Rexdale Soccer Club By-Laws: Rules, Regulations & More
Welcome to the Rexdale Soccer Club’s official By-Laws, Rules & Regulations section. Here, we outline essential guidelines for players, coaches, and participants.
SECTION 1: CLUB ACTIVITIES
The Rexdale Soccer Club hereafter referred to as the RSC will provide its members with the opportunity to participate in the following soccer activities:
a) Recreational Leagues (House Leagues);
b) District and Inter-district Leagues;
c) Cup Competitions; and
d) Invitational Tournaments, including tournaments organized by the Rexdale Soccer Club
SECTION 2: RULES AND REGULATIONS
Alcohol or illegal substances are NOT permitted on or near the playing fields at any time.
The RSC maintains a strict no-alcohol policy during all soccer-related activities.
This applies to players, coaches, parents, and spectators.
Alcohol consumption is prohibited on or near playing fields, in change rooms, and during events.
Violations may result in disciplinary action.
A. Players and Attendance
a) All players must be duly registered with the RSC and have paid the full registration fee to the league. The paid fee is not refundable, unless the RSC Executive Council approves a refund. Any players who have not paid their full registration fee and provided all required documents to the RSC cannot partake in any league soccer activity or receive registration entitlements until the full fee is paid and all required documents are submitted.
b) All players must wear their shin pads at practices and games, or they cannot play.
Players must provide their own shin pads.
c) Players must provide their footwear – standard running shoes or soccer shoes. No steel/metal cleats are allowed.
d) Each registered players will receive a uniform prior to the start of regular season games. All players must be in full uniform for games.
e) Players may only wear equipment approved by the RSC. A player will not be permitted to wear any objects (rings, earrings, watches etc.) that could endanger other players on the field of play. Religious headwear and religious bracelets are permitted. Eyeglasses should be worn with a strap.
Recreational League (House League)
a) The RSC will operate house league teams for boys and girls when registration numbers permit at least 4 teams per age division, in each of the following:
- U4 Micro
- U5 Micro
- U6 Micro
- U7
- U8 Boys
- U9 Boys
- U10 Boys
- U10 Girls
- U12 Boys
- U13 Girls
- O14 Girls
- U16 Boys
- O17 Co-Ed
b) The RSC will follow OSA age requirements for each division.
c) A season shall consist of practices, games and a championship day tournament. In addition, if possible, players may be eligible to participate in select tournaments.
d) Balancing of teams shall be conducted at the league’s discretion. The RSC has sole discretion to determine the division and team the applicant shall play.
e) Players can only be moved off or onto teams (house league to competitive team, or vice versa) by proper transfer and trial permit procedures. No player shall register and play for two RSC teams, unless it is with the written permission of the RSC Executive Council.
Recreational League (House League) Teams
a) The RSC has sole discretion to determine the division and team the applicant will play. The RSC shall organize the selection of teams in accordance with the following criteria:
- An equal number of players per team (with no more than 1 player more or less depending on the number of registrants).
- If available, an evaluation of each player with regards to playing ability.
- Equal numbers of years of organized soccer playing experience
- Equal number of players by birth year and gender.
- Parental requests to accommodate siblings, at the league’s discretion.
Schedule
A league schedule shall be operated in all recreational leagues involving at least one (1) practice and one (1) game per week, or one (1) combined practice/game per week for the Micro Divisions, after the Victoria Day weekend in May, except for the weeks involving a statutory holiday and a break at a prescribed period during the summer season, until the end of August.
Equal Time and Substitutions/Injury
a) All recreational league players (boys and girls) are entitled to and must receive equal playing time during recreational league games.
b) All teams will make the equivalent of three substitutions per half. All substitutes must go into the game, and an equal number of players must come off. During games, all substitutions will take place at the centre field line, and will be approved by the referee. The only exception to this will be in the case of an injury, when a substitute will be allowed at the discretion of the referee.
c) If a player is injured during a practice or a game, all players are to sit down where they are, and coaches shall attend to the injured child.
Conduct at Practices and Games
a) League and team officials shall conduct themselves in a manner that properly exemplifies the aims and objectives of the Rexdale Soccer Club at all games and practices of their teams.
b) Team officials shall report all incidents involving their team, players, parents/guardians and/or spectators to the Division Convener.
c) All players and league approved team officials will shake hands before and after any RSL game.
d) The players, the league approved team officials and their respective spectators, parents/guardians and sponsors will be on opposing sides of the field. It is the responsibility of the coaches to enforce this rule and that their supporters obey it.
e) No individuals are permitted behind the end touchlines and goal lines. Any coach, parent/guardian or spectator found doing so will be asked to leave this area immediately by the referee and the game will be stopped. It is also the responsibility of coaches to enforce this rule and have their supporters obey it. The game will not be restarted until the individual(s) violating this rule leave the area.
f) Coaches on the Field:
- In the Micro Divisions (U4, U5, and U6), coaches may be on the field of play for the entire season. In all other divisions, coaches are not permitted on the field of play during the course of the game unless they are tending to an injured player.
- The coach must remain in his/her own half of the field and is not allowed to intervene in play. Any coach intervening in the play will be asked to leave the playing field by the referee.
- Coaches may not stand within the penalty area, and are not to be behind the goal line during the course of the game.
- Coaches must remain within their designated technical area indicated before the game and must refrain from moving up and down the touchline during the course of the game.
SECTION 3: SUPERVISION
Team Officials
a) There shall be no more than two team officials per team.
b) Team officials are responsible for the behaviour of their team at all times during a game, practice or other event sanctioned by the RSC.
c) Team officials shall conduct themselves in a manner that properly exemplifies the aims and objectives of the RSC at all games and practices of their teams.
d) No team is allowed to recruit players for their recreational league team.
e) Team officials will be responsible for ensuring that all players are dressed for the game participate in accordance with the Equal Playing time rule.
f) Team officials shall, in the case of accident or injury to a player, take all necessary actions to insure the welfare of the player, and report all injuries to the league.
NOTE: Team officials are responsible for remaining at the playing field until all of their players have safely left the field.
g) Team officials will be provided with all material necessary to operate their team by the RSC, such as: uniforms, soccer balls, league schedule etc. Unless otherwise stated stated by the RSC, all such materials remain the property of the league and must be returned to the league at the end of the season.
h) Team officials must fully cooperate with RSC officials in such matters as selection of teams, transfer or trial permit procedures etc.
i) Team officials are NOT permitted to:
- Interfere with the duties of the referee and/or linesmen in any way;
- Harass game or league officials;
- Improper conduct toward their own players and/or opposing team players, officials, parents/guardians and/or spectators;
- Unsportsmanlike conduct in any shape or form, on or off the playing field.
Any breach of the above shall be dealt with promptly by the referee in the form of caution or ejection, and by the Grievance and Disciplinary Committee of the RSC.
SECTION 4: THE GAME
A. Laws of the Game
a) All games shall be played under the jurisdiction of the RSC, adhering to the official FIFA Laws of the game. Rules, regulations, and special rules for recreational league games approved by the RSC shall also be in effect.
b) Game sheets must be completed for all games by coaches and given to the referee prior to the start of the game. The referee will record all items related to the game, and return one copy each to the home team coach and the visiting team coach.
Cancellations
a) Only the official referee can cancel a game due to inclement weather or unsafe field conditions.
b) The Rexdale Soccer Club shall be responsible for rescheduling cancelled games.
c) No game shall be cancelled for lack of an official referee. If the scheduled referee fails to attend within 15 minutes of the start time, the officials of both teams must agree to a referee from amongst them and the spectators. The incident (i.e. missing referee) must also be reported immediately to the RSC. If the two teams fail to agree to a referee, the the game will be rescheduled at the discretion of the RSC Executive Council.
Referees
a) Referees will be appointed to all official games of the RSC Recreational League.
b) The referee shall be the only official timekeeper of any game, and the duration of any game shall be at their sole discretion.
c) It is the responsibility of the referee to forward their copy of the game sheet to the league, as indicated by the RSC at the start of the current season, for payment.
Duration of the Game and Game Ball
a) The duration of games in the different age groups shall be as follows:
Age Group Duration of the Game
Micro U4 1 hour (combined practice and game)
Micro U5 1 hour (combined practice and game)
Micro U6 1 hour (combined practice and game)
U7 2 halves of 20 minutes each
U8 Boys 2 halves of 20 minutes each
U9 Boys 2 halves of 20 minutes each
U10 Boys 2 halves of 25 minutes each
U10 Girls 2 halves of 25 minutes each
U12 Boys 2 halves of 30 minutes each
U13 Girls 2 halves of 30 minutes each
O14 Girls 2 halves of 35 minutes each
U16 Boys 2 halves of 35 minutes each
O17 Co-Ed 2 halves of 40 minutes each
b) A game abandoned after the midway point of the second half of a game will be recorded as a completed game in the league.
c) The referee must supply the game ball for games. The size of the game ball for each age group shall be, unless otherwise specified:
Age Group Ball Size
Micro U4 Size 3
Micro U5 Size 3
Micro U6 Size 3
U7 Size 3
U8 Boys Size 3
U9 Boys Size 3
U10 Boys Size 3
U10 Girls Size 3
U12 Boys Size 4
U13 Girls Size 4
O14 Girls Size 5
U16 Boys Size 5
O17 Co-Ed Size 5
d) Every effort must be made to start games promptly at the scheduled time, and no later than 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the game. If a team has an insufficient number of players to start a game, the team has fifteen (15) minutes grace to assemble enough players to start the game. The game will commence as soon as a team has the minimum required number of players to start a game.
e) The minimum required number of players to start a game is five (5) for the U7-U10 Divisions and seven (7) for the U12-O17 Divisions.
f) If after the fifteen minute grace period a team is unable to field the minimum required number of players, the game will be defaulted and the result will be recorded as a 1-0 decision for the opposing team. If both teams fail to assemble the minimum number of players, then the game will be recorded as a double default and no points or goals will be awarded.
SECTION 5: THE LEAGUE SEASON AND PLAY-OFFS
a) The RSC shall provide for an equal number of games for each team.
b) There are no House League standings in the “Mini” Soccer program (Micro-U10).
c) For other age divisions, the Division Champions in the regular season will be the team that has accumulated the greatest number of points based on the formula of three (3) points for a win and (1) point for a tie out of all the games provided for in the schedule of the division.
d) A play-off format will be held after the completion of the regular season. Each team will play each other once in a round-robin format to determine the play-off standings. Play-off standings will be used to determine the match-ups for the Championship Day Tournament.
e) All ties in the House League regular season standing and play-off round robin standings will be decided by:
Results for head to head games;
Goal Differential (Goals scored – Goals against);
Goals scored;
Coin toss.
f) Regular Season games and Play-off games can conclude in a tie. Penalty kicks only take place on the Championship Day Tournament in games that must have a winner (U12-O17).
SECTION 6: CHAMPIONSHIP DAY TOURNAMENT
a) A championship tournament day shall be held at the end of each playing season. The two highest seeded teams from the Play-off standings will play for first (1st) place and the two lowest seeded teams will play for second (2nd) place.
b) Match-ups for the U7-U10 will be chosen by the RSC and there will be no final standings.
c) All games shall be scheduled at a time of the day that will allow for the completion of the game including time for penalty kicks.
d) All games must start on time as scheduled, unless otherwise determined by the RSC. A fifteen (15) minute grace period will NOT be allowed.
e) There can be no tied games for the U12-O17 Divisions. If a game is tied after regulation play, a penalty kick shoot-out will be held in accordance with FIFA rules. Each team will select five shooters from players on the field at the end of the game, who will alternate taking shots. A coin toss will determine who will take the first penalty kick; winner of the coin toss must shoot first. If the game remains tied after the first 5 penalty kicks for each team, teams will alternate 1 shooter each from the remaining players on the team until there is a winner.
SECTION 7: PROTEST
No protest will be entertained on a referee’s decisions in any RSC sanctioned game.
SECTION 8: DEVELOPMENT SELECT TEAMS AND COMPETITIVE TEAMS
a) All players chosen for “select” teams must be registered to play in the House League program.
b) Player choice for “select” teams is at the discretion of the RSC and the “select” team coaches.
c) House league games and practices take precedence over “select” team activities. Any player neglecting their house league responsibilities will be suspended from participating in “select” team activities.
d) The RSC Executive Council will establish the financial obligation of players participating on a development team. Additional costs will be related to the cost for uniforms and the entry fee of the team to the tournament, and any other additional costs as required in order to satisfy the registration requirements of the District Association.
e) Approved competitive teams outside the House League will abide by all rules outlined in the Competitive Team program rules.
SECTION 9: CONFLICT RESOLUTION
At the Rexdale Soccer Club, we prioritize fair play, sportsmanship, and positive interactions. Our conflict resolution process aims to address any disputes or disagreements promptly and constructively. Here are the key points:
Informal Resolution:
a) Encourage open communication between involved parties.
b) Seek resolution through respectful dialogue.
c) Involve team coaches, managers, or convenors if necessary.
Formal Resolution:
a) If informal resolution fails, escalate the matter to the club’s Executives and Directors.
b) The Executives and Directors will investigate and mediate the issue.
c) Decisions made by the committee are final.
Appeals:
a) Parties dissatisfied with the decision may appeal to the Board of Directors.
b) The board will review the case and provide a final ruling.
SECTION 10: ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
Physical Accessibility:
Acknowledge that the City of Toronto manages the physical facilities.
Still, advocate for accessibility within your programs:
Promote awareness: Educate members about available accessible facilities in the city.
Collaborate: Work with the city to improve accessibility where possible.
Advocate: Encourage the city to prioritize accessibility in their facilities
Monetary Accessibility:
We recognize that financial constraints should not hinder participation.
Our approach includes:
Offering subsidized registration fees for families facing financial difficulties.
Providing information about available grants and assistance programs.
Treating all members with respect and understanding.
SECTION 11: FIELD SUBLETTING
The RSC’s fields are primarily and only reserved for club activities and will not sublet the fields.