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GLF League Rules

*** All 2024-2025 Referee fee are $15 per team per gameEach team shall pay the official before the start of each game.

Venues
Great Lakes Futsal is proud to present top quality futsal play in multiple convenient locations across NE Ohio. AKRON, AVON, CANTON, GENEVA, LORAIN, STRONGSVILLE

Nets have been hung to protect players and spectators. DO NOT CLIMB UNDER, AROUND, BETWEEN or LIFT UP ANY NETTING at any facility.

To keep the playing surfaces clean and dry, please instruct your players, siblings and parents not to wear dirty or wet game shoes, boots, etc. into the facilities and to keep water bottles at the benches and off of the court playing surface.

The use of regular SOCCER BALLS IS NOT PERMITTED.

Respect referees, opposing coaches, teams and spectators. Belligerent behavior will not be tolerated.

PROFANITY, PHYSICAL or VERBAL ABUSE & FIGHTING are not tolerated at any Great Lakes Futsal facility or event.

Referees
Great Lakes Futsal is the only US Soccer sanctioned futsal league in NE Ohio. We use only US Soccer futsal-certified referees to officiate our games, assuring play is conducted according to the FIFA Laws of the Game of Futsal.

Participating Teams
Great Lakes Futsal is one of the largest youth futsal league and tournament operators in the United States for the past 18 years. Our events serve more than 400 teams and over 3000 players throughout the year.

Age Divisions/Groups
Boys & Girls U8 - U19. Great Lakes Futsal puts a premium on creating the most competitive 
divisions possible. For this reason Great Lakes Futsal reserves the right to drop or combine divisions or age groups as needed.

High School Teams that are playing into November will have their games scheduled as needed to accommodate their play-off run. Online registration only at our website www.GreatLakesFutsal.com.

High School Teams are permitted to play together as a team (playing more than 5 players together when playing indoor on turf without boards violates OHSAA compliance regulations). Keep your teams together and play the fastest most productive version of indoor soccer known! Teams may also split into two rosters and share the same goalkeeper.

Season Play
Session ONE games will begin for most teams on the second weekend of November and the session will end with the Regional Tournament on Martin Luther King weekend in January. Teams can expect or request double-headers to accommodate travel and other team schedules. High school teams may finish later as needed due to their late start. Great Lakes Futsal plays its games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at all sites. Teams will be scheduled to play 8 games

Important Coach Information
There is no coaching license to coach a team. Any adult who is registered with the team as a coach or manager can sit the bench.  This is a great option for teams with outdoor coaches who want to take a break, but still want their teams to have fun and play.

Game Scorecards
Before each game, a pre-printed game card will be available from the referees. The cards are populated with places for scorers to mark goals, fouls, etc. Please check the cards for accuracy and the scorers will fill in the game info from the scorers table. At the end of each game, the referee will ask each coach to attest to the game statistics and final score and sign the game card. The referee then drops the game-card into our drop box at each location. The scores on the signed cards are then considered official and will be entered into the standings.

Competition Format & Rules
Official futsal FIFA Rules and Regulations as stated under the Laws of The Game will be enforced. Exceptions are noted below under House Rules. 

NEW FIFA LAWS - 

1. Ball must be placed motionless on or touching the line to take all kick-ins. Players foot may be on court or off court to take the kick.

2. Goalkeeper may distribute the ball on a goal clearance directly to a player inside the goalkeeper arc.

3. Player may kick the ball directly backward off of the kick-off.

4. Player may score directly from the kick-off.

GREAT LAKES FUTSAL - House Rules to the Laws of the Game

1. Goalkeeper MAY receive the ball multiple times during a possession if:

  • the ball goes out of bounds.
  • the ball touches an opposing player.
  • the ball advances over mid court.

Our league does not enforce the FIFA goalkeeper pass-back rule for developmental purposes. We believe that our house rule promotes using the goalkeeper and gives less experienced teams an opportunity to possess the ball. The FIFA rule was written for international play at the highest level.) 

2. NO goal may be scored directly from a kick-in. (If the goalkeeper touches the ball or it deflects off a player on either team the goal is counted)

3. No switching of benches at halftime. (Due to spilling of water and time constraints. However, tournament play does mandate the switching of benches at halftime.)

4. Game length consists of a 3 minute warm-up, two 24 minute halves, 3 minute halftime and one :45 second time out per team per half with the game clock starting on the hour.

5. NO Slide tackling will be allowed at any facility. This rule also contradicts the FIFA letter of the law. We promote a non-contact game and believe that youth players do not have enough control over their bodies and that our referees are not experienced enough to allow slide tackling to be a part of our league games. Safety-First is our priority. Sliding to save the ball from going out of bounds or sliding to block a shot is permitted. 

6. Physical contact prior to receiving the ball is kept to the bare minimum. Futsal is a game of skill, timing, speed and coordinated movement NOT a game of physical strength.

Players/Sister Teams/Double Rostering

  • A sister team is created from an outdoor team that split into two or more futsal teams. If you have a sister team in the league, you may borrow any amount of players from the sister team. 
  • Players may be double - rostered on teams that are in different age divisions, but can not play down an age group.

Game Balls
Great Lakes Futsal provides game balls or personal futsal balls may be used pending the approval of the referee.. 
Size ball used by each age group: 

  • Under U12 - uses an Intermediate Ball. 
  • U13 & Older – uses an Adult Ball

To order balls e-mail handsonsoccer@aol.com Include team name, gender and age, number and sizes of balls needed. Please include contact information of the person ordering. Balls are $25 each. 

DO NOT bring outdoor balls into the facilities. They are not allowed for warm-up. Only futsal balls are allowed.

Equipment
The wearing of shin pads is mandatory for all players. No cleats or black soled shoes (that leave marks) may be worn on courts at any facility. 
Futsal Shoes, Goalkeeper Gloves, Balls, Official and Inflatable Futsal Goals and a Variety of Futsal T-shirts are available upon request.

Home Team Colors
Home team should wear light/white uniforms. In the case of a conflict home team must wear pinnies. 

Forfeited Games
If a team fails to show for a scheduled match, the referee shall allow a 5 minute grace period. After the 5 minutes (if there has been no contact or prior agreement), if the team has not yet arrived or does not have enough players to field a team (4), the game will be forfeited. The game will be tallied as a 3 to 0 loss for the forfeiting team and a 3 to 0 win for their opponent. 

If the referee terminates a match for reasons other than an act of God or field conditions, the Great Lakes Futsal Committee will decide the result of the match after hearing the official reason from the referee, and both coaches. Teams forfeiting a match will not receive a refund on their registration fee. Forfeited games are recorded as a 3 - 0 loss.

Great Lakes Futsal Point System and Tiebreakers
The determination within the group standings is as follows:  

  • 3~points for a win
  • 1~point for a tie
  • 0~points for a loss
  • Forfeited games are recorded as a 3 - 0 loss

Tiebreakers

  • Head to head
  • Goal difference
  • Fewest goals allowed

Ejections - Red Cards
If a player is ejected from a match, a referee’s report of the incident shall be turned over to the Great Lakes Futsal administrator by the referee. The maximum penalty, after review by the Great Lakes Futsal Competition Committee, may result in the individual players or teams’ expulsion from the competition. 

If a player is ejected from a match the referee will take first and last name, school, team names and parents contact phone number. Document the red card on the front (back if no more room) of the score sheet and present it to the Great Lakes Futsal League administrator. The player will be allowed to return after the one game suspension. 

Coach Ejections
If a coach is ejected from any match, a referee’s report of the incident shall be turned over to the Great Lakes Futsal administrator by the referee. The minimum penalty for an ejection is that the coach shall not be permitted to coach or remain on the player’s bench in the immediate next match. The maximum penalty, after review by Great Lakes Futsal Competition Committee, may result in the individual coach or team’s expulsion from the League.

Games Cancelled By Opponents
If an opponent cancels a game or does not show for the game, the other team may use the game time for training or we will do our best to replace the opponent with a team in the building at that time. There are no refunds for games cancelled by opponents. If a team must cancel email info@greatlakesfutsal.com immediately. Cancelling a game not only short-changes your team, but your scheduled opponent, the referees and the integrity of the league. Teams that cancel or no-show risk being banned from the Great lakes Futsal Leagues and Tournaments. 

Reschedules
Each team is allowed to enter a limited number of conflicts into the registration system during the registration process. If manager does not enter conflicts, no reschedules will be made unless a $100 rescheduling fee is received by Great Lakes Futsal.

Games Cancelled By Great Lakes Futsal
We reserve the right to postpone or cancel games at any time for any reason such as bad weather or facility problems. If we do decide to cancel games, refunds will not be provided.

Referees 
If you have an interest in joining the United States Youth Futsal referee pool, please email us at GreatLakesFutsal@gmail.com. To be eligible for consideration, you must be licensed with US Soccer as an outdoor referee.

Additional Questions
If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding Great Lakes Futsal, please feel free to contact us at:

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Get In Touch

Address:
1234 Main Street
Springfield, MN 12345

Phone:
555-555-5555


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