Operating Rules

Operating-Rules – updated 09/22/2022

BURNABY THIRTY-SOMETHING WOMEN’S SOCCER LEAGUE

OPERATING RULES AND POLICIES

 Players

  1. A woman is not eligible for membership in the League if she is a playing member of any Metro Division 1-4 or equivalent league. Concurrent play in a league with rules consistent with the Burnaby Thirty-Something Women’s Soccer League is acceptable.  Acceptable leagues include, but are not limited to Classics league and indoor.
  2. Waiting lists shall be developed. Teams wishing to accept new players should draw from the waiting list according to a prospective player’s date of application.  Attempts will be made to assign new players to the team of their choice when possible.
  3. New league players must contact the Registrar before beginning practices with any team.  Any unregistered player must pay the current fee for liability insurance purposes prior to practicing with any team.
  4. Members who leave the League must return within one year or they will be placed on the waiting list unless they have made specific arrangements for their return with their team and the Registrar of the League has been notified. Special consideration will be given for injuries or maternity leave.
  5. Each player must present her current membership card to the referee prior to each game.

 Teams

  1. Each team must have a minimum of eighteen (18) players for the winter season unless special permission is granted by the Executive.  There is no minimum for the summer session.
  2. Upon formation, each team shall have not more than three players under forty (40) years of age who have been members of any Metro League or an equivalent soccer league.
  3. Each League Team is responsible to the League for the actions of its players, coaches and spectators, and is required to take all precautions necessary to prevent threats or assaults upon officials, coaches and players during or at the conclusion of matches.
  4. Each team shall ensure that all of its players wear shin guards, non-metallic studded soccer boots and proper uniforms with numbered jerseys. The numbers must be large enough to be readily identifiable by the officials.
  5. Each team is required to provide and set up a net in good condition and two coordinated corner flags for each League game.
  6. The home team must make available a game ball and ensure that the field has been properly lined.  Each visiting team must provide a back up game ball.
  7. Goalkeepers must wear colours which distinguish them from the other players and the officials.
  8. Any team wishing to change their team colours must first obtain the consent of the majority of the Executive. Consent shall not to be unreasonably withheld.  If the team colour conflicts with another existing team, the team requesting the change will be required to purchase (a sufficient number) pinnies to be worn over their numbered jerseys at all home games and may choose to have the other team wear the pinnies at all non-home games.
  9. Each team shall be responsible for its own travel arrangements and costs (including fares, hotel accommodations, meals etc. incurred while participating in any League game or tournament).
  10. Provided a player is prepared to play any position and is healthy, a team must give all players (other than the goalkeeper) an equitable amount of playing time at each game, unless a player requests less.
  11. Each team shall provide the Registrar of the League with the name of the team captain on or before June 30th of each year or such date as specified by the Board of Directors.  The Registrar is to be notified immediately of any changes in team captain.
  12. Two team representatives to the Executive will be appointed by a majority vote of the registered team members of that team. At least 1 team representative from each team is required to attend Executive Meetings on behalf of their team.
  13. The League shall forward all notices and communications to the team through the team representatives on the Executive.  If for any reason the League is unable to communicate to the team through the team representative, the League shall communicate to the team through the team captain until such time as a new representative to the Executive is appointed by the team.
  14. Failure by the team representative or captain to communicate League matters to the team shall not be deemed as failure by the League to meet notice requirements.
  15. If a matter requires a vote of the Executive, the team representative is required to inform the team members in a fair and balanced manner of the facts and background relevant to the matter and to conduct a vote of its team members.  Approval of any matter requires a majority vote of the registered team members.  In the event of an equality of votes the team representative shall abstain from voting on the matter at the Executive meeting.
  16. Any team representative bringing an issue on behalf of her team to the Executive for consideration must have the support of not less than 75% of her team.
  17. Any team wishing to stage a benefit, charity or tournament using the League name must first obtain consent from the majority of the League Executive. Consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
  18. Teams are expected to resolve their own internal problems.  However, unsportsmanlike conduct or unfair treatment that is not corrected by either an official of the team or an individual player should be brought to the League’s attention.
  19. In the case of a dispute between teams or players, legal proceedings shall be taken only as a last resort.

 League Game Rules.

  1. All games played under FIFA rules with the following amendments:
  • Sliding is forbidden, with the exception of goalies – all sliding will result in a yellow card being issued; 
  • Direct contact with, or dangerous play directed at the goalie is forbidden and will result in a yellow card being issued; and 
  • Overly aggressive play and unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
  • A player may protect her chest with her arms when defending in a penalty wall.  A player may also protect her face from the ball in all circumstances. The ball must not be directed by the arms.
  • Players may wear sleeveless jerseys.
  1. Games will be comprised of 45 minute halves unless both teams agree to a shorter term.
  2. League standings (wins or losses) will not be recorded
  3. League games shall, to the extent possible, be scheduled to ensure equality among teams with respect to playing each team, home and away games, games on grass and gravel surfaces and games at night.
  4. In the event of inclement weather, and unless notified previously by the Field coordinator, teams must attend the field scheduled for playing the game and await the decision of the referee as to the suitability of the playing field. If the referee determines that the game should not proceed, teams must not undertake any play on the field.
  5. Any team which forfeits a game without prior notice by not attending at the scheduled playing field shall be fined the referee’s fees.
  6. Any team wishing to cancel a game must notify the Referee Coordinator and the other team’s representative by telephone by noon on the day prior to the scheduled date of the game.

 Referees

  1. Referees will be assigned and paid by the League
  2. Any complaints about a referee should be reported to the Referee Coordinator.
  3. The failure of a referee to appear at the scheduled League game should be reported by the team captain to the Referee Coordinator as soon as possible.  A referee acceptable to both teams can be substituted when the scheduled referee fails to appear.  Each team should, to the extent possible, share the responsibility for refereeing.

 Equipment

  1. The League owns any nets, flags, cones, liners, and jerseys initially provided to each team.
  2. Each team must maintain a first aid kit. 
  3. All balls provided to a team by the League become team equipment upon delivery.  The League shall try to budget for the provision of one game ball to each team for the winter season.
  4. Each team will be allotted a budgeted amount annually for team equipment including first aid supplies, practice balls, goalie gloves, cones, corner flags, pinnies, mini nets and canopies. For any other items, approval must be obtained from the Board of Directors.  Each team will be reimbursed upon submission of receipts to the Board of Directors. 

Team Rosters

  1. The Registrar will issue membership cards for each person registered as soon as possible after registration.
  2. The Registrar will provide each team with a current team list indicating the names, addresses, phone numbers and jersey numbers of each registered member.  The Board of Directors will be provided with a copy of all team rosters.
  3. In the event a player has arranged with her team not to play for the summer season of any calendar year, the team captain must so notify the Registrar and that person will remain on the team roster but will not receive a membership card for the summer season.

Fees

  1. The fee schedule shall be set annually by the Board of Directors and approved by the Executive prior to Fall registration communication being distributed.
  2. Players who meet all of the conditions below may receive a prorated refund for the remaining games for the fall/winter season less an administration fee of $15:
    • The player must be unable to play the remainder of the fall/winter season due to injury or pregnancy,
    • The player must apply to the Board of Directors for a refund prior to the date of their team’s 5th scheduled game for the fall/winter season
  3. Fees for the Spring season are non-refundable.

 Team Duties

  1. Each team is required to be responsible for such duties as the Executive may determine.  The duties may consist of the following:
  • Schedule Coordinator
  • Field Coordinator
  • Referee Coordinator
  • Equipment Coordinator
  • Winter Party Coordinator
  • Website Coordinator; and 
  • Windup Coordinator

 Rovers List

  1. A team anticipating player shortages for an upcoming game may only solicit rovers in a non-preferential way. Contact with other teams or players for the purposes of getting substitute players for a league game must be done using the method agreed upon by the Board of Directors and Team Reps. The team needing players must contact all teams simultaneously to request substitutes. The borrowing team must accept the first players who offer to fill in (no private contacts, no favourites).
  2. A player from the rovers list must present her membership card to the referee prior to the commencement of any League game in order to be permitted to play in that game.

 New Teams

  1. A team can apply to the Executive to become a League Team by submitting a written application which includes the following:
  • the names, addresses, telephone numbers, birthdates, and prior soccer experience (if any) of all team members, 
  • the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the team coaches, and
  • the location and availability of their fields (if any) which could be used for the League games and practices.
  1. The President shall call a meeting of the Executive to consider the application and shall ensure that each member of the Executive is provided with a copy of the application prior to the meeting.  The application must be approved by a vote of the clear majority of the Executive and the vote duly recorded in the League’s records.
  2. No new team shall be recognized as a League team until:
    1. The new team’s application has been accepted by a clear majority of the Executive at a meeting of the Executive and 
    2. Each of the players for the new team has completed the registration forms required by the League and paid the appropriate fees.
  3. Upon an existing team ceasing to function, the Registrar, with the prior approval of the Executive, may reformulate a new team from the appropriate League waiting list.
  4. When the waiting list reaches 16 potential new players the Registrar may suggest the formulation of a new team upon the approval of a clear majority of the Executive.