In the interest of slowly moving in the direction of a more organized league to complement our current pickup games, we are going to run some experiments on the Tuesday Night game. Please be open-minded in trying to abide by the rules, and we welcome feedback on how we can improve them as we roll them out in February. What works we may keep and what doesn’t work we will scrap. Anything that feels like a “no brainer” will probably be carried over to pickup games on Saturday and Sunday as long as it stays in line with the spirit of the game.
If and when we add a “league” it will a) be post COVID-19 and b) probably be on a different day and not occupy our Tuesday night pickup game slot. We are just the guinea pigs.
One of the original purposes of the LVSC was to prepare our traveling team for tournaments by having regular pickup games. I feel that having some more organized games could help us when restrictions are lifted and we host a tournament or have traveling teams go to tournaments.
Team Selection
- All players must bring a white and black shirt/sweatshirt/jersey so that they can join either team.
- Teams will be drafted silently by two captains during warmup.
- Captains will be randomly selected by a LVSC board member each week.
- If people arrive after the game begins, they go to the team who would have received the next pick.
- If two players arrive at the same time, then the captain eligible for the next pick would simply say player A go white and player B go black based on their choice.
- The goal of both captains is to select a balanced team containing offensive, midfield, and defensive players.
- Selections will be done privately to avoid any hurt feelings. Nobody likes to be picked last.
Offsides
We will implement a gentleman’s rule of offsides. This is to encourage defenders to organize together and for attackers to avoid standing at the corner post repeatedly. If you are within the same 5-yard line of the defender then it will be deemed as acceptable. We do not have referees and we do not want this to slow the game down. Just be reasonable and use common sense.
Goals and Keepers
We would like to have two keepers each week to make our games more competitive. We need your help recruiting them!
- When a keeper is present, we will use the medium-sized goals with a goalkeeper.
- Error on the side of the keeper!!!
- When a keeper is not present, we will use the full-sized goals with the smaller goals inside.
- Headers Anywhere
- Shoot on the smaller goal
Other Rule Changes and Clarifications
- If we are playing without a keeper and we have large goal + small goal with headers anywhere, then a ball that is headed into the goal by the offensive player will be deemed a goal if it is deflected in any way into the goal, big or small.
- If the ball is headed by an offensive player and strikes the smaller goal post (interior goal) and bounces out then it will not count as a goal and will be treated as though the keeper “stopped” the header.
- If the ball is kicked and deflected into the bigger goal by a defensive player, it will be a corner kick.
- If the ball is kicked and deflected by either offensive or defensive player off the goal posts (big or small goal) then it is still in play and not “out of bounds” or a corner kick.
- Handball and fouls will be treated as free kicks when goalkeepers are present. There will be no penalty kicks for violations inside the box, instead we will play indirect free kick from the place.
- If you elect to kick the ball for a throw-in for sanitary reasons, do not treat the kick as a free kick or corner kick. If you can’t throw that far then you also can’t kick that far!
Score Keeping
We will keep score for the duration of the game. We will call “first to 2” at 7:45pm. This will be treated as a separate game. So, you can technically have one or two victories on the night. The overall score (prior to 7:45pm) and the second will be from the first to 2. This gives both teams a chance at the end for redemption. We have often seen one team dominate the entire game and then “lose” at the first to 2 call. No arguing over the score. We are not winning trophies or getting paid to play. This is just for fun!!!
Positions
Pick a position that suits your strengths and try to stick to it for the duration of the game. Work with your teammates to coordinate changes. Since there are no subs, you might get tired. If that happens, coordinate with a teammate to move up and you can move back or vice-versa. Don’t just drift around the field aimlessly. We want people to get comfortable playing a position.