Lakeland Adult Soccer Organization

Registration

1. Player Registration will be completed on our website, https://app.teampass.com/Lakeland_Adult_Soccer_Organization/. Upon registration for the league, players agree to abide by the rules and regulations outlined and voted upon by the LASO board and team captains. 

   1. Players must have a valid form of identification proving their date of birth and uploaded during registration. The player must have a photo (headshot format) to play. 

2. Players not registered by the morning of game 6 will not be allowed to participate in that season. 

   1. The board reserves the right to adjust this date based on league needs.

   2. In an extreme circumstance (multiple injuries, players moving away, etc.) a team captain can petition the board to add a player to their roster, and it will be voted on accordingly. 

3. Male players must be at least 30 years of age to play in LASO Coed. 

   1. Players who are turning 30 during the active season (29 years old) will be allowed to register as a 30-year-old player. Spring season dates for this are January 1^st – June 30^th. Fall Season dates for this are July 1^st – December 31^st. 

   2. Previous players with a valid LASO registration that were between the ages of 26-29 are grandfathered in under the old rules. No more than 2 players in this age range may be on a team during any given season. 

4. Female players must be 18 or older. 

5. Rostered players must appear in a minimum of 3 games during the regular season to be eligible for playoffs, paid or not.

6. Players found to be improperly registered will be issued a 1-year ban from LASO and the team will be deducted any points gained during games in which that player participated. 

Game Rules

1. Referees are in full control of the game. Game reports submitted by the referees will be the primary source of reference for any and all actions during a match. 

   1. Only team captains are authorized to talk directly to a referee. Any non-captain conversation with an official will be left to the referee’s discretion and could result in disciplinary action by the referee. 

   2. Referees are responsible for checking in teams prior to kickoff. 

   3. Referees are responsible for starting the match under the specified rules of LASO Coed. 

2. Uniforms – Teams will play in matching uniforms that have clear and unique numbers for all players. Referees are instructed not to start a match in which this is not present.

   1. Uniform colors must be declared by the captain at the bi-annual captains meeting. 

   2. Teams with conflicting uniform colors – preference of uniform color may be handled by any board member, with discrepancies leaning toward the longer tenured of the teams in dispute. 

3. Shin Guards and proper footwear are to be worn at all times during play. 

4. League Games – Games will be played on Sundays unless there are rainouts or other circumstances beyond the league’s control. In the case of a makeup, a mutually agreed upon date and time, provided officials and fields can be secured, will be handled by the LASO board and a minimum of two weeks’ notice will be given to both sets of captains. The results of makeup games are final.

   1. Times – Game times will be determined at the annual captain’s meeting and will be based on the number of teams in the league. 

   2. Schedule – Season schedule will be posted no later than a week before opening day.

      1. Captains are responsible for knowing the schedule and relaying the information to their teams. Once the final schedule is posted, there will be no changes.

   3. Kickoff – Games will start no later than 10 Minutes after the designated time. After 10 minutes, the referee may start the match if both teams have at least 7 players, of which one must be a female, available to play. After 10 minutes, any team without enough rostered players can be subject to a forfeit unless the opposing captain agrees to play an abridged version of the game. 

      1. In the case of a forfeit, teams may still utilize the referees and play a pickup game if they both agree to do so.

   4. Games will consist of two halves of 45 minutes each, with a water break in the middle portion of each half. 

      1. In cases of game abandonment due to inclement weather or other circumstances, a game will be considered official if it reaches the halftime interval and the score at that point will be final. If a game does not reach the halftime interval, the game will be rescheduled and be replayed in its entirety. 

   5. Teams will be made up of 11 or less players on the field at the same time. 

      1. The maximum number of male players on the field at one time can be no more than 8. 

      2. Female players must make up the remaining 3 positions on the field. In the case in which a team cannot field 3 women, they may play with less players and play with a numerical disadvantage.

   6. Teams must have at least 1 female player (pickups included) on the field at all times during the match or it will result in a forfeit. This includes playoffs.

   7. Pickups may be used to replace missing rostered players. Any quantity of female players may be picked up without notifying the opposing captain. Male pickup players must be approved by the opposing captain. Captains reserve the right to refuse a pickup player previously agreed upon at the halftime interval, but not before. 

      1. Male Pickup players found to be used without the opposing captain’s permission will result in a forfeit for the offending team. 

      2. • Playoff Pickups – no male players may be picked up during the playoffs under any circumstances. 

   8. • Substitutions – Substitutions are unlimited and may be used by both teams at any stoppage. Referee acknowledgement is required. 

      • Goals – A single player may be credited with no more than 3 goals during any match. Pick-up players are not permitted to score a goal at any time. 

      • Slide Tackling is not permitted during LASO Sunday Coed. A player will be deemed to have engaged in slide-tackling by the referee if they go to ground within playing distance of another player. Slide Tackling is punished by the referee and may result in a yellow or red card being issued. 

      1. • Players may go to ground to save a ball that is going over the goal or touch line, provided it is not within playing distance of another player. 

         • Goalkeepers may slide within their box in the scheme of play. 

   9. • Female players may only be challenged on the ball from the front. Other challenges are subject to a direct free kick and/or more serious discipline based on the referee’s discretion.  

Discipline 

Referees are the primary authority when determining infractions during a match, including pre and post-match incidents. The referee report will be used in levying suspensions. The board will examine the report and make a decision on suspension lengths using a majority vote system. All suspensions are eligible for appeal by submitting, in writing, the reason for the appeal within 3 days of the incident. 

1. Yellow Cards – are for minor infractions during a match and will result in the offending player being given a 5-minute period on the side lines without returning to the match. The offending player’s team will not play down a player during this time. 

   1. 2 yellow cards during the same match will result in that player being suspended for the remainder of that game and the next game. 

      1. If the 2^nd yellow card occurs while the player in on the field the team of the offending player will be unable to replace that player.

      2. If the 2^nd yellow card occurs while the player is off the field the team of the offending player will be able to replace the player

   2. Excessive yellow cards from any one specific player will be examined by the board and might result in suspension beyond the normal scope of the yellow card rules. 

2. Red Cards – are for major infractions during a match and will result in the offending player being removed from the match. Red card infractions will also result in a lengthier suspension.

   1.  Players receiving a red card on the field of play will be unable to return to the match and must leave the complex before play can resume. The offending player’s team will be unable to substitute this player and will play down.

   2. Players receiving a red card off the field of play will be unable to return to the match and must leave the complex before play can resume. The offending player’s team will be able to substitute for this player. 

3. • Suspensions – are levied for major infractions and will be determined based on the referee report, reviewed by the board, and voted upon with a simple majority.

   1. • Red cards issued for incidents that involve normal run of play fouls or intentional handballs will be treated as a 1 match ban. 

      • Red cards issued for violent conduct, as indicated on a referee report, will be a minimum 2 game ban escalating upward on a case-by-case basis.

      • Red cards issued for fighting will be a minimum 2-year ban from league play escalating upward on a case-by-case basis. 

      1. • Fighting will be construed as the striking or intention of striking of a player with an open or closed hand. 

         • The normal appeals process is put on hold during these incidents until 90 days after the incident occurs. 

         • Before returning to play, after serving the 2-year ban, the player must appear before the LASO board.

   2. • Red cards issued for verbal abuse toward referees, league officials, or other players will result in a minimum 3 game ban.

      • Red cards issued for serious infringements such as racism or sexual harassment will result in a permanent ban from LASO Coed soccer league.

   3. A second red card infraction by the same player in the same season will result in a minimum 5 game ban. 

   4. A third red card infraction by the same player in the same season will result in a 1-year ban from LASO coed soccer.