Rules and Regulations

1. Each regular season game will normally consist of four 22-minute quarters.
2. Regular season games will begin at noon, 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm (7:00 pm for night games) unless team reps mutually agree on a different start time and receive permission from the commissioner to do so.
3. Regular season game days are normally Wednesdays and Saturdays.
4. Greater Des Moines Junior Soccer League rules apply at all times unless specifically described otherwise below.
5. There is no limit on the number of players on a team's roster.
6. Minimum age requirements:
6.1
Men must be at least 25 years old PRIOR TO the first league game date of that season.
6.2
Women must be at least 18 years old PRIOR TO the first league game date of that season.
7. If a team has (intentionally or otherwise) allowed either a non-registered or ineligible player on the field during game play, that player is to be immediately ejected from the game, and that player's team will be charged a $100 fine, payable to OTH, before the team will be allowed to play its next scheduled game after the one currently being played. In addition, the ineligible player's team forfeits that game, 2-0. The other team has the right to choose to take either the forfeit or the score of the regular game.
8. At least THREE women per team must be on the field during play or the non-compliant team must play short-handed (i.e., eight total players if no women, etc.). Subject to agreement by both team reps, when both teams have less than three women at game time, they may play more men based on the number of women available.
   
   The team with the most women will play with 11 players and the other team will play one player short for each woman less than the first team. For example, if team A has two women and team B has one woman, then team A may play with 11 players and team B will play with 10 players. If both teams have an equal number of women less than three, then both teams will play with 11 players. If the number of women changes after the start of the game, late arrival or early departure, adjustments will be made at quarter breaks or other long stoppages of play.
9. Slide tackle rules:
9.1
A feet-first slide by any player that doesn't result in contact with another player is a foul and shall result in an indirect kick.
9.2
A feet-first slide by any player that results in contact with another player is a foul and shall result in a yellow card and a direct kick.
10. One referee will be identified as the center referee. The center referee MUST be a licensed FIFA referee (otherwise any player-sustained game injuries aren't covered by insurance) and shall make all final decisions regarding infractions.
11. Each player is required to pay the appropriate individual fee (as decided by the OTH Treasurer) and complete an online hold harmless/waiver form before being eligible to participate in league play.
12. Each team is expected to have at least 11 players (with a minimum of two women - no change here) registered and paid by the initial registration deadline.
13. If a team does not have at least seven of its own rostered players on the playing field within 10 minutes of the scheduled game time, the referee shall declare a forfeit and record a score of 1-0. Team representatives may elect to proceed with a fair numerical division of players and play an unofficial game with a center FIFA-certified referee. All OTH rules except those regarding the makeup of teams shall remain in effect. If a game starts late, each quarter shall be shortened by the time necessary to end the game 10 minutes before the next scheduled game (if there is one) otherwise, the center referee has final discretion.
14. Each player is required to wear shin guards while on the field of play.
15. Jewelry is not permitted while on the field of play unless the item is appropriately taped to prevent injury. Referees have final discretion.
16. Each player understands that no other person or organization assumes liability for any mishap or injury that occurs directly or indirectly as a result of OTH play. Each player assumes total liability and responsibility for himself/herself during OTH play and/or in connection with any OTH-occupied premises.
17. Any player who receives a yellow card is required to leave the game at that time (with a substitution allowed for that player) and may return at the next legal substitution. If a player accumulates three yellow cards during a season, that player will be suspended from playing in his/her team's next scheduled game. If a player receives a red card before accumulating three yellow cards, then the number of accumulated yellows is reset to zero. If the next scheduled game is a tournament date, then that player will be prohibited from playing for any team for the entire day of the tournament.
    
    If a player receives a red card, that player will be immediately ejected from the current game and suspended from playing in his/her team's next scheduled game. If the next scheduled game is a tournament date, that player will be prohibited from playing for any team for the entire day of the tournament. If a player receives a red card during a tournament, that player is done for the rest of the tournament as well as the player's next league game date - this carries over to the following season, if applicable.
18. Physical assault of a referee by an OTH player before, during or after an OTH game will result in immediate ejection from the OTH league for the remainder of the season. The OTH Disciplinary Committee (consisting of no less than two team reps in addition to the commissioner) will decide if the player will be banned beyond the remainder of the season. Any verbal abuse by a player of a player, referee or spectator will result in a yellow card.
    
    If a player has been suspended by the OTH league for more than one game, then he/she may request a special appeals group hearing by contacting the commissioner at any time after the original suspension. This group hearing will consist of five team reps who are not from the suspended player's own division, if possible, and not from the original disciplinary committee group involved in the player's suspension. This appeals group will review the details surrounding the incident which led to the suspension including, but not limited to, referee reports, team rep e-mails, and written correspondence from the involved parties.
    
    A simple majority vote will be required to overturn a suspension. The result of the appeal will be sent to all team reps + I.S.A. via e-mail immediately following the hearing. In order to prevent abuse of the appeals process, there will be a limit of one appeal per player/team suspension.
19. Each team representative has the responsibility to share and clarify all OTH league rules with each player on their respective teams prior to the first game of the season. Team rep responsibility extends to any new player who joins the league after the start of the season.
20. Prior to the start of each game, the center referee will check to make sure each player's name is on their team's roster. If a player's name is not on their team's roster, that player will not be allowed to play (see rule #22 for more). A late-arriving, officially-registered player may not enter the field of play until he/she "checks in" with the center referee.
21. An officially-registered OTH "guest player" from another team may play AS LONG AS BOTH TEAM REPS VERBALLY AGREE TO ALLOW THIS TO TAKE PLACE. The guest team assumes responsibility for making sure the "guest player" is an officially-registered OTH player.
22. Any player who falsely claims to be an officially-registered OTH player, or is discovered to not meet OTH eligibility requirements, will be banned from the league for the remainder of the season, and won't be allowed to return to the league until all eligibility requirements have been met.
23. Each player must register online at www.active.com each season before being eligible to play in the OTH league. Players who miss the initial registration deadline MUST bring a printed paid-online receipt and present to the center referee before being eligible to play in that game. There is no price break for players who register after the season has started
24. Player refunds will be given by the treasurer for any reason if requested by a player or team rep PRIOR TO the first scheduled league game of the season. The refund will consist of the league fee plus the cost of insurance (if paid that season) minus the active.com transaction fee. No refunds of any kind will be given after the first scheduled league game, regardless of whether or not an ineligible player realized that he/she was ineligible when he/she registered.
25. Anyone found discovered to have an open container of alcohol on the OTH occupied fields, parking lot or premises is subject to expulsion from the league.
26. If a player wishes to change teams after already having signed up via online registration, then these are the procedures which will need to take place:
    • player contacts commissioner (preferably by e-mail) with an indication of intent to change teams;
    • commissioner will contact both the current team rep and the new team rep by e-mail or phone to advise them of the player's intent to change teams;
    • commissioner will advise both the individual handling online team rosters for the league and I.S.A. by e-mail of the needed team affiliation change.
27. Substitutions can be made by either team at any dead ball opportunity. Players should be ready to enter the field of play at the time the substitution is requested. Substitutions should be made as quickly as possible to allow the game to resume.
28. Team reps from new teams are ineligible to vote in pre-season meetings.
29. The number of teams/team reps necessary to be present at league meetings in order to change league rules is required to be no less than 50% of the number of league teams + 1 (rounded up to the next nearest whole number if a fraction). Examples: 24 teams = requirement of 12 + 1 = 13 teams; 21 teams = 10.5 + 1 = 11.5 (rounded up becomes 12).
30. Any league official (including head of referees, active.com coordinator, web site coordinator, etc.) may be relieved of their duties if there is a petition signed by 2/3 of the team reps in the league requesting that this be done.
31. If any player plays in a game in which he/she was supposed to sit out due to being red-carded in the player's prior game, that player will be required to sit out both the next game AND the game after (in essence a penalty of two games instead of one game). In addition, the ineligible player's team forfeits that game, 2-0. The other team has the right to choose to take either the forfeit or the score of the regular game.

Iowa Soccer Association Adult League Rules

1. All adult leagues registered with the Iowa Soccer Association MUST use USSF certified referees and assignors. Either a one or three-referee system must be employed.
2. When a player and/or a team is disqualified by the referees or the league from playing in one or more ISA sanctioned matches in their league, they will automatically be disqualified from playing in any ISA sanctioned matches in any ISA sanctioned league for the duration of the disqualification.
3. When a player and/or a team is disqualified for any reason and for any period of time, the league MUST collect the player passes.
4. When a player and/or a team is disqualified for three or less matches by referee or league action, the league must keep the player passes until the player and/or team re-qualifies to play.
5. When a player and/or a team is disqualified for four or more matches by referee or league action, the league MUST submit the player passes to the Iowa Soccer Association along with the following (which can be in Spanish):
   • An official game report
   • The minutes of the meeting in which the disqualification was discussed and decided
   • A copy of the rule(s) that was used to justify the disqualification
6. When a player is disqualified for four or more matches, the State Association will inform all leagues of the action.
7. If an incident occurs at a match, the referee MUST use a United States Soccer Federation Game Report. No other reports will be accepted.
8. State Cup matches take precedence over league play.
9. Only ISA issued player passes may be used at sanctioned matches.
10. Referees will check all player rosters and passes prior to each scheduled match. A player will not be allowed to play without a player pass. NO OTHER PLAYER PASSES ARE ACCEPTABLE.
11. Any violation of these rules by sanctioned leagues will result in the revocation of insurance coverage for the league.
12. All disqualifications of four or more matches will be reported to the United States Soccer Federation.
13. All referee abuse and assault cases will be adjudicated by the State Association as per USSF Policy 531-9.
14. All leagues MUST have an appeals process written into their league rules. This process must conform to USSF Policy 701-1.