Ga Soccer Rule Changes

It will be interesting to see how the proposed changes to the misconduct rules shake up the standings. Maybe seeing teams with multiple red cards in a season will become less common.

I like the idea of a stronger penalty for forfeits. As much as I'd rather not drive to Savannah, south GA, etc. I hate to see those teams miss out on games.

Clubs that struggle to get enough players on their teams will like the change to being able to play on two teams in one day. And maybe some other teams will find ways to abuse that.

I haven't paid much attention to rule changes in the past. Are most rule changes easily approved? Is there ever much debate?

The rule change to 421.4 will only encourage even more club pass shenanigans. The proposed rule change allows select players to play in up to two different games per day. The rationale: "It is felt that the club pass rules are too restrictive."

I personally know of three players who were rostered on a Classic 4 team who were REALLY members of a Classic 2 team one age older (they were playing up in age). They played in every C2 game and then every C4 game they could attend. This would allow those players to play in every single C4 game as well (schedules permitting, which they would after reschedule requests).

One player one team, is how it should be. This type of "dual rostering" is against the spirit of the youth soccer program, and this proposed rule change makes it far worse.

If they want to allow them to play in more than one game per day, that in and of itself is not bad. But there should be other restrictions. For example, only allow any given player to club pass to any given team 3 times per season maximum. This would serve multiple purposes:

1) the higher level players would have to be rostered with their natural teams
2) it would provide more opportunities for other players to club pass
3) it would not provide an opportunity for players to essentially play a tournament schedule every single weekend (huge injury risk)

The removal of this:

"If at the end of the playing season, a team has 5 penalty points or less, no deductions from the standings will be charged to the team."

puts an awful lot of pressure on some young kids. I've seen red cards given for 'last man' fouls that should not cause that single player to cost their team two full standing points. That's incredibly harsh.

edit: and to be clear, giving a 5-point cushion means that it's unlikely that one single player would be responsible for the loss of standing points.

I have to wonder what prompted these penalty/bonus point changes? On the red card list - boys teams racked up 173 reds this fall where the girls teams only had 31. Most of the reds were at the older age groups so I wonder if it would have made any difference in standings had this rule been in effect this fall?

I doubt it'll get implemented though I do think teams that play clean and don't rack up the cards should be given some sort of recognition (maybe not points but defintely make it a top tiebreaker over goal differential?).

I 110% agree with the penalties for forfeits. I get so sick of the parents whining about how far it is to drive to Savannah for just one game. Then carpool or do something else. Your kid is on a team with out of area teams in the bracket - play the game and quit griping that you have to spend the money on gas!!

Very interesting! Should be some lively discussions when deciding these changes. My daughter would've benefited as well with the bonus points but like jash said it seems a bit much. Definitely agree with penalties on forfeits. Each club must make sure they are able to field a team for each scheduled game regardless of the distance traveled. Not sure I agree with the changes to the rec/select ratio. I'm sure it's hard for many clubs to even things out but I see most of the clubs becoming pay to play entirely and without a rec league to get kids interested, they will cut their nose off despite their face. Eventually you won't have a pool to pull from for Select. The clubs are probably in favor of removing the ratio but I just don't think it's very wise.

120.4 Academy definition: eliminates U10-12 Classic - PASSED
120.6 New definition: adds non-traditional members - PASSED
310.3g (New) Dual rostering of non-traditional players - PASSED
310.3b Dual rostering – not needed if 310.3g passes - WITHDRAWN
140.1 Removes the rec:select ratio altogether - WITHDRAWN
140.1 Changes the rec:select ration from 1:1 to 1:2 - FAILED
421. Club pass changes - WITHDRAWN
421.4 Club pass (allows player to play two games in one day) - PASSED
540.1 Unique numbers on jerseys - FAILED
720.1 Game completed if a full half is completed - PASSED W AMENDMENT
730.1 Electronic submission of misconduct reports - PASSED
730.5 (New) D&P reviews referee misconduct and sends to SRC - FAILED
731.7 Referee assault becomes the only misconduct charge that can cause a coach to sit - PASSED W AMENDMENT
out more than one game until there is a hearing
731.12 (New) Coach may request reinstatement before hearing - PASSED
732.3 Player does not have to be present to serve suspension - FAILED
732.4-5 Suspended player must be rostered for the game he sits out - PASSED
740.1e Increases number of penalty points for a forfeit - PASSED
740.1f Eliminates grace period for penalty points - FAILED
740.2a Affiliate President informed after 8 penalty points - PASSED
740.1 (New) Team gets 5 points for no incidents during the season - FAILED
750.4 (New) NCS Red Card only served in an NCS game - PASSED
760.2 Protest submission - PASSED
810 Removes details of Club Pass from the glossary - PASSED
810 Changes number of games player may play in a day - WITHDRAWN
-- needed if 421.4 passes

Full results here:
www.georgiasoccer.org/assets/pdfs/Rule_Changes_from_2014_AGM.pdf

Yes

Great, 421.4 passed.

Get ready for classic 1 players in all your classic 5 games.

thanks dreaddy

i really like the 421.4 rule change. the rule will give more opportunities for players on lower level teams at some of the larger clubs.

I disagree... I think it changes things quite a bit.

There are clubs that roster their best players on lower level teams.  Let's say player Joe is rostered with a Classic 3 team but is "really" on the Classic 1 team.  Before, Joe would definitely go to every Classic 1 game, and every Classic 3 game that wasn't on the same day as the Classic 1 team already played.

Now that restriction is removed.  Joe will play in almost every game, where time and travel don't make it impossible.

This rule change wasn't about opportunity for players, it's for clubs to boost their lower level teams using players who they roster intentionally on the wrong team.

It is happening now, and it will happen even more after this rule change.

clubs will always find away.

Unique number is interesting. I always thought each player had to have a unique number...I have had refs deny some academy players in matches because of having conflicting numbers.

If we had a guest player that had the same jersey number as one of our regular players players and we didn't have a different Jersey for him, we used tape to make a different number. Even so, we had a ref that booked the wrong player with a card because he couldn't see the tape. How can the ref discern which player should get credited for a goal or booked for a card?