Dunedin Stirling Soccer Club

Memorial Day & Shoot-Out

Tournament Rules

The rules of this tournament shall be in accordance with FIFA, USYSA and FYSA except as modified and approved.

1. TEAM ELIGIBILITY

This tournament shall be open to all teams comprised of properly registered youth players (defined by the rules of USYSA) in all age groups indicated on Tournament approval form, provided such team is in good standing with its youth association. It shall be the responsibility of each State Association to certify the eligibility of its competing teams and to provide such teams with a certified copy of the roster, permission to travel and proof of insurance.

International Teams must have written permission and verification from their own Federation, indicating authorization to participate in this Tournament.

Each team is allowed a maximum of five (U11-U19), four (U9-U10), three (U6-U8) guest players. For our Memorial Day Tournaments only, a maximum of six guest players for U8 Developmental to U19 are allowed.

2. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

USYSA players must be legally registered to USYSA through their respective State or National Association in accordance with USYSA registration requirements. All Teams must have current USYSA or approved organization Player Passes, or the appropriate National Association Pass to participate. Passes must be verified, photo attached and laminated.

3. PRE-GAME PROCEDURE

Tournament Officials shall conduct all credential checks:

a) At the initial registration check-in the night prior to the start of the Tournament.

b) At the Dunedin field prior to the 1st game when approved by Tournament Director.

In no event will a player be allowed to participate who has not been certified by the Tournament Credentials Committee. A player who arrives late at the playing field after the pre-game procedure may enter the game once the game’s official(s) verify the player is eligible and with the permission of the Center Referee. Only at the pre-game procedure may a player be challenged by an opposing manager/coach. Challenged player(s) will be noted by the Referee on the game report and will be allowed to participate in the game (if said player has been certified as eligible by the Tournament Credentials Committee). A ‘challenged player’ does not constitute a game protest, but may serve as a basis for protest should one be submitted. A late arriving player may be challenged at the time she/he is allowed to participate by the Referee.

Each manager, coach and/or assistant coach must have a valid coach’s pass to be on the technical area, as defined by FIFA, and should be listed on the roster. If a coach is ejected, an assistant or manager may guide the team. If the assistant is also ejected, or there is no other assistant or manager, the game will be forfeited. In no case will a team be allowed to participate without a properly registered coach, assistant coach or manager.

4. LAWS OF THE GAME

All games shall be in accordance with the FIFA “Laws of the Game,” except as modified below. Competition sanctioned by this association shall abide by the “Laws of the Game,” along with any modifications or regulations of the association. Players U6 through U10 must play by the rules of the Developmental Program for those ages-modified playing rules.

Law 1: Field of Play

U6, U8, U9 and U10 will play under the auspices of USYSA and FYSA in accordance with the recommendations of the Developmental Player Program Playing Rules for U6, U8, U9 and U10.

Law II: The Ball

U6 & U8 Recreational Size #3 (23-24 in. 8-11 oz.)

U9 Dev, U9, U10, U11, U12 Size #4 (25-26 in. 11-13 oz.)

U13 thru U19 Size #5 (27-28 in. 14-16 oz.)

Law III: Number of Players

U6 Recreational: three (3) a side; no goalkeepers, no offsides, no direct kicks, kick-ins.

U8 Recreational: four (4) a side; no goalkeepers, no offsides, no direct kicks, throw-ins.

U9 Developmental & U9: six (6) a side; including goalkeeper, with offsides.

U10: eight (8) a side; including goalkeeper, with offsides.

U11 thru U19: eleven (11) a side, conforming to FIFA.

Substitutions: Shall be unlimited, except Boys age divisions U15 – U19 where more than one (1) international team participates; in these cases, FIFA “School Boy” limited substitution rules apply.

Substitutions may be made only upon proper notification of the Referee through the Assistant Referee and with the Referee’s permission at the following times:

a) Prior to a throw-in by your team.

b) Prior to a goal kick by either team.

c) After a goal kick by either team.

d) After an injury, by either team, when Referee stops play.

e) At the beginning of the second half or overtime periods.

The substitute shall not enter the field of play until the player replaced has left.

Law IV: Player Equipment

Player equipment must conform to FIFA Rules. All players must wear shin guards under the socks. A player wearing a permanent orthopedic cast shall not be eligible to participate in any game. Orthopedic braces may be allowed if:

a) The player has a written statement from a physician stating that the brace is necessary and that no further injury is likely to occur in the joint that is supported by the brace.

b) The parent has signed a waiver to free FYSA from any claim against FYSA or its insurance company in case of further injury to the joint protected by the brace.

c) A player may be removed from the game at any time if the referee determines that the player is using or is attempting to use a brace to injure another player.

d) Teams will wear uniforms of matching design and color. No two players

may have identical uniform numbers.

e) In the event of similar team colors, the designated home team (first listed team) will be required to change to a color accepted by the referee.

f) The uniform of the goalkeeper must be distinctly different in color from the basic colors of either competing team or the referee.

Law V: Referees

Referees are required to submit a completed official game report to the Site Director following the completion of each game. Red cards must be written up on a supplementary report and attached to game report.

a) Referees will not be paid before any required post game reports have been submitted.

b) In the event that an assigned referee fails to appear and the Assignor and/or Site Director does not provide a replacement, the Senior Assistant Referee shall assume the duties and shall try to find an alternate Assistant Referee.

Law VI: Assistant Referees

Two (2) Assistant Referees will be used for all games of U10 thru U19 age groups. In the event the assigned assistant fails to appear, the Site Director will try to find a suitable replacement. The game will be played and be deemed official with a minimum of a Center and an Assistant Referee in a worse case scenario situation.

Law VII: Duration of the Game

The duration of the game will be:

Age Group		Regulation (min)		Overtime (min)
U17, U18, U19		2 x 45 = 90		2 x 15 = 30
U15, U16		2 x 40 = 80		2 x 15 = 30
U13, U14		2 x 35 = 70		2 x 10 = 20
U11, U12		2 x 30 = 60		2 x 10 = 20
U9 Dev, U9, U10		2 x 25 = 50		2 x 8 = 16
U8		4 x 12= 48		2 x 5=10
	U6		4 x 8 = 40		2 x 5=10

Law VIII – Law XVII: No change.

5. CONTROL OF SIDELINE CONDUCT

Players, reserve players, managers, coaches, and fans are expected to conduct themselves within the letter and spirit of “The Laws of the Game.” The Site Director has the authority and responsibility to remove any person(s) from the tournament for abuses of conduct, in addition to any specific disciplinary action brought about by any other authority. In addition to good manners, these rules will apply to this tournament:

a) The Site Director will designate one sideline defined per FIFA as the “technical area” to be for the sole use of the players and coaches listed on the game roster. One team will occupy one side of the midfield and the other team the remaining side. While the game is in progress, the coaches/manager and the reserve players must remain on their respective benches, and may not roam the sidelines.

b) The Site Director will designate the opposite side of the field for spectators.

c) The coach/manager will be responsible for the behavior of the team’s fans and the referee will have authority to warn and ultimately send off, any coach whose fans behave in an offensive manner.

6. POST GAME PROCEDURES

As a mutual courtesy, both teams meet at the center circle and congratulate each other for a game well played.

a) Referees will return player passes to the Site Director along with the completed game report and supplemental game report, if applicable.

b) Manager/coach of each team will sign the game report after each game confirming the score, and shall collect their corresponding passes from the Site Director except for those participants sent off (if any).

c) Manager/coach of both teams will ensure their respective technical areas are left clean and that all trash is in the proper container.

7. DISCIPLINE

The Tournament Committee shall have a Discipline Committee of no less than three (3) members. This Committee will review and rule on all reports of unacceptable conduct by players, managers, coaches, referees, spectators, etc., using the FYSA standards as set by Rules Section 502 Discipline – Game Conduct.

a) All players and managers/coaches shall be subject to FYSA Section 502.

b) A player or manager or coach ejected will have an automatic minimum of one (1) game suspension regardless of the cause of the ejection.

c) Depending on the severity of the unacceptable conduct, the Discipline Committee may recommend the suspension of up to the duration of the tournament with further disciplinary action by the appropriate state or national association. The Discipline Committee recommendations must be available to the affected parties no later than prior to their next scheduled game.

d) At the conclusion of the tournament, passes will be returned to the coach (even if suspension has not been served). A complete report will be sent to the appropriate state association within seven (7) days of the conclusion of the tournament for possible further disciplinary action.

8. DETERMINATION OF GROUP WINNERS

In group play there are no overtime games. Standings in a group will be determined as follows:

GAME POINTS: 3 points for a win,

1 additional point for a win with a shut-out (no goals allowed)

2 points for a tie

0 points for a loss

NOTE: In groups where one team plays one more game than others in the group due to an uneven number of teams in the bracket, game points, net goal differential, goals allowed and goals scored will be weighted to make them comparable to the other teams in the group playing only three (3) games and will be acknowledged prior to game time.

TIE BREAKERS:

a) Head to head results.

b) If no clear winner, net goal differential (maximum of 4 per game)

c) If no clear winner, least goals allowed

d) If no clear winner, penalty kicks in accordance with FIFA “Taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark”.

IF THREE OR MORE TEAMS TIE IN POINTS:

a) Net goal differential.

b) If no clear winner, least goals allowed

c) If no clear winner mini-games as follows: a blind draw determines which two teams will play; third team draws a “bye.” The winner of the game plays the team that had the “bye.” The winner of this game will advance.

d) If goal differential leaves four (4) teams tied, then all four teams go to mini-games as follows: a blind draw determines which teams will play each other; winners of blind draw play each other. The winner of this game will advance.

DETERMINATION OF SEMI-FINAL AND FINAL GAME WINNERS

a) In semi-final and final games, if no clear winner is decided after regulation time, overtime will be played in accordance with Law VII.

b) If no clear winner is decided after overtime periods, penalty kicks in accordance with FIFA “Taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark”. U6 & U8’s ties stand at this point.

9. FORFEITS

A minimum of 3 players for U6, 4 players for U8, 6 players for U9 Developmental, U9 and U10; and 7 players for U11 thru U19 constitutes a team. Game should start at the given starting time. In case either team does not have required number of players present, the team should be allowed a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes grace period before awarding the game to the opponent, unless a longer period of time has been agreed upon and signed off on game report by coaches prior to game and authorized by Tournament Director. A forfeit will be scored as 4-0, with 3 points awarded to the winning team (no extra point for shut-out). The 15-minute grace period will apply for a referee or assistant referee not showing up at the required time. Tournament Director or Referee Assignor will make every effort to appoint another referee or assistant referee for the game.

10. PERFORMANCE BOND

A performance bond may be required of teams to guarantee participation. The host organization shall return any un-forfeited bonds immediately after the team’s final game.

11. PROTESTS

A protest committee shall be named at the Credentials Check-in and shall consist of at least three (3) members. No person who would benefit by any decision of the Protest Committee shall have any vote with reference to protests involving his/her team, league or association. For a protest to be considered, the following procedure must be followed:

a) No protest on referee judgment or disciplinary calls will be accepted.

b) Verbal notification of intention to protest must be given to the tournament official immediately following the game.

c) Protest must be in writing by the manager/coach and delivered to the Tournament Committee no later than one (1) hour following the completion of the game of incident, accompanied by a cash fee of $200. This fee will be refunded should the protest be upheld.

d) The Protest Committee will investigate the particulars of the protest and rule on it as soon as possible, but no later than the beginning of the next scheduled game for teams involved in the protest.

12. EXTERNAL CONDITIONS, WEATHER, etc.

In the event unusual conditions necessitate the rescheduling, curtailment or cancellation of games, the Tournament Committee shall have absolute authority to make the changes in order to best serve the interests by a certain time period. In case of extreme weather (heat/humidity) the referee shall make brief stoppages of the game to allow players on the field a water break. In any event, there will be no refunds given of the Tournament entry fees.

13. CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL CEREMONY

Following the completion of each championship game, the two competing teams will present themselves to the Game Site Coordinator for awards.

14. GENERAL

The Tournament Committee, FYSA and/or host affiliate will not be responsible for any expense incurred by any team due to the cancellation in part or whole of this tournament.

a) The Tournament Committee’s interpretation on the foregoing rules and regulations shall be final.

b) The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide all tournament matters.

c) If not enough teams are realized within a single age bracket, the Tournament Director shall notify the participants as soon as possible and those participants will be given the option to play up or to receive a full refund.

d) The Tournament Committee has the responsibility to uphold any previous suspension imposed by FYSA/USYSA.

e) The Tournament Committee agrees to have a copy of the Tournament Rules at all game sites.

f) Teams that withdraw from the Tournament once the application has been received, forfeit that team’s registration fees.