The GMSA 7v7 Summer League will began its 29th season on
Sunday, June 23, 2019. Team registration is now closed.
(Summer League 2020 has been canceled due
to the Covid-19 shutdown.)
Start date
for Summer 2019 is Sunday, June 23rd; games will be played through Sunday, July 28th.
Maximum number of teams for the summer session is 84 total teams; we
cannot excede this total, so be sure to register early! The Summer League has become a popular part of GMSA, as it is relatively inexpensive,
a great way to help you stay in shape over the summer, and maintain (or improve) your skills between the Spring and Fall Seasons. This year, we will once again be playing all of our summer league games at the Mike Rose
Soccer Complex.
There will be a single entry fee per
team. The fee for each team will be $186,
registration & payment deadline Monday, June 17th. This one time fee will pay for everything
associated with summer league...your league registration fee,
field rental fee, AND your referee fees for all your games ($60 for each of
these three components, + $6 in sales tax on field rental). Each team will
play six or seven games, depending on length of schedule, and
number of teams entered. You may pay by check, or via credit card on-line.
On-line payments are preferred, but if you need to pay by check, mail ONE CHECK
made out to "GMSA"
for $186 to: GMSA Summer League -
P.O. Box 382577,
Germantown, TN 38138.
(Multiple checks for partial amounts will not be accepted.)
If you are looking for a team
just for the summer, or if you are trying to join up with a team this Fall, please
be sure to post your name and information on our New
Player Bulletin
Board. The summer season is a great way to "inaugurate"
new players to the league, try them out, and hopefully serve as a springboard
toward them joining a team for next season.
Special note:
As most of you know, MRSC uses the
summer months to perform maintenance on the fields (sodding,
sprigging, etc.). As they have done the last few years, MRSC will
continue to lay sod where necessary in the middle of the fields that we will be
using for summer league (where the center circle would normally be).
Any sodded areas will be marked off by an orange retaining fence, but
we would ask that all players and spectators stay completely off
that ENTIRE side of the field, to help facilitate the grass coming back in
that entire section of the field (not just the barricaded areas).
Bleachers will be on the opposite sides of each small field (where
the goals would normally be located on a full-sided field), and the
water coolers will be put out on those bleachers as well.
We would also ask that you not use any of the
other closed fields to warm up when not playing. Those fields
are being rested (and in some cases, also being resodded) so that
they will be in top shape when regular league play
resumes in August.
SUMMER LEAGUE
SPECIAL RULES:
Seven players per team
on the field...six
field players,
plus a goalkeeper. In co-ed games, this means five
men and two women
on the field at the same time. If you do not have at least two women for a
given game, you must play short by that many players. (i.e.,
if only one woman is there, you must play short by one player.) All
players must be at least 16 years of age.
All games are played on Sunday afternoons
starting at 1:00 or 1:30 pm, and the last game starting at 6:30 or 7:00 pm. Games start
every hour. Special
schedule requests are not accepted for summer league games; you are expected to be able to play at any of the posted starting times.
There are NO SLIDE TACKLES
allowed in summer league (much like indoor), except for the goalkeeper in
and around the penalty area. Penalty: indirect free kick from the spot of the
infraction (for wht would have been an otherwise legal tackle in a "real" game)
or a direct free kick (if it would have been a foul anyway). (Note: Since a slide tackle is treated as a foul,
referees may allow for an "advantage" to be given in lieu of calling the
foul when appropriate.)
There is no offside violation
(much like indoor soccer).
Kickoffs may go backwards (again, much like indoor).
Goalkeepers may not punt or drop-kick the ball once
they gain possession of it. They must throw it or play it with their feet
to release it to another player. (Penalty: first offense, reminder/warning
from referee....second offense, direct kick from the top of the penalty area
[not a PK].)
The pass-back rule for
goalkeepers is the same as it is during a regular game...passes made
intentionally with the feet cannot be picked up, nor can throw-ins be picked up.
If the ball goes into touch, standard throw-ins,
goal kicks and corner kicks will put the ball back in play. (There are no
"kick-ins" in lieu of throw-ins.)
Substitutions may be made "on-the-fly"
or at any stoppage in play by either team.
Halves are 25-minutes each. Games start
ON THE HOUR. The referee's watch will start at the scheduled game
time. If you aren't ready to play at game time, the clock starts
anyway, and that much time will be subtracted from the game.
Fields are less than half the size of a
regulation-sized field, approximately 50 x 70. Goals will be
full-size.
While there are no yellow cards or red cards issued per se, referees maintain
the right to "sub-out" any players who are playing recklessly, or who are
creating significant problems, either for a period of time to "cool off", or
permanently (depending on the issue). Keep in mind that tempers often tend
to run shorter when the temperatures are higher; everyone should conduct
themselves accordingly.
Uniforms are
encouraged, but not required; teams often will play "Shirts & Skins", or
"White Shirts & Dark Shirts". It is highly recommended that you bring a white
t-shirt and a dark-colored t-shirt to each game, especially for co-ed games
(since "shirts & skins" obviously won't work in co-ed). It is preferable
that your "dark shirts" all be the same color.
Pick-up games are welcome. While each team is scheduled to play at certain times, anyone interested in playing can
usually find a game. Each team will be scheduled for six or seven games,
and games are played on Sunday afternoons, beginning around 1:00 p.m.,
with the last game beginning around 7:00 p.m. A schedule will be
published about a week prior to the beginning of play.
This isn't a rule, just a very
strong recommendation...BRING WATER!
These games are played in the middle of the summer...and for those who haven't lived
in Memphis for very long, that usually means
that temperatures will be between 90 and 100 degrees, with very high humidity
levels...it's very easy to get dehydrated if you're not careful. So again,
BRING
WATER! We will provide water
coolers at the fields again this season, but it is best to have your own...the
water coolers sometimes run out quickly!
You should also remember that summer league is
(and has always been) non-sanctioned; that is, there is no individual player
registration with TSSA or other organizations. As such, any injuries that
are incurred are your sole responsibility. The supplemental insurance that
exists during our regular season does not apply during summer league.
Every effort will be made to
play all scheduled games. However, any games that are not played because
of rain, or other weather-related issues (lightning, etc.) will not be
rescheduled.