2008 RULES AND REGULATIONS
Rule #1 - TEAM ROSTER
Rosters must be submitted with your application. Rosters will be considered official and become frozen at the time of registration. If you do not attend registration in person, your roster submitted with your application will be frozen on November 22, 2008. A maximum of five (5) guest players will be allowed. Teams will be allowed a maximum of 18 players for 11v11 teams and 14 players for 8v8 teams.
Rule #2 - REGISTRATION FOR TEAMS AND PLAYERS
All teams MUST be state affiliated clubs, a member of US Club Soccer, or affiliated with their national organization (non-US teams). All players must have a valid player pass from their governing state organization, US Club Soccer, or their national organization (non-US teams) which must be presented to the tournament committee at the time of registration. All Player and Coaches passes will be inspected before every game. If you do not have a player’s pass, the player will not be allowed to play. A player may only be on one team’s roster for the duration of the tournament. All games in which an ineligible player participates will be forfeited. Any team fielding an ineligible player is subject to disqualification from the tournament. Secondary passes are not permitted.
Rule #3 - AGE DETERMINATION
Players must have been in the year of their FIFA age bracket, or later. All games in which an ineligible player participates will be forfeited. Any team fielding an ineligible player is subject to disqualification from the tournament. (Example: 88/89 bracket is a team with players born on or after August 1, 1988.)
Substitution shall be unlimited, and may be made at the discretion of the referee(s) at the following times:
(A)
Prior to a throw in by your team.
(B)
Prior to any goal kick.
(C)
After a goal by any team.
(D)
At half time.
(E) Injury
– unlimited substitutions
(F) Yellow
carded players shall be removed.
The length of games for division five (5) will be 25 minute halves. The length of games for divisions four (4), three (3), two (2), and one (1) will be 30 minute halves. Half time will be five minutes. The clock shall be a running clock and will not be stopped for any reason other than serious injury. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to alter the length of any game due to the weather or any other extenuating circumstances.
Rule #6 - WEATHER, FIELD CONDITIONS
Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear on the field at the scheduled time, unless notified otherwise by the Tournament Committee. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match. All games will take place unless the Tournament Committee (or, after the start of the game, the referee) determines that the playing conditions are hazardous to players, or are otherwise unacceptable to the authorities responsible for the fields. If a game is suspended for more than one hour, with twenty (20) minutes or more played, the game will be considered complete and the score final at the time play is suspended. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to determine whether or not a game is to be rescheduled or to change the length of the match due to weather conditions. The Tournament Committee will determine makeup schedules.
Rule #7 - REFEREES
All games will be officiated under the USSF approved system. All playoff games will use the three-man system. In games where only one referee is present, each team will be required to provide a linesman who is acceptable to the referee.
Rule #8 - FORFEITS
Forfeits will be declared a 3-0 loss. A game will be declared a forfeit if one or both teams scheduled to play fail to field a playable team of 7 players (11v11) or 5 players (8v8) within the five-minute grace period of the scheduled start time. In the event that the previous games run past the schedule starting time, the grace period shall commence at the conclusion of the previous game. In the event of a double forfeit, each team will be charged with a loss. A game shall be described a forfeit if a team plays an ineligible player (see Rules 1, 2, and 3). Any team forfeiting a game will not be allowed to advance to the play-off round, nor be eligible to be declared a winner or runner-up in single bracket division (regardless of record).
Rule #9 - PROTESTS AND GRIEVANCES
NO PROTESTS WILL BE ALLOWED!
RULE #10 - CONDUCT
All players and coaches are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit, as well as the letter, of the Laws of the game. Players or coaches ejected from a game by the referee will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game. Any spectator ejected from the field location by the referee, or directed to leave by a Field Coordinator or a member of the Tournament Committee, will not be allowed to be present during subsequent games. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to review the referee’s decision to determine if further action is warranted. Any player, coach, or spectator ejected due to fighting will be barred from further participation in the tournament, and their state association will be informed in writing of the infraction. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their team players, the team parents, and other team supporters. Persistent unsportsmanlike behavior by any team, or its supporters, will subject the coach to disciplinary action. Two cautions (yellow card) to a player or coach in a game constitute a red card. Anyone ejected from a game must leave the field area. All cautions and ejections are to be reported by referees to the field coordinator. West Deptford Soccer will report incidents of misconduct back to a team’s respective league and affiliation. Referees are instructed to issue a caution (yellow card) to the bench for unruly or abusive behavior on the part of the spectators. A second yellow card to the same bench for the same reason will automatically terminate play. The Tournament Committee will decide if the game is to be replayed, continued from the point of disruption, or declared a forfeit.
Rule #11 – SCORING AND STANDINGS – U8 THROUGH U10
In compliance with the New Jersey Youth Soccer ruling effective August 1, 2002, all teams U10 and younger will receive participation awards only. No trophies. There will be no standings and no results posted. Games that end in a tie will be considered a tie game.
Rule #12 - SCORING AND STANDINGS- U11 AND ABOVE
Each team will play a minimum of three games. Each team will be ranked in order of game points:
WIN = 3 points
TIE = 1 point
LOSS = 0 points
One point will be subtracted for each red card issued to a player, team coach or bench. The team with the most points finishes first. In the event of a tie involving two or more teams, the following tie-breaking rules will apply:
A)
Head to head competition (when only two
teams are tie).
B) Bonus Points: (when 3 or more teams are tied, if 2 teams are still tied after B-1 & B-2 then reverts to A)
1) +1 for each Shutout recorded. If still tied, then
2) Goal differential bonus pts: The winning team will receive bonus points for goal differentials up to a maximum of three (3) goals per team per game. (Examples: 1 to 0 is one bonus point, 4 to 2 is two bonus points, 8 to 3 is three bonus points.) Any team having a goal differential of more than six goals forfeits 1 bonus point for each goal over 6 that game and will be assessed negative bonus pts.
C) Least goals scored against
D) Most goals scored, maximum of 6 goals per game.
E)
FIFA penalty kick procedures at a field
to be designated by the Tournament Committee.
In the event of games canceled by the Tournament Committee, tiebreaker
rules B and C will be based on the average per the number of games actually
played.
SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME SHALL APPLY
Periods will be played as golden goal. Beginning with the first overtime period of five (5) minutes the goalies shall be removed. At the end of the first five minutes if a tie still exists one additional player from each team shall be removed from the playing field and another five-minute period shall commence. This procedure shall continue until a goal is scored, or until a 5v5 situation occurs. There will be one (1) minute to remove a player, switch ends and restart with a drop ball at the center circle after each period. In a penalty kick situation, time shall stop (dead ball situation, there can be no rebound or follow up shots), a current field player may act as goalkeeper until possession or a goal, time and play shall restart with either a corner kick or goal kick and no goalkeepers. Shots hitting the post, rebounding back to the field are dead and restarted with a goal kick. If a 5v5 situation occurs the game will be decided by penalty kicks, commencing with in 2 minutes, with the goalie that finished regulation play. It will be a best of 5 penalty shot; teams must pick the 5 players to take shot before commencing the shootout. All shots will be taken at the same goal.
RULE #13 – TOURNAMENT CANCELLATION OR POSTPONEMENT,
Part 1 of 2
Every attempt will be made to play all games. In the event the tournament is canceled prior to any games being played, in compliance with NJYS cancellation policy effective 9/1/03, West Deptford Soccer will refund 80% of the team’s entry fee. The reason for cancellation might include weather, field usage, or sponsoring organization management decision. If a tournament is postponed or rescheduled, a new permission to host agreement must be submitted to NJYS and all teams that applied to the original date will be given the opportunity to withdraw from the revised date of the tournament with a full refund of their entry fees.
RULE #13 – TOURNAMENT CANCELLATION OR POSTPONEMENT,
Part 2 of 2
If any of the three days in November are unplayable due to weather or field conditions, the tournament will be played in two days and winners will be decided by our point system. There will be no semi-final or final matches if the tournament has to be played in two days. If the tournament is played in two days, each team will play 3 games or receive a refund commensurate with games played. West Deptford Soccer will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any team if the tournament is postponed or canceled. Please check our website, wdtournament.com for updates.
Rule #14 – MISCELLANEOUS
a.
In the spirit of good sportsmanship, there
is a goal differential allowed per game of six (6) goals. If a team goes above this goal differential,
bonus points are taken away for that particular game (see Rule #12B).
b.
All teams must report to the Field
Coordinator twenty (20) minutes prior to the scheduled start of each game.
c.
If opposing teams have the same or similar
color uniforms, the team listed first on the schedule will be required to
change.
d.
Players and coaches will be on one side of the field, and all parents
and spectators will be located on the opposite side of the field. The first team listed on the schedule will
have their choice of sidelines.
Spectators are to stay at least five yards behind the touchline or if
marked, behind the spectator line.
e.
Each team will be responsible for medical insurance
coverage and treatment for each of its players.
Each coach must have proof of medical insurance and NOTARIZED medical
release forms, both at the time of registration and during play. Each team, its
players, parents, and other supporters participate at their own risk.
f.
There will be a general awards ceremony
following each U11 and older championship game by the main tent at the site of
the championship game. First and second
place trophies will be awarded at the conclusion of each championship game.
g.
Any team, which fails to play in accordance
with these Rules and Regulations, will not be invited back to future
tournaments.
h.
The Tournament Committee reserves the right
to reject the application of any team, if such action is in the best interests
of the tournament.
i.
Situations and/or issues not covered by
these Rules and Regulations which occur prior to or during the tournament will
be brought to the attention of the Tournament Committee by the manager or coach
of any registered team. The Tournament
Executive Committee will meet to evaluate the situation or issue. They will make a decision as expeditiously as
possible and their decision is final.
j.
Out of state teams must have their
Permission to Travel Form signed by their USSF representative, or their association.
k.
No coach, player, or team supporter will be
allowed within 18 yards of the goal line.
l.
In the spirit of sportsmanship, at the
conclusion of every game each team will meet at midfield to shake hands and exchange
team patches (or pins).
m.
Teams are to wear their uniform with their
individual numbers on their shirts.
Uniform numbers will coincide with the listing on the team’s approved
roster. It is up to the assigned referee
to determine whether a uniform change is in order.
n.
Players are expected to arrive at a match
without earrings, watches, necklaces, combs, or metal barrettes. A hair control device is permitted provided
there are no knots of any kind. Players
who violate the equipment rule are subject to a caution from the referee. A player caught on the field with illegal
equipment will be cautioned by the referee and directed off the field. Properly wrapped hard casts of any kind, or
metal splints, shall be permitted only at the discretion of the referee. Orthopedic wraps must be secured and metal
rings covered with tape. All players
must wear shin guards. No metal cleats
are permitted. Screw-on cleats must be
inspected by the referee, prior to the match, for exposed areas. Glasses shall be permitted at the discretion
of the referee. We recommend recreation
specs or safety goggles.
o.
Golf Cart Policy: In accordance with New Jersey Youth Soccer
rules, golf carts are to be driven only by persons with a valid driver’s
license.