COLCHESTER SPRING SOCCER CLASSIC

TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS 

All of the tournament games will be played in accordance with the laws of the game as issued by the FIFA unless modified herein. The following statements (RULES) supplement the laws of the game. These supplementary rules are a guide and are not detailed. Only the intent is being expressed.

RULE 1 - ELIGIBILITY: All players must be under their age group classification as of Aug. 1st preceding the beginning of the seasonal year that starts September 1 st of the current year. All players must be properly registered with Connecticut Junior Soccer Association (CJSA) or their state organizations. No player is allowed to be registered with more than one team or to transfer from one team to another team during the tournament – violation of this rule will result in a forfeit for each game that the player played in.  Teams must register before their first game at the Tournament Headquarters. Registration will include checking rosters*, player passes, medical release forms, guest player approval forms for any guest players that a team might have. Teams from outside the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association are required to follow the current USYSA Region 1 procedures for travelling to a Region 1 tournament.

RULE 2 - ROSTERS: Certified Rosters will be required to be submitted prior to the tournaments and each team shall be limited to those players listed on the roster. In the event that any player is added to the squad after the first game, or an ineligible player is used, that team shall automatically forfeit all games in which the player is used. Player passes and medical release forms must be presented at registration. Jersey numbers must be listed on the submitted roster.

RULE 3 - NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Under 9 and Under 10 teams will be composed of a maximum of 16 players. Under 11 thru Under 14 teams will be composed of a maximum of 18 players. (A team needs a minimum of seven players for the 11V11 and five players for the 8V8 to begin play.) After the game is started with seven or five players, respectively, it may not continue with less than the minimum number of players. In the event that the team cannot produce the minimum number of players or is reduced to less than the minimum number of players after the commencement of the game, it shall forfeit the game. A team shall have five minutes leeway from the referee’s signal to field a team before a forfeit shall be declared. Forfeit scores shall be 1-0.

RULE 4 – GUEST PLAYERS: Each team may have up to three Guest Players

provided they are added to the Team’s Certified Roster. With Guest players, teams may not exceed the maximum number of players (18 players for U-11 through U-14, 16 players for U-09 through U-10). Each guest player is required to have a Guest Player Approval Form filed at registration time.

RULE 5 - PLAYERS UNIFORM AND EQUIPMENT: Teams must wear numbers on the backs of their shirts. Each player shall have a different number and this number shall coincide with the player’s name as shown on the Certified Roster. In the event of team colours clashing, the home team will change colours - the home team being the team listed first on the schedule. All teams will bring alternative jerseys or pennies of a different colour than the primary jersey.

RULE 6 - SUBSTITUTIONS:  Substitutions will be unlimited but done at midfield with the Referee's permission on any stoppage.

RULE 7 - CONDUCT: Players, as well as coaches, managers, and team supporters, are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit of the law as well as to the letter of the law. Coaches are looked upon as role models by their players. They should not exhibit behaviours in which you would find objectionable in others. Team supporters will be the responsibility of the coaches. The referee will not stop the clock when addressing conduct issues during a game.

RULE 8: - PLAYER/COACH EJECTION: Any player or coach sent off (ejected) by the referee must sit out the remainder of that game plus the next 2 games. That player’s team will play short for the remainder of the game in which the player was sent off. If a player accumulates three yellow cards within the tournament, he/she must sit out the next game. If a player accumulates his third yellow card for the tournament during a game and also gets a red card during that game he/she must sit out the next two games. If a coach is ejected from a game or is serving a game suspension, another properly registered coach for that team must take his/her place or the game will be forfeited.

RULE 9: - FORFEITS: Any team forfeiting a game is not eligible for a first or second place finish or a semi-final berth. A forfeit will be recorded as 1 to 0 win for the non-forfeiting team.  Games may be forfeited by a team not showing up within the specified time frame or by using an illegal player.

RULE 10: - POSITION OF THE PLAYERS/SPECTATORS: Each team’s players and spectators will take a position on opposite sides of the field, where possible. Spectators or players will not be permitted behind the goal line while the game is in progress. Spectators and players not in game must remain behind the Spectator/Player lines painted on each field. (Exception to this rule is the where players waiting to go in as substitutes should be standing. See RULE 5, above.)

RULE 11: - REFEREE: Only USSF registered referees shall be used. The referee must be 2 age groups older than the games that they will officiate.

U14 game referee would be U16 or older

U12 game referee would be U14 or older

U10 game referee would be U12 or older.

RULE 12: - ASSISTANT REFEREES/LINESPERSON: Although every attempt will be made to provide Assistant Referees, each team will provide a linesperson when necessary. When Assistant Referees are not available, the home team will provide the first linesperson and the visiting team will provide the second linesperson. (Club Referees)

RULE 13: - PROTESTS: Protests must be filed in writing by the coach or team manager with the Field Marshall within one half hour of the completion of the game. No protest will be entertained regarding a referee’s decisions. The tournament director's decision is final.

RULE 14: - REFEREE’S REPORT: - The referee will deliver his official written game report to the Field Marshal which will include the names of any players issued red and yellow cards, along with details of any other matters involving improper or unsportsmanlike conduct of a team, its players, coaches, or team supporters.

RULE 15: - GAME DURATION/STARTING TIMES: Games will consist of two 25 minute halves with a five minute break at the half. The clock will not be stopped for any reason. Play shall be extended beyond the expiration of any period, in regulation time or overtime, to permit a penalty shot to be taken. If scheduled games begin running behind schedule the tournament director may shorten the games to 20-minute halves. Please leave the field immediately following your game. Shake hands off the playing field. Warm up prior to your game, off the field. There will be no time for warm-ups on the field prior to the beginning of your game.

RULE 16: - COIN TOSS: There will be no coin toss prior to the game for pool play. The team on the left of the schedule will have the ball to begin the game. The team on the left of the schedule (Home Team) will begin the game on the left side of the field (as determined from the bench) and the team on the right of the schedule (Visiting Team) will be on the right side of the field. In the event that there are no game balls at the field, the Home Team will supply the game ball. The Away Team should have a game ball in waiting. A coin toss will be used for all semi-final and final games.

RULE 17: - STANDING: The tournament will be played in accordance with the schedule provided for each team. Rankings will be determined by points awarded for:

GAME POINTS:

3 points for a win

1 point for a tie

0 points for a loss

Forfeited games will be 1-0

Cancelled games will be a 1-1 tie

Teams in the U-09 and U-10 age groups will play only non result oriented games in which there will be no determination of champions.

SPECIAL RULE FOR FIVE AND SEVEN TEAM DIVISIONS (U-11 through U-14)

All teams will play three games, except the host team (Colchester) which will play four games. That fourth game will not count in the standings for Colchester, but will count for their opponents.

RULE 18: - TIE BREAKING: If a tie should exist in the standings, the following tiebreakers will be used in this order:

a) Head to head competition (does not apply if three or more teams are tied)

b) Team with the most wins

c) Least number of goals scored against.

d) Bonus points. 1 Bonus point will be awarded to the winning team for the differences in goals that they have scored versus goals scored against them in each game up to a maximum of 3 bonus points per game. 1 Bonus point for each shutout win registered. 2 bonus points will be awarded for Forfeited games to the team that was at the field, ready to play.

e) If the teams are still tied after the above tiebreakers are calculated, the teams will adjourn to an available field and proceed with penalty kicks FIFA rules. In the event of a tie during the semi-finals and final games, there will be two - five minute overtimes, (with a 1-minute halftime and change of direction). If a tie still exists, then the winner will be determined by penalty kicks FIFA rules.

If the tournament is halted due to weather after 2 games being played and the above tiebreakers do not determine a winner, the Tournament committee may developed additional tie breaker in order to be able to declare a winner.

RULE 19: - AWARDS: Awards will be given to all first and second place teams in the U-11, U-12, U13, and U14 age groups. In the U9 and U10 age groups, all participants will get a participation award.

RULE 20: - GAMES HALTED BY WEATHER: Coaches and players must appear on the field of play regardless of the weather conditions, unless directed otherwise by the Tournament Committee. Failure to appear shall result in a forfeit of the match.

In the event of inclement weather, games will be halted only when the referee or tournament officials determine that conditions are dangerous. The Tournament Committee has the authority to change the format of the Tournament in any way as follows:

• Should any match in progress be terminated due to weather after a minimum of 25 (twenty-five) minutes of play, the game shall be considered complete and final. Any game not completed to at least 25 (twenty-five) minutes shall be considered a 0-0 tie if it can not be restarted prior to the start of the semi-finals and final games.
• Relocation or reschedule of any game
• Change to the duration of any game
• Cancel any games as required.
• No refund of fees will take place due to changes in Tournament format because of inclement weather.

RULE 21: - Tournament Cancellation & Refund Policy:

All teams accept the risk of weather or other unforeseen events that could make fields unplayable. The Colchester Youth Soccer Club will not issue any refunds of application fees for any team that completes 2 games of their scheduled 3 games for the tournament. Should teams play less than 2 games the Tournament Committee Chairperson and the CYS Executive board will meet and determine an appropriate amount of partial refund.

RULE 22: - Tournament Format: The tournament will be formatted as follows (unless modified due to weather): 

• All U10 and below teams will play in a non-result oriented format, and will play 4 games.
• All U11 and up teams will play one of the following formats:
  • 3 game round robin play followed by a final
  • 3 game round robin play, followed by a semi-final and a final.
  • 4 game round robin play, with 1^st and 2^nd place being decided by standings and tiebreakers as required.