Rules - Columbus Rapids FC

Rules

BASIC RULES

The artificial turf FIELD is approximately 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. Dasher boards, topped by plexiglass, surround the field. Player’s benches and the penalty boxes are behind the dasher boards at midfield.
The BALL is the Kendis NISL ball, 27-28 inches in circumference, weighing 14-16 ounces and is colored red, white and blue.
The GOAL is 8 feet high and 14 feet wide and it set into the boards at both ends of the field.
The GAME is played in four 15-minute quarters. There is a three-minute interval between the first and second quarters and between the third and fourth quarters and a 12-minute halftime. The clock stops when a goal is scored, when the ball leaves the playing area or when there is a penalty kick, penalty call, yellow line violation, official timeout or any whistle by the referee. The clock restarts with the official’s hand signal and the playing of the ball.
The visiting team will have possession for kickoffs in the first and third quarters; home team in the second and fourth.
Play restarts (after the ball leaves the playing area) with a kick-in, corner kick, or a goal kick.
Each team will be allotted one (1) timeout per half. Timeouts will be one (1) minute in length. Timeouts are not to accumulate over the course of the game. Teams either use it or lose it.

THE PLAYERS AND OFFICIALS

A GOALKEEPER and FIVE FIELD PLAYERS for each team are usually on the field together.
FREE SUBSTITUTION - Players change while the flow of the game continues. Any number of substitutions may be made during a game.
MAN ADVANTAGES (Power Play) – A team will play one (or two) players short if the referee cites a player for a serious foul or if a player is guilty of delay of game or unsportsmanlike conduct or when a penalty kick is awarded.
ACTIVE ROSTER – Will include a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 14 competitive players, all of who may dress for a game.
TWO REFEREES will be on the field and will have total jurisdiction over the match. An Assistant Referee will be stationed at the timer’s bench to supervise the close, penalty box, team benches, to keep a record of the game and to assist the referees in the control of the game.

SCORING

GOALS are scored when the entire ball crosses the goal line. All goals are worth one (1) point.

OTHER RULES

FOULS are penalized with a direct free kick to the offended team, and in some cases, depending upon the severity of the foul, time in the penalty box. A goal can be scored directly from all free kicks. A PENALTY KICK is awarded to a team when a Penal Time Penalty is committed by the opponent in its own penalty area (25 by 30 feet). The penalty kick is taken from the penalty spot (24 feet directly in front of the goal). All players except the designated kicker and goalkeeper must stay outside the penalty area and the restraining arc.
PENALTIES are called and time served in the penalty box for Penal offenses, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Misconduct and Major violations. All time penalties are two (2) minutes in length except for Misconducts and Major violations, which are five (5) minutes in length. The penalty call will not be made (delayed time penalty) and play stopped until the guilty team gains possession of the ball or play is otherwise over. The offending team has the option of accepting or declining a power play situation at any time during the game. (However, the offending player must server the penalty in all instances).
All UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT TIME PENALTIES result in a two (2) minute power play to the offended team, but no shootout. The guilty player must serve this penalty.
All MISCONDUCT TIME PENALTIES are five (5) minutes in length, but no power play or shootout is awarded. The guilty player must serve this penalty.
All MAJOR TIME PENALTIES are five (5) minutes in length, but no power play is awarded. The guilty player must serve this penalty.
EJECTIONS occur when a player or non-player is guilty of any of the following violent conduct or serious foul play; foul and/or abusive language or action, accumulation of any four time penalties; an accumulation of two Major Penalties.
YELLOW LINE VIOLATIONS are called when a forward pass crosses both yellow lines in the air without being touched by another player. Change of possession and a direct kick from the first-crossed yellow line restarts play.
CORNER KICKS are taken if the ball leaves the playing area between the two red flags on the goal line, having been last touched by the defending team.