Start date is Sunday, June 13th; games will be played through Sunday, July 25th (skipping July 4th).  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 Complex.  

There will be a single entry fee per team.  The fee for each team will be $186, registration & payment deadline Monday, June 7th.  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 in the middle of the fields that we will be using for summer league (where the center circle would normally be).  The sodded areas will be marked off by an orange retaining fence, but we would ask that all players and spectators stay completely off that 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 also being resodded, and will remain closed until the Fall Season begins.

SUMMER LEAGUE SPECIAL RULES:

1. 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.
2. All games are played on Sunday afternoons starting at 1:00 pm, and the last game starting at 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.
3. There are NO SLIDE TACKLES allowed in summer league (much like indoor), except for the goalkeeper in attempting to make a save.  Penalty: direct free kick from the spot of the infraction.  (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.
4. There is no offside violation (much like indoor soccer).
5. Goalkeepers may not punt 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, warning from referee....second offense, direct kick from spot of the infraction.)
6. 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.
7. All free kicks are direct in nature (no indirect kicks, regardless of violation.)  Penalty kicks may be awarded for fouls committed in front of the goal mouth at the discretion of the referee.  Kicks will still be from the standard 12-yard mark.
8. 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.)
9. Substitutions may be made "on-the-fly" or at any stoppage in play by either team.
10. 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.
11. Fields are less than half the size of a regulation-sized field, approximately 50 x 70.  Goals will be full-size.
12. 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).  All players should play fairly at all times, keeping in mind that tempers often tend to run shorter when the temperatures are higher.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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!
16. 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.
17. 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.