April 11, 2025 - SCHSL

Soccer State Championship Venue: Memorial Stadium (Columbia)

The following Items were approved by the Executive Committee for the 2025-26 school year. All items will take effect on July 1, 2025.

2. Implementation of a mercy rule for Soccer and Basketball to as
follows:

Soccer: Should either team be ahead by 5 or more goals (but less than 10) at halftime, the second half will be played for one-half the time that is required by rule (20 min for varsity, 15
min for sub-varsity). If at any point after the completion of one half, the score differential reaches ten goals, the game shall be ended.
NOTE: If the second half starts, a minimum of 10 minutes must be played before the 10-goal differential applies.

3. Sportsmanship and Ejections: The length of suspension for volunteer coaches and athletes ejected for the first time will be as follows:
1. A Volunteer Coach will have the same penalty for an ejection as a paid coach.
2. All ejections will carry a minimum of next contest suspension with the exception of:
A) Any attempt to verbally abuse, make obscene gestures to threaten or strike an official or member of the opposing coaching staff shall be a serious violation making the athlete ineligible for a minimum of the next two contests to the maximum of one year.
B) Any action (verbal or physical) that is considered a serious violation may result in more than the minimum being applied.
C) Any action (verbal or physical) that is not directed towards another person (opponent, coach, official, spectator, etc) but requires an ejection by NFHS rule may not require any additional game penalty.

4. Playoff start times will be as follows:
NOTE: Schools can mutually agree to adjust the set start times listed below.
Soccer:
One Match Mon-Fri.: 6:00pm
Two Matches Mon- Fri: 5:00 pm start for first match.
One or Two Matches on Sat: 12:00 pm

6. Soccer: Sub-varsity soccer matches can end in a tie.

9. Start date of regular season. Pre-season window was eliminated along with the requirement that all games in that window must be played in a tournament. Additionally, the regular season will now start ten days earlier.
Schedule Due - 2/1
First Practice - 2/2
First Scrimmage/Jamboree - 2/9
First Contest - 2/20
Last Contest - 5/1