| Article I | Membership |
Membership in the RVSA Varsity Soccer league is available to all RVSD high schools.
| Article II | Eligibility |
- A team consists of 20 players from grades 9 to 12.
- A team roster signed by the principal must be submitted to the sports coordinator by September 18.
| Article III | Organization |
- The RVSA Soccer league holds two annual Coaches’ Organizational meetings:
- Pre-season meetings in September (Girls) and April (Boys).
- Post-season meetings in November (Girls) and June (Boys).
- A soccer commissioner is approved by the RVSA governing body for a two-year term.
- Participation in the RVSA Soccer league includes Divisional Championship play-offs.
- The Girls' league schedule is a double round robin, with games played at 4:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- The Boys' league schedule is a single round robin, with games played at 4:30 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- The Girls’ league runs in the fall and the Boys’ league runs in the spring.
- The Boys' and Girls' Divisional Championship play-off format depends on the number of teams in the league:
- Seven teams: the seventh team is eliminated and play offs are based on six teams.
- Six teams: A: 6 vs. 3, B: 5 vs. 4, C: Winner A vs. 2, D: Winner B vs. 1
Championship Game: Winner C vs. Winner D - Five teams: W: 5 vs. 4, X: 3 vs. 2, Y: Winner W vs. 1
Championship Game: Winner X vs. Winner Y
- Teams with the better win/loss record during the regular season host each game.
- Semi-final and final games are played at one location with two fields and rotate between RVSA sites:
- 2006-07: Airdrie (Girls) / Springbank (Boys)
- 2007-08: Airdrie (Boys) / Springbank (Girls)
- 2008-09: Airdrie (Girls) / Springbank (Boys)
- 2009-10: Airdrie (Boys) / Springbank (Girls)
- 2010-11: Airdrie (Girls) / Springbank (Boys)
| Article IV | Rules and Regulations |
- All games are played according to the rules of the Alberta Soccer Association and FIFA, with modifications according to the RVSA.
- Girls’ games are 40-minute halves with a five-minute half time. Boys’ games are 45-minute halves with a five-minute half time.
- In the event of a tie at the end of regulation time, teams go directly to a shoot out with the five players who are on the field. If the game remains tied after the five players shoot, they go to a one-to-one shoot out.
- RVSA score sheets must be used for each league game. Home teams are to fax their score sheets into the sports coordinator the morning of the next school day.
- League standings are determined on a point basis:
- Three points for a win.
- One point for a tie.
- Zero points for a loss.
- In the event of a tie, the following tie breaking procedures are used to determine the higher standing:
- Win-loss record between the tied teams.
- Overall goals for vs. overall goals against.
- Total points for.
- Coin toss.
- In the case of persistently bad weather, the commissioner and sports coordinator – in consultation with coaches – are to cancel remaining games. First, second and third-place medallions and the championship banner and trophy are awarded based on the standings as of the completion of the last regular season game.
| Article V | Facilities and Equipment |
- The designated home team provides a game ball, nets and corner flags.
- Both teams bring their own score sheets.
- The designated home team provides space for each team to change and shower and access to a washroom and phone.
| Article VI | Minor Officials |
- The designated home team provides two line officials for each game.
- All teams train personnel for the jobs that they perform.
- During the play offs, two paid officials are assigned to each game. The home team is not responsible for a line official during the play offs.
| Article VII | Major Officials and Their Duties |
- The RVSA Soccer league uses carded soccer officials for the league and play-off games.
- Officials operate according to the rules of the Alberta Soccer Association & FIFA unless otherwise instructed by the RVSA soccer commissioner. Such instruction results only from decisions made by coaches at Coaches' Organizational meetings and ratified by the RVSA governing body at a Sports Parameters meeting.
- If an official fails to appear, and the coaches decide to play the game with a non-scheduled referee, that game stands as a league competition.
- The sports coordinator is responsible for scheduling league and play-off officials.
| Article VIII | Code of Conduct |
All athletes and parents must sign the RVSA Code of Conduct for Athletes and Spectators prior to participating in any exhibition or RVSA event. Coaches must also sign the RVSA Code of Conduct for Coaches. Failure to complete the form results in that participant being disqualified from play and may result in his/her team forfeiting points gained while participating with an ineligible participant.
| Article IX | Game Day Cancellation Procedures |
- In the event of an official school conflict with a scheduled game, the coach must, once conferring with the opposing team's coach, contact the sports coordinator to reschedule the officials. This is to be done at least two weeks in advance to ensure that officials are availabl.
- In the event that schools choose to postpone a game due to bad weather and/or poor road conditions, the travelling team’s coach must, once conferring with the host team's coach, contact the sports coordinator to cancel the officials and to reschedule the game. If teams cancel games without informing the sports coordinator, they are responsible for paying the officials.
| Article X | Grievances and Disciplinary Procedures |
- All grievances are dealt with according to the RVSA Appeal Policy - RVSA By-Laws Article XII.
- Players/coaches ejected from a game due to unsportsmanlike and/or flagrant conduct or receiving one red card or two yellow cards in one game are automatically suspended for the next league or playoff game and receive a disciplinary letter from the commissioner, with copies sent to the coach, principal and sports coordinator.
- Players/coaches accumulating three or more penalty (yellow) cards during the season are suspended from the next league or play off game and receive a disciplinary letter from the commissioner, with copies sent to the coach, principal and sports coordinator.
- Players that receive two or more red cards in a season have their participation in the RVSA Soccer league reviewed by the commissioner, sports coordinator and RVSD superintendent designate.
| Article XI | Awards |
The RVSD sponsors awards for Divisional Championship tournaments. They include the following:
- First, second and third-place medallions for Boys and Girls teams.
- Divisional Championship trophies for Boys and Girls teams.
- Divisional Championship banners for Boys and Girls teams.