1.) GENERAL RULES - This tournament is approved by EPYSA (Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association), which is affiliated with USYSA, USSF and FIFA.
The Tournament Committee members, Tournament Director, Site Coordinators, Field Marshals, Western Lehigh United Soccer Club, its officers and EPYSA will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any individual, team or club. All teams are responsible for their own medical and liability insurance coverage. In the event of an accident or injury while in transit to or from, or while participating in the tournament, the Tournament Committee members, Tournament Director, Site Coordinators, Field Marshals, Western Lehigh United Soccer Club, its officers and EPYSA shall not be held liable. Per EPYSA tournament rules, a notarized medical release for each player (including guests) must be with the team at all times and all teams must have proof of insurance. Check with your club or state office about your proof of insurance.
If you withdraw after your acceptance e-mail has been sent and before the schedules are finalized and posted to the web-site you receive a $100 refund. There is no refund if you withdraw afterwards. If the entire tournament, a site or a division is cancelled prior to the start of the tournament for reasons beyond the control of the tournament committee, each affected team will receive a $200 refund of their registration fee.
Each team is scheduled to play 4 games, 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, except for special requests. In 11 v 11 division a 3 referee system is scheduled. In 8 v 8 games a single center referee is used.
Individual trophies will be given to first and second place team members. In divisions with 6 or more teams, individual medals will be given to third place team members. Patch (or other team memento) trading is expected.
The Tournament Committee and Tournament Director reserve the right to decide all matters pertaining to the Tournament and their judgment is final.
Only the coach who registers the team may speak with the Field Marshal on matters pertaining to the tournament.
Each team shall have a designated speaking captain during the games. Coaches are responsible for the actions of their players, assistant coaches, parents and spectators.
NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES are allowed at any field site.
NO FOUL OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE is allowed at any field site.
NO HARASSMENT of referees (including linesmen) will be tolerated.
NO DISSENT of referee's decisions (including linemen's) will be tolerated.
NO SMOKING is allowed at some field sites.
During the game, carded members of both teams (registered players and CARDED coaches) must be on opposite sides of the field from their respective spectators, with each team limited to their half of the sideline. No one associated with either team is allowed behind either end line during the game.
The coach is expected to control his/her team and to put an end to any conduct detrimental to the good of the game. The coach is also expected to address any problem that the referee may bring to his/her attention. Failure of the coach to keep control of self, players, assistant coaches, parents or spectators may result in forfeiture of a game or the suspension of the team for the balance of the tournament by the referee, referee coordinator, Field Marshal, site coordinator or Tournament Director without refund. Dismissed coaches, assistant coaches, parents or spectators who fail to leave the area is grounds for game forfeiture or team suspension from the tournament.
Two yellow cards in the same game result in the ejection of the player from that game and the player must sit out the next game. There shall be no substitution for the ejected player.
One red card results in the ejection of the player from that game and the player must sit out at least the next game. Based on the referee report, the site coordinator, field marshal or referee coordinator may impose additional penalties for violent or dangerous play up to and including banning the player from further participation in the tournament. There shall be no substitution for the ejected player. Two ejections of the same player during the tournament result in the banning of that player from competition for the rest of the tournament.
Coach ejections will be treated the same as player ejections. In order for the game to continue after a coach ejection, an assistant coach must show a valid pass to the referee or the game is forfeit. If no assistant is available for the next game, then that game is also forfeit. Ejected coaches must leave the field area immediately and may not attend the following game. If not, the game is forfeit.
Per EPYSA tournament rules, all referee assaults and all yellow and red cards will be reported to EPYSA and the respective state associations.
Competition is open to properly registered teams of no more than 18 players (no more than 14 players for 8v8 teams). including up to 5 guest players. All players (including guests) must be registered with their respective state association. All teams from outside EPYSA must supply a copy of their Permission to Travel Form signed by their state association. From EPYSA rules, secondary players registered on your roster are considered guest players for the purpose of traveling to tournaments and will be counted toward your 5 maximum if they attend.
A player may only play for one team during the tournament.
Current player passes authorized by their respective state association will be required as proof of age for each player, including guests. Current coach passes authorized by their respective state association will be required as proof of good standing.
Official team rosters will be checked against coach and player passes during registration. The Field Marshal or referee may use a copy of this tournament approved roster to verify player eligibility before or during each game. Use of an illegal player (a player not registered with the tournament or a player who received a red or 2 yellow cards in the prior game) will result in the immediate dismissal of the team from the tournament without a refund.
5.) LAWS OF THE GAME - All matches will be played in accordance with FIFA laws of the game, except as specifically superceded by these rules.
Each team is required to have alternate colored jerseys or pinnies. When the referee determines that the colors are similar, the home team is responsible for changing their jersey. The home team is the first team listed (left) on the schedule. In consolation or championship games, the home team will be determined by the referee's coin toss.
Shin guards must be worn during all games and socks are to cover shin guards during the match. All players must wear numbered jerseys. Players from the same team must wear different numbers and the numbers must match the player's number that is turned in on the tournament roster.
Goal keepers must wear a jersey color that contrasts with both team's jerseys and the referee's jersey.
Players wearing a hard cast, must have it covered. It will be up to the individual referee's discretion to make sure the cast is covered properly and will not pose a physical danger to any player. If a referee does not feel the cast is covered sufficiently, then that player will not be able to play. No metal cleats may be worn during soccer games. Players may not wear jewelry on the playing field, including metal hair clips.
There will be no limit to substitutions subject to permission of the referee: after either team has scored a goal, at the beginning of the second half, at either team's goal kick, or on possessionof either teams throw-in.
– Under-12 and younger play with a size 4, everyone else a size 5. The home team supplies the game ball. The tournament supplies each team with a game ball at registration, but coaches are welcome to use their own balls for games. If your tournament ball won't hold air, turn it in to the site coordinator to get a replacement.
9.) PROTESTS - There will be no protests. In matters pertaining to the game, all decisions of the referees are final. All scheduled center referees are USSF certified and are assigned by a local, state approved, referee assignor. The Tournament Committee, Tournament Director, Site Coordinators, Field Marshals, Western Lehigh United Soccer Club and its officers have no control over referee assignments.
A 5-minute grace period will be allowed after the scheduled kick off time before the game is awarded to the opponent. A minimum of 7 players constitutes a team (6 players for 8 v 8 games). Teams that fail to field the minimum at the start of the game or who fall below the minimum during the game forfeit the game regardless of the score at the point of forfeiture. Every team must have a coach with a valid pass at each game or the game is forfeit. A forfeit will be recorded as a 0-3 loss for the forfeiting team and a 3-0 win for the opponent.
Weather permitting, games for 11 v 11 will consist of 2 thirty-minute halves with a 5-minute half time. For 8 v 8 games, the halves will be 25 minutes. The referee, the site coordinator or the Field Marshal may shorten or cancel games to preserve the field or to keep the tournament on schedule. A game will be deemed official and its score stand if 20 minutes of the game have been played as of the scheduled start of the next game.
Regardless of weather or field conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at the field, ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the game unless approved by the site coordinator ahead of time. Due to the 4 game format, there are no rescheduled games.
INCLEMENT WEATHER or POOR FIELD CONDITIONS BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT:
Severe inclement weather or other conditions beyond the control of the Tournament Committee that cause the cancellation of the entire tournament, a site, a field or an age group will result in a refund of $100.00 per team of the original entrance fee. Only the Tournament Committee or the Tournament Director may cancel the entire tournament, a site, a field or an age group. After a team plays one game, cancellation of the remainder of their games results in a $50 refund. After a team plays two games, cancellation of the remainder of their games results in no refund.
INCLEMENT WEATHER or POOR FIELD CONDITIONS BEFORE A GAME:
An individual game may be cancelled or the players may be prohibited from warming up on the field and the game length may be reduced. Only the Tournament Committee, the Tournament Director, the site coordinator, the referee or the Field Marshal may shorten or cancel a game.
INCLEMENT WEATHER or POOR FIELD CONDITIONS DURING A GAME:
The game length may be reduced. Only the site coordinator, the referee or the Field Marshal may shorten a game. Should a game be terminated with 20 or more minutes played, the game will be considered official and the score will stand.
Cancelled games or games terminated before 20 minutes of play shall be considered a 0 to 0 tie for purposes of tournament standings.
13.) SCORE REPORTING - A Field Marshal will fill out a game report for each game played. The report will include game related information such as goals scored, yellow card and red card information and injuries. Coaches will be asked to sign the card to insure that there is score agreement. In the event of disagreement, the referee's score is final. At the conclusion of each match the Field Marshal will take this information to the site headquarters where the scores will be posted. Yellow and red card information will be used for tie breaker scoring and for the Post Tournament report to the state.
14.) RANKING - Results are based on the following scoring criteria: Win = 3 points .. Tie = 1 .. Loss = 0
Teams tied in points at the end of regulation games follow this tie-breaker order:
- Head to Head competition, if there are only 2 teams involved.
- Goal Differential up to 3 goals (+ and -) per game.
- Head to Head competition if there are only 2 teams left.
- Fewest Goals Allowed up to 3 per game.
- Head to Head competition if there are only 2 teams left.
- Fewest Red Cards
- Head to Head competition if there are only 2 teams left.
- Fewest Yellow Cards
- Head to Head competition if there are only 2 teams left.
- Penalty Kick shoot-out as described below at the first available appropriately sized goal at the site.
- If inclement weather, poor field conditions or darkness preclude a shootout, the match will be decided by the flip of a coin. If one team is not present, the team present shall be deemed the winner. (Remember a team is comprised of a minimum of 7 players (6 for 8 v 8), so a coach cannot represent the team in the unlikely event that the tie breakers should ever go this far.)
Ties stand in all games except the championship game (for 1st & 2nd place) and the medal game (for 3rd place) in the 8 team divisions:
If the game is tied at the end of regulation time there will be 2 five-minute sudden death overtimes. If the game is still tied, then the winner will be determined by a penalty kick shoot-out. Only players who were on the field at the end of the last overtime period may participate. Each team will designate their first 5 kickers. If, after these 5, there is a tie, then the game will be determined by sudden death penalty kicks. If it is still tied after the 11th player, then the sudden death shoot-out continues in the same order starting with each team's first kicker.
In the event of inclement weather or poor field conditions, there will be no overtime play and the penalty kick shoot-out will begin immediately. Only the referee, site coordinator or the Field Marshal may eliminate the overtime play. In the event of poor field conditions, the Field Marshal, site coordinator or referee may choose the best available goal at the site for the shoot out. If inclement weather or poor field conditions don't permit a shootout, the final results will be based on the criteria described in rule 14 for the 2 teams, applied to their completed games.
15.) CHAMPIONSHIP & MEDAL GAME TIES -
12.) INCLEMENT WEATHER or POOR FIELD CONDITIONS -
11.) DURATION OF PLAY -
10.) FORFEITS -
8.) BALLS
7.) SUBSTITUTIONS -
6.) PLAYER EQUIPMENT
4.) AGE, ELIGIBILITY and GUEST PLAYER POLICY
3.) PLAYER/COACH CONDUCT
2.) GENERAL CONDUCT -