League Rules

2023-24 CSOA League Rules

Public Middle Schools/Private High Schools and Private Middle School Soccer 

Public Middle Schools (NFHS rules are always used for public school games)

**Arlington Middle School Program: There are  six schools, Gunston, Hamm, Jefferson, Kenmore, Swanson and Williamsburg. Games are 25-minute halves, no OT. Start time is 3:30pm. Intentional heading is not allowed. Restart is an IDFK for the other team. Genders play sequential and alternate each year--2022 will play Girls season first. These games are all done using the one-man system.  Please refer to school website to confirm game times.

**Prince William Middle School Program: There are 19 schools. Boys play in the fall, girls in the spring. Games are 30-minute halves with 2x5 full time OT periods if tied after regulation.   Mercy rule applied if 10 goal lead after 3/4 of the game is played.  Start time is 5:15pm, but is flexible because of bus travel issues in PW County.  These games are all done using the one-man system.  Here is the new grouping of schools:

East:  Fred Lynn, Graham Park, Potomac, Potomac Shores, Rippon, Woodbridge

Central:  Beville, Benton, Hampton, Lake Ridge, Manassas Park, Parkside, Saunders

West:  Bull Run, Gainesville, Marsteller, Grace Metz,  Reagan, Unity Braxton, Nokesville 

 

Private Schools: Schools play either NFHS or FIFA (with modifications) rules. Always confirm with coaches before starting as to the rules of the competition.   VISAA is the umbrella organization for most private schools in Virginia. VISAA, state-wide, is structured for girls competition in the spring and boys in the fall.  Also, Girl’s competitions in the spring at St. John Paul, Trinity Christian, Highland, Wakefield, Oakcrest and Seton leads to potential seeding for end-of-season tournaments.

 

***FIFA modifications:  

     Substitutions: goals, goal kicks, possession throw-in's + piggybacks if checked in

     Yellow card--player does not have to leave the field

     Thrown-in--if the ball never enters the field of play, a re-throw is taken (does not lose possession)

     Clock does not stop--running clock with added time for serious injuries/prolonged stoppages.

Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC):

Bishop Ireton

Bishop O'Connell

Paul VI

The WCAC uses NFHS rules, no overtime. Varsity plays 40 min halves, JV plays 35 min halves.  Bishop Ireton (Alexandria) and Bishop O’Connell (Arlington)  play at 4 and 5:30--Varsity first. Paul VI (Loudoun) plays at 5:45 and 7:30, JV first. Paul VI is the only school that plays evening games because they have a lighted field. All other schools in all leagues play afternoon games.     Note:  Bishop Ireton is playing most of their home game at Witter park.

WCAC Sports Link: http://www.wcacsports.com/landing/index (provides WCAC standings)

Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAC): (BOYS)

Flint Hill

The Potomac School

This is a boys’ conference. CSOA provides officials for just two schools, Flint Hill and The Potomac School. The MAC also uses  FIFA rules with modifications with two 10-minute OT, if needed, golden goal. Both Flint Hill and Potomac have robust middle school programs with multiple teams. (See ISL below for Middle School info)

Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC):  (BOYS)

Episcopal

St Stephen/St Agnes School

This is a boy's conference.  CSOA povides referees for two schools--Episcopal and SSSAS.  They use FIFA laws with modifications.  Varsity plays 40 min halves with 2x5 min "Golden Goal" OT--at least 60 min played for games to be considered official; MS plays 30 min halves.

Independent Soccer League (ISL): (GIRLS)

Episcopal--A                               Madeira--A

Flint Hill--A                                 St Stephens/St Agnes School--AA

The Potomac School--AA

This is a girls’ conference. CSOA provides officials for Episcopal, Flint Hill, Madeira, Potomac and SSSA. The ISL uses modified FIFA rules with two 5-minute OT, if needed, not sudden victory. 

Flint Hill, Potomac, and SSSA have middle school programs. Game time for middle school games, girls and boys, is 3:15pm. There is no OT in any of these middle school games .All three schools, as well as Episcopal, decide field usage schedules each week. So the field assigned to your game in Arbiter may not be the right field. The assigner will make changes in Arbiter when it makes sense to do so or will use the Arbiter home page to list venue changes.

Greater Peidmonte Athletic Conference (GPAC):  High School

Highland School

Wakefield School (The Plains)

 We provide referees for two schools in this conference, Highland School (Warrenton) and The Wakefield School (The Plains). The GPAC plays modified FIFA with no OT during the season.  Both schools have a Varsity and Middle School programs--boys in the fall and girls in the spring.  Varsity games will be 40 min halves.  Middle School games will be as follows:  The "A" group plays 30 min halves, "B" group plays 25 min halves ("A" and "B" will be listed in the Notes section of your game assignment).  

Piedmont Athletic Conference (PAC):  Middle School

Highland  School                                  Wakefield School

The Hill School                                     Loudoun Country Day School

We provide 2 officials for these games (when possible).  They play Modified FIFA with no OT.  They generally have an "A" team and a "B" team.  "A" plays 30 min halves, "B" plays 25 min halves.  Mercy rule:  if there is a 4 goal differential at halftime, then the second half is shortened to 20 min (for both "A" and "B" games). 

 Virginia Christian Athletic Conference (VCAC):

Trinity Christian School               Oakcrest (girls only)                Immanuel Christian School

St John Paul the Great                Seton School 

  CSOA provides officials for five schools:  Seton Manassas (plays at Valley View), Trinity Christian (on Braddock Road just west of GMU), John Paul the Great (Dumfries, fields at the school but sometimes uses Ali Kreiger park right in front of the school), Immanuel Christian School (palys at Wakefield Park), and Oakcrest (girls only). The VCAC plays modified FIFA with no OT during the season. Varsity games are 40 min halves, JV 35 min halves.  All  schools also have middle school teams.  Middle school plays 30 min halves (no mercy rule for MS).  Game times vary from 3:30 at Valley View to 4:15 at Trinity.

NVIAC (Northern Virginia Independent Athletic Conference):

Christ Chapel Academy               Covenent Christian Academy

Dominion Christian Academy       Fairfax Christian School

Fairfax Homeschool                    Evergreen Christian School                        

Ad Fontes                                             Virginia Academy

The NVIAC plays NFHS rules, with no OT.  CSOA contracted schools are Christ Chapel Academy (plays at Howison), Covenent Christian (plays at Fauquier Sportsplex), Dominion Christian School (Reston/Arrowbrook), Fairfax Christian (Chantilly/),  Fairfax Home School (Chantilly--Arrowhead/SouthRun), Evergreen Christian (Leesburg/school), Ad Fontes (Centreville/EC Lawrence), and Virginia Academy (Ashburn).  Game times vary depending on the park/site.  Middle school plays 30 min halves, Varsity plays 40 min halves, no OT.  At least 40 min must be played to be considered an official game.

Virginia Catholic Athletic Conference--MS:

Holy Family Catholic School            Aquinas

Linton Hall                                    St. Francis

St. William of York

This is a collection of small private catholic middle schools.   NFHS rules are in effect for this conference.  CSOA provides officials for Aquinas (plays at Veteran’s Park), Holy Family Catholic School (plays at Chinn), Linton Hall (Linton Hall Road), St Francis (Hellwig) and St. William of York (Stafford). Conference plays boys in fall, girls in spring. Start time is typically 4pm with one referee.  

Old Dominion Association of Church School:

Fairfax Baptist Temple Academy         Heritage Christian School

Temple Baptist

ODACS plays under NFHS rules, Varsity 40 min halves with no OT in the regular season, JV 35 min halves no OT.  Temple Baptist does not have a home field this season, so will be playing all games away. They will be moving to their new campus in Ashburn in the Fall 2023.  HCS and FBTA each play at their school field.  

 

Independent Schools:

King Abdullah Academy (Chantilly):  Plays modified FIFA with no OT.  Varsity 40 min, MS 30 min halves.  King Abdullah also has a middle school program, boys play in the fall, girls in the spring. 

Holy Family Academy (HFA): HFA is located in PW County and plays all its games, high school (40 min halves, 2 refs generally), JV(35 min halves, 2 refs) and middle school(30 min halves, 1 ref), at Helwig. Start time is 3:30, modified FIFA. Field allocations vary, so look around and make sure you have the right team/level at hand.

The Langley School (McLean):  Middle School

Plays both boys and girls in the fall. Game times are typically 3:30 or 3:45. Usual schedule is two games, could be both boys, both girls, or a combination. Langley fields 7/8 grade teams (30 min halves) and 5/6 grade teams (25 min halves), no OT. 

BASIS School:

BASIS will play under NFHS rules.  They will be sponsoring Varsity, JV, Middle School, and Co-Ed JV and MS teams.  Varsity will play 40 min halves, JV will play 30 min halves.   This is our first season providing coverage for BASIS.  They play against many of the small private DC schools.

St. John the Beloved Academy:  Middle School

30 min halves,