Girls and Athletics / Giving a brief summary of the activity, rules and method of administration of the following games in girls' schools and colleges, women's clubs, etc.: archery, basket ball, cricket, fencing, field day, field hockey, gymnastics, golf, hand ball, ice hockey, indoor base ball, rowing, soccer, skating, swimming, tennis, track athletics, volley ball, walking, water polo, water basket ball.

by Unknown

Soccer Rules.

[From Spalding’s Athletic Library No. 358—Official College Soccer Guide.]

I. There are eleven players on a team.

II. The field of play is a quadrangle. Its dimensions vary from 130 to 100 yards in length and from 100 to 50 yards in breadth. A smaller field, as near these dimensions as possible, may be used. The lines, areas, etc., do not vary with any change in size of the field, however. Flags on five-foot staffs are placed at each of the four corners. The lines are distinctly marked with whitewash if possible. The quadrangle is bounded by two end or “goal” lines and two side or “touch” lines which are at right angles with the goal lines. The field is exactly halved by a cross line. In the center of the field of play is a circle with a ten-yard radius. The goals are marked by goal posts, eight feet apart, in the middle of the goal line, equidistant from the side lines. The posts are joined by a cross-bar eight feet from the ground, and neither the posts nor cross-bar are more than five inches in width. At each end of the field in front of the goal is a goal area. Lines are marked six yards from each goal post at right angles to the goal line, extending in field for six yards. These two lines are connected by a line parallel to the goal line. The enclosed space is a goal area.

There is also a penalty area in front of each goal. Lines are marked 18 yards from each goal post at right angles to the goal lines, extending in field for a distance of 18 yards. These two lines are joined by a line parallel to the goal lines.

A mark 12 yards distant from and opposite the exact center of each goal designates the penalty kick mark.

The ball should be a regulation association football.

III. The game is divided into two halves, each 45 minutes long, with an interval of five minutes between the halves unless a different length of time is agreed upon by the captains. Ends are changed at half time.

IV. The choice of end or kick-off is decided by the toss of a coin. The game is started by a place-kick, i. e., the ball is placed on the ground and kicked from this position in the center of the field. All opponents are more than ten yards away; no player may cross center of the ground until the ball is kicked. After a goal is scored the ball is kicked off by the team which did not score the goal. At the beginning of the second half the ball is kicked by the opposing side from the side that kicked first.

V. A goal is scored when the ball passes between the goal posts under the bar, provided that it has not been thrown, knocked, or carried.

VI. When the ball goes out of bounds over the touch line, a player of the opposite side from that playing it out, throws it in. She must stand on the touch line facing the field of play; the ball may be thrown in any direction, provided it is thrown over the head with both hands. A goal may not be scored from a throw-in. The thrower-in may not touch the ball until it has been touched by another player.

When the ball goes out of bounds over the goal line, played over by an attacker, it is kicked off by a defender, within the half of the goal area nearest the point where the ball went out. If it was sent out by a defender, it is kicked by an attacker from a point within one yard of nearest corner flag. No player in either case may be within 10 yards of the ball until the kick-off is taken.

VII. If, after the ball has been played or thrown in, it is touched by a player on the same side as the person last touching it, who at the moment of playing is nearer her opponents’ goal than the person last playing the ball, she is off-side and may not interfere with the ball or opponent. She is not offside, however, if at the time of play there are at least three of her opponents between her and the goal, or if she is within her own half of the field, or in a corner kick, or if the ball was last touched by an opponent.

VIII. The goal keeper may use her hands to catch or to throw the ball if she is within her own penalty area.

IX. There should be no tripping, kicking, striking, jumping at, handling (except in Rule VI), holding, pushing, obstructing, or charging from behind. The goal keeper may be charged if she is holding the ball, or obstructing or outside her own goal area. The penalty for a foul is a free kick.

X. A free kick is taken for any infringement of a rule. The ball must roll over—travel the distance of its circumference—to be considered played. No opponent may stand within 10 yards unless standing on own goal line. The kicker may not touch the ball a second time until it has been touched by another player. A goal may be scored from a free kick if it is granted for any breaking of Rule VII.

XI. Any intentional infringement by either the attackers or defenders outside the penalty area, a free kick is awarded to opposing side.

If, however, there is an intentional foul by the defenders within the penalty area, a penalty kick is granted to the opposing side. All players except the goal keeper and a player from the opposing side who is to take the kick remain outside the penalty area. The goal keeper must not advance beyond the goal line. The ball is kicked forward and a goal may be scored from a penalty kick. The ball must be kicked and may not be touched again by the kicker until it has been touched by another player.

XII. There is a referee who controls the game and enforces the rules. Her power in the game is supreme. The ball is in play until the decision is given.

There are two linesmen who decide when the ball is out of play, what player has the corner kick, goal kick, or throw-in.

The referee acts as timekeeper.

To restart the game stopped temporarily, the referee drops the ball to the ground on the spot where it was when play was suspended. The ball is in play when it touches the ground.