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|  Rules for the 2008 Indiana Youth Soccer State Cup Indiana Youth Soccer 2008 Tournament Rules (05-10-2008) US Youth Soccer Indiana State Cup Championships The Indiana Challenge Cup PART I - TOURNAMENT ADMINISTRATION Rule 101. DEFINITIONS Except as otherwise provided, the following definitions apply to both, the State Cup and the Challenge Cup: a. Appeal. An action submitted during the Cup Competition, by a team coach, to the Indiana Youth Soccer Tournament and Cup Committee, as a result of a decision made by the Cup Protest Committee. b. Assignor. A person, licensed by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), authorized by the State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA) to assign referees to State Cup and Challenge Cup games. c. Bond. A "good faith" payment made to ensure that a team entered to play in either the State Cup or the Challenge Cup will play in all their scheduled tournament games. d. Double-Blind Draw. A process used to place teams in tournament brackets for each age division. One draw will pick the bracket and the other will pick the team playing in that bracket. e. Federation or USSF. The United States Soccer Federation. f. NCC. The National Championships Committee as established by the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors to administer the rules and policies for the US Youth Soccer National Championships. g. Game Roster. A list of players who will participate in a particular game or competition. h. Play-In Game. A game played to determine the final teams to play in the Preliminary, Semi-Final, or Finals round of play. A play-in game(s) is played, generally, when more than 16 teams have entered a particular age division. i. Premier Team. A premier team is one that plays all of its primary games in a designated premier league. For the purposes of these Cup games, premier leagues are designated in Rule 203. j. Primary Player. In order to be eligible for National, Regional or State Cup competition, double rostered players must be primary players on the team roster being entered into the competition and not shown as a secondary player. k. Protest. An action submitted during the Cup Competition, by a team coach, to the Cup Protest Committee, related to the qualifications of competitors, interpretation of Cup rules, or any dispute as it may relate to the State Cup or the Challenge Cup. l. Protest Committee Representative means a member of the TCC serving on the Protest Committee and physically located at one of the Preliminary Round or Finals sites. m. Roster. A list of registered players available to participate in a match. Travel and recreational-plus teams must have an Indiana Youth Soccer roster signed by the Indiana Youth Soccer State Registrar. n. Roster Freeze Date. The date designated by Indiana Youth Soccer, after which the team roster of a team entering either the State Cup or the Challenge Cup may no longer be changed. This date may not be earlier than 14 days prior to the beginning of the age group competition at the state level. o. Seasonal Year. A seasonal year is from September 1 through August 31. p. Secondary Player. A player rostered to a second team. Double rostered players listed as secondary on a roster are not eligible to participate in the National, Regional or State Cup competition for that Secondary Team. Secondary players are allowed to participate in the Challenge Cup only if their primary team is not entered in either the State Cup or the Challenge Cup. q. Select Team. A select team is one that is formed solely for the purpose of playing in tournaments. r. SYRA. The State Youth Referee Administrator is responsible for coordinating the obtaining, training, scheduling and assigning of game officials for each play-in, preliminary, semi-final and final game in the State Cup and Challenge Cup competition. s. TCC. The Indiana Youth Soccer Tournament and Cup Committee. t. Team. A recognized entity organized for the purpose of playing the sport of soccer. u. Team Official. A person who possesses an approved Indian Youth Soccer pass and is listed on a team roster. A team official may be a coach, assistant coach, manager, or trainer. v. Team Roster. A list of registered players eligible to play for a team. w. Tournament Team. A team comprised of players who may be registered to more than one team rostered only for the purpose of attending: (1) a tournament sanctioned by another National State Association, or (2) international tournaments sanctioned by Indiana Youth Soccer. Tournament teams are not eligible to play in the State Cup or the Challenge Cup. x. Transfer Player. Any player who has moved from one team roster to another team roster, or returns to the same roster, in the same seasonal year. y. U.S. Youth Soccer. The United States Youth Soccer Association, Inc. Rule 102. ESTABLISHMENT Section 1. The US Youth Soccer Indiana State Cup Championships a. In accordance with the policies and rules of the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships Committee and US Youth Soccer, Indiana Youth Soccer shall conduct individual, and separate, state championships for boys and girls in age groups determined each year by the TCC. The official name of this event for Indiana Youth Soccer is The US Youth Soccer Indiana State Cup Championships (hereinafter referred to as the "State Cup"). b. State Cup winners in each age group, both boys and girls, upon approval of the TCC and Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors shall advance to and represent Indiana in the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships. Wild card berths may be awarded to 2nd place teams as determined by the Region II Cup Committee. A team who fails to fulfill this obligation will be automatically replaced by another team in that age group as determined by the TCC. An Indiana team (U14 - U19) that wins its age group competition at the Region II level will automatically advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. Section 2. The Challenge Cup Indiana Youth Soccer shall conduct individual, separately conducted, championships for boys and girls in age groups determined each year by the TCC. The official name of this event is The Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup competitions are established in accordance with the policies and rules of Indiana Youth Soccer. Rule 103. AWARDS TO TEAMS AND PLAYERS Section 1. The State Cup First and second place teams will receive a team award. The players and coaches of the 1st and 2nd place teams will each receive individual medals. The players and coaches of the champion team of boys and girls in each age group will receive an embroidered state champion patch. Any team in each age group that receives 100% of the Sportsmanship Points will receive the Sportsmanship Fair Play award. Section 2. The Challenge Cup First and second place teams will receive a team award. The players and coaches of the 1st and 2nd place teams will each receive individual medals. Any team in each age group that receives 100% of the Sportsmanship Points will receive the Sportsmanship Fair Play award. Rule 104. ADMINISTRATION Section 1. US Youth Soccer The overall administration of the US Youth Soccer National Championships competitions at the National, Region and State levels is vested in the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors. Section 2. Indiana Youth Soccer In Indiana, administrative oversight of the State Cup and Challenge Cup competitions is vested in the Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors and is based on the policies and rules established by Indiana Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer. Section 3. The Cup Director and Cup Committee The Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors will establish a Tournament and Cup Committee (TCC) and approve its Chairman. The chairman will subsequently appoint its members and a Cup Director. The Cup Director, who may be the chairman of the TCC, has the authority and responsibility for all administrative, organizational and rule decisions related to the State Cup and Challenge Cup and the proper execution of all Cup competitions. Section 4. Dates, Fees, Rules and Locations. Based on the authority in Section 3 above, the TCC shall establish the deadline date for entry, fees, dates, rules and the sites for all Play-In, Preliminary, Semi-Final and Final game competitions. The deadline date and dates of play for the Cup competitions will be based on the play dates established by Region II for the US Youth Soccer Regional II Championships. Section 5. Reporting to Region II. At a date established by Region II, Indiana Youth Soccer shall submit to the Region II Cup Director a non-refundable fee in the amount set by the U.S. Youth Soccer Board of Directors. This entry form will indicate Indiana Youth Soccer's intent to compete in the Region II Midwest Regional Championships. Section 6. Other Matters. The TCC shall decide any tournament and cup competition matter for the good of Youth Soccer. The TCC shall have the authority to oversee any matters not covered within this document. Only matters that the TCC feels that it cannot resolve will be forwarded to the Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors for final resolution. Decisions made by the TCC or the Board of Directors under this rule shall be final and may not be appealed. Rule 105. GAME PRECEDENCE Section 1. Precedence. All Indiana Youth Soccer Cup competition games shall take precedence over all other youth games. Section 2. League Scheduling. Indiana Youth Soccer affiliated leagues will minimize the scheduling of league games or referees, to the maximum extent possible, on the dates announced for the State Cup and Challenge Cup preliminary, semi-final, and final games. All cup game(s) and referee scheduling shall take precedence over league games. Section 3. Other Competitions. Teams who accept entry into other sanctioned tournaments or competitions on the same weekend that any State Cup or Challenge Cup event is scheduled, in anticipation of their team not advancing, and the team does advance, will be expected to comply with the game schedule published by the TCC or risk forfeiture of their bond and possible additional penalties. Rule 106. NOTICES Section 1. Outgoing. All notices pertaining to Cup competitions will be placed on the Indiana Youth Soccer administrative web site as soon as reasonably possible. All notices may be emailed to club and team officials and if time permits, notices will be mailed directly to the Club President of the participating team and to the participating team. Section 2. Incoming. All notices and other communications required to be given under this policy and these rules shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the TCC. Section 3. Rules and Rule Changes. A copy of the rules to be used during the State Cup and Challenge Cup competitions will be published on the Indiana Youth Soccer website no later than the date applications for the competitions are made available to all eligible teams. All changes to the rules must be posted to the Indiana Youth Soccer website no later than 15-days prior to the start of the first Cup game. Rule 107. FEES Entry fees, bond payments and other fines for both the State Cup and the Challenge Cup will be reviewed and approved annually by the TCC. Rule 108. MEETINGS All teams advancing to the Semi-Final/Final round will re-register their team prior to the start of the Semi-Final round. The date(s), time, and location of all meetings will be sent to the club president, team contact and placed on the Indiana Youth Soccer website. Rule 109. SPORTSMANSHIP Section 1. Pre and Post Game Sportsmanship Prior to the kick-off, both teams and the match officials shall "walk-on" to the field together and exchange handshakes. At the conclusion of the match, opposing players and coaches shall shake hands. Section 2. Policies and Rules Coaches, players, teams and referees will be expected to read and adhere to all Cup rules and policies regarding behavior. Section 3. Code of Conduct The Coach of each team is responsible for ensuring that all team officials, players, parents and/or guardians read and comply with the Code of Conduct document. Section 4. Control of the Sideline Players, managers, coaches, and fans are expected to conduct themselves within the letter and spirit of the Laws of the Game. The Cup Director, the Cup Director's representative or the Host Site Coordinator at any Cup site, shall have the authority and responsibility to remove any person(s) from the tournament for abuses of good conduct. Section 5. The Fair Play Award. For each age group in the State Cup and Challenge Cup competitions teams will be awarded "Fair Play" awards. These awards will be based on points accumulated during games played based on the criteria outlined in Section 6 below. The referees, at the conclusion of each game, will record sportsmanship points on the official game card as explained below. Section 6. Sportsmanship Points. On a scale of 1 (low) - 10 (high) in each category listed below, the referees will assess sportsmanship points: a. Conduct of Players (10 Points). This category evaluates playing by the rules, respect for teammates, officials, opponents, and general behavior. b. Conduct of Coaches (10 Points). This category evaluates a coach's reasonable demands of players, the coach's respect for tournament rules, officials, players, and opponents; the coach's safe and proper use of equipment, knowledge of the rules, and the good sportsmanship example he/she sets for the players. c. Conduct of Spectators (10 Points). This category evaluates the decorum and behavior of spectators, respect for referee decisions, rules of the game and the tournament, and the overall behavior of everyone on the sidelines. PART II - ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPETITION Rule 201. THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS LEVEL OF COMPETITION Section 1. The US Youth Soccer Indiana State Cup Championships. The US Youth Soccer National Championships competition shall be conducted at the following levels: a. State Level (State Cup) The first level of competitions for all boys and girls age groups U13 through U19 is at the State level. This is considered a premier level tournament and is officially titled The US Youth Soccer Indiana State Cup Championships. b. Regional Level. The second level of competitions for all boys and girls age groups U13 through U19 is at the Region II level. This is considered a premier tournament and is called the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships. c. National Level. The third and final level of competitions for all boys and girls age groups U14 through U19 is at the national level. This is considered a premier level tournament and is called the US Youth Soccer National Championships. Section 2. The Challenge Cup. This tournament is conducted at the state level only. Age divisions for the Challenge Cup will be determined each year by the TCC. Age group winners in the Challenge Cup do not advance to any higher level of competition. Rule 202. LEVEL OF COMPETITION Section 1. Age Groups. The TCC shall determine in which age groups, whether boys or girls or both, it will conduct Cup competitions. In addition, the TCC will also determine the seeding, draw, rules, and play-in policy for all age groups. Section 2. Format. The format used to determine teams representing Indiana Youth Soccer, as its state champion, shall be as established by the TCC. The TCC, at its discretion, may seed teams in each age division. Section 3. Small-Sided Game Format. a. The 8 v 8, small-sided, format, as approved by the Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors, will be used for all U11 and U12 teams. b. U11 and U12 teams may enter only the Challenge Cup. Small-sided teams may not enter the State Cup. c. U11 and U12 teams will not be allowed to play up to a different age format. U10 teams will not be allowed to enter the U11 division. Section 4. Play-In Games. a. The need for play-in games will be determined by the TCC based on the number of team entries received for an age group. Play-in games may be scheduled for any age division where it may be necessary to limit entries to a fixed number of teams in a particular age division. b. Any team required to play a play-in game prior to the scheduled Roster Freeze Date (Rule 203, Section 3, will have their team rosters frozen the day prior to the date the play-in game is played. c. Teams playing in a play-in game will be determined as part of the double blind draw system for the each age division. The date, time, and location of the draw shall be announced by the TCC in accordance with Rule 106 and be open to the entire membership. d. The home team (listed first in the team paring) will coordinate the date, time and location of the play-in game and provide that information to the Cup Director and the Indiana Youth Soccer office no later than the date set by the TCC. The play-in game will be played at a mutually agreed upon location. Teams that cannot agree as to the date, time and location of a play-in game, will play their play-in game at a location and date and time determined by the TCC. e. The SYRA, or the designated representative, will schedule referees for all play-in games. f. All teams will complete these games no later than the final date allowed for play-in games as published by the TCC. g. Play-in games will not end in a tie. h. If a team drops out of the preliminary round after the completion of all play-in games in that bracket, a losing team from a play-in game may be invited to fill that vacancy. i. Teams that do not advance out of the play-in round will have a portion of their entry fee returned as determined by the TCC. Section 5. Preliminary Round. a. Time/Location. Preliminary Round competition will generally be held on the third weekend in May, at multiple sites, as determined by the TCC and posted on the Indiana Youth Soccer website. An Indiana Youth Soccer affiliated club will be selected to host each site location. The number/location of teams entering the State Cup and Challenge Cup competition shall determine the final number of playing sites and their location. b. Team Registration. Team coaches/managers will register their players/coaches before the start of the first preliminary round game. Registration locations and time will be published separately by the TCC. c. Format. (1) The State Cup. (a). The State Cup will be limited to U-13 through U-19, boys and girls. Each age division will be limited to 16 teams for a maximum of 224 teams. (b). All teams applying for the State Cup will be seeded, with the top 16 selected for play. Teams that are not selected will be offered the opportunity to participate in The Challenge Cup. (c). The Cup Committee will place the top 4 teams in their respective bracket. The remaining teams will then be placed in brackets using a double blind draw process of first selecting the bracket and then selecting the team. (d). Preliminary round competition shall be in a round robin format. (e). Each age division will play the appropriate number of games in its bracket based on the number of teams in that bracket. Winners of each bracket, based on total points, will advance to the Semi-Final round of competition. No more than four (4) teams will advance to the Semi-Final round from each age division. (2) The Challenge Cup (a) The Challenge Cup is open to age groups U11 - U18, boys and girls. If more than 16 teams enter an age division, the division may be divided into two (2) equal age divisions or play-in games may be used to determine the final 16 teams. (b) Teams not accepted for State Cup play will be offered the opportunity to participate in The Challenge Cup in their respective age division. Teams will be placed in brackets using a double blind draw process of first selecting the bracket and then selecting the team. (c) If, due to the withdrawal of a team, a preliminary bracket contains three (3) or fewer teams, the TCC may place teams in different brackets. In addition, the TCC may redraw any age group if the withdrawal reduces the total number of teams in that age group competition to a level which would eliminate the need for one round of competition. (c). Preliminary round competition will be a round-robin format. (d). Each age division will play the appropriate number of games in its bracket based on the number of teams in the bracket. Winners of each bracket, based on total points, will advance to the Semi-Final round of competition. No more than four (4) teams will advance from each age division. In those cases where there are two or more divisions in an age group (i.e.U-13 Blue, U-13 White) there will be an additional game played to determine the overall age division champion. (3) Any team entry received after the stated entry deadline for either competition will be given the option to be "wait listed". Any wait listed teams MAY be added to the competition to fill out a bracket or to take the place of a team that withdraws from the competition after the cup draw. (4) The Cup Committee reserves the right to adjust any age division/bracket structure in either the State Cup or the Challenge Cup based on the number of teams participating. d. Game/Field Schedule. The Cup Committee will determine the game/field schedule for each age division at each Preliminary Round site. e. Referees. The SYRA, or the designated representative, will schedule referees for all preliminary round games. f. Host Club Responsibilities. Host clubs will be selected through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process and shall be responsible to meet the entire requirements outlined in the Host Club Agreement contained in the RFP. Section 6. Semi-Final/Finals. a. Time and Location. The semi-final/finals will generally be held on the first weekend in June. An Indiana Youth Soccer affiliated Club will be asked to host these competitions and will provide a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in support of the TCC. LOC responsibilities will be outlined in a separate Hosting Agreement. b. Format. Semi-Final/Final competition shall be in a single elimination format. c. Game/Field Schedule. The Cup Committee will determine the game/field schedule for each age division. d. Referees. The SYRA, or the designated representative, will schedule all referees for the semi-final/finals games. Section 7. Advancement. a. Upon approval of the TCC and Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors, age division champions in the State Cup competition shall represent Indiana Youth Soccer at the US Youth Soccer Region II Championships. b. Age division champions in the Challenge Cup do not advance to a higher level of competitive play. Rule 203. TEAM ELIGIBILITY Section 1. The State Cup. U13 - U19 teams will be eligible for the State Cup if all of the following criteria are met: a. The team roster is comprised of properly registered youth players as defined by US Youth Soccer. b. The team has an approved Indiana Youth Soccer roster and that roster contains at least 50% Indiana resident players. c. The team roster contains no more than 5 transferred players at the time of the roster freeze. d. The team has competed/entered in an Indiana Youth Soccer approved league of at least 4 teams and play has consisted of a minimum of one game against each of three (3) different teams in that league in the current seasonal year. Exception: U19 teams are not required to abide by this rule on league play (Effective: 2002 Cups). e. The team is not a Select team according to Rule 101-q. f. The team has submitted the entry form on time with proper payment and acknowledges the Indiana Youth Soccer Code of Conduct. g. Teams playing in the leagues, or specific divisions of leagues listed below in Section 5 of this Rule, must enter the State Cup. All teams entering the State Cup competition will be ranked. When the ranking process is complete, the top 16 ranked teams in each age division will be selected for State Cup play, the top 4 will then be seeded in their division. Teams not selected to participate in the State Cup will be offered the opportunity to play in the Challenge Cup. Section 2. The Challenge Cup. U11 - U18 teams will be eligible for the Challenge Cup if all of the following criteria are met: a. The team roster is comprised of properly registered youth players as defined by US Youth Soccer. b. The team has an approved Indiana Youth Soccer roster. c. The team is not a Select team according to Rule 101-q. d. The team has submitted the entry form and proper payment. e. The team has competed/entered in an Indiana Youth Soccer approved league of at least 4 teams and play has consisted of a minimum of one game against each of three (3) different teams in that league in the current seasonal year. f. Teams playing in the leagues, or specific divisions of leagues listed below in Section 5 of this Rule, must enter the State Cup. Teams not seeded in the State Cup will be offered an opportunity to participate in The Challenge Cup. Section 3. Team and Game Rosters 1. Every team entered in either cup shall have an Indiana Youth Soccer approved Team Roster. a. Team Roster. (1). The Indiana Youth Soccer registrar shall approve the team roster. (2). For U-16 and under teams, the team roster shall not have more than 18 youth players on the team roster at any given time during the seasonal year. (3). For U-17 and older teams, the team roster may have up to 22 youth players on the team roster at any given time during the seasonal year. (4). Every team roster shall have a minimum of 7 players on the roster at all times. (5). Maximum team roster limits are as follows: i. U-11 - U-12 teams - 14 players ii. U-13 - U-16 teams - 18 players iii. U-17 - U-19 teams - 22 players b. Game Roster. 1) The game roster (for U17, U18, and U19 teams) shall be prepared by the team and submitted at the field no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of each game. 2) The game roster (for U17, U18, and U19 teams) shall have a maximum of 18 players and a minimum of 7 players. 3) Every player listed on the game roster must be included on the team roster to be eligible to participate with the team. 4) The Game Roster, for a specific game, will identify the 18 players who will play in any particular game. Any additional players listed on the Team Roster, but not playing in a particular game, on the Game Roster may be seated with the team in its technical area. 5) Players not listed on the Game Roster, but seated in technical area, will not dress in game uniforms as are those players participating and listed on the Game Roster. 6) These non-playing persons of the team will be considered team officials and will be held to the same standards of conduct specified in Law 5 as other team officials. Although team officials cannot commit misconduct or be shown a card, they may be ordered from the field for irresponsible behavior. Any player so ordered, will not be allowed to participate in their next scheduled Cup game Section 4. The Roster Freeze Date At a date determined by the Indiana Youth Soccer, in accordance with this Section and Rule 104-4, the rosters of all teams participating in the State Cup and the Challenge Cup will be frozen after which no team may make any player change to their Cup roster. The roster as of the date of the roster freeze is the roster the team must play with throughout the length of their participation in Cup competition. State Cup teams advancing to Regional and National Championship levels will use this same roster and may not make any player changes after the roster freeze date. Coaching changes may be made at any time. Section 5. Premier Level of Play 1. For the purpose of State Cup and Challenge Cup competitions, the premier level of play will be defined by the TCC at the time Cup applications are mailed. Premier level includes, but is not limited to the following leagues: a. The Region II Midwest Regional League (MWRL) b. The Indiana Soccer League (ISL), Premier Division c. The Indiana Soccer League (ISL), 1st Division 2. Teams playing in the above listed leagues, or specified divisions of the above listed leagues, must enter the State Cup. Teams that enter the State Cup and are not ranked in the top 16 teams will be offered the opportunity to participate in The Challenge Cup. Remaining teams may enter either Cup. 3. The TCC has the right to determine final team placement in either the State Cup or The Challenge Cup. Rule 204. FORFEITS FOR FAILURE TO COMPETE Section 1. Withdrawal from Competition a. Any team that withdraws from these competitions after having entered the competition but before the Cup draw shall not be penalized. b. Any team that withdraws after the Cup draw but before the schedules have been officially published shall forfeit its registration fee. c. Any team that withdraws after the schedules have been officially published shall forfeit its registration fee, and may be suspended from Cup competition for the following Cup year. The Club to which that team belongs may be subject to a fine of up to $500.00. Section 2. Missing Games a. Any team missing a particular game during any Cup event for any reason shall forfeit their entry fee and the Club to which that team belongs may be subject to a fine of up to $500.00. b. Any team, who forfeits a game in Preliminary Round play for any reason, will not be allowed to advance to the Semi-Final/Final round of competition. Rule 205. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY Section 1. General Each player and coach must have an approved Indiana Youth Soccer player pass. The pass must be signed by the player or coach and an Indiana Youth Soccer State Registrar, contain the Indiana Youth Soccer seal, contain a picture of the individual and then be laminated on both sides. Section 2. The State Cup a. Primary Players. Only primary players will be allowed to participate with their primary rostered team for National or State Cup competitions. b. Secondary Players. Secondary players are not allowed to participate in State Cup competition. c. Transferred Players. A transfer player is defined in Rule 101u. Teams may not carry more than five (5) transferred players on their Official State Cup Roster. Teams with more than five (5) transferred players on their roster at the roster freeze date will be considered ineligible for State Cup play. d. Players may only play for one team in the National Championships competition in the same seasonal year. e. Players must be listed on the team's Official Indiana State Roster as of the roster freeze date. Section 3. The Challenge Cup a. Primary Players. Primary players are allowed to participate on only one team for the Challenge Cup. b. Secondary Players. Secondary players are allowed to play for their secondary team only if their primary team is not participating in either the State Cup or the Challenge Cup. c. Transferred Players. There is no limit on transferred players on a team's official Cup roster for the Challenge Cup. d. Players must be listed on the team's Official Indiana State Roster as of the roster freeze date. Section 4. Ineligible Players Any team that allows an ineligible player to participate in any Cup game will forfeit the game in which that ineligible player participated. Other sanctions may also be taken against that player or team. Rule 206. BREACH OF RULES Section 1. Investigations. It is the responsibility of the Cup Protest Committee to investigate and render a decision on a properly protested violation immediately following its receipt. Failure of any team, coach, player or parent to cooperate with that investigation or accept the decision of the Protest Committee may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension. Section 2. Disciplinary Actions Any team found guilty of using an ineligible player is not eligible to compete further in the Cup competition in the current seasonal year. Any coach, manager, or team official found guilty of knowingly using an ineligible player is not eligible to compete further in the Cup competitions in the current and subsequent seasonal year. A player found guilty of submitting falsified birth information is prohibited from competing further in the Cup competitions in the current and subsequent seasonal year. These violations may not be appealed. Rule 207. PROTESTS AND APPEALS Section 1. Protest a. The Protest Committee. The Cup Director shall appoint the Protest Committee. The Cup Director, or a designated representative, shall serve as Chairman. Committee members will be in immediate contact with each other during all preliminary round games. All committee members are expected to be present for the entire competition. Protest Committee members will not participate in decisions involving or affecting players/teams from Clubs of which they are members. b. Qualifications. All questions related to the qualifications of competitors, interpretation of rules, or any dispute or protest whatever, shall be in writing and be referred to the Cup Protest Committee, whose decisions shall be final. The TCC decision to these questions will be final. c. Submission. An official protest must be submitted in writing, by the teams Head Coach as listed on the Team Roster, using the protest form provided by the TCC. For play-in games, the protest will be submitted to the Indiana Youth Soccer State Office, ATTN: Cup Protest Committee, no later than 24-hours following the conclusion of the game being protested. For all other games, the protest will be submitted directly to the Cup Director, or a designated representative at a Preliminary Site location, within one (1) hour after the conclusion of the game being protested. Referee's judgment will not be a basis for protest. d. Amount. A $350 bond (cash, money order, certified check, or Club check) must accompany all protests. Personal checks will not be accepted. If the protest is upheld the bond will be returned. If the protest is denied the bond will be cashed. e. Notifications/Procedure. Upon receipt of an official protest, the Cup Director, or a designated representative at a Preliminary Site location, will notify the Head Coach of the teams involved that a protest has been filed. The Cup Director, or designated representative, will convene the Protest Committee as soon thereafter as is reasonably possible upon receipt of the protest. The Committee may elect to hear from any or all witnesses wishing to testify and may solicit such testimony from game officials, teams and other witnesses. The Protest Committee will make its decision as soon as is reasonably possible after all information is received. All decisions are to be made in accordance with these rules and the guidelines set forth in FIFA Laws of the Game, the USSF Administrative Handbook, and the Region II and National Championship Committee rules. f. Decisions. The decisions of the Protest Committee shall be by a simple majority vote with the Cup Director, or designated representative, authorized to vote only in case of a tie. At the conclusion, The Cup Director, or designated representative, will forward the decision of the Protest Committee to the Head Coach of both teams. A copy of the decision will be kept on file at the Indiana youth soccer State Office. Minutes of all meetings and decisions will be recorded and shall be retained for a period of 2 years. Section 2. Appeals a. Process. Decisions of the Protest Committee may be appealed only to the TCC. An appeal must be filed within 24 hours of receipt of the Protest Committee's decision accompanied by a $350 bond fee (cash, money order, certified check, or Club Check). b. Decisions. Decisions of the TCC are final. Such decisions may not be appealed to the Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors, the Region II Cup Committee or the National Championship Committee. Rule 208. SCOREKEEPING AND GAME REPORTING Section 1. Reporting a. Game Results will be posted on the Indiana Youth Soccer web site within 48-hours of completion, b. The Cup Director will issue a preliminary tournament report to the Cup Committee and the Indiana Youth Soccer Board of Directors within 45 days of the completion of the tournament. The final report will be issued approximately 60 days following the conclusion of the report - Rule 209. RECORDING OF "SEND-OFFs" Section 1. Administration The TCC at each site maintains a record of all infractions that result in send off's (red cards). This record is compiled from "Official Game Cards" completed and submitted by game referees. Section 2. Retention of Player Cards The Cup Committee will retain the pass card of a player or team official sent off, until they are again eligible to participate. Section 3. Send Off's a. Any player or team official receiving a send off from a game shall be ineligible to participate in that team's next Cup game. At the discretion of the Cup Committee, the suspension could be increased and could result in more than a one game suspension. No substitution shall be permitted for a player who has been sent off in a particular game. b. Send off's will carry over from one Cup year to the next Cup year. If a player/team official received a send off or was dismissed from the last game of the previous year's State Cup Championships, that player/team official must sit out their one game suspension on the first game of the current year's State Cup Championships or at the first game of Regional competition if the team has advanced to the Regional level. This also applies to a send off received in the last game of regional or national play. c. Player Send Off's. 1). A player shown a red card (send-off) from a game must remain seated at the coach's side at all times during the remainder of the game. The player may not participate in any game related activity(s) during the remainder of the match in any manner. The coach will be responsible for the action(s) of the sent off player. 2). The TCC may take action against the coach if the sent off player violates the spirit of this rule. 3). The player's official pass will be held by the referee and turned in to the tournament headquarters immediately following the conclusion of the game. The card will be held at the tournament headquarters until the game suspension is served. d. Team Official Send Off's. 1). Team officials playing in Cup competition are expected to exhibit the highest level of sportsmanship. 2). A team official sent off from a game must completely leave the playing site area and cannot return to the playing field after the completion of the game. The term "playing site area" for the purpose of these Cup games is defined by the TCC as an area where the play cannot be seen or heard. A member of the Cup Committee or his designee at the playing site will escort the team official from the playing area. 3). The team official sent off is not allowed to have any contact with the team, in any form, for the remainder of the match. The team official sent off will not participate with coaching the team or providing any technical or tactical information in any visible or audible manner. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the use of any form of electronic means (i.e. cell phone, 2-way radio) or communicating through a third party. 4). The team official that has been sent off will serve a one game suspension (or more at the discursion of the TCC). The suspension must be served during the next cup game for that team. The official will not be allowed near the playing field during that game and will not be allowed to have contact with the team during the game. 5). Any team official sent off from a game will be assessed a $150 fine payable immediately following that game at tournament headquarters for which the CLUB will be responsible if not paid by the team official 6). A Club Coach (carded as an official club coach) who is sent off will not be permitted to participate with any team in any way for the rest of the competition. (example: a coach sent off during the preliminary rounds could not return for the remainder of the preliminary rounds, but could return for the finals. if the coach is sent off in the finals, he could not return for the duration of the finals competition) 7). Any CLUB COACH that is sent off will be fined $250.00 payable immediately following that game at tournament headquarters. 8). The TCC may take additional action against the team official for any violation of the spirit of this rule 9). The team official's pass will be held by the referee and turned in to the tournament headquarters immediately following the conclusion of the game. The card will be held at the tournament headquarters until the game suspension(s) is served. Section 4. Reporting. The Cup Director will forward to the Region II Cup Director a list of all send-offs that must be served during the Region II Championships. Section 5. Reviews. The TCC shall review each send-off to determine if additional penalties should be recommended to the Indiana Youth Soccer Disciplinary Committee. Rule 210. PASSES AND ROSTERS Section 1. Player Passes. Players must indicate when they register on a team, whether that team is their primary team or secondary team in accordance with Indiana Youth Soccer Playing Rules. For secondary teams, the player's pass will be annotated "secondary" in accordance with current Indiana Youth Soccer Playing Rules. Players listed on a team roster as a secondary player are not eligible to play with that secondary team for State Cup competition. All player passes must be signed by the player and an Indiana Youth Soccer State registrar, have the Indiana Youth Soccer seal and a picture of the player affixed to the card, and then must be laminated on both sides. Players who do not have a proper player pass will NOT be allowed to participate in the event with the team. Section 2. Team Officials Passes. There will be no more than 3 team officials on the team side of the bench at any one time. A properly approved team official pass must be signed by the team official and an Indiana Youth Soccer State registrar, have the Indiana Youth Soccer seal and a picture of the team official affixed to the card, and then must be laminated on both sides. Team officials who do not have a proper team official pass will NOT be allowed to participate in the event with the team. Section 3. Team Rosters. Rosters submitted for State Cup competition will list primary players only as eligible for State Cup competition as outlined in Rule 203, Section 1. All changes to team rosters must be submitted to the Indiana Youth Soccer office for approval before the Cup roster freeze date as outlined in Rule 203, Section 4. No player changes to the team roster will be made after the freeze date. Rule 211. PLAYING RULES Section 1. "Laws of the Game". All Cup games shall be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game, except as modified by USSF, US Youth Soccer, Region II and/or Indiana Youth Soccer. Section 2. Start Times. a. All games will start at the scheduled time. (1). The minimal number of players required to start a full game is seven (7), one of whom shall be designated as the goalkeeper. (2). The minimal number of players required to start a small sided game is six (6), one of whom shall be designated as the goalkeeper. b. If extenuating circumstances develop while a team is traveling to the game site, and less than the required minimum number of players are available to start at the start time, the Cup Director, or his designated representative at a Preliminary Round site, may grant an extended grace period. As soon as the minimal number of players has arrived, the game shall start. In no case will the grace period extend beyond 30 minutes from the originally scheduled start time, unless mutually agreed to by the Home team, the Visiting team, and the Cup Director. Should the team not arrive by the mutually agreed to adjusted time, the team requesting the delay will forfeit the game. b. Any team with less than the minimal required seven (7) players or six (6) for small-sided play at the scheduled start time, as may be adjusted by a grace period time, shall have their game declared a forfeit. Section 3. Age Groups. Except as otherwise provided, the length of game, overtime play periods, ball size, for each age group shall be as follows: Age Group Game Length Halftime Overtime Play (Semi-Final/Finals) Size Under 19 2 X 45 halves 10 min 2 x 15' periods #5 Under 18 2 X 45 halves 10 min 2 x 15' periods #5 Under 17 2 X 45 halves 10 min 2 x 15' periods #5 Under 16 2 x 40' halves 10 min 2 x 15' periods #5 Under 15 2 x 40' halves 10 min 2 x 15' periods #5 Under 14 2 x 35 halves 10 min 2 x 10' periods #5 Under 13 2 x 35' halves 10 min 2 x 10' periods #5 Under 12 2 x 30' halves 10 min 2 x 10' periods #4 Under 11 2 x 30' halves 10 min 2 x 10' periods #4 Section 4. Ties after Regulation Play a. Play-in games will not end in a tie. If the game is tied at the end of regulation play, the game will continue with overtime play in accordance with Section 3 of this Rule. If the game remains tied after the end of the 2nd overtime period, FIFA "Kicks from the Mark" rules will apply to determine the winner. b. In Preliminary Round play, if the game is tied at the end of regulation play, the game will stand as a tie c. Semi-final/final games will not end in a tie. In the Semi-Finals, if the game is tied after regulation play, the game will continue with overtime play in accordance with Section 3 of this Rule. If the game remains tied after overtime play, FIFA "Kicks from the Mark" Rules will apply to determine the winner. Section 5. Kicks From the Mark When taking FIFA "Kicks from the Mark" the following procedures will apply: a. Each team shall select five (5) players to kick from the players on the field at the conclusion of the overtime play period. When a team finishes the match with greater number of players than their opponents, they shall reduce their number to equate with that of their opponents and inform the referee of the name and number of each player excluded. The team captain has this responsibility. b. The referee tosses a coin and the team whose captain wins the toss can choose to either kick or receive. c. Teams shall alternate kicks. d. If, before both teams have taken five (5) kicks, one team has scored more goals than the other team could, even if it were to complete its five kicks, taking kicks shall cease and the score reported. e. If, after both teams have taken five (5) kicks, both have scored the same number of goals or have not scored any goals, the taking of kicks shall continue with five new players selected, in the same order, until such time as both teams have taken an equal number of kicks (not necessarily five more kicks) and one team has scored a goal more than the other. Section 6. Unfinished Games Unfinished games due to any cause shall be replayed in their entirety if neither team is at fault, and second half play has not begun. If play is stopped during the second half and play cannot be resumed and if neither team is at fault, the Cup Committee may deem the game complete. However, if play is stopped at any time due to one of the teams being adjudged to be at fault, it shall be at the discretion of the Cup Committee whether the game is to be replayed or declared a forfeit. Games that must be played to determine the outcome of a bracket will be given priority over games that have no bearing on the outcome of a bracket. Section 7. Coaching Limitations and Dissent a. One team official at a time may convey tactical instructions to the players during the match. The team official must return to his position after doing so. All team officials must remain within the confines of the technical area. They must behave in a responsible manner. No team official or spectator is allowed behind the goal during a game. The technical area is limited to players and no more than three (3) team officials. b. There shall be no dissent between players/team officials and the referee. Questioning the referee is considered dissent. Team officials are expected to solicit the support of their fans in monitoring this policy. Field Marshals and tournament officials are authorized to have unruly spectators removed from the playing area. c. All spectators must remain on the opposite side of the field from the team. Spectators must remain a minimum of two (2) yards from the sidelines. Section 8. Home Team The team listed as the Home Team will wear light jerseys. The team listed as the Visitor will wear dark jerseys. If a conflict should arise, the inappropriately dressed team will change or forfeit. Section 9. Scores and Standings a. The standing of teams within brackets is based upon the number of points earned in qualifying games. Teams earn points as follows: -Three (3) points for a win (including forfeits) -One (1) point for a tie, and -Zero (0) points for a loss b. In the event of a forfeited game, the team forfeiting the game will not be allowed to advance out of their group to the semi-finals. The team declared the winner of a forfeited game shall receive three (3) points for the win and a score of 1-0. No other scoring points will be awarded. All games previously played against the forfeiting team shall be rescored 1-F (F = Forfeit) with 3 points awarded for the win; all remaining games to be played against the team forfeiting will be scored in the same manner. Section 10. Tie Breakers a. If two or more teams are tied, the tiebreaker sequence below will be followed until the tie is clearly broken. At any point where a team is eliminated after a particular tiebreaker is applied to all teams, and two or more teams still remain tied, the remaining tied teams will then restart the sequence at point "1" in the sequence below, until the tie is broken. b. The following tiebreaker rules, for determining standings at the end of the Preliminary Rounds will be: 1. Winner of head to head competition (this criteria will not be used if more than two teams are tied) 2. Winner of most games 3. Goals scored for (with a maximum of 4 goals per game) 4. Goal differential (goals scored minus goals against) with a maximum differential of four goals per game) 5. Fewest goals allowed 6. flip of the coin. Rule 212. SUBSTITUTIONS Section 1. General All games shall be played with the substitution rules outlined in the policy on US Youth Soccer National Championships and the Region II Championships with the exceptions outlined in Section 2 and Section 3 below. Section 2. Exceptions - State Cup The following exceptions apply to the State Cup: a. Under-13 and -14 games. (1) If the referee dismisses a goalkeeper, the referee may allow the team to replace the goalkeeper with another player. The team must still play short with another player leaving the field of play. (2) Substitutions shall be unlimited with the consent of the referee. b. Under-15, -16, -17, -18 and -19 games. (1) Once a player leaves the field for a substitute, the player may not re-enter the game during the same half-time period. At the start of the second half-time period, all players are re-eligible for play. (2) For purposes of substitution, overtime will be considered a third period and all players will be re-eligible for play. (3) Substitution may occur on any stoppage of play with the referee's approval. (4) If a player is removed from the game and no substitute enters the game for the player (team plays short), the original player may re-enter the game. Entry shall be at a normal substitution point (with the approval of the referee) or at any point during the game if the referee signals for the player to re-enter. Section 3. Exceptions - The Challenge Cup a. If the referee dismisses a goalkeeper, the referee may allow the team to replace the goalkeeper with another player. The team must still play short with another player leaving the field of play. Substitutions shall be unlimited with the consent of the referee at the following times: - Prior to a throw-in in your teams favor - Prior to a goal kick by either team - After any goal - At half-time - At half-time of any overtime period Rule 213. REFEREE ADMINISTRATION Section 1. The SYRA The State Youth Referee Administrator (SYRA) is responsible for obtaining, training, scheduling, and assessing game officials. Section 2. Conflict of Interest Any referee appointed to officiate in a Cup competition shall not be a present member of either of the competing teams or clubs. Section 3. Referee Responsibilities The referee shall have the power to decide on the fitness of the playing field in all games. In other respects, the duties of the referee and assistant referee are as defined in the "Laws of the Game". Section 4. Non-Performance of a Referee In the event the appointed referee fails to appear the SYRA will provide for replacement referees. At no time will a two-person referee system be allowed. Rule 214. OFFICIAL GAME CARD Section 1. Completion The official records of tournament games are the game cards filled out by the game referees and retained by the Cup Director. The US Youth Soccer National Championship Committee in consultation with the Referee Committee establishes the format and contents of the card.
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