By-laws

Whereas the Constitution of the Fraser Valley Christian Soccer League stipulates that:

16. Game Laws and Rules

• Games shall be refereed according to FIFA regulations except where these have been modified either by addition, deletion or substitution by the League.
• All modifications to the FIFA regulations and League by-laws are to be published and distributed to Team Representatives prior to the commencement of the playing season.

Now therefore, the League By-laws are as follows.

General

1. The FIFA version of the rules available on the date of the Annual General Meeting will apply for the duration of that season, except where those Rules are inconsistent with these By-laws.
2. Every game shall be conducted in a Christian manner, each Member striving to conduct themselves as image-bearers of their Creator, and in accordance with the Mission Statement and spirit of the League, both on and off the field.
3. “Unsportsmanlike conduct” shall be interpreted by the referees as conduct unbecoming an image-bearer of Christ and shall be strictly enforced during, before, and after games.
4. There shall be a maximum number of 25 players on each team’s roster, 22 of whom must be affiliated with an organized church. (Amended March 19, 2007)
5. Preliminary team rosters, complete with individual addresses must be submitted by a submission date stipulated by the league. Official rosters must be finalized and submitted by the end of the second week of the season.
6. A team unable to field at least 7 roster players forfeits a game.
7. Teams wishing to replace a player on their Official Roster, because of injury or other reasonable circumstances, may permanently add a player after approved application to the Executive.

Game Day

8. The teams participating in a game are to make every effort to keep the game facilities tidy.
9. The Home Team must:
1. Ensure that the field on which a game will be played is clearly and adequately lined with white paint designed for that purpose by the scheduled game time;
2. Provide a good quality size 5 game ball;
3. Report the results of the game, along with a record of the cards issued and the referee’s game MVP selections, to the Commissioner and webmaster within 24 hours.
10. Each team in a game is responsible for providing its own goal net, corner posts and sideline flag.
11. Each team in a game is responsible for providing a linesman who has a good understanding of the rules (particularly offside), to line one side of the field. Before each game, the referee is to question the linesmen, to ensure they are familiar with the rules that they are expected by the referee to call. If, during the course of the game, the referee adjudicates that a linesman is not completing his duties to a satisfactory standard, the referee will relieve the linesmen of his duties and replace that person with another appropriate linesman.
12. The Executive may, after issuing warnings where appropriate, assess penalty points against teams that are guilty of infractions of clauses 10 through 13. 

The Game

13. There shall be a maximum of 9 men per team on the field at any one time during a game.
14. Substitutions may only be made at approximate ten minute intervals during the game, such times to be decided by the referee.
15. Each player shall wear their team shirt which requires a number on the back, approved shin pads and regulation soccer shoes for the duration of the game. Jewelry may not be worn.
16. Games that are abandoned due to weather or mutually unforeseen circumstances may be made up at a later date to be decided by the affected teams, who shall make reasonable efforts to accomplish same. In the event that the game is not made up, the game will be deemed a zero score draw.
17. Under no circumstances may games during the final two weeks of the season, or playoff games, be rescheduled.
    

Discipline

18. If a player is shown a red card, they must immediately leave the field and shall automatically be suspended for their team’s next two scheduled games.
19. If a Roster player receives two yellow cards in one game, a red card is issued. That player may not play the remainder of that game, nor in the team’s next scheduled game. If a player receives one yellow card and plays 9 consecutive games without another yellow card, he or she will not be suspended. Yellow card points will not be carried over into the playoffs.
20. Teams that accumulate 15 penalty points during the season will not be eligible to participate in the playoffs. Teams that accumulate 9 penalty points shall lose 3 points in the standings.
21. Each team shall pay a bond of fifty dollars at the time that league fees are paid. A fine of twenty-five dollars shall be assessed for the following infractions: failing to attend General Meetings and failing to report game results on time. The Executive shall also have the discretion to fine for other infractions not occurring during a game.