National High School Soccer Rules

National high school soccer rules in the United States provide a standard framework for teams and officials to work within. Some regulations vary from state to state, but most guidelines remain constant. The National Federation of State High School Associations serves as an overarching authority figure, supplying referees, coaches, school administrators and student athletes with the tools and laws necessary to foster fair and safe competition on the soccer field.

  1. Eligibility

    • Student athletes must conform to eligibility rules in order to participate on their school soccer teams. Prerequisites include full-time enrollment and regular attendance. Attendance requirements differ between states, but frequent absences will almost always result in some form of mandatory suspension from league play. Academics also influence players' eligibility. Student athletes have to perform in the classroom as well as on the soccer field. Minimum grade-point averages and other academic qualifications vary by state, so coaches must work with players and teachers to make sure that athletes are achieving adequate marks in their studies. National high school soccer rules call for proof of age as another factor in determining eligibility. Players must fall into the 14 to 19 age bracket in order to participate, according to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. Older or younger players will not be allowed to compete at the high school level. Finally, players need to present documents displaying parental consent and medical clearance if they want to play soccer for their school. Parents or legal guardians have to approve of a student's participation, and a medical professional must examine a player to make sure he is physically fit for the physical strains associated with soccer.

    Match Rules

    • High school soccer match rules in the U.S. exhibit several minor differences from the game regulations applied at the collegiate and professional level. The National Federation of State High School Associations allots just 40 minutes per half for high school soccer games, as opposed to the 45 minutes normally given in college and pro matches. Stoppage time does not usually factor in, since most referees rely on a continuous stadium game clock rather than managing the time on a personal watch as they do at higher levels. Additionally, high school soccer coaches have the luxury of making unlimited substitutions. Substitution restrictions force coaches of college and pro teams to make personnel decisions more carefully, whereas high school coaches can swap players in and out whenever a stoppage in play presents itself, even taking the same player in and out of the game on multiple occasions.

    Safety Regulations

    • Player safety ranks as another focal point for high school soccer. According to rules set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations, referees hold the responsibility of reviewing safety issues before and during the game. This means that refs must assemble each team before an official match in order to examine players' equipment. All players must have their shirts tucked in and remove all jewelry. Shin-guards are obligatory, and metal-stud cleats are generally prohibited. Referees will then check the goals and the playing field to make sure that everything meets safety standards. One other wrinkle that referees must assess is the weather. Soccer matches can go on in adverse conditions such as rain and snow, but refs may need to postpone or cancel games at the sign of excessive lightning or life-threatening heat.