Free soccer template, no account
Free Soccer Code of Conduct Template
A soccer code of conduct for the places soccer behavior goes wrong: the referee, the tackle, the substitution, the handshake and the touchline. Players and parents each get their own commitments, on one page, with one place to sign.
What a soccer code of conduct needs that a general one does not
A general code covers respect, effort and turning up, and the document above already carries those: how players treat teammates, opponents, coaches and officials, and how they behave in team group chats and on social media. These are the soccer rules it adds for players, each one there because it is the thing that actually goes wrong at a field.
- Team and technical area. Substitutes and coaches belong in the team area or on the bench, and not every youth field has a formal technical area. The rule is about staying with the team in whatever area your league or facility sets, and off the field, which keeps substitutes out of the way of play and the touchline clear. The document says: “I will stay with my team in the designated team area or on the bench when I am not playing, as my league or the facility requires.”
- Referee interaction. In the Laws of the Game, dissent by word or action is an offense, and leagues apply that differently at youth ages. The rule asks players not to dispute a decision and not to appeal with raised arms, which is the habit that usually leads to it. The coach does the talking. The document says: “I will not dispute a referee's decision, and I will not appeal for decisions by raising my arms.”
- Shin guards. Shin guards are required equipment under the Laws of the Game, which many leagues follow, and the Laws expect them to be covered by the socks. Socks over the guards is the part players skip, so the rule names it. The document says: “I will wear shin guards at every practice and game, with my socks fully over them.”
- Substitutions. Many leagues allow substitutions at certain stoppages and only with the referee's signal, so a player who runs on early leaves a team with an extra player on the field. The rule makes waiting for the signal a habit before it becomes a problem. The document says: “I will wait for the referee's signal before entering the field.”
- Safe tackling. Challenges for the ball are where soccer contact happens. The rule asks for controlled challenges within your league's rules and no reckless or dangerous contact, and leaves the technique to your coaches and your league. The document says: “I will make challenges within my league's rules, and I will avoid reckless or dangerous contact.”
- Pre- and post-match line. The line at the end of a match is the one moment the two teams see each other as people. The rule makes it part of the game, for winners and losers alike. The document says: “I will take part in the pre-match and post-match handshake.”
Parents and the touchline
The code above also carries a section for parents and spectators, signed by the same page. These are the commitments in it, and what each one is for.
- Spectator side. A soccer field is wide and open, and the usual arrangement is teams on one side and spectators on the other. The rule keeps parents out of the team areas and gives players, coaches and the assistant referee room. The document says: “I will watch from the spectator side, opposite the team areas.”
- Behind the goal. A parent behind the goal is behind the goalkeeper and in the way of every ball that goes out. Portable goals are not something to stand near or lean on, so the rule keeps that area clear. The document says: “I will not stand behind the goal or near the goalkeeper.”
- Back from the touchline. Players and the assistant referee need the touchline to run. A few yards of space is the difference between a throw-in and a collision, and it keeps parents out of the play. The document says: “I will stay a few yards back from the touchline so players and the assistant referee have room.”
- Instructions during play. Instructions from the touchline while the ball is live are the most common problem in youth soccer. A player who hears two voices follows neither, and the one they follow is usually the loudest. The rule asks parents to cheer and to leave the coaching to the coach. The document says: “I will not call instructions to players while the ball is in play.”
- Referee decisions. Offside, fouls and added time are the calls parents dispute most, and many youth referees are young and learning. The rule names all three and the gesture, so nobody has to guess what counts. The document says: “I will not dispute offside, fouls or added time, including by gesture.”
Soccer player code of conduct versus parent code of conduct
The document above carries both and is signed once: the player's commitments and the parent's, on one page. That is the simplest thing to hand out and the hardest to lose. Some programs prefer two pages, because the player code gets read aloud at the first training while the parent one goes home with the family. If yours does, the general player code of conduct and parent and spectator code of conduct generators each make one on its own, and you can carry the soccer lines from this page into either.
How to write soccer code of conduct consequences
The weakest sentence in most codes of conduct is the last one. "May result in consequences" is true and enforces nothing. Soccer gives you a better ladder than most sports, because a coach controls who is on the field at every stoppage.
- A conversation first. At a stoppage or after training, with the player, and with a parent if it was bigger than a sulk after a missed chance.
- Coming off for a spell. The soccer version of a timeout. It is visible, brief, and it ends at the next stoppage.
- Sitting a half. For repeated or serious conduct, after a conversation with the family.
- A meeting with the director. For anything involving safety, harassment, or an adult.
Consequences should follow your league's rules, its minimum playing time requirements and your organization's policies, so check them before you promise a bench. Many recreational leagues require every player to play a set share of every match, and a consequence that breaks that rule is a problem you created for yourself. Yellow and red cards, send-offs and suspensions are set by your league or governing body and vary, so the code does not put a number on any of them. Point to yours in the team rules section, and add your own consequences beside it.
Getting it signed, and getting it read
A code nobody has read changes nothing. Three habits make the difference.
- Hand it out with registration. Families who agree before the first training are far easier than families asked after the first incident. It travels well with the soccer registration form.
- Read the referee and touchline rules aloud at the first training. Two minutes, with the players. They hear it from you, and they hear that it applies to everyone.
- Keep one copy and give one copy. A signed page in the file is what makes a later conversation short.
Other sports, and the general version
This is the soccer version. The general player code of conduct works for any sport, and the soccer forms and templates page lists the other 5 soccer documents.
Playbook Logix provides customizable templates for informational and administrative use. They are not legal advice and will not meet the requirements of every organization, sport or jurisdiction. Review anything you intend to rely on with your own attorney or your insurance carrier, and check your league and state requirements.
Common questions
Who should sign a soccer code of conduct?
The player and a parent or guardian, on the same page. A nine-year-old can promise to keep their studs down and to wait for the referee's signal, but it is the parent who promises not to coach from the touchline, and a code only one of them has signed covers half the problem. The signature block on this one has both.
What should a soccer code of conduct say about referees?
That players do not dispute decisions, by word or by gesture, and that the coach is the only person who speaks to the referee. Dissent is an offense in the Laws of the Game, and leagues apply it differently at youth ages, so the code states the commitment and leaves the cards to your league. For parents, it names offside, fouls and added time, which are the calls disputed most.
Should the code mention shin guards and socks?
Yes. Shin guards are required equipment under the Laws of the Game, which many leagues follow, and the Laws expect them to be covered by the socks. A line in the code settles it before a player is turned away at the touchline.
What about parents coaching from the touchline?
It is the most common problem in youth soccer. A player who hears a coach and a parent at the same time follows neither, so the rule asks parents to cheer, to stay back from the line, and to leave instructions to the coach while the ball is in play. Some programs add a quiet sideline day, and you can too.
What should we do when a parent breaks the code?
Speak to them privately and soon, with the page in your hand, and do it as a person with authority rather than as a coach in the middle of a game. A written code does most of its work here: you are pointing at a line they signed, not offering an opinion.
Can I use it for school, club or recreational soccer?
Yes. Edit the sections to match your program, change the examples in the team rules section, and delete the parent section if your program does not ask parents to sign. Choosing the Adult participants option removes the parent and guardian wording for an adult league.
More soccer tools
The rest of the soccer toolkit
Soccer Registration Form
Positions, preferred foot, goalkeeper interest, last season's level, uniform sizes and three jersey number choices, on a form for sign-up day.
Open the generatorSoccer Tryout Evaluation Form
A scoring grid for first touch, passing, dribbling, shooting, defending and off-ball movement, with a table for sprint and agility times and juggling.
Open the generatorSoccer Player Evaluation Form
A mid-season report for a parent: soccer skills against the age group, a section for each position, and room for words.
Open the generatorSoccer Tryouts & Evaluation Guide
A 90-minute run of show, seven stations from dribbling to a scrimmage, a staffing plan, and how to run small-sided games and keepers fairly.
Read the guideSoccer Uniform & Equipment Checkout
Jersey, shorts, socks, goalkeeper kit and practice balls, with number, size, condition and replacement cost, and a return date.
Open the generatorOnce you have filled it in
Playbook Logix
Collect the soccer code of conduct online
Playbook Logix is registration, rosters, payments, schedules and team messaging for youth and adult sports, in one place. A signed page is only useful if you can find it again. This is how Playbook Logix collects the same agreement without a folder.
Make it part of registering
Add an Agreement question to the registration form and a parent has to check it before the form will submit. It works on every plan, including the free one.
How it worksOr collect a typed signature
On the Coach plan and above, upload the code once and each parent signs on their phone by typing their name. The date and the child it covers are recorded, a list shows who has signed, and families with something unsigned are reminded automatically. A signed paper copy can be marked as received.
How it worksPost it where it cannot be buried
Pin the code to the team message board and ask parents to tap Acknowledge, so you can see who has read it and who has not, instead of hoping forty people read a group text.
How it worksThe Starter plan is free, and the iPhone and Android app is free on every plan. Anything described above as Coach plan and above needs a paid plan. See the plans or the mobile app. Nothing you type into the template above is sent to us, whether or not you ever sign up.
Get every family to sign before the first game
Playbook Logix collects signed documents with registration, so the code of conduct is on file before the first practice and not in a folder in somebody's truck.