Asheville Mountain Soccer Series
Riverside Summer Shootout
August 29-30, 2009

Tournament Rules and Regulations

Registration will be held on Friday, August 28 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at a location to be determined in Asheville, NC. Each team is required to have a representative attend registration to receive the “official” tournament schedule and submit the following documentation:

1. Official 09/10 Team Match Roster (and 4 copies)
2. Laminated Coach & Player Passes (Photo, Official Stamp, & Signature)
3. Medical Release Forms
4. Guest Player Forms
5. Permission to Travel for out of state teams

Eligibility: The tournament is restricted to USYSA registered teams and players only. All players must be within the proper age group as determined by the USYSA. No player shall play for more than one team during the tournament. Teams must be properly registered and in good standing with USYSA and their respective state association. All players must be properly registered with the team on which they are playing and must have a current player pass card. Please note that all documentation will be checked at tournament registration.

Format: Classic (Select) and Challenge level teams will be accepted into the tournament, as will inter and intra club challenge level tournament teams. Classic and Challenge teams may be placed in a combined division at the discretion of the tournament. If a Challenge team is placed in a division with Classic teams, they will be contacted and given the option to withdraw from the tournament with a full refund. Divisional status and past results will be used to create fair and competitive divisions. All teams will be guaranteed three (3) games. Divisions of 4, 5, 6 or 8 teams will be created depending on the number of accepted teams in an age group.

Entry Fees: U-10: $350, U-11 & U-12: $425, U-13 thru U-18: $525 .

Roster and Passes: 2009 – 2010 USYSA team match rosters and passes will be used for this tournament. These will be presented by the team representative at registration.

Laws of the Game: All matches played during this tournament will be played in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game. Some rules and/or interpretations provided by USYSA and/or NCYSA for youth matches are incorporated, as well as some rules detailed in the USYSA National Championship rules.

The following items will further interpret these rules for purposes of the tournament and/or will provide the administrative framework for the operation of this tournament:

Field Check-In Time: Teams must be at the field 30 minutes prior to their match time and present themselves to match officials. Teams must be prepared to begin the match at the designated match start time. At the conclusion of the match, each coach will verify the score of the match and sign the match report provided by the referee.

Guest Players: A maximum of three (3) guest players will be permitted unless otherwise approved in advance by the Tournament Director. A team may only roster guest players from the corresponding level of play or from a lower level of play. Example: A challenge team may use a guest player registered with a challenge level team or a recreational level team. Teams bringing guest players may bring no more players than their maximum allowed roster size.

Ball Size: U-10 thru U-12 age groups shall use a size four (4) ball. All age groups U-13 and older shall use a size five (5) ball.

Player’s Equipment:

A) Shin guards are mandatory.
B) All players within each team must have matching uniforms. Each player shall have a number affixed to the back of the jersey and clearly visible. Numbered jerseys for goalkeepers are optional.
C) Where jersey colors for each team are similar or identical, the designated home team shall change jerseys. (The “home” team is listed as the first team on the official schedule).
D) The goalkeeper must wear a jersey of neutral color.
E) Casts or protective equipment may be worn only if approved by the referee.
F) No jewelry may be worn on the field and medical bracelets or tags must be taped to the body.
G) The referee will determine the legality and safety of all player equipment.

Inclement Weather: Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must be ready to play as scheduled. A forfeit will be awarded if a team is not prepared to play within 15 minutes after the scheduled match time. Only the Tournament Director or his designee has the power to cancel, postpone or shorten the match prior to its commencement. Should a match be terminated due to inclement weather after the first half has been completed, the match will be considered official and the score will stand. If a match in progress is terminated before the end of the first half or canceled due to inclement weather, it will not be rescheduled and each team will be awarded a 0-0 score and one (1) point. Matches will not begin or will not be allowed to continue if lightning exists in the area. Tournament Officials will determine when it is safe to resume play after lightning has been sighted.

In age groups where the competition cannot be completed through the championship match due to inclement weather, the Tournament Director will determine the division winner and runner-up. The Tournament Director’s decision will be final and will not be subject to protest or appeal. Should games or the entire tournament be cancelled due to inclement weather, there will be no refunds.

Players and Substitutions: The Maximum roster size is twelve (12) for U-10, fourteen (14) for U-11 and U-12, eighteen (18) for U-13 thru U-15, and twenty-two (22) for U-16 thru U-18. All players entering and leaving the field must do so at the mid-field line nearest to the designated team bench area. Teams are permitted unlimited substitutions during the following:

• Possession throw-ins
• Goal kicks on either team
• Following a goal
• Injured players
• Cautioned players at the time of the infraction
• At halftime
• Before overtime starts and after half-time of the overtime.
• Any other time with permission of the referee

Referee: The referee shall make sure all players’ equipment has been checked prior to each match. The score of the match must be reported to the field marshal by the referee immediately following each match. Names of cautioned and ejected players must also be reported to the field marshal.

Assistant Referees: The assistant referees shall assist the referee with field and player inspections prior to each match and perform other duties as dictated by the laws and the referee.

Match Duration:

U-10 Two 25-minute halves 10 minute max halftime
U-11, U-12, U-13 & U-14 Two 30-minute halves 10-minute max halftime
U-15, U-16, U-17 & U-18 Two 35-minute halves 10-minute max halftime

Ties in preliminary group matches stand with no overtime. Should a final or semifinal match end in a tie, teams will be given a 5-minute rest and immediately proceed with two overtime periods. These overtime periods shall be five (5) minutes in length and will be played to completion with no golden goal. If teams are tied at the end of the overtime periods, FIFA Penalty Kicks from the Mark will be used to determine the winner of the match. Prior to starting the FIFA Penalty Kicks from the Mark, the referee must ensure that each team has the same number of eligible players in the center circle. If one team has finished the game with fewer players than the other, the FIFA Reduce to Equate rule shall apply.

Forfeits: A forfeit shall be awarded if a team is not present to play within fifteen (15) minutes following the scheduled start time of the match. In preliminary match play, forfeits will be reported as 3-0 for scoring purposes. In the case of forfeit, the winning team is awarded a 3-0 score and the forfeiting team receives a 0-3 score in addition to having one (1) point deducted from their total points. Matches abandoned due to fighting (both teams involved) will be considered double forfeits and each team will receive a 0-3 score and have one (1) point deducted from their total points.

Score Reporting: The tournament will be responsible for providing a match report to the referee who will bring the match report to the field. Coaches are required to sign the match report at the conclusion of the match. A field marshal will pick up the match report at the end of the match and submit it to tournament headquarters. Scores will become official upon receipt of the match report at the tournament headquarters. Any team has the right to review cautions and/or ejections involving their team at the conclusion of the match, by visiting the tournament headquarters. Cautions and ejections of players are not subject to appeal.

Division Standings: Division standings in preliminary match play will be determined by the following point system:

Win= 3 Points
Tie= 1 Point
Loss= 0 Points
Forfeit= -1 Point

In the case of forfeit, the winning team is awarded a 3-0 score and the forfeiting team receives a 0-3 score in addition to one (1) point deducted from their total.

Divisional Ranking and Team Advancement Criteria: At the conclusion of preliminary match play, teams will be ranked in their group based on the point system. Any situation in which two (2) teams have the same number of points will have the tie broken using the following criteria in the order listed, one after the other as needed:

1) Head to Head competition
2) Goal Differential (+/- 3 maximum allowed per match)
3) Fewest Goals allowed
4) FIFA “Penalty Kicks from the Mark” rules will apply in order to determine the winner, at a time/site to be determined by the tournament Director.

Please note: If more than two (2) teams have the same number of points at the conclusion of preliminary match play, the tie break criteria will begin with Goal Differential, followed by Fewest Goals Allowed. If the tie is unresolved, the teams involved will play one (1) hand of Texas Hold-Em Five Card Draw, using Jacks as wild cards, with the top two hands advancing to FIFA “Penalty Kicks from the Mark.”

The top ranked team in each group will advance to the next round of competition.

Fouls and Misconduct: Any player ejected from the match will not be allowed to participate in their team’s next match. Ejections for fighting will result in the player not being allowed to participate in his/her team’s remaining matches in the tournament. The Tournament Director shall make this decision with the recommendation of the referee. Any coach ejected from a match will not be allowed to preside as coach of his/her team’s next match. Coaches and players ejected from a match must be out of sight and sound of the field before the referee will resume play of the match.

Parents and Spectators: Parents and spectators attending a match are required to be located between the eighteen (18) yard line and mid-field line opposite of their team’s bench area. Each coach is responsible for the conduct of their team’s parents and spectators. Parents and spectators ejected from a match must leave the facility for the duration of the match, and must be out of sight and sound of the field before the referee will resume play of the match. In addition, parents and spectators ejected from a match may be banned from attending any remaining matches in the tournament at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

Fair play and good sportsmanship: Teams are encouraged to exhibit good sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Trading of patches and club standards is highly encouraged.

Protests: No protests will be entertained.