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RAINOUTS/DELAY GAMES DUE TO WEATHER

For 2026, Rainouts need to be rescheduled within 5 days among the coaches otherwise SBUSL will pick the reschedule.
All makeups must be played by 10/31.
Rainouts that occur after 10/26 that cannot be rescheduled, will be a 1-1 tie

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LEAGUE RULE REMINDERS

• Home team supplies game balls. 
• U10/D5 - 3rd/4th Grade - No slide tackling, no heading. Goalie punting allowed. No build out line rules.
• U12/D4  - 5th/6th Grade - No heading. Slide tackles allowed.
• U14/D3  - 7th/8th Grade -Heading and slide tackling allowed.
• U10, U12 & U14 will follow a single game elimination playoff format.
• In Divisions with 2 sections, winner of Blue plays winner of Red for overall Division winner.
• 4 coach per team maximum on player sideline. All divisions. Additional coaches that are on spectator sideline are reminded to refrain from coaching on-field players.
• No coaches allowed along the sideline inside the 18 yard box.
• All teams must have a minimum 2 coaches. If neither coach is available for a game, town must assign a substitute coach for game.
• No one allowed behind goals.
• All game change requests must be submitted by Town Rep no later than 5 days before game time.
• Each team gets ONE (1) game change request per season.

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Goal Differential

Taken fron SBSL Rules of Competition

1.6 Game Scores

In an effort to limit excessive scoring, any team that wins a game greater than 6 goals differential shall have the then head coach at said game suspended for one game. In addition, the winning teams score will be reported with only the 6 goal differential. A coach sacrificing a goal and scoring against their own team will still face suspension.
Added 9/25/22 - In the interest of fairness and sportsmanship. If at any time during the course of game play a team goes ahead by more than 6 goals, the then head coach of offending team shall receive a yellow card warning issued by the SBSL Board. The infraction must be reported by the referee when reporting final score.
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Game Start Minimum/Maximum On field Players During Regular Season

• U10 - 5 player minimum. 8 player maximum.
• U12 & U14 - 7 player minimum. 11 player maximum.
• Short team has 15 minute grace period from posted game start to get to minimum player number. If after grace period the minimum number of players is not achieved, game is a forfeit.
• Regular Season - If a team is playing short of the maximum allowable on field players, the opposing team will play the same amount of players.
• Playoffs - If a team is playing short of the maximum allowable on field players, the opposing team can field 1 more player than short team.

Game Start Minimum/Maximum On field Players During Playoffs

• U10 - 5 player minimum. 8 player maximum.
• U12 & U14 - 7 player minimum. 11 player maximum.
• If a team is short in the playoffs, the opponent is allowed to play 1 player advantage.
  For example on 11 v 11, if one team can only field 10, it will be 10 v 11, or 9 v10, etc
  For 8 v 8, if one team can only field 7 it will be 7 v 8 or 6 v 7, etc

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* UPDATE 10/27/23 *

To discourage and reduce the instances of fouls occurring recently, any player that is issued a yellow card

MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE GAME FOR 5 MINUTES. Another player can be substituted in for the removed player. The refs will give the okay when they can come back into the game. IF the yellow is received with less than 5 minutes left in regulation and game goes to OT, the 5 minute removal will carry over and the player, when substituted back in during overtime, WILL NOT BE PK ELIGIBLE IF THE GAME ENDS IN A TIE.

IF the yellow is received in OT…the player must sit out 5 minutes and can be subbed backs in, however they WILL NOT BE PK ELIGIBLE IF THE GAME ENDS IN A TIE.

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COACH & PARENT BEHAVIOR

Please be advised this is a ZERO-TOLERANCE League.  The referees are of all ages and many are members of the towns of SBUSL.  If you have an issue with a referee, please wait until after the game and contact your town's SBUSL Representative. DO NOT approach and argue or debate with a referee.

Poor behavior towards referees will not be tolerated.  This applies to players, coaches and parents.  A parent can be issued a red card. Any parent that is issued a card, the suspension will also be applied to the head coach of that team.

SBSL By-Law 5.2 Red Cards: Red cards that are issued by the referee can be issued to a player, coach or parent which is served by the parent and the then present head coach. The parent/spectator will serve a minimum of a 2 game suspension and the coach will serve a minimum of a 1 game suspension. Any red card suspensions means you will not be able to be at any field for the next number of games of that suspension that the team plays, including playoffs.

Following the guidance of NJ Youth Soccer, a player or coach red card will be a 3 (three) game minimum suspension. After the incident, a further investigation will be done to determine if a stronger suspension is needed by the SBUSL Rules Committee.

If a referee is put into a situation that they do not feel comfortable issuing the card at the game, the referee will write up a full report and an investigation will be done by SBUSL.  Upon completion, we will notify all parties involved of investigation and possible suspensions.

Cards can be issued post game.