North Carolina High School Soccer Rules

Many people spend their childhood years participating in group sports and continuing to play sports throughout their high school career. Each state has different rules set up for high school sporting matches and it is important to know the rules before setting up a team or playing on one. The rules for high school soccer in North Carolina are established by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, or NCHSAA.

  1. Dates

    • The NCHSAA mandates that soccer practices are not allowed before August 1 for men's teams and February 14 for women's teams. The first game of the season is allowed on or after August 17 for men's teams and February 28 for women's teams.

    Uniforms

    • Team members must change into and out of their uniforms in a designed locker room area. Changing uniforms on or around the field is not permitted. Socks with horizontal stripes are not permitted. No players are allowed to wear any type of body paint whether playing on the field or sitting on the sidelines.

    Season Games

    • No team is allowed to play more than 23 games in a season, and a maximum of three games per week is allowed. Tournament games for junior varsity teams count toward the 23-game limit, while varsity tournament games do not. Games are not allowed to begin before 5:30 p.m. Each school is required to submit the season schedule to the booking agent by May 15 for men's teams and December 15 for women's teams.

    Officials

    • Every varsity game must be officiated by three NCHSAA-registered crew members. The cost for a three-person officiating crew is $55 for regular season varsity games and $45 for junior varsity games during the 2010-2011 school year. A two-person officiating crew for a playoff game costs $70 for a varsity game and $50 for a junior varsity game. Officials working at a scrimmage cost $25 per hour or partial hour.

    Coaches

    • Every head coach must attend an NCHSAA clinic each July for a refresher in the sport's rules and regulations. Clinics are held in Greensboro.

    Suspended Games

    • If a game is stopped due to inclement weather or any other reason, the game is only resumed at a later time if the first half was not completed. When games are suspended after the first half, the came is considered finished and the score is recorded as such.

    Yellow Cards

    • A player who receives five yellow cards is not allowed to play in the next game. Players who receive 15 yellow cards are suspended from playing any sports for the rest of the season and must be reported to the NCHSAA. The number of yellow cards received restarts at zero when state playoff games begin.