🌟🌟 Beehive's Golden Rules 🌟🌟

Be nice to each other,

Be nice to your referees,

Show up on-time, 

Know the rules.

First and foremost... this is a social adult league, not the World Cup.  We are all here to have fun, meet people, and get some exercise! Beehive has a zero tolerance policy against any disrespectful behavior towards other players, and we reserve the right to ask anyone who is not following this policy to leave the game immediately. If you see someone acting inappropriately or playing too aggressively, tell the coordinator at the field! We will not be handing out warnings or asking for "sides of the story." If someone is playing too aggressively, they will be asked to leave the game. If it happens again, they will be removed from the league and refunded--no questions asked. 

Please remember all of this every time you step onto the field. Carry the spirit of Beehive on your sleeve at all times :)

Teams

• 7 vs 7 (Six field players and a goalie)
• Minimum of 2 female players on the field at all times. If a team has only one female player, they will play a player short.
• Minimum of 5 players must be present to play. If a team has less than 5 players 10 minutes after scheduled game time, that team forfeits. The teams can still play a game for fun!

Equipment

• No metal cleats are allowed. Cleats are not required but you'd be crazy not to wear them.
• Shinguards are encouraged but not mandatory.
• Teams are required to bring one size 5 soccer ball to each game.

On-site Coordinator

• A league representative will set up all equipment and inspect the fields before play begins.
• The coordinator is not a referee but a neutral support of both teams.
• The coordinator may stop a game before the full time has expired due to overly aggressive play, persistent unsportsmanlike conduct, or a general violation of the rules of the game.
• At the end of the game, the captain of the winning team needs to report the score to the on-site coordinator.
• The coordinator will clarify rules, record scores at the end of the game, clean up equipment, start/stop games, and inform players of league news. If you hurt the coordinator, we will hurt you.

Game Play

Start of Play

• Game length is two (2) 20 minutes halves, with a 5 minute halftime.
• Captains will meet at midfield to play Rock, Paper, Scissors (best of 1). The winner will decide which team gets to start with the ball.
• At halftime the teams will switch sides.

Time and Score

We will have digital timers on site to keep time. The coordinator will start the time for each half.

After a goal is scored but before the kickoff happens, the player that starts with the ball must yell out the score. If the opposing team disagrees with the score, immediately stop play and have the players on each team who have scored raise their hands. Count them up!

Throw-ins, offsides and substitutions

• Throw-ins must be taken with two hands. One handed throw-ins or players that cross the sideline before they release the ball will need to attempt their throw-in again.
• Once the game has started there is no offsides rule.
• Players can substitute freely at midfield on their bench side as long as the departing player is off the field before the substitute enters. Goalies may substitute at any dead ball stoppage (free kick, throw in). Play will not resume until the goalie change occurs.

The Big NO-NOs

• No play on the ground (the goalie may leave his/her feet to block a pass or shot).
• No slide tackling whatsoever.
• No high kicks
• Any player who is ejected from a game will be subject to a minimum 1 week suspension.
• Any team who has a player ejected will automatically lose that game (but can still finish it for fun).

Goals

• To score a goal, the entire ball must pass over the goal line and into the net. If a discrepancy arises as to whether the ball was in or not, the person deemed to have the "best perspective" will ultimately make the call. Please remember that you are playing in a self-officiated social league, any disputes should be kept to a minimum.

Handball

A handball infraction occurs when the ball hits a players arm from the ELBOW down (as opposed to the shoulder). In addition, players may use their arms to block the ball from hitting their groin area, and women can also use their arms to block the ball from hitting their chest. This rule will reduce the number of stoppages in play. Please do not abuse this rule.

Fouls

• The offending player should call their own fouls, however any players involved with the infraction can also make a call. When a foul is called, play must stop as there is no "advantage" in this league.
• Players not on the field at the time of any incident and not involved in the play cannot make a call at any time.
• All fouls result in an indirect free kick which means they must be contacted by a player (offense or defense) before entering the net.
• Fouls in the goalie box will not result in penalty kicks. All fouls result in indirect free kicks where the foul is committed.

Goal Box

The goal box is a rectangle around the net. There will be 2 cones demarcating the goal box.

Goalies can:

• Use their hands when they are within the "goal box".
• Roam as far from their goal as they wish.

Goalies cannot:

• Use their hands outside of the box. If this occurs, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.
• Drop kick the ball. They can either throw/roll the ball or place the ball on the ground and kick it, all of which shall be from within the goal box.
• When inside the goal box, pick up a ball with their hands if the ball has been played back on purpose to the keeper by a player on their team. This includes all forms of passing and kick-ins. The only exception is if the player directs the ball back to the keeper with their head - in this case the keeper can pick the ball up with their hands. A violation of this rule results in an indirect free kick for the other team at the spot where the keeper inappropriately used their hands.

Playoffs (with the exception of below, all of the above rules apply during playoffs) 

• Two (2) 20 minute halves with a brief halftime, then the teams will switch sides.
• If the game is tied at the end of regulation, 1 extra five (5) minute golden goal period will be played.
• If the score remains tied at the end of the extra period, the game will go to penalty kicks. 
  • Each team will take a minimum of 5 kicks and a minimum of 2 girls must be in the lineup.
  • At the end of the 10 kicks, the team that made more penalties will advance.
  • If still tied, each team will get another kick until one team scores and the other does not.

Substitute Players

Subs are welcome to join Beehive during the regular season for up to 3 weeks. They can fill in for any reason without needing to notify us. Just show up with a good attitude and a basic knowledge of the rules. 

If they wish to continue playing they need to join the roster by registering on the website. No, we don't have an enforcement mechanism for this except our trust in your human integrity.

During the playoffs the following stipulations will be strictly observed:

• You must have all playoff subs approved before the start of playoffs. (This means your team should have a chat before the playoffs to ascertain if/when roster players aren't going to make games so the captain can find subs/contact the league with appropriate requests).

• There is a limit on the number of subs that you may request (Kickball/Softball/Flag Football - 3 subs; Soccer/Dodgeball/Sand Volleyball/Indoor Volleyball/Futsal/Basketball - 2 subs; Cornhole/Darts/Pickleball - No subs are allowed).

• You cannot request subs if you have enough rostered players to field a team. For example: Kickball is a 10v10 sport. If you have 14 players on your kickball roster and 4 are injured, you cannot request subs as you still have 10 (enough to field a full team). If you have 11 on your kickball roster and 3 are injured, you may request 2 subs so that you have 10 players.

• Teams found to be in violation of any substitute player rules here can be retroactively forfeited from advancing (ie we find out after your first round game but before your second round game that you violated the rules, the team you beat will advance in your place).

• In the past, subs would only be approved for injury and illness. Now, subs will be approved for whatever reason you deem them necessary (work trips, concerts, weddings, etc all fine).

• The season being extended due to inclement weather doesn't change any of the other substitute player stipulations listed here.

• Approved subs (or your rostered players) must be used the entirety of the playoffs (you can't have Jane and Sally sub the first week of playoffs and Joan and Sarah the second week of playoffs).