Goalkeeper Punts

Official AYSO Rules State:
1. For 8U to 10U, the goalkeeper shall not punt nor drop kick the ball. 
2. An indirect kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the spot of the offense if a goalkeeper for 8U to 10U deliberately punts the ball during a match. 
3. An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team inside the opposing team’s goal area must be taken on the goal area line at the point nearest to where the goalkeeper punted the ball.

For Middleville AYSO this means that only 12U & 14U goalkeepers are allowed to punt/drop kick the ball.

Heading the Ball

Official AYSO Rules State:
1. Consistent with the US Soccer mandates on heading the ball, heading is banned for all division players 12U and below in both practices and matches. Heading for players in 14U is limited to a maximum of thirty (30) minutes per week with no more than 15-20 headers, per player. There is no restriction on heading in matches.
2. An indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team if a player age 10 or younger, deliberately touches the ball with his/her head during a match.
a. The indirect free kick is to be taken from the place where the player touched the ball with their head.
b. An indirect free kick awarded to the attacking team inside the opposing team’s goal area, must be taken on the goal area line at the point nearest to where the player touched the ball with their head.
3. Neither cautions nor send-offs shall be issued for persistent infringement or denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity related to the heading infractions.

For Middleville AYSO this means that only 14U players may head the ball. All forms of heading for 8U, 10U, and 12U are banned during all AYSO activities.

Throw-ins

Official AYSO Rules State:
1. For 6U, the throw-in is replaced with the pass-in. Opposing players must be at least two yards from the ball until it is kicked. 
2. For 8U, each Region shall have the discretion to use either throw-ins or pass-ins to restart play.
3. Training of throw-in technique may begin at 8U and up.

Middleville AYSO will use throw-ins for 8U and above.

Build-out Line 10U

Official AYSO Rules State:
1. The build-out line shall be placed across the field equidistant between the top of the penalty area and the halfway line.
2. The opposing team must move behind the build-out line for a goal kick or when the goalkeeper has possession.
3. The goalkeeper or the player taking the goal kick or distributing the ball from the goal area, does not have to wait for the opposing players to move behind the build-out line to put the ball into  play. When the ball is put into play from the goalkeeper or from the goal kick, it may be played on either side of the build-out  line. After the ball is put into play, the opposing team may cross the build-out line and play may resume as normal. Law 16 is not altered or modified. The ball is in play from a goal kick after the ball is kicked and leaves the penalty area.
4. The build-out line shall be used as the line to determine offside. Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the halfway line and the build-out line.

Middleville AYSO will utilize the build-out line for both 10U.

Law 16 – The Goal Kick
The ball is now in play when it is kicked and clearly moves
There is no longer a requirement for it to exit the penalty area.
Opponents must remain outside the penalty area.
Players of the team taking the goal kick may be inside the penalty area, and can play the ball once it has been put into play.

AYSO Guidance: Impact at 8U/10U with the Build-out Line
Opponents must stay behind the build-out line until the ball is put into play. Opponents can cross the build-out line when the ball is kicked and clearly moves.

Law 14 – The Penalty Kick
The goalkeeper must have at least part of one foot touching or in line with the goal line when the ball is kicked.
One step forward is now permitted, as long as one foot remains on or in line with the goal line.
If the goalkeeper jumps or dives and both feet are off the ground, at least one foot must be in line with the goal line.

Law 13 – Free kicks
On a free kick taken by the defending team inside its penalty area, the ball is now in play when it is kicked and clearly moves.
In a defensive wall of three or more players, attackers must be at least 1 yard away from the wall until the ball is in play.
Attacking team players must be at least 1 yard away from a wall of three or more in any direction, including in front of, or behind the wall.

Law 5 – The Referee
Referees can now show coaches yellow and red cards. Read more in the attached document.

Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct
Changes to the interpretation of a handball offense.
This section pertains mostly to how Referees interpret a handball, but is good knowledge for any coach to have.

Coaching Manuals

As a coach for a team in the 8U, 10U, 12U, or 14U division practice day and times are up to you. Once you have practice days and times selected you have the opportunity to input them on your team calendar. This will enable the parents on your team to view them in one place and also receive email reminders for practices as well as the game schedule.

Here are step by step instructions for adding your practices to the calendar.

Visit Team Central: https://www.middlevilleayso.org/Default.aspx?tabid=754097
Use the drop-down lists to select your Division.

Find your team on the list and click the Calendar button.

Your game schedule will be listed here once posted. You are able to add your practice times to this.
Click the Create Event button.

Select Practice then click Continue

Choose Middleville for the Location, and pick your field that you'll be using for practice.

Choose your first practice date, and time. Check the Repeat Event in order to add many practice days at once.
Choose weekly, and the days of the week, choose an end date, choose your practice duration.

Select the Team(s) associated accounts and participants check box to enable parent email reminders. Click Save.

These practices will now show on your team calendar and each parent will receive an email with the practice dates and times.

Game Cancellation Procedure

If as a coach you need to call off or reschedule a game you must follow this procedure to make sure that all parties involved are informed. We are all volunteers and would not appreciate showing up for a game that is not going to happen, especially our youth referees.

Calling off a game the day of the game

You must call Middleville AYSO at 269-804-3629 and leave a message. If you do not receive a call back within 5 minutes you must call the following numbers until you are able to speak with a person; Scheduler Sara Syswerda 616-322-3632, Coach Administrator Alisa Otto 616-914-8381, or Commissioner Mike Cramer 616-723-1873.

You must call your opposing coach and inform them.

You need to communicate to your players that you have called the game off.

Calling a game off due to weather

As a coach you have a responsibility to keep your players safe in weather. Please review our Weather Policies. The Regional Commissioner has the final say for canceling games for a whole day.
As a coach you have the authority to call off a game at or near game time if you feel your players will be unsafe. Please confer with the other coach and the referees and come to a mutual decision. If you call a game off you must follow the Game Cancellation Procedure above.

Scheduling a Make-up Game

If a game is called off it is up to the Coach to coordinate with their own team and the coach of the opposing team to schedule a make-up game.
4U Playground: You may add a week to your schedule. Friday and Saturday may be available.
5U Schoolyard: You may add a week to your schedule. Friday and Saturday is also available.
6U: Thursday, Friday, Saturday may be available.
8U: Any day of the week is available. Please no double headers.
10U, 12U, 14U: Any day of the week is available. You are welcome to turn a canceled away game into a home game as long as there is a field available.

Scheduling a Referee for a Make-up Game

8U & Up: As soon as you have a date/time/field location set for a home make-up game alert the coach admin and Referee admin. Every effort will be made to have a Referee for your game. However, if the notice is short there will be the possibility that no Referee will be available. If that happens you may ref your own game if the opposing coach agrees.

Schedule Change Notifications

Alert the scheduler ([email protected]) as soon as you have a date/time for a make-up game. The game will be updated in Sports Connect so that an email notification can be sent out to your team.