General Information and Rules of Play

REGISTRATION

Either the coach or team manager must check their team in at least 45 minutes before that team's first game. There will be a pre-tournament registration session on Friday night at the tournament headquarters tent, which will be located near the center of JayCee Park. Only one person is required at the check in. All materials, as requested in the application invitation, must be presented for approval. Required documents are: official roster (2 copies), laminated player pass cards, guest player form if applicable, and waiver of liability/medical release for each player. All team rosters will be closed and player registration cards will be "secured" following check in. Please have your passcards and medical forms in alphabetical order to match your roster

ROSTERS

U-9 and U-10 teams have a maximum roster size of 12 players, with no more than 6 players on the field; U-11 and U-12 teams have a maximum roster size of 14 players, with no more than 8 players on the field; U-13 teams and up have a maximum roster size of 18 players. Club player may play on one team only for the duration of the tournament. Rosters are closed at registration time, players will not be added after your team is checked in. No more than 4 guest players are allowed to be added to a single district stamped roster. Guest players must have the "WYSA Guest Player Form" completed and signed by the affiliated club officer or the WYSA state office!

PLAYER MEMBERSHIP

Players must be sanctioned USYSA players. Laminated Player ID passcards are required (except for U-9 and U-10 players).

EMERGENCY MEDICAL FORMS

Each coach should have in their possession medical release forms, signed by the player's parent(s)/legal guardian(s), to facilitate emergency medical treatment. The USYSA release is acceptable for this purpose.

FIFA RULES

All games will be played by tournament modified FIFA rules. U-10 will have offside called. U-9 will not.

REPORTING FOR GAMES

Both teams must report to the field marshal tent near the scheduled game field 30 minutes prior to the game for player ID card and equipment check.

FIELD MARSHALS

Field marshals will be stationed at all fields during the course of the tournament and will be identified by a field marshal vest. They are responsible for checking player ID cards and equipment prior to a game, holding player ID cards until the game is completed, reporting game scores and completing score sheets. All field marshals will be equipped with two-way radios to communicate with tournament headquarters should any problems arise during a game (ex. Medical emergencies, team and/or official no shows, rules and regulation consultation, red card occurrences and other game related situations). The tournament officials will use a specified channel on the two-way radios for tournament communication only. Spectators and teams are requested not to use channels specified by tournament officials at registration for personal communication.

PLAYER EQUIPMENT

All players will wear adequate shin guards covered by stockings. If cleats are worn they must be soccer cleats. No hard casts, splints or braces are allowed. Players shall not wear jewelry. ALL player equipment is subject to referee approval.

START AND DURATION OF GAMES

All games and initial overtime periods will start with a coin toss. The winner will choose the side to defend and the loser will kick first. All games are two 25-minute halves, ending on the referees whistle at or after the 25th minute. . All games have a 5 minute half time. The tournament directors have the authority to:

• Relocate/reschedule any games,
• Reduce by, up to one half, the duration of any game,
• Cancel a preliminary game that has no bearing on in deciding the bracket winner,
• Delay the tournament if bad weather is threatening,
• Cancel the tournament if inclement weather persists or makes field conditions dangerous and thus unplayable.

HOME TEAM

In each bracket, the team listed first shall be considered the home team.

• It is the home team's responsibility to change uniforms if colors conflict and provide the game ball.
• The decision to change colors will be the field marshal and game referee's responsibility.
• All players are to have two different sets of team uniforms, which are properly numbered.

GAME PROTESTS

None allowed! Referee decisions ARE final. No protests concerning tournament rules are permissible once you have started play. All decisions of the tournament directors are final. There is no higher authority.

SUBSTITUTIONS

A coaches desire to substitute at the next opportunity should be indicated by having the intended substitute player stand at the half line cone. Other team members should stay clear of the half line cone area. Substitutions may be made at the following times with referee permission:

• Throw-in in favor of your team
• Prior to a goal kick by either team
• Following a goal by either team
• Following an injury to either team
• At half time

RED CARD RULE

This is a WYSA sanctioned tournament and the WYSA Red Card Rule will be in effect, i.e., if a player is "red carded", he/she will be expelled from that game and that player's team will play short-handed for the rest of that game. The player must sit out the next scheduled tournament game, and depending upon the severity of the offense, the offending player may be disqualified from any further tournament play. The determination of tournament disqualification will be made by the tournament directors. The use of a "red carded" player in the game following the expulsion will result in a forfeit by the offending team and, additionally, the head coach will not be permitted to coach during the next game. Any player receiving two (2) yellow cards in the same game will have the "red card" rule invoked.

FIELD RULES

Coaches are to stay within 10 yards of their side of the centerline. Only players and referees are permitted on the playing field including 1 yard outside the field line. Coaches will be responsible for the behavior of the players, team assistants and teams supporters. ANY member of this group listed above displaying inappropriate behavior may be expelled from the game and the team might not be invited back next year.

POINT SYSTEM / TIE BREAKING

Games in preliminary rounds will be scored 6 points for a win, 3 points for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. Bonus points up to a maximum of 3 may be added for each goal scored, win or lose. A bonus point will be awarded for a shutout. Forfeits will be scored as a 1-0 game and scored as 8 points, 0-0 ties will be scored as 4 points. To decide bracket group winners in the event of a tie, the following criteria will be used:

• Head to head competition
• Goals against
• Goals scored
• Shoot out

WILDCARD QUALIFICATION

Some divisions may have Wildcard berths into semi-final matches. The wildcard team will be decided after round robin play is completed in all groups. The berth will be granted to the team that has the most total points of all teams without considering the 1st place team from each group. Tiebreakers will be the same as listed in the point system/tie breaking section above. The wildcard team will play against the group winner with the most tournament points that is not in the original group of the wildcard team.

SEMI-FINAL & FINALS SEEDING

Will be point based, except when there is a Wildcard team involved. The highest points scored will play the lowest points scored. The wildcard team will play against the group winner with the most tournament points that is not from the group of the wildcard team. The higher point scoring team will be the visitor.

SEMI-FINAL GAMES

In the case of a tie, at the end of the game, a "Shoot Out" will occur immediately, there will not be any overtime play.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

In the event of a tie at the end of regulation play, two 5-minute overtime periods will be played. Overtime periods will start with a coin toss. The winner will choose the side to defend and the loser will kick first. The team that scores 1st in overtime, wins the game. In the event of a tie at the end of the overtime periods, a "Shoot Out" will occur.

"SHOOT OUT" PROCEDURES FOR SEMI-FINAL AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

Five (5) kicks from the mark will be taken alternately by each team according to FIFA rules to decide the winner. If still tied, the teams will take alternate sudden death kicks from the mark until a winner is decided. All players participating in this "Shoot Out" must have been on the field at the end of the overtime play. When a team finishes the match with a greater number of players than their opponents, they shall reduce their numbers to equate with that of their opponents and the team captain will inform the referee of the name and number of each player excluded. Before the start of the kicks from the mark, the referee shall ensure that only an equal number of players from each team remain within the center circle and they shall take the kicks.

AWARDS

Individual trophies will be awarded for 1st and 2nd place in each age division. U-9 and U-10 teams please note: Because of the special awards restrictions placed on U-9 and U-10 teams by WYSA, each player in this age group will receive a participation medal. WSYA prohibits all sanctioned tournaments from determining a U-9 or U-10 division champion. Teams playing in our U-9 or U-10 division will have 4 games guaranteed.

FORFEITS

All teams are responsible to play the entire tournament. A minimum of 7 players constitutes a team. If a team has less than 7 players present, a five-minute grace period will be granted before a forfeit is declared. A team forfeiting will not be allowed to win their group and/or advance. Failure to appear will jeopardize future acceptance for the team or club in this tournament.

REFUNDS

In the event that the tournament cannot be held for any reason, all fees shall be returned to the teams. Once a team is included on the tournament schedule, no refund will be granted.