Prior to game day

• Coaches must contact their opponents to verify game time, field location, and jersey colors. If jersey colors conflict, the home team must use a different color jersey or pinnie. Home coaches must notify opponents if a scheduled game is canceled per Match Rule 8. 

• Make sure your parents and players are familiar with the BAYS Zero Tolerance policy and the BAYS Rulebook.

Referee pre-game check-in – Prior to the game, the referee will check the following items:

• Goals – Both goals must be properly anchored.

• Mass Youth Credential – All Coaches/Team Officials (up to 3 allowed on the team sideline) must DISPLAY and WEAR a valid Mass Youth credential lanyard. Substitute coaches should be written on the team roster at the game.

• Player passcards/Team Photo ID Sheet(s) are NOT Required for any team during the BAYS regular season. Special requirements are in place for the BAYS MTOC. See Match Rule 5.

• Rosters – Each team must have two copies of its BAYS game roster. Before you give the rosters to the referee, please add or correct shirt numbers, cross out any missing players, and sign the form. Players not listed on the printed roster may not play; no handwritten additions are permitted.

• Player kits – All players will be checked for unsafe items. Please make sure your players are familiar with the prohibition on jewelry. See Law 4.

During the game – We want our BAYS games to be positive and enjoyable experiences for everyone. The example you set, with respect to sportsmanship, fair play, observance of our zero-tolerance rule, and enjoyment of the game, will greatly influence your players and their families.

After the game – Report scores to your Section Captain within 48 hours of the game being played. Both home and away teams should report. 

You can also file game feedback reports for referee, sportsmanship, or both referee and sportsmanship issue to share concerns or compliments directly with BAYS and Club Officials. Please keep any reports concise. To file a report (only one coach per team should report): Login and go to MY BAYS—>COACH/MANAGER—>GAME FEEDBACK. 

Questions and problems – All questions and problems regarding game postponements and rescheduling; validity of rosters; forfeits and abandoned matches; and interpretation of the Playing Rules and Regulations for BAYS Soccer Competition should be referred to the BAYS Division Director assigned to your team’s section. Division Director assignments and contact information are listed on the BAYS website. Please note that section captains have NO responsibility or authority in any of these matters; section captains are responsible ONLY for posting reported scores.

Game Rule Summary Chart For Coaches, Parents, AND Referees - Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

Back to full Current Rulebook

The BAYS League has adopted the following modifications to the IFAB Laws of the the Game listed below:

A.     For 11 v 11 Play, any field conforming to IFAB regulations may be used.

B.     For Grades 5 & 6 9v9 Play:

The ideal field size for 9v9 is 70 x 50 yards, with a 14 x 34-yard penalty area. These are not rigid requirements.

Clearly visible dots or dotted lines may be used to mark the penalty areas to avoid excessive lining and confusion on regulation fields.

Penalty kicks will be taken from a point 10 yards directly in front of the midpoint of the goal

Intermediate goals of 18 ft wide by 6 ft high are recommended, but again this is not a rigid requirement.

C.     For Grades 3 & 4 7v7 Play

The ideal field size for 7v7 is 60 x 40 yards. This is not a rigid requirement, as some organizations will, because of limited space, have to play their games across the width of regulation fields. An acceptable range for field size is 50 to 70 yards long and 30 to 45 yards wide.

Penalty kicks will be taken from a point 8 yards directly in front of the midpoint of the goal.

The penalty area should be 12 yards deep and extend 12 yards to the outside from each goalpost. A separate goal area may, but need not, be marked. Clearly visible dots or dotted lines may be used to mark the penalty areas to avoid excessive lining and confusion on regulation fields.

Downsized goals will be used which should be approximately 12 ft wide by 6 ft high.

D.    For Grade 912 7v7 Play

There are several field dimension options available for this competition:

Standard 9v9 field (see B)

Touchline to touchline on a full-size field

Penalty Area to Penalty Area on a full-size field

Other configurations may be approved by the Division Director.

E.     Use of indoor fields

BAYS regular season and postseason games may be played indoors provided that: (a) the field dimensions conform to the recommended dimensions set forth in these match rules; (b) the playing surface is synthetic turf; and (c) the playing surface is not enclosed by boards or other physical obstructions. For regular season games, the home team shall be responsible for any rental costs.

F.     Spectators and players sidelines

The referee shall have the authority to designate where each team’s coaches and substitutes shall be located and where spectators shall be located. A maximum of three team officials, each wearing a valid Mass Youth coach’s credential, may be on the team sideline at any game.

A.     Grades 9 through 12/PG (except Grade 912 7v7)  

Each team consists of 11 players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A minimum of seven qualified players must be on the field to start a game. If there are fewer than seven players on the field for a team, the game ends. (See exception for yellow-carded player in F below.)

B.     Grade 8 ONLY

Each team consists of 11 players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A minimum of seven qualified players must be on the field to start a game. If there are fewer than seven players on the field for a team, the game ends. (See exception for yellow-carded player in F below.)

C.     Grades 5 and 6  

Each team consists of 9 players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A minimum of six qualified players must be on the field to start a game. If there are fewer than six players on the field for a team, the game ends. (See exception for yellow-carded player in F below.)

D.     Grades 3 and 4  

Each team consists of 7 players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A minimum of five qualified players must be on the field to start a game. If there are fewer than five players on the field for a team, the game ends. (See exception for yellow-carded player in F below.)

E.    Grade 912 7v7  

Each team consists of 7 players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A minimum of five qualified players must be on the field to start a game. If there are fewer than five players on the field for a team, the game ends. (See exception for yellow-carded player in F below.)

F.     Substitutions

Unlimited substitutions can be made with the referee's consent prior to a throw-in, on a goal kick, after a goal, and at half time. Both teams may substitute prior to goal kicks, after a goal, and at half time. As to throw-ins, however, only the team in possession has the initial option of substituting, but if it does, the other team may also substitute. No substitution is allowed prior to a corner kick. Note: no substitution can be made without the referee's consent.

G.     Injuries

If the game is stopped to allow a substitution for an injured player, the other team may also substitute, on a one-for-one basis.   If a coach comes on the field to attend an injured player, then the injured player must come off the field.

H.     Cautioned Players

A cautioned (yellow-carded) player must leave the field immediately, and a substitute may enter with the referee's consent. If that player's team has no substitutes, his/her team will play short-handed until its next substitution opportunity. If the yellow-carded team's player strength falls below the minimum, the game will still continue.

Note: This BAYS rule for temporarily removing cautioned players is not intended to cause a game forfeit. (also noted in Law 12 C)

J.    New Substitution Rule Spring 2020

BAYS Clarification. Players shall leave the field at the nearest boundary in front of their team bench unless otherwise told by the referee.

K.    There is no requirement for a designated captain to be on the field of play or that a team captain wear a Captain’s armband. 

Player equipment must include a jersey (with a unique number at least six inches high). In a case where the visiting team and the home team have similar colored jerseys, the home team must change to a markedly different jersey color. Pinnies worn over a numbered uniform shirt are acceptable; otherwise, substitute uniform shirts must conform to the requirements for numbering. 

Players can play with an approved equipment accommodation if a current season American with Disabilities Act (ADA) waiver is granted via the BAYS waiver application process and listed on the roster.

Players with plaster/fiberglass casts or hard splints, even if padded, cannot play—even with the permission of a parent or medical approval. 

Players with orthopedic braces that have exposed or uncapped metal parts are also not allowed to play. 

IFAB mandates; “All items of jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewelry is not permitted.” - See the IFAB Laws for full requirements. 

Players with medical, religious, or cultural wearable items must have the item properly secured and protected (such as by taping down, covering, wrapping, or secured through other methods.)  Medical information displayed on an item should stay observable. - See BAYS Wearable Item Safety Policy for full requirements.

All referees and referee assignors shall be USSF certified and registered with the Mass State Referee Committee (MSRC). The Center Referee (CR) should be a minimum of two years older than the general age of the players playing the game. Referees are assigned by the local certified referee assignor for League games, except for playoff games. The referee is responsible for control of the game. The referee's decisions are final and their judgments are not protestable.

A.     Two different officiating systems operate for BAYS games:

For all 11 v 11 games and 9 v 9 games: The local certified referee assignor will assign one referee and two assistant referees; for all spring season playoff and tournament games, the Playoff Committee will assign three-official crews.

In all other regular-season games in both spring and fall: The local certified referee assignor will assign one referee and has the option to assign up to 2 (locally paid) Assistant Referees (ARs) or each team may be requested to provide a volunteer club line assistant who meets the requirements of Law 6.

B.     The BAYS online referee reporting system shall be used for all games. The referee shall report the score; any cautions, ejections, or serious injuries; and any other pertinent information. If asked, the referee should also fill out a USSF referee report when any serious or unusual incident occurs, including when any player is seriously injured. All referees are required to fill out a game report including any Zero Tolerance violations according to the Zero Tolerance Policy and the Zero Tolerance Rating Guidelines for Game Reports.

C.     In any game where players or non-players are ejected, the referee needs to detail the circumstances and individual actions fully, including the names, in the game report, which will be routed to the Ejection Director.

D.    No Show or Incapacitation of a match official.

Three person crew: If an official is delayed or becomes unable to continue, standard IFAB rules apply with no coach interaction required.

Single person crew: In the event the referee does not arrive within 15 minutes after the scheduled kickoff, both coaches should make every effort to agree on an acting referee so that the match is played and counted as an official game. If a scheduled referee does not arrive by 15 minutes past the stated game start time, he/she is not entitled to any fee, unless the acting referee, already selected and agreed upon by both coaches, relinquishes his/her whistle. The home coach must notify the referee assignor if a referee is either a no-show or tardy, so that corrective action can be taken.

1. If the referee or acting referee of a match with only one game official is forced to withdraw from the match, both teams’ coaches should make every effort to agree on an acting referee, who meets the requirements of this section, so that the match is played and counted as an official game.
2. An acting referee may be a USSF certified referee registered with Mass Ref or an adult with a valid Mass Youth coach’s credential.
3. Spectators who do not have a valid Mass Youth credential may not serve as an acting referee.
4. In the event that both coaches cannot agree on an acting referee, the game shall be postponed as if the field were unplayable. The BAYS Division Director will be notified by the coaches that the game could not be played due to a no-show referee and no suitable replacement being available.
5. The home coach is responsible for notifying the home referee assignor that an acting referee was used so that the referee assignor may remove any previously assigned referee from the game. 

Note: Some clubs have ongoing referee training programs and at times, BAYS games may be officiated by a larger than required referee crew, all of whom must be currently certified, e.g. Grade 3/4 games with assistant referees, or Mentors or Other Officials who are paid by the club.

When no assistant referees are at the field at game time, center referees may appoint line assistants. A line assistant’s role is to signal the ball “out of play” when it crosses the touchline. To serve, line assistants must be currently registered and affiliated with Mass Youth Soccer as either an adult or a player. Line assistants may not be pre-assigned and may not be paid.

See Summary Chart for duration of matches.

The referee is the official timekeeper and may add time to compensate for obvious time-wasting, prolonged injury, or time lost by excessive substitution. BAYS is not running time.

There should be a minimum 5 minute halftime interval for all matches.

In addition to the IFAB rules the following are additions:

A.     In a match designated as no heading (currently Grades 6 and younger), if in the opinion of the referee, a player deliberately heads or attempts to head the ball, an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team.

B.     Slide tackling follows IFAB rules. It is a legal move, but discouraged at the younger ages, as it is challenging for younger players to master since it is extremely difficult to do without fouling the opponent until body control is above a certain level. Often, that fouling can be quite dangerous and will draw sanctions from the referee.

C.     A cautioned (yellow-carded) player must leave the field immediately, and a substitute may enter with the referee’s consent. If that player’s team has no substitutes, his/her team will play short-handed until its next substitution opportunity. If the yellow-carded team’s player strength falls below the minimum, the game will still continue. Note: This BAYS rule for temporarily removing cautioned players is not intended to cause a game forfeit. (Also noted in Law 3 F above)

D.    In the case of a player being sent off (red carded), the player remains on the team sideline without the jersey being visible—either removed or covered with a pinnie—and may take no further part. Should the player enter the field or do anything inappropriate in the opinion of the referee, the match shall be terminated and referred to the Division Director for disposition.

E.     In the case of a team official being sent off (red carded) or spectator being asked to leave, they must remove themselves from the vicinity of the field and remain away from the field until the officials have left the field. Failure to stay away during the match shall cause the referee to terminate the match and refer to the Division Director for disposition.

F.      Coaches or other persons responsible for a team may be cautioned and shown a yellow card or dismissed and shown a red card by the referee. If a team is left without a responsible adult with a valid Mass Youth credential in charge, or if a team has more than two people ejected (sent off or dismissed) from a game, the referee will terminate the game. The referee, through the BAYS game report mechanism, reports the facts to the Division Director who decides the disposition of the game.

G.    If both teams have more than two ejections, the facts of the game should be reported promptly via the official game report which will then be directed to the Ejection Director. The Ejection Director will forward the report to the Sportsmanship Review Committee for their review and action.

According to IFAB all opponents must remain at least 10 yards away from any free kick unless they are on their own goal line. 

For BAYS small-sided Grade 3 and Grade 4 games, opponents must remain at least 8 yards away from any free kick unless they are on their own goal line.

For Grades 5 and older, the procedures are as specified by IFAB

For Grades 3 & 4

Prior to the kick being taken, all players except the goalkeeper and kicker, must retreat beyond the halfway line until the kick is taken.

For Grades 5 and older, the procedures are as specified by IFAB.

For Grades 3 & 4, the procedures are as specified by IFAB except:

A.     On a goal kick, the team not in possession shall withdraw to its defensive half of the field and may not enter its offensive half of the field until the ball is kicked and moved. Should the team in possession put the ball in play before the opposing players have taken position in their defensive half, play will continue.

B.     On a goal kick, or on a goalkeeper save, followed by a throw-out, punt, or drop kick, the ball must touch the ground in the defensive side of the halfway line, or be touched by any player in the defensive half of the field. Infringement of this rule will result in a turnover of the ball to the other team. Play shall restart with an indirect free kick at the halfway line nearest the spot where the ball crossed the halfway line.

Credentials

For both Spring and Fall seasons, any person who will be responsible for the team at a game, including the coach, or other person acting as a substitute in charge of the team, must have a valid Mass Youth credential. Substitute coaches need not be listed on an approved club roster to be on the club player’s sideline. The substitute coach must write in their name on the roster given to both the referee and the opposing coach. Such a person must be at least 18 years old and two years older than the age limit of the team. If at any time during the game, a team does not have a responsible adult with their Mass Youth Credential with them on the sideline, then the referee shall terminate  the game, and that team shall forfeit the game.

All team officials on the team sideline during the game must display by wearing their credential during the game and show to the referee a valid Mass Youth Soccer credential with the current soccer year prior to the game. There is a maximum limit of three team officials with the team on the sideline. Credentialed coaches younger than 18 years old cannot be the only coach with the team during a game.

Responsibility for Teams

At each game, each team must have a qualified responsible adult present who must be at least 18 years old and two years older than the age limit of the team, and who can be a coach, or someone designated to substitute for them, and whose responsibilities shall include maintaining control and discipline over the team and its spectators. The responsible person must display by wearing their valid credential during the game and present their Mass Youth Credential with the current soccer year to the referee before the game commences. An Electronic version of the Mass Youth Soccer credential is not acceptable.

It shall be the sponsoring soccer organization’s responsibility to ensure that it selects coaches who are not only qualified to coach, but who are also able to promote the highest levels of good sportsmanship and are able to maintain proper control and discipline of the team and its spectators.

Game Rosters

Coaches must provide two paper copies of their BAYS roster, exactly as it was submitted to and approved by their Division Director, to the referee for all games in both fall and spring seasons. Any players not participating in that game must be crossed off the roster. Unique uniform numbers are required and must be either printed or written on the Game Roster. The coach submitting the roster is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the uniform numbers and may correct or fill them in prior to handing it to the referee at each game. The referee must verify that the BAYS roster accurately lists the players and their uniform numbers.  Players not printed on the roster may not play.

If within 15 minutes of the scheduled start a team does not have a roster, an official game cannot be started and played. The Division Director should assign a forfeit. Each coach shall be given a copy of the opponent’s roster. If a team only brings one copy of its roster, the opposing coach is given the option of reviewing and recording the referee’s roster  or may waive this requirement.

The eligibility of players printed on the roster is not subject to review by the referee. Questions concerning player eligibility (grade, age, residency, dual rostering, etc.) should be referred by the opposing coach to the Division Director or BAYS Registrar.

Reporting Scores 

It is the responsibility of both home and visiting team coaches to email or phone the results of a game to their section captain within 48 hours after the game.

Honor System 

In all dealings among players, coaches, referees, and administrators, BAYS relies on the honesty and integrity of each participant. The Sportsmanship Review Committee, at its discretion, will review reported breaches of this honor system and is empowered to take appropriate corrective measures.

In particular, the honor system is used in establishing the eligibility of players. It is the final responsibility of the coach or person responsible for the team at a game to ensure that all players are qualified according to the BAYS bylaws, policies, and all rules.

A.     All teams: the following applies to all BAYS teams for Spring and Fall:

1. Roster forms must include the following required information: 

• Identification as a BAYS League Roster

  • League: BAYS or Boston Area Youth Soccer. 

  • Alternatively, “BAYS Roster” or ”Boston Area Youth Soccer Roster” may be in the heading of the roster.

  • BAYS Logo may be near the top of the roster

• Town Organization (Club Name)

• Team Name; Should be a close match to the team name on BAYS Website 

• Team Numeric ID which must exactly agree with the team listing on the BAYS Website

• Gender; Grade Group; Division; Section; [must match the team listing on the BAYS website and not be blank.] Combinations are permissible (e.g. Div/Sec 1A or Div 1; Sec A)

• Roster Date: the date the roster was generated or modified.

• An adult Head Coach's name must be listed on the roster. Optionally (though not required) their contact information, e.g., email address, phone #, etc may be listed. The head coach's name on the roster must be recognizable as a match to the head coach’s name listed on the BAYS website.  Club Coaches and Registrars need to refer to the Coach/Manager Website Information Policy.  Additional coaches may be listed on the roster, or on the website, but do not need to match.   

• The name of a minor under 18 may be listed as an assistant coach on a roster but may not have their contact information (email or phone) listed. 

• The following columns must be present in the list of players: 

  • Jersey number column (preprinted number should be included) 

  • Last name; First Name (player list must be sorted alphabetically by last name then first name) 

  • Year of birth 

  • Grade 

  • Town of residence 

  • Waiver number, if needed 

  • Other columns are optional, if within the guidelines of the Mass Youth Soccer and US Soccer policy ( Mass Youth Soccer Athlete and Participant Safety Policy) and at the club’s discretion. 

  • No player phone numbers are allowed on rosters. 

• Coach Certification Block with space for the coach to sign at  the match.

• Club Certification noting that the club abides by the rules with a space for the typed name of the club officer (usually Club Registrar)and optionally a space for the officer’s signature.

Coach Certification must include the attestation that the coach knows the competition rules and the penalty for non-compliance.  This must be signed at game time by the responsible adult or coach.  The Town/Club Compliance is normally completed by the Registrar but may be another officer that attests the club is properly affiliated with Mass Youth and the players and adults meet all eligibility requirements.

Examples of these certifications are below:

Coach Certification

I certify that I will comply with BAYS Bylaws, playing rules, and Coach's Code of Conduct and know the penalties for non-compliance.

Coach's Signature______________________

Club Certification

All players and coaches/managers meet the Mass Youth and BAYS eligibility requirements for affiliation, playing age, and other items as applicable and that the town/club itself is properly affiliated.

Registrar's Name: XXX

Registrar's Signature______________________

Different Forms may be substituted so long as all the required information, game and referee reporting blanks, statements with signatures, and so forth are provided in a format similar to the BAYS roster/game form. Handwritten insertions are not permitted. Exceptions:The Coach’s signature is not initially required on the form. Handwritten corrections to uniform numbers (which should be preprinted) are allowed on the roster supplied to the referee and verified by them at the field. All player information must be listed. The coach’s signature on the BAYS roster/game form certifies that the coach has read and agrees to follow the rulebook. The name of the club registrar, or of another officer designated by the club, must be printed or typed on the roster, signifying that the club, through birth certificates or other such documentation, has determined that those players are eligible. (Eligibility includes grade, age, residency, and affiliation issues.) Players who are not participating in the match may also be lined out by hand.

2.      Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions: There will be separate boys’ and girls’ divisions. A team that has both boys and girls on its roster shall play in the boys’ division. Refer to the BAYS Policy on Gender Identity for teams with transgendered players.

3.      Roster changes are requested by following the same procedure and satisfying the same requirements as for the original roster. No added player may play in a match until the new roster is approved in the Roster Management system by the Division Director.

4.      Dual rostering: No youth may be listed on the roster of more than one BAYS team at any one time during the season. If a player is detected listed on a second BAYS team official roster, the matter shall be referred to the BAYS Sportsmanship Review Committee. BAYS teams and players are also subject to any current Mass Youth Soccer restrictions on playing in more than one league at any one time.

1. Guest Players playing on a team other than their official team for a specific game under the BAYS Guest Player Policy is allowed.

B.     Mass Tournament of Champions (MTOC) Submission: All MTOC teams in the spring must prepare a BAYS roster form which must be submitted online through the Roster Management system for the BAYS registrar to review and stamp. Once an MTOC roster has been stamped it will be routed through the Roster Management system to the appropriate BAYS Division Director for final approval.

C.     MTOC Eligible Roster Changes: The BAYS Registrar will annually publish the deadline for making roster changes to MTOC rosters during the spring season. Roster changes for MTOC teams are requested by following the same procedure and satisfying the same requirements as for the original roster. Once a player is removed from the MTOC roster, the player is ineligible to return to that roster without a majority vote of the Placement Committee. No added player may play until a copy of the updated and stamped roster is approved in the Roster Management system by the Division Director.

D.     Movement into MTOC eligible section in the Spring: If BAYS requests a non-MTOC eligible team to move into an MTOC-eligible section during the spring season then:

1. That team is ineligible for the BAYS post-season playoffs and MTOC.     

2. Any players who received a waiver under Match Rule 4 may remain on the team.

3. The team will be subject to the roster size rules applicable to non-MTOC eligible teams under Match Rule 4. (Including players having a roster size waiver granted by the Waivers Committee for the additional players) but will not be subject to the team roster size rules for MTOC eligible teams in Match Rule 4.

4. A revised Roster will need to be submitted through the Roster Management system to the BAYS Registrar for validation prior to the first game played in the new section. 

5. The team remains eligible for any other BAYS Competition they have entered (e.g., Presidents’ Cup) and are not subject to any new restrictions due to the move.

6. All games against all teams in the new section will count in the standings unless the timing of the move does not permit an equal number of games to be played against all opponents in the new section in which case the First Vice President will determine (in advance of the move) which games will count in the standings.

E.     Non-MTOC Eligible Roster Changes: Non-MTOC team roster changes may be made at any time, although the local club may place any restrictions it deems appropriate, such as drops. No added player may play until the Division Director has approved an updated roster in the Roster Management system.

F.    Players’ rights with respect to roster changes: Once a player has been listed on a roster filed in the Roster Management system for a BAYS Division Director’s review, the player is entitled to remain on that roster for the remainder of the current playing season. Clubs may make involuntary transfers or drops only in cases involving poor attendance, disciplinary problems, or safety issues. Players may appeal such actions to the BAYS protest board, which shall review whether the club had a reasonable basis for its decision.

G.    BAYS 11 v 11

1. MTOC eligible teams playing in Grade 8 MTOC eligible divisions and older are limited to 22 players. Requests to permit the rostering of each player over the 22 player limit should be individually submitted through the online Waiver Application for determination by the Waivers Committee. Please See Match Rule 4.

2. Non-MTOC eligible teams are limited to 22 players. Requests to permit the rostering of players over the limit should be individually submitted through the online Waiver Application for determination by the Waivers Committee. Please See Match Rule 4.

H.    BAYS 9 v 9: In addition to (or in modification of) the regular playing rules of soccer, the following special rules for BAYS 9v9 divisions shall apply:

1.  MTOC eligible teams playing in Grade 6 MTOC eligible divisions are limited to 18 players. Requests to permit the rostering of each player over the 18 player limit should be individually submitted through the online Waiver Application for determination by the Waivers Committee. Please See Match Rule 4.

2.  For non-MTOC eligible teams: there is no limit on the number of players allowed on a 9v9 team. BAYS, however, strongly encourages limiting rosters to 14 to 16 players so that a reasonable amount of playing time will be available for each player.

I.      BAYS 7 v 7: In addition to (or in modification of) the regular playing rules of soccer, the following special rules for BAYS 7v7 divisions shall apply:

1.  Roster: There is no limit on the number of players allowed on a 7v7 team. BAYS, however, strongly encourages limiting rosters to 11 or 12 players so that a reasonable amount of playing time will be available for each player. 

J.      BAYS Grade 912 7 v 7: In addition to (or in modification of) the regular playing rules of soccer, the following special rules for BAYS Grade 912 7v7 divisions shall apply:

1. Roster: There is no limit on the number of players allowed on a 7v7 Grade 912. BAYS, however, strongly encourages limiting rosters to 12 to 14 players so that a reasonable amount of playing time will be available for each player.

The BAYS grade/age groups shall be as follows:

                  *As an Adult, any athlete who is "18 or older "or turns 18 during the current playing season and playing with players "17 or younger" must follow the SafeSport and U.S. Soccer Adult Athlete Requirement    https://mayouthsoccer.org/risk-manager-information/ and scroll down for Adult Athlete

** On 11 v 11 Grade 12/PG teams, there is a roster limit of 4 players who are post High School.
 *** Players must be in Grade 3 and born no more than 2 years after the stated 3rd Grade birth year.  Players in grade 2 or lower cannot play in BAYS.  

+ An officer of a club where a  player, who is in a non-results oriented Grade,  currently Grades 3 and 4, and is placed to play  up into a results oriented Grade, currently Grades 5 and higher, must notify the BAYS Registrar to be in compliance with our BAYS Playing Up Policy https://bays.org/content/playing .

Homeschooled children may play with their calendar year peers without a grade restriction.

In compliance with US Youth Soccer and Mass Youth Soccer requirements, no exceptions will be approved to permit players older than the specified age to play in any grade/age group except those mentioned in Match Rule 4 Player Waivers Eligibility.

All Waivers Committee decisions may be appealed at no cost to the BAYS Executive Committee. A further appeal of the Executive Committee decision may only be appealed to the BAYS Board of Directors per Match Rule 13 Appeals Policy.

All requests for waivers must be submitted by the Club Registrar or President through the Waiver Application system on the BAYS website.

The following are the current waivers in place for players to play in BAYS at the Grade levels noted in the above BAYS Grade/Age Group Chart.

1. Grade/Age Group Waiver
   
   1. An age exception may be granted under Match Rule 4 paragraph 3 (ADA waivers).
   2. Deleted
   3. Older Player Playing with Classmates: Players who are born in the year previous to the grade/age group limit for their current school year classmates may apply for a discretionary waiver from the Waivers Committee to play on a non-MTOC eligible team in that lower BAYS Grade/Age group.
   4. Older Player Playing with Classmates on an MTOC eligible team: Players who are born in the year previous to the grade/age group limit for their current school year classmates may apply for a discretionary waiver from the Waivers Committee to play on an MTOC eligible team in Grades 6 and 8 in the Fall and Spring seasons and MTOC eligible High School teams in the Spring season. Waivers to this requirement for Grade 6 and Grade 8 Division 1 and Division 2 teams should be submitted prior to August 15 before the fall season in question, and for all  Grade 6 and 8 MTOC teams prior to March 1, and Grade 10 MTOC teams prior to April 1 before the spring season. 

Any BAYS approved Older Player MTOC eligible waiver request for an MTOC eligible team must also be submitted to the Mass Youth Soccer Leagues Committee (LC)  by BAYS for their approval to play on an MTOC eligible team. BAYS will manage this added approval process. The player may not play on a MTOC eligible team in the Spring until the LC approval has been received. A team is MTOC ineligible if  a player on the team is not approved by the LC.

2. Residency Waiver

The primary intent of the BAYS league is to provide inter-town competition; the primary requirement for team play at all levels is town residency.

1. For all divisions – There are two types of residency waivers that may be requested: (1) automatic waivers and (2) discretionary waivers.
   1. Automatic Waivers: Waivers that satisfy any of the following guidelines will automatically be granted.
      
      1. A player who lives in town A and attends school in town B may play for either town. Players who live in town A and attend school in town B may continue to play for town B indefinitely, provided that:
         
         1. the player played for town B for at least two of three consecutive soccer years by virtue of attending school in town B; and
         2. the player continues to play for town B. Once the player plays for a town soccer program other than town B, he or she may no longer play for town B under this waiver provision.
      2. A player who moves from town A to town B and has played as a resident for town A for at least two of the previous three soccer years may play for either town. Such previous play need not have been in BAYS. If a player who has moved from town A to town B meets the initial requirements of this waiver provision, he or she may continue to play for town A indefinitely, provided that he or she does not play for any other town soccer program. Once the player plays for a town other than town A, that player may no longer play for town A under this waiver provision.
      3. A player who has parents living in different towns may play for either town.
      4. A player residing in a town but having a mailing address in another town must play for the town of residence while listing the mailing address/town on the roster, unless covered by another rule.
   2. Discretionary Waivers: Residency waivers that satisfy either of the following guidelines will be granted at the discretion of the Waivers Committee.
      
      1. A player who lives in a town that has no team or no opening on a team at the player's grade/age level may play on an appropriate team in an adjacent town, provided that the player has made a timely, good faith effort to try out for such an opening on their own town’s team.
      2. Adjacent towns which have an insufficient number of players to form two full teams at a grade/age level may combine players to form a team, which would be placed in an appropriately competitive division with waivers for the players from the non-sponsoring club.
      3. Residency hardship discretionary waiver. In the event of unusual player hardship to play in the town of residence, the Waivers  Committee may, in its sole discretion with a two-thirds vote in the affirmative, grant a seasonal year waiver that allows a player to play with a team in a BAYS program in order to avoid or diminish that hardship. Any subsequent renewal of the waiver will require a three-quarters vote in the affirmative of the Waivers Committee.

         The waiver application needs to include: 

         1. The nature and extent of the hardship if the player were to be required to play with their town of residence;
         2. The efforts made by the player to avoid or reduce that hardship so the player could play on a team from the town of residence;
         3. How the hardship would be avoided or diminished if the player is allowed to play with a team from the requesting town;
         4. Why this option was chosen and what other options within BAYS were available and not chosen;
         5. Review of the player's recent playing history an assessment of the player's effect on team competitiveness; and
         6. Town of residence response to the waiver request.

2. For division 1: An additional residency waiver consideration: The Waivers Committee may approve residency waivers for the purpose of providing broader access to competition in division one. A request for such a waiver shall include a written justification. The Committee shall review each such submission and inform the organization concerned of the action taken. In acting on such submissions, the Committee shall be guided by the following fundamental principles:

• Division 1, like all BAYS divisions, should be evenly competitive and in the spirit of inter-town competition.
• Players have a right to competition at the highest level their capabilities will allow. A factor in the decision is play in an Open League (non-town based) and considering the Division level of play within these Open Leagues to be comparable or better than a BAYS Division 1 level of competition, this will generally be considered in satisfying this requirement. 
• A player who has access to division 1 play in their town of residency should not be considered for such play in another town (except as already provided in Section A of this Match Rule 4.

3. Requests for all residency waivers must be submitted by a club official in accordance with instructions posted each season on the BAYS website. Players for whom a residency waiver is requested may not be rostered nor play until the club receives notification of the waiver approval. The approved waiver number must be included on the player’s row on the roster submission.
4. Organizations that represent two adjacent towns associated in a regional school district shall be considered as town organizations for purposes of these Match Rules and shall have the same rights as organizations representing a single town.
5. Any waiver granted for the Fall season shall also be valid for the next Spring season provided that the conditions justifying the waiver have not changed. All waivers expire at the end of each spring season.
6. Deleted
7. Additional requirements may apply to players who live outside of the BAYS geographic area, who live outside of Massachusetts, or who were born in a foreign country. These requirements are established by the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association and the United States Youth Soccer Association. Clubs should consult the information posted on the BAYS website or contact the BAYS Registrar for assistance before rostering any players in these categories.  ALL Mass resident  players who reside outside of towns that have a BAYS club, must complete an Inter-League waiver process.  This includes all age groups and divisions.

3. Americans with Disabilities Act Waiver

This establishes a procedure for considering requests from persons with disabilities recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)::

1. Any request for accommodation under the ADA must first be presented to the individual’s member club soccer organization for action. The club organization must act on the matter within 30 days; if the club decides to request an ADA waiver from BAYS, the appropriate club official should submit the request through the Waiver Application system with all required documentation provided as directed. If the club fails to act within 30 days, then the individual may proceed directly to contact BAYS at [email protected]. Required documentation for any ADA waiver shall include:

1. A statement of the nature of the disability, certified by a physician.

2. A statement of the accommodation requested by the soccer player.

3. A summary of the actions taken by the club soccer organization to accommodate the player, along with an explanation of why those attempts have been deemed unsatisfactory by the club or the player, or why the attempted accommodation requires BAYS action.

4. A recommendation from the club as to the specific action requested by BAYS. This requirement shall not apply where the club has failed to act.

Upon receipt of a request for a waiver of BAYS rules or other accommodation, the Waiver Director shall review it for completeness and, if it is complete, shall forward the request to the BAYS Waivers Committee, which shall evaluate the request and respond through a waiver director via the waiver application system" to the club, or where there has been an appeal from an individual that was rejected by his hometown club, the Waiver Chair will respond to the individual with a copy to the home club subject to the following conditions:

1. The Committee shall have the authority to seek further information from the player's family, the club, and competent experts to help evaluate the request. The Committee shall consider whether it seems more likely than not that the request bears a logical relationship to the disability, that it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program being offered by BAYS, and that it does not present any undue risk of harm to any participant.  Any approved ADA waiver request involving an MTOC eligible team in the Spring season must also be submitted to the Mass Youth Soccer Leagues Committee to be MTOC eligible.

2. If the Waiver Director determines that a request is incomplete, it shall be returned to the appropriate club official or in case of an appeal from an individual where the club has rejected his request to be amended or revised as necessary for resubmission.

3. Waivers granted under this procedure shall be publicized under normal BAYS procedures.

4. Roster Size Waiver

Both non-MTOC and MTOC teams may have an oversized roster through a waiver system where the increased number of players on a roster is allowed under the following conditions. These conditions may also determine the team’s status for MTOC eligibility.

1. 11 v 11 MTOC eligible teams are limited to 22 players. Waivers to this requirement for Grade 8 should be submitted prior to March 1 and waivers for High School grade teams should be submitted prior to April 1 before the spring season in question or August 15 for all before the fall season in question. If a waiver is granted in the spring season, the team will be ineligible for MTOC play, but must still meet all other registration requirements for MTOC teams. The Waivers Committee may at their discretion consider a request submitted after the deadline. If the club does have other teams in non-MTOC eligible divisions of the same grade/age group where players could be accommodated, the waiver request must state why the oversize roster is a preferred option. Granting a waiver for the fall season does not imply the waiver will continue to the spring season. It must be applied for each season desired.
2. 11 v 11 Non-MTOC eligible teams are limited to 22 players. Waiver applications to permit rostering more than 22 players should be submitted to the Waivers Committee for determination.
3. 9v9 MTOC eligible teams are limited to 18 players. Waivers to this requirement for Grade 6 teams should be submitted prior to March 1 before the spring season in question or August 15 before the fall season in question. If a waiver is granted in the spring season, the team will be ineligible for MTOC play, but must still meet all other registration requirements for MTOC teams. The Waivers Committee may at their discretion consider a request submitted after the deadline. If the club does have other teams in non-MTOC eligible divisions of the same grade/age group where players could be accommodated, the waiver request must state why the oversize roster is a preferred option. Granting a waiver for the fall season does not imply the waiver will continue to the spring season. It must be applied for each season desired.

Player Picture IDs, approved by the League Registrar, are required in the Spring season only for teams participating at MTOC. Click for instructions from the League Registrar: MTOC Player ID. Teams/clubs are free to use whichever approved documents meet their process.

MTOC Team Considerations are published on the BAYS website and updated annually by the League Registrar. 

To be clear, no Player Picture IDs are required of teams at this time to play in either BAYS regular or playoff games. They are only required at MTOC.

Affiliation: All players and all persons who may be designated as responsible for a team, including coaches and anyone substituting for them, must be currently affiliated with Mass Youth Soccer. This initial affiliation must be done before a team may play in BAYS. By no later than the Monday before the season begins, the BAYS Registrar will determine from Mass Youth Soccer if any BAYS clubs are not affiliated with Mass Youth Soccer and will immediately notify the club(s) that have not affiliated. That notification will be by email or phone and will include an explicit warning that no team of that club may play until the club is affiliated, and all scheduled games of that club will be deemed forfeited until the club is affiliated. BAYS will impose on the club a $25 fine for each game so forfeited.

The sponsoring organization is responsible for validating date of birth for all players through review of appropriate documentation and retaining the parental agreement (electronic acceptance) of permission to treat and Mass Youth required Electronic License Agreements (ELA) which include waivers, releases, and disclosures. Teams and sponsoring organizations shall be responsible for complying with the Mass Youth Soccer registration requirements, including but not limited to Affiliation, Leadership Reports, and risk management laws and policies.

Whenever a BAYS game is started but not completed for any reason, the referee does not have the authority to determine the result of the game. Instead, the referee must include in his/her game report the circumstances that caused the game to be stopped (abandoned, terminated, or suspended), including the time in the game that it was stopped and the score at that time. Except in the case of excess red cards awarded to both teams that must be referred to the Sportsmanship Review Committee, the Division Director will decide the outcome of the game from the available choices:

●       The results will stand as final

●       The game will be completely replayed during the normal make-up time window

●       Double Forfeit

●       Single Forfeit

●       No Game (the game will not be made up nor forfeited and will not count in standings).

Decisions by the Division Director may be reviewed by the Grade Director upon request of one of the involved clubs. The BAYS Grade Director’s decision is final within BAYS. 

If a team is left without a responsible adult who has a valid Mass Youth credential in charge, or if a team has more than two people ejected from a game, the referee will terminate the game and that team will forfeit. If both teams have more than two ejections, the outcome of the game will be determined by the Sportsmanship Review Committee.

Game Days & Times

The BAYS Board of Directors may seasonally alter the playing times for each grade/age group, and the Scheduler will provide this information in the registration materials for the upcoming season.

If BAYS announces time extensions for rescheduling games, which frequently happens for wet Spring seasons, such extensions shall supersede the Rescheduling Game Chart timeframes.

Saturday matches for girls shall kick off between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM while matches for boys shall kick off between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Sunday matches for girls and boys shall kick off between 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM.   (See Game Reschedules #4 below)

Section Administration and Oversight

Each season, the BAYS President will appoint Grade Directors for all grade groups. The Grade Director shall oversee and assist the Division Directors in the management of their playing divisions.   The Grade Director is responsible for approving or rejecting any team swaps proposed within their grade group. 

The Grade Director has access to the scoring pad and the rosters of their Grade group in order to oversee and assist the Division Director, as needed, in addressing their responsibilities, including the final disposition of games. 

If needed, the Grade Director may seek input from members of the BAYS Executive Committee prior to making decisions, but the decision of a BAYS Grade Director is final. 

Playing the Schedule 

All teams must play each game as scheduled or properly rescheduled. The team(s) responsible for the match not being played within the stated time frame may be assessed a forfeit by the Division Director.
See Match Rule (MR) 16.

Starting the Game

In order to start an official game BAYS provides a 15-minute window for the following to be met:

• The assigned referee arrives, or after the 15 minutes are up, the coaches may appoint an acting referee per LAW 5
• Each team needs at a minimum, one adult wearing their credential to oversee each team (Match Rule 1).   
• Both teams provide an official hard copy roster to the referee (Match Rule 1) . A friendly can be played if the two rosters are not provided.
• The minimum number of players for each team are present  (LAW 3).

An official game may kick off after the 15 minute allowance, if all of the above criteria are met within the 15 minute window, or start late for weather issues. The Center Referee shall adjust the game time to two equal halves, so that the game ends prior to the start of the next scheduled game on the assigned field.

Calculation of Standings

The standings of teams in each section will be determined on points awarded as follows:

BAYS would like to see goal differentials of no more than +5. Placement is an inexact science, and some teams are misplaced. If you find yourself opposing one of these teams then you should show sportsmanship and keep the score to a goal differential of 5. BAYS starts to deduct points from a win when the goal differential is 8.  The standing of teams in each section will be determined on points awarded as follows:

Points are given only for those games played that count in the standings. A game with a No Game status does not affect the point total. For example, there are games in a double 5 schedule as well as some other schedules that do not count in the standings. These non-counting games are not included in the point total.

Adjustments Due to Swaps and Schedule

Adjustments may be made in the Spring season to try and balance the competition between teams, when it is noted that teams were misplaced during Placement. In the Spring MTOC sections this may affect the outcome of the final standings,

Some circumstances occur during the spring season that may result in changes in how standings and playoff eligibility are determined for MTOC eligible teams. For example: a section swap that happens on any week other than Week 6, a team dropping out, or the need during placement to use a non-equal section configuration.

If an adjustment to an MTOC section’s standings calculation is needed to determine BAYS Playoff seeding, the BAYS First Vice President shall decide which games in the section should be deemed non-counting games. All non-counting games should still be played. If an MTOC-eligible team forfeits a non-counting game, although the loss resulting from the forfeit does not count in standings, the -1 standing point resulting from the forfeit still applies.

All references to season week numbers refer to the 10-week BAYS schedule–even for grades above Grade 8, which play a different schedule.

RESCHEDULING GAMES CHART**

Rescheduling Games Process:

Division Director Notification Requirements:

Coaches must notify their assigned Division Director in writing prior to game day with the rationale for why a game cannot be played as scheduled. Written notification may be made by email or by text. Division Director’s contact information can be found by clicking on a team’s assigned Section to link to the Section Information page.

A section captain has no authority to approve any change in the schedule of games.

Opponent/Club Notification Requirements: See below.

Game Reschedule Types:

It is the policy of BAYS that teams should make every effort to play games on or before the scheduled date. Agreements between coaches to postpone a game are strongly discouraged. 

Forfeits and fines may apply to unplayed games. See MR 16.

Allowable Reschedule Reasons: See Notification Requirements below for all situations.

1. Mutually Agreed Upon Preponement: Any game can be pre-played prior to the original scheduled date if both coaches agree. 

2. Unilateral Reschedules: Only games for the listed reasons can be unilaterally rescheduled. 

All unilaterally rescheduled games must still be played within the Rescheduling Games Chart timeframes.

1. Religious Holidays: From time to time, the BAYS spring or fall game schedule conflicts with the observance of a religious holiday. Longstanding BAYS policy is to allow any coach or member organization the option of unilaterally deciding to reschedule the game when such a religious conflict exists. All BAYS coaches and BAYS member town clubs are expected to cooperate in assuring that players and their families are able to choose freely and without pressure between religious holidays and participating in BAYS activities. It is expected that a player who chooses to observe a religious holiday in lieu of playing soccer will not jeopardize their playing time or position on the team in future games as a result of such a choice. See Notification Requirements below.

2. Three-Day Holiday Weekends: A team may elect to unilaterally reschedule its regularly scheduled game for these listed weekends: 

   1. Columbus Day Weekend: Notification required by September 15 - See Notification Requirements below.

   2. Memorial Day Weekend: Notification required by May 1 - See Notification Requirements below.

3. Field scheduling conflict: If it is known in advance that a game cannot be played as originally scheduled because of a valid field scheduling conflict, special requirements are in place.

   1. The visiting team must be offered a chance to host the game at its own field on the scheduled date, at a different time if needed. It is expected that if such a site location swap occurs, and if the two teams play another game that season, they will try to play the second game at the field of the team that did not play at home in the first game. In other words, each team should play one game at home and one away. The home Referee Assignor should be contacted to process the Location Swap.

   2. If the away team cannot host the game, teams must work together to reschedule the game within the allowable time frame. See Rescheduling Games Chart above.

4. Scheduled School: Towns may have to adjust their scheduled mandatory school days due to inclement weather (snow days), teacher strikes, or other unforeseen reasons. When this leads to a conflict with BAYS regularly scheduled season games, the affected club/teams are allowed to elect to reschedule those games unilaterally.

5. City of Boston Tournament Conflict: A team from a BAYS soccer organization based in the City of Boston may elect to unilaterally reschedule its regularly scheduled BAYS game on either day of the Boston Mayor’s Cup tournament. This is to allow Boston teams to participate fully in the Boston Mayor’s Cup without having to choose between those games and BAYS games. 

   1. Notification required by October 15 - See Notification Requirements below.

3. Unplayable Field: The determination that a field is unplayable is not the decision of the home team coach. A designated official of the home team’s sponsoring organization must make the decision. Referees or coaches cannot declare a field playable that an organization has declared unplayable.

   1. If a field is declared unplayable before or on the day of the game, the home team coach shall notify the away team by 7:00 am on the day of the game (for morning games), or by 10:00 am (for afternoon games).

   2. In situations where field conditions deteriorate before or during a game, the referee has final authority to declare a field unplayable at any point. The referee is required to file a game report detailing the circumstances and the Division Director will follow the Guidelines for Terminated and Abandoned Matches to determine the game outcome and next steps.

4. Game Scheduled Outside of BAYS Game Schedule Windows: For Saturday game times, matches for girls shall kick off between 8:30 AM and 1:00 PM while matches for boys shall kick off between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM. For Sunday game times, matches for girls and boys shall kick off between 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM. If a scheduled game falls outside of these parameters and is not acceptable to the opponent, the Division Director should be consulted as early as possible and is responsible for resolving the dispute.

   1. The visiting team must be offered a chance to host the game at its own field on the scheduled date, at a time within the standard game window. It is expected that if such a site location swap occurs, and if the two teams play another game that season, they will try to play the second game at the field of the team that did not play at home in the first game. In other words, each team should play one game at home and one away. The home Referee Assignor should be contacted to process the Location Swap.

   2. If the away team cannot host the game, teams must work together to reschedule the game within the allowable time frame. See Rescheduling Games Chart above.

5. Games Not Played For Other Reasons: Agreements by coaches to postpone a game are strongly discouraged. Missing some players is not a reason to cancel. If enough players remain to field a team, play the game as scheduled. See Law 3.

   1. If a game is not played on its scheduled date for a reason not cited above including a field conflict, an unplayable field, or a holiday, it must be rescheduled within the timeframes listed in the Rescheduling Games Chart. 

Rescheduled Games Process

Both team coaches must provide at least three possible dates/times to their opponents. If a mutually agreed upon date/time within the specified timeframe cannot be determined, the Division Director will make a determination on the reschedule game date from the feasible dates/times provided or assign forfeits as needed.

If the rescheduled game does not get played within the allowed time frame, the Division Director shall assess a double forfeit at the end of that time. If the Division Director determines that one of the teams was ready to play on the originally scheduled date, the Division Director has the discretion to assess a single forfeit instead of a double forfeit.

Once rescheduled with the notification/agreement of the Division Director, a makeup game becomes a scheduled game and must be played as rescheduled.

• A rescheduled game may be further rescheduled if, on the originally rescheduled date, there is a field scheduling conflict or unplayable field.

• If a rescheduled game is not played as rescheduled and a dispute arises as to which team is responsible for the games not being played then, the Division Director may award either a single or double forfeit, depending on the facts available to the Division Director, or declare a No Game.

Opponent/Club Notification Requirements:

Before Day of Game:

Coaches must proactively confirm with each other upcoming game dates/times/fields by no later than Wednesday prior to a weekend game day. If the game is on a weekday, notification must be at least by noon the day before the game. 

Home coaches have the additional responsibility of notifying their Referee Assignor and/or Field Scheduler, whenever a match will not be played as scheduled. Matches in the process of being rescheduled should be listed on the schedule as Unscheduled by the club.

Opponent’s and club officials’ direct contact information is available on the BAYS site after logging in and clicking on the Team Name to see the Team Information.

• There is a Late Cancel Fine in effect for failure to cancel/notify within a specified timeframe. See MR16 and Late Cancel Fine Policy

• Unilateral rescheduling of religious holiday conflicts 

• Unilateral rescheduling of holiday weekend games have longer notification requirements:

  • September 15 for Columbus Day weekend games

  • May 1 for Memorial Day Weekend games

• Unilateral rescheduling for the City of Boston Mayor’s Cup Tournament also has a longer notification requirement:

  • October 15 for the City of Boston Mayor’s Cup Tournament

Day of Game:

If a field is declared by a Club Official as unplayable or there is an unexpected day-of field scheduling conflict, the home team coach shall notify the away team by 7:00 am on the day of the game for morning games, by 10:00 am for afternoon games, and by 3:00pm for weekday evening games. Opponent’s direct contact information is available on the BAYS site after logging in and clicking through to see the Team Information.

• If neither team shows up at the field for a scheduled game, there is a Teams No Show Fine in effect for failure to notify the home Referee Assignor that a game will not be played as scheduled. See MR16.

The Presidents' Cup is a knockout style competition sponsored by BAYS. It may be held during the spring for teams from the following grade/age groups: 

• Grade 5 Divisions 1*, 2, 3, and 4; 
• Grade 6 Division 3 and division 4; and 
• Grade 8 Division 3 and division 4. 

Any BAYS team in these divisions may be entered by their club. Games are scheduled and played in addition to the regular BAYS season. Further information is posted on the BAYS website at the start of the Spring season. Typically, final matches with awards for the two finalists happen on Playoff Saturday (the Saturday after the regular season ends.) 

Standard BAYS Match Rules apply. Teams use the existing BAYS roster. No guest players allowed. There are no special rules during the game for the Presidents' Cup except for determining an outcome. 

All Presidents’ Cup games are played to a result. There are two 5-minute overtime periods for all grade groups to be followed by a penalty shootout, if necessary. There is no "golden goal" or "sudden death". 

The referee for a penalty shootout should:

• Referee chooses which end of the field to use 
• Assign side of coin to represent each team. Toss coin and side that faces up represents the team that gets to choose if they want to kick first or second 
• Follow IFAB Law 14 for rules on penalty shootouts

If, in the referee's sole discretion, there is a lack of sufficient daylight or poor weather or field conditions, the referee may direct the teams to proceed directly to a penalty shootout at the conclusion of regular time and omit the overtime periods.

*Note: There is a Presidents' Cup awarded in Grade 5 Purple Bracket made up solely of teams in Grade 5 D1. Teams do not pay or sign up for participation in the Purple Bracket, as placement in this tournament bracket is based on decisions of the Placement Committee as to how Grade 5 Division 1 teams qualify for the bracket slots. More information about this process is posted at the start of each spring season.

A. Spring Season Playoffs

If an organization enters teams in another MTOC-eligible league, then ALL teams of the same gender, regardless of grade/age, from that organization will be ineligible for any BAYS trophies, playoffs, or other awards.

MTOC-eligible divisions include divisions 1 and 2 in Grade 6, Grade 8, and Grade 10; division 1 in Grade 12/PG; and any other sections designated prior to the spring season by the Placement Committee.

The number of points awarded for both Fall and Spring games are listed in Match Rule 8 Reschedule Games/Playing the Schedule.

Leading teams having the same number of points shall be declared section co-champions.

Divisional playoffs will be arranged by the BAYS Playoff Committee between the MTOC-eligible teams for the week following the last regularly scheduled Spring season game. The divisional playoffs will be used to determine the teams representing the BAYS league that will play in the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions.

Playoff and MTOC eligibility shall also depend on a team not having a losing Spring season record (i.e. the team must have at least a .500 winning percentage record, excluding games marked as No Game, where ties count as half a win and half a loss).

All teams that are placed in the BAYS Playoffs must confirm that they are willing to participate in MTOC. Any team refusing to represent BAYS at MTOC after winning their Grade/Division in the BAYS Playoffs will be subject to a fine (See MTOC Fines below).

Selection and placement of MTOC-eligible section representatives in the division playoffs are as follows:

·         All section champion teams will be placed.

·         If all section co-champions can be placed, they will be seeded according to the tiebreaker rules in effect.

·         If not all co-champions in a section can be placed, they will participate in a section playoff to determine which team(s) will advance.

·         If a section champion or co-champion is ineligible, the Playoff Committee may, but need not, select an eligible runner-up in its place, chosen by section standings and then by tiebreaker rules.

·         In division 1 sections with four or more teams, all outright second place teams will be placed. In sections with fewer than four teams, second place teams may be placed at the discretion of the Placement Committee.

·         Additional runners-up may, but need not, be selected to fill out a playoff bracket, chosen by section standings and then by tiebreaker rules.

Tie breaking will be according to the following hierarchy:

1. Points in the standings
2. Points awarded in common games (Points awarded in games among the tied teams)  
3. Most wins
4. Fewest goals allowed
5. Most shutouts of opponents
6. Cumulative goal differential—each game differential truncated at -3 or +3 goals
7. Drawing of lots

Playoff Rules
There are no special rules during the game for BAYS’ playoffs, except for determining an outcome.

All Playoff games are played to a result. There are two 10-minute overtime periods for all 11v11 games, or two 5-minute overtime periods for 9v9 games, to be followed by a penalty shootout, if necessary. There is no "golden goal" or "sudden death". 

The referee for a penalty shootout should:

• Referee chooses which end of the field to use 
• Assign side of coin to represent each team. Toss coin and side that faces up represents the team that gets to choose if they want to kick first or second 
• Follow IFAB Law 14 for rules on penalty shootouts

If, in the referee's sole discretion, there is a lack of sufficient daylight or poor weather or field conditions, the referee may direct the teams to proceed directly to a penalty shootout at the conclusion of regular time and omit the overtime periods.

MTOC Fines
Any team refusing to represent BAYS at MTOC after winning their Grade/Division in the BAYS Playoffs incurs a fine of $250, which is assessed to the team’s club organization. Also, if BAYS suffers a monetary loss (including slot fee if unable to replace the defaulting team) for such a default by an MTOC-qualifying team, the team’s club organization will be required to pay any MTOC imposed fine that is charged to BAYS.

B.  Playoff Committee

Each spring the First Vice President will appoint members to the Playoff Committee, whose obligation it shall be to organize, schedule, and supervise the season-ending playoffs to select the BAYS teams competing at MTOC.

The Playoff Committee will be guided by policies established by the Board of Directors and may consult the President or other appropriate officers for advice.

A.  Sportsmanship Review Committee (SRC)

As needed, a Sportsmanship Review Committee will be appointed by the Second Vice President to form a disinterested panel of at least three BAYS board members. At least one of the members must be a currently certified MSRC Referee.

When the SRC is formed to hear an issue, its Chairman will set a time and date for the matter/issue to be reviewed and will request those involved to be present. After an open discussion of the matter with all interested parties present given an opportunity to be heard, the committee will meet privately to reach a determination. The committee will inform the parties once a decision has been reached.

Decisions of the SRC take effect immediately upon notification of the parties involved. Sportsmanship Review Committee decisions may be appealed to the BAYS Board of Directors. Such appeals may be considered at a regular board meeting, or at a special board meeting if called by the President or at the request of three BAYS Directors. The President may delay the imposition of penalties until a board meeting has been held to consider the appeal. Please refer to Match Rule 13 Appeals Procedures and Fees for the BAYS appeals process.

B.  Referee Abuse Prevention (RAP) Committee

Each season, the 2nd Vice President will appoint a committee of BAYS Board members to review and act upon reported game violations toward match officials by Coaches, Spectators, and Players. RAP Committee members must recuse themselves from  resolving violations involving their own club. For each reported RAP violation, at least three members of the RAP Committee will form a RAP Review Committee, as needed. RAP Review Committee members will work with club officials from both teams to try to determine what occurred and confirm the identity of who was involved within 48 hours of receiving the violation notice. Depending on the findings, a sanction advisory will be issued to the violator based on the 531-9 Penalty Matrix, or in the instance of a first offense only, the RAP Review Committee may recommend that an official warning be issued instead. The sanctioned person has 48 hours from receiving the sanction advisory to request a reconsideration (which can be either a review of additional documentation submitted or a hearing). Depending on the length of the sanction, the reconsideration will be handled by BAYS or by Mass Youth Soccer. Reconsideration reviews must be held within a timely manner. All violations, sanctions, and official warnings are tracked by BAYS and Mass Youth Soccer and will be considered should a violator reoffend. 

There is no fee to request a reconsideration. 

C: Respect Committee

Each season, the 2nd Vice President will appoint a committee of BAYS Board members to work with club officials of BAYS Members to review and act upon violations of BAYS Policies or Codes of Conduct. BAYS Respect Committee members and club officials of BAYS Members will use the Mass Youth Soccer Misconduct Matrices to guide their decisions. 

Violations are submitted via the BAYS Game Feedback Form but may also come in via other reporting tools. Respect Committee members shall not be assigned responsibility for resolving violations involving their own club. Committee members work with club officials from both teams to determine what occurred and who was involved. Depending on the severity of the incident, other factors, and the offender’s prior violation history, sanctions imposed by BAYS may include a suspension of up to four games. Clubs may elect to enforce longer suspensions at their discretion. For certain serious violations, jurisdiction and sanction determination is governed by the Misconduct Matrices (for example, law enforcement or SafeSport may take over.)

Reconsideration Process

A club official, who is not the violator,  may request reconsideration of a suspension to the 2nd Vice President.

If there is a belief that the sanction decision is based on a significant error (e.g., mistaken identity) or the incident summary is demonstrably incorrect (e.g., there is video evidence), a reconsideration may be requested.

1. Request Submission Deadline: Must be received within 48 hours of the sanction advisory being sent. 

2. Submission Requirements: 

   1. Submit evidence and/or testimony to support the reconsideration claim to [email protected].

Failure to submit a timely and complete request will result in the original decision being considered final.

At least three members of the BAYS Respect Committee will form a Respect Review Committee to review the reconsideration request and either affirm or modify the decision. The decision of the review committee is final within BAYS. 

A.  Protest Board

The purpose of a Protest Board shall be to settle disputes that arise in the actual playing of games and in any other areas as may, from time to time, be specified in the governing documents of BAYS.

As the administrator and Chair of the Protest Board, the First Vice President shall create a Protest Board Pool from BAYS Board members at the beginning of each calendar year from which to draw for any submitted protest. The First Vice President shall receive all protests and maintain an overview of the activities of the Protest Board to ensure the timely resolution of all protests.

The First Vice President will appoint a Chair, who may be the First Vice President, for each BAYS Protest Board. The Chair for each BAYS Protest Board needed shall draw from those people knowledgeable about the game of soccer who have agreed to serve in the current year’s Protest Board Pool. A quorum shall consist of any three members of such a Protest Board. At least one of the members must be a currently certified MSRC Referee. None of the people assigned for a particular protest shall have any direct interest in that protest. The Chair shall contact all parties involved to solicit information and written materials concerning the protest, notify all parties of the Protest Board  when it is set, and see that a written decision concerning the protest is provided to all parties. Disposition of all protests will be given within 14 days after the receipt of all required written materials, except for those protests handled under the 10th week rule, in which case disposition will be given the night of the protested game.

B.  Protest Procedures

All game protests prior to the Friday of Week 10 of the season shall be sent to, received, and accepted by the BAYS First Vice President within 48 hours of the game in question. A protest fee of $100 will be invoiced to the club and will need to be paid electronically by the club prior to the protest hearing. The protest will be forwarded to the chairperson of the Protest Board. For teams in MTOC-eligible divisions, all protests starting with the Friday of Week 10 must be reported by the later of 8:00 PM or one hour following the completion of the game on the day of the protested game. For these final week protests, the Protest Board will meet the night of the protested game if the allowing of the protest could affect the divisional playoff pairings. 

Unless a decision is specified as final in these rules, an appeal of a committee decision may be appealed to the BAYS Board of Directors. At the discretion of the Board, an appeal may be heard at the next regular meeting or a special meeting.

Each appeal needs to be accompanied by an appeal fee of $100 (refunded if the appeal is successful). Notification that one is going to appeal a recognized BAYS Committee or Protest Board decision needs to be made to the BAYS First Vice President within 48 hours of the decision. All written appeals shall be received by the BAYS First Vice President, or another BAYS Board member designated to receive the appeal documents with a $100 fee which shall be electronically transferred to a BAYS account or a check will be received within 10 days of the decision.

All actions on an appeal with the BAYS Board of Directors may be appealed to the Mass Youth Soccer appeals board by following their procedures found here: https://mayouthsoccer.org/governance/ and scrolling down to the Appeals process section and specifically detailed as Procedure 9.04 found here https://mayouthsoccer.org/governance/ and then scrolling down to their Policies, Procedures, and Regulations. An American Disabilities Act (ADA) waiver appeal is also possible and can be made to the Mass Youth Soccer appeals board under their Procedure 9.04 and their Policy: 5. Limit Definition 5.02.5 Exceptions.

1. If the referee ejects a person from any game between two BAYS teams, that person will be automatically suspended from participating in their next BAYS game whether in the regular season, Presidents’ Cup, BAYS playoffs, or MTOC event that their team actually plays. If the ejection was for violent conduct, fighting, or certain forms of serious foul play, the suspension may be for up to two BAYS games at the discretion of the Ejection Director. Details about the ejection must be included in the game report, filed immediately, which is automatically sent to the Ejection Director. If a suspended person does participate in a game for which the suspension applies, the team will forfeit the game, and this violation will be referred to the Sportsmanship Review Committee.   

2. If a person receives a second ejection during a season, the matter will be referred to the Sportsmanship Review Committee, which may subject the offender to additional discipline.

3. When the Ejection Director receives a report of ejection, there are four choices.

   1. Leave the suspension at one game

   2. Increase the suspension to two games for the more serious ejections 

   3. If the Ejection Director considers an ejection offense to be serious, or if there are more than two ejections in a game, the Ejection Director shall refer the situation to the Sportsmanship Review Committee.

   4. If the Ejection Director believes the ejection to be unjust, the suspension may be removed.

4. A club official may request reconsideration of a suspension to the Ejection Director. The request for reconsideration must be received no less than 3 days before the suspension is scheduled to be served. The reconsideration does not stay the suspension. The Ejection Director will review and either affirm or modify the decision. The Ejection Director’s decision is final within BAYS.

5. Consequences of Unbecoming Conduct and Fracas

If a member or members of a team, any person responsible for the team, or a team’s spectators engage in unbecoming conduct before, during, or after a game, the offenders will be subject to discipline by the Sportsmanship Review Committee.

Coaches should file an online Game Feedback Report about the unbecoming conduct that will get routed to the Second Vice President as well as to Club officials who will investigate the matter.

If a player leaves the bench area to take part in a fracas and is ejected by the referee, he shall be subject to additional discipline, by action of the Sportsmanship Review Committee.

It is expected that every coach, team official, spectator, and player will support the match officials. Match officials include all registered referees, assistant referees, fourth officials, referee mentors, and other individuals appointed to assist in refereeing the game.

This support is essential to the proper play of the game and to the development of our players and referees. Failure to support the match officials, especially by club officials/coaches, undermines the authority of the referee crew, sets a bad example for the players, and can rapidly escalate into a hostile game environment which is inconsistent with the sportsmanship goals BAYS is trying to promote. 

The primary responsibility for the actions of coaches, players, and spectators resides with the Member Club. It is the club’s responsibility to educate, monitor, and enforce sanctions on any team officials, players, or any of its teams’ spectators whose conduct is cited as being in violation.  

Team officials/coaches and spectators shall not address members of the referee crew at all during or after the play of the game (see limited exceptions for coaches below).

All interactions before the game, and any permissible interactions during the game, must be positive, respectful, and responsive to the directives or questions posed by the referee crew.

Coaches, Players, and Spectators must adhere to the USSF 531-9 Referee Abuse Prevention Policy, and the Spectator Misconduct Toward Referees Policy from Mass Youth Soccer, which extends the same minimum penalties to all spectators at BAYS sanctioned events.

Threats or acts of physical harm constitute referee abuse or assault and should result in immediate game termination. 

BAYS recommends that the center referee deal with infractions of this rule in the following manner with escalation in steps as needed. Referees are not required to provide verbal warnings prior to issuing cautions or send-offs or submitting a Referee Abuse Prevention (RAP) violation in the game report.

Team Officials/Coaches on the team sideline


During the play of the game, team officials/coaches should not say anything to the referee, nor should they do anything that conveys any criticism of the referee either directly or audibly to the referee crew.  Disrespectful comments that are loud enough to be heard by any of the referee crew are still considered RAP violations, regardless if they are directly addressed to a referee.

Coaches may ask questions before the start of the game. Coaches may not approach the referee at half time or at the end or after the game except to: 

• Respond to an Official who has initiated a conversation
• Point out emergency or safety issues
• Call for substitutions
• Ask the Officials to clarify ONLY: type of restart/direction of throw-in or indirect vs. direct free kick
• Ask for the time remaining in the half

To report a violation of the Language Incident or Discriminatory Act per MYSA policy: Click Here

Coaches who have concerns about the officiating may only express their concerns by filling out a BAYS Game Feedback Report that will be routed directly to the home Referee Assignor as well as to BAYS officials. Coaches may not express those concerns directly to any member of the referee crew, even if they feel that they are only being helpful.

The referee should use their knowledge of the laws of the game to take any of the following actions:

• The referee may issue a verbal warning
• The referee may issue a caution by showing a yellow card, followed by a dismissal for continued violations.
• The referee may send off a coach for a second caution or a straight red card
• The referee may abandon the match, if the dismissed team official does not leave the field, or if the team is left without a credentialed adult on the sidelines.

The referee must record any RAP policy violation(s) per the BAYS guidelines in the game report.

Players

Players must respect the calls made by the officials.

Before, during, or after the match, players must not say anything to the Referee(s) that conveys criticism of the Referee(s).

• Players shall not dispute calls during or after the match. 
• Players shall not make remarks to the Referees or advise the Referees to watch certain players or attend to rough play. 
• Players shall never yell at the Referees - includes criticism, sarcasm, harassment, intimidation or feedback of any kind before, during, or after the match. 

The referee should use their knowledge of the laws of the game to take any of the following actions:

• The referee may issue a verbal warning
• The referee may issue a caution by showing a yellow card, followed by a dismissal for continued violations.
• The referee may dismiss a player for a second caution or a straight send-off red card
• The referee may abandon the match if the dismissed player does not leave the field or if the team is left with fewer players than needed to continue the game.
• The referee must record any RAP policy violation(s) per the BAYS guidelines in the game report.

Spectators (includes parents, guardians, and any other spectators)

Before, during, or after the match, spectators shall not say anything to the Referee(s) nor shall they do anything that conveys any criticism of the Referee(s)

• Spectators shall not dispute calls during or after the match. 
• Spectators shall not make remarks to the Referees or advise the Referees to watch certain players or attend to rough play. 
• Spectators shall never yell at the Referees, including criticism, sarcasm, harassment, intimidation or feedback of any kind before, during, or after the match. 
• The only allowable exceptions to the above are: 
• Spectators may only respond to a Referee who has initiated a conversation, until such time as the Referee terminates the conversation. 
• Spectators may point out an emergency or safety issues, such as a player apparently injured on the field or observed fighting. 

If a spectator infraction occurs that the referee decides to address during the match, the referee should stop the game and inform both teams’ coaches that one or more spectators violated the RAP policy.  

Depending on the severity of the offense, the center referee may take any of the following actions:  

• Issue a verbal warning to the coach of the offending party’s team and instruct the coach to direct the spectator to cease their actions
• Stop the match and instruct the coach of the offending party’s team to direct the spectator to leave the field area 
• Terminate the match if the spectator does not leave the field area and report the termination circumstances in the game report.

The referee must record any RAP policy violation(s) per the BAYS guidelines in the game report.

Game Forfeits

For any game in which a team is assessed a forfeit,  BAYS will impose a forfeit fine of $25 on the club.

Match Rule 1 directs that forfeits be assessed if the requirements pertaining to Credentials, Responsibility for Teams, or Game Roster are not met. See Match Rule 1 for details. Law 3 directs that teams require a specific minimum number of players to start and/or continue an official game. If teams do not meet the minimum required number of players to start or continue a game, a forfeit will be assessed. 

The referee needs to make a game-time decision on these requirements. The Division Director should then review the game report to determine if a single or double forfeit should be issued. The Division Director or Grade Director, as needed as per Match Rule 8, can also determine and assign a forfeit.

Fines 

There are two situations where referees will be paid in full when games that they were assigned are not played. Neither of these fines/referee payments applies to games that are canceled by the organization due to severe weather or unplayable fields.

If an assigned referee crew shows up at a field for a scheduled game and neither of the two teams/coaches show up, then a “Teams No Show Fine” will be assessed to the club of the home team for its failure to cancel the assigned referee crew. The amount of the Teams No Show fine is set at the beginning of each playing season and posted on the BAYS website. It represents the cost of a full referee crew for a given grade group at the current referee pay rates. 

If a referee crew is already assigned a game and the cancellation of the game by the coaches is not provided to the hometown referee assignor within a specified BAYS time frame, then the referee crew will be paid for the canceled game by the offending organization. See Late Cancel Fine Policy for details. The amount of the team “Late Cancel Fine” is set at the beginning of each playing season and posted on the BAYS website. It represents the cost of a full referee crew for a given grade group at the current referee pay rates. 

These two situations may need a replacement game. The BAYS Division Director assigned to the section will help in the final determination of the disposition of the initial game by the home Referee Assignor, as well as order a replacement game if one is necessary.  The Grade Director, as needed as per Match Rule 8, can also create a replacement game or order results to stand. 

1. The league shall be subdivided into playing sections according to gender, grade, and divisional levels of competition as provided for in these Match Rules.

2. Within each grade/age group, teams will be assigned to divisions that reflect differing team strength/ability characteristics in order to provide competitive games, with first division (or any other division established by the board as the highest) for the strongest teams, and higher numbered divisions for progressively less-competitive teams.

3. The BAYS Board of Directors in conjunction with the Scheduler, establishes which playing divisions will be offered in each grade/age group and this information in the registration materials for the upcoming season.

4. The Placement Committee will be responsible for placing all teams in the appropriate competitive divisions, for each grade/age and gender group. All divisions shall be re-formed prior to each playing season. During the team registration process, clubs request a division and skill level (high, medium, or low within the requested division) for each team. Placement requests are given due consideration, along with the team’s recent playing record and other pertinent factors. Ultimately, the Placement Committee has the discretion to place a team in a higher or lower division than requested.

5. Relative strength shall be noted by providing an ordinal rank for each of a club's teams in a grade/age/gender group—unless some of them are identified as being of equal strength.

6. Following placement into the applicable playing strength divisions by the Placement Committee, the committee shall assign each team into playing sections, duly taking into account geographical considerations. The priority for creating playing sections will be: 1) Six-team sections (wherever possible); 2) Double four-team sections; 3) Paired five-team sections with crossover games; 4) Other schedules as necessitated by the number of teams available.

7. If clubs indicate field sharing or special time change requirements every effort will be made to accommodate these needs in the BAYS schedule.

RP/SS/JD/DD/rhp 03/09/22