Question Number: 23176

League Specific 4/25/2010

RE: Rec Under 9

Tracie Hall of Austin, TX United States asks...

My daughter plays for Lake Travis Youth Association, 5 x 5 with NO goalie. What is the rule concerning both offensive and defensive players entering the goalie box?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Tracie
I would suspect that there is no restriction on where offensive and defensive player go on the field of play. I could not envisage a situation where there are no goalkeepers that players could not go into the goal area to play the ball.
It is however a competition rule and the question can only be answered by the organisers and the particular rule book for that competition.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The South Texas Youth Soccer Association doesn't list rules for 5x5. They list 3x3, 4x4, 7x7, and up. In 3x3 and 4x4, there is no goalkeeper, and no penalty area. A goal area is available in 4x4, which is much smaller - 3 yards from the goal line and 3 yards from each goal post.

Here is the link to the website: http://www.stxsoccer.org/docs/6_General%20Rules_021410.pdf

I would also suggest checking out the Lake Travis Soccer Association's website to see if they have modifications for the rules. http://ltya.zortal.com/tabid/133766/ZortalPortal.aspx

Players will be restricted from entering the goal area, but any free kicks will be indirect and cannot be any closer to the goal than 5 yards away.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

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