a chairman. Any persons on the Committee shall not have affiliation with the person or team affected by a hearing.

The Discipline Committee shall be empowered to suspend or deal with in any other way it shall deem fit, teams, players or officials whom it shall find guilty of misconduct, unless prohibited or limited by the Constitution or By-Laws of any higher body.

A discipline hearing must be held at least one day prior to the next game of the player(s) in question.

XIX – SUPPLEMENTARY DISCIPLINE

A member will be disciplined for the non-payment of fees and/or for the non-completion of the necessary form(s) by the set deadline.

For team registration, there shall be a fine of $ 100.00 for any late registration within five (5) days after the deadline (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays). After that period of time, the team shall not be accepted into membership for the playing season involved. There shall also be a deduction of one (1) point from the team’s point total in league standings.

Any red card issued to a player during a game shall result in a mandatory minimum one (1) game suspension without appeal. Further suspension may result upon review by the Discipline Committee through either the D.B.R. or D.B.H. system.

Deduction of points in league standings

A team shall have ONE (1) point deducted from its total in league standings for each of the following:

For the non-payment of fees and/or the non-completion of team registration forms as outlined under fees in the constitution

For each accumulation of five (5) infractions resulting in yellow cards issued to players or warnings issued to team officials during a playing season

For each accumulation of two (2) infractions resulting in red cards issued to players or dismissals of team officials during a playing season

Suspensions resulting from red cards issued to players or dismissals of team officials during playoffs will be carried forward to the next playing season (indoor to indoor, outdoor to outdoor)

Cancellation of a Playoff/Cup game due to non or partial appearance of a team to play the game

The listed coach and manager/team official of a team which fails to complete a playoff/cup schedule shall be suspended from all games for one calendar year

– PROTESTS

The Discipline Committee shall hear all protests arising out of any league game.

The fee for such protest shall be $ 50.00 payable by ‘Certified’ Cheque, Money Order or cash.

The protest shall be sent in writing to the Secretary, together with the fee, within forty-eight (48) hours of the game to which it refers.

The postmark shall be considered to be the date sent and no responsibility shall be assumed by The Board for protests not received unless they are sent by registered mail. In all cases of protest, a copy of such protest must also be delivered to the protesting team’s opponent or official within the time stipulated. Hand delivery of a protest within the specified time is permitted, but proof of delivery in the form of a receipt must be available.

Any protests relating to the grounds, goal posts, crossbars, colours or other appurtenances of the game shall not be entertained unless notice of complaint was lodged with the referee prior to the game or at the time it was discovered during the game. The referee shall require the team responsible to rectify the cause of the objection if this can be accomplished without unduly delaying the game. The referee may abandon the game if rectification is not possible and to continue would, in his/her opinion, be dangerous or otherwise unfeasible.

The decision by The Discipline Committee on a protest may only be overturned by appeal to SNE or higher body in accordance with that body’s rules.

XXI – ADDITIONAL RULES

The Board may declare additional rules and regulations pertaining to any or all divisions of the league provided they are sent to the teams concerned before the start of the season during which they are to have affect.

The Board may make emergency rulings on matters explicitly covered at any time.

Rules, regulations and rulings under this section (XXI) shall have effect for one season only and may be subject to ratification at the next Annual General Meeting.