All Players on each team have paid to play in the League.  As a result, it is the League’s determination that Players should have the opportunity to play and that it is unfair to those Players to have the right to play taken away from them by a League policy the facilitates forfeits (which are undesirable).  Thus, the League recognizes that non-roster Players are needed for teams’ games from time to time.  However, it is the League’s view that the ability of a team to use non-roster Players is a privilege and not a right.  In order to continue to have the right to use non-roster players, a team must follow the procedures for the use of non-roster players.  (Note:  Be sure you/your team has a complete understanding of who is considered a Non-Roster Player (see below) as there are instances when a Player on your team’s roster will be considered a Non-Roster Player for a particular game).

Regular season games.  Subject to the provision for non-guaranteed games, below, non-roster Players may play during regular season games provided the team has properly adhered to the requirements set forth below.  Failure of a team to follow the below requirements may result in disciplinary action at the discretion of the League.

• Waiver Form – the non-roster Player must have signed a waiver form before playing (available on main rules page; see also Documentation Policy).
• Non-Roster Player Form* – the Captain (or team representative) must complete and submit the Non-Roster Player Form (available on main rules page) to the League by the start of the team’s game, with limited exceptions. (see additional details below).
  • Forms submitted late (e.g., after the scheduled start time of the game, including grace period) will result in a team’s temporary restriction on the use of non-roster players.
  • Forms not submitted at all will result in a less temporary restriction on the use of non-roster players.
• Additionally:
  • No more than eight (8) non-roster Players may be used for the game;
  • No non-roster player may play if that player results in the team having more than fifteen (15) players;
    • The 15 player rule is not actively enforced by the League; however, if the opposing team seeks to enforce the rule or if necessary in the League’s discretion, the League will enforce it.
• It is exclusively the responsibility of the team to furnish the League with any such information (e.g., waiver, email address) by Tuesday night at midnight following the team’s game.  See the Documentation Policy for sanctions pertaining to waivers not received in a timely manner and/or Players omitted from the Non-Roster Form.

Saturday league (not currently applicable).  As a result of a format change in the Saturday league, non-roster players will still be permitted to play.  However, to prevent players from getting a “free pass”, non-roster players are limited to no more than three (3) games in a given season for a given team.

• Names of non-roster players listed on the non-roster form will count as having played in the team’s game, unless removed prior to the time the non-roster form must be submitted.
  • Within fifteen (15) minutes after the game, the Captain (or team representative) should inform the League if any non-roster Player listed on the form did not play in that game.  Failure to do so will result in that player being counted as having played that game.
• A team that has a non-roster player play more than three (3) games for their team will have that player automatically added to their team’s roster, the team will immediately owe that player’s fee, and no additional games will be permitted until all outstanding balances are paid.
• The Prohibited Player Policy still applies as it ordinarily would.

[New for 2022] Non-Roster Player Form (Fillable) (see main rules page).  Prior to 2022, all teams were required to use a paper Non-Roster form, the contents of which was reported by the referees.  However, because the use of non-roster players is a benefit to the team, the responsibility should fall on each team to report the information, not on the referees.  As such, starting Summer ’22, the fillable form will be a requirement (replacing the current paper form).  In addition to properly shifting responsibility for this reporting away from the referees, the fillable form remedies problems caused by the paper form (as communicated by Captains):

• Resolves legibility issues with the form;
• Alleviates any confusion as to who was listed on the form; and
• Eliminates the need to remember to print or bring the form (also removes any weather-related issues). Since everyone has phones and not everyone has printers (according to Captains in recent years), this should remedy many issues.

The League hopes never to have to restrict teams from using non-roster players.  However, if teams do not follow the proper procedures for using non-roster players, that privilege will be restricted.  In order to remove League discretion, the form must be completed and emailed to the League (along with any related emails) no later than the scheduled start time of the game, including the five (5) minute grace period.  (If the the player is on the team’s roster and forgot their shirt, the form may be submitted shortly after the game).

Note: given how frequently things can change with non-roster players, it is understood that multiple emails may be sent after the initial non-roster form is sent.  So long as this latitude is not abused, please either complete the form to add a new player or simply reply to the email with the original players listed with any modifications.  Please use common sense and try to keep things as simple as possible when using the fillable form.  The more complicated teams make things, the more specific additional guidance may be needed going forward.

Non-roster Player – defined.  A non-roster Player is:

• Any Player not on the roster of a team for which the Player plays as of the time of the team’s game; or
• Any Player on the team’s roster who is not wearing the League shirt.
• Examples of non-roster Players:
  • Someone not on that team’s roster;
  • Someone who will be on that team’s roster, but has not yet been formally added;
  • Someone on that team’s roster, but is not wearing the League shirt either because that Player lost it, forgot it, or hasn’t yet received it.
  • Caution: a Player who was on the team’s roster in a previous season (and has the League shirt) but is not on the team’s current roster is a non-roster player subject to this rule.  Failure of the player to wear their shirt inside out will initially result in that player getting a 3-game ban from being a NR player for that team.  (Further infractions may result in increased sanctions).  Why?  It is imperative that the referees be able to identify all NR players on the field. Former roster players who wear their League shirt normally make it impossible for referees to know that they are actually NR players.

Please note the following additional procedural items:

• It is the responsibility of the Captain (or team representative) to ensure that the form is properly submitted.
• Non-roster Players are not required to be at the field by the start of the team’s game, BUT they must be listed on the form to be eligible to play.
• If the non-roster Player is wearing a spare team shirt, that shirt should be worn inside out to differentiate that Player from the other Players on the team.  If the shirt is a different color or not a League shirt, it need not be inside out.
• Generally, once a team’s game has started, no players may be added to the non-roster Player form.
  • Exception:  A team may use one or more non-roster players even after the game has started if adding such a player will bring that team closer to a position of even strength or to a position of even strength on the field as compared to the other team.  For the purposes of this exception, additional players not on the field have no impact.
    • Example 1:  Team 1 starts the game with 14 players (8 males, 3 females, and 3 additional players, one of whom is female).  Team 2 starts the game with 9 players (7 males, 2 females).  Team 2 may add no more than 1 male player and 1 female player even after the start of the game to bring Team 2 to a position of even strength on the field for the game.
    • Example 2:  Team 1 starts the game with 10 players (7 males, 3 females).  Team 2 starts the game with 9 players (5 males and 4 females).  Team 2 may add one additional player, male or female, to bring Team 2 to a position of even strength with the number of players on the field for Team 1.

Any team in violation of this policy will subject the non-roster player, the Captain for whom the team played, and/or the team for which the non-roster Player played to disciplinary action at the discretion of the League.  (Note:  Failure of a team Captain and/or Assistant Captain to be at a team’s game does not excuse the requirement of any portion of this rule from being followed).  See also, Sportsmanship Policy.

Playoff/non-guaranteed games.  Barring an exception from the League, non-roster Players are not permitted to play during playoffs or any “non-guaranteed” games.  While the League recognizes that a team may fall short on players due to injuries, work, vacation, family matter, etc., teams are encouraged to have a sufficient number of players on the roster to account for these conflicts.

• Exception:  Goalkeeper.  Because teams are not expected to carry a backup goal keeper on their roster, the League believes the penalty of the rule prohibiting non-roster players in the playoffs as applied to a replacement goal keeper to be unreasonably excessive and believes that there is cause for flexibility.  If a team’s goalkeeper is unable to play in a playoff game, that team is permitted to have a replacement goalkeeper provided the following conditions are met:
  • The League must approve the Captain’s request for the replacement goalkeeper.  In order to obtain League approval, the team’s Captain must send an email to the League, complete with the replacement goalkeeper’s name, email address, and phone number, requesting that a replacement goal keeper be allowed to play in the particular game; and
  • All other requirements for a non-roster Player have been satisfied.
  • If a team has not designated any player to be their team’s goalkeeper by the Final Roster Deadline, that team will not get the benefit of this exception.
  • If a replacement goalkeeper (e.g., not on your team’s roster) plays without league approval, they will be treated as a non-roster player and your team will forfeit its game and be subject to other potential sanctions.

*This form is being completed to ensure that information is provided to the League for each game, as necessary.  The form need not be completed if the Commissioner is the team’s Captain and is present for the game where this form would be necessary.

Go back to Rules/Policies/Forms.