Pink Turf Soccer League Rules of Play

Last updated May 11th 2023 by the Collective

Equipment

• All players must have shin guards which should be covered by socks. 

• All players must have soccer cleats. Metal studs, football and baseball cleats are prohibited.

• Jewelry is to be removed or taped/covered. Watches must be removed.Fitbits and Apple watches must be covered by a sweatband..

• Regular eyeglasses are not allowed; contact lenses or special sports spectacles must be worn during play. (In the spirit of making the league accessible and affordable, there may be some exceptions for people who need their eyeglasses to see and do not have other options. Wearing regular eyeglasses can be dangerous to the wearer and they must accept the risks of doing so.)

• Knee braces with hard plastic or metal must be covered. Every part of the brace must be covered by adequate padding and soft fabric to ensure the safety of other players in the event of a collision.

• Players cannot wear baseball caps or any other headgear with a peak that might injure another player or obscure a player’s vision. The only exception to this is goalies - with the referee’s approval, goalies may wear a hat to shield the sun. Headscarves are always permitted.

• Players must wear their PT uniform or a jersey of the same colour with their number on the back.

Player safety

• Players are prohibited from leaving their feet and going to the ground in an attempt to play the ball. This includes playing the ball from the ground even when other players are not around. Slide tackles are completely prohibited (including for goalies). Slide tackling is defined as an attempt to take the ball from another player with a sliding, foot-forward motion where the player goes to ground. Goalkeepers are permitted to go to ground in an attempt to block or capture the ball, but they must make contact with the ball first and foremost, and must not slide into attacking players. They should not lead with their feet, and must keep their cleats down.

• Under no circumstances, static or sliding, must any player lead with their cleats up as this is dangerous play and risks serious injury.

• If a player is down on the ground following a tackle, they cannot continue to play the ball. 

• Players are to play to the whistle.

• Respect the calls made by the referee on the field of play.

• Goalie contact is not allowed and contact with the goalkeeper will result in a free kick, or card, depending on the severity of the incident and repeated offenses.

• Safe play: players should be aware of their own capabilities, reaction times and strength. Pink Turf is a recreational league, and as such player safety is the first concern. No player should seek to deliberately endanger another player on the field, and accidental injury to another player may result in punishment from the league, depending on the nature of the incident. There is a wide range of player abilities and we ask that everyone apply common sense when contesting a ball.  Both players share the responsibility of being safe and not using excessive force.

• Fighting will not be tolerated and any incidents may be reviewed by the transformative and restorative justice committee and may result in removal from the league.

• Anyone who is bleeding on the field of play must remove themselves immediately from the game. The player can only return when the bleeding has stopped or the wound has been covered.

Weather

• It is the referee’s decision to cancel a game. 

• In the absence of a field closing notification, players must show up at the field. The referee shall have the sole authority to cancel the game due to weather. If a team does not show up to the field (in the expectation that the game will be canceled), they may forfeit the game.

• Rain will not prevent a game taking place unless it is accompanied by lightning, or the level of rain is such it could potentially damage the field for future weeks. Again, this is at the discretion of the referee.

At the field

• Dog owners: players and spectators are welcome to bring their dogs to games but they remain the responsibility of their owner. We ask all dog owners to ensure their dogs are safely leashed on the sidelines. 

• Alcohol policy: Due to the potential risk of losing our field permit – and therefore risking the existence of Pink Turf Soccer league – any member or guests of members found consuming alcohol or illegal substances on the field will be asked to leave the field. If the offending person does not comply then the incident will be reviewed by the arbitration committee and this may result in removal from the league and/or forfeit of the game.

• Smoking policy: As of January 1, 2015, it is illegal to smoke tobacco and/or hold lighted tobacco within 9 meters of playgrounds, play areas, sporting areas and spectator areas adjacent to sporting areas.

• Water breaks: By agreement of the Team Representatives and referees at the start of the game, 5-minute water breaks may be used within each half. Once this decision is made, only by agreement of both team representatives and the referee can the water breaks be rescinded.

Attendance

• PTSL requires a player to attend 51% of regular season games during the summer season in order to play in the playoffs. If a player misses more than 51% of games and does not abide by the attendance policy, the player will not be able to play in the playoffs and may be removed from the team.

• A minimum of seven players per team is required to play. Should a team have insufficient players at the scheduled start time, the team will be allowed an additional 15 minutes for players to take the field. If during the 15 minute period sufficient players are dressed and on the field, the match will begin and the delay time deducted equally between the halves. After 15 minutes, the team that did not have sufficient attendance will default the game and a forfeit will be recorded.

• Borrowing a player from another team is not allowed unless both teams are at the field, ready to play and a team is at risk of forfeiting. A player may only be borrowed to make seven players to avoid a forfeit and effort must be made to go through the Collective. The borrowed player must be acknowledged on the game sheet.

• If a team needs to borrow a goalkeeper, the request must go through the goalie coordinator. 

• Substitutions are to be made at the half-way line, and only after the referee has given permission. Substitutions are unlimited. 

Misconduct

• League members will not engage in any form of abuse or harassment towards players, officials, scorekeepers, or spectators. This includes the use of anti-Black,  racist language and behavior, homophobic and transphobic language on the field, on the sidelines and at Pink Turf social events. The use of profanity, obscene gestures, offensive remarks, sexual harassment, taunting or any other form of abusive behaviour is prohibited. There is zero room for hate in our community. Players will respect the decisions of the referee and will not engage in confrontational criticism.

• All red cards are automatically reviewed by the conflict resolution committee. Recurring yellow cards will also be forwarded to the conflict resolution committee for disciplinary action.

• Any questions or concerns should be brought to the attention of the Team Representative at any time. Only Team Representatives should address the referee with their concerns, either at half time or after the game.