ROSTERS AND ELIGIBILITY

General:

This Class I and III tournament is open to  Boys and Girls teams U9B - U18 affiliated with USSF. Qualifying applications will be accepted on a first-come and first-served basis. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any application. All decisions, judgements and rulings of the tournament referees and officials are final. NO PROTESTS WILL BE ENTERTAINED OR ALLOWED.

Eligibility:

• Teams will play in age brackets for 2012/13 season and must have 2011/12 or 2012/13 player passes and medical releases.
• U9 & U10 will play 8 v 8 with no exceptions
• Teams must be affiliated with FIFA and/or USSF, players and coaches must have laminated cards
• Unlimited loan players will be permitted with a maximum roster size of U9-U10 (14 players), U11-U15 (18 players) and U16-U18 (18 players) with loan papers, if applicable
• All USYS teams will need proper travel papers

Rosters and Team Registration:

• Maximum roster sizes are: U8-U10: 14 players and U11-U15: 18 players and U16-U18: 18 players
• International teams traveling with up to 20 players must receive tournament director approval for a roster size exemption
• There will be no additions to the team roster once first games have begun
• Player cards or medical releases may be accepted later by Field Marshal, but only if player is listed on the official team roster at time of registration
• At registration, a completed and signed team roster must be submitted by coach or manager who must certify that all players are FIFA and/or USSF registered players
• Laminated player cards with photo and medical release forms will be required at registration
• The Tournament Field Marshal shall pull and hold player cards for any player receiving a red card.
• No player may compete in the tournament on more than one team
• Player ID cards and rosters will be verified upon check-in
• All teams must have a licensed coach and carded administrator at every game
• U11-U18 will play 11v11, U9-U10 will play 8v8
• All teams shall consist of at least 8 players (6 for U9-U10)

ENTRY DEADLINE AND REFUNDS:

All credit card information or checks must be received by the application deadline of August 4, 2012. Once acceptance e-mails have been sent out, team credit card payments will be processed and checks will be deposited. All other payments will be voided or returned. Teams withdrawing after being accepted will not receive a refund. If the tournament is cancelled due to an act of God or inclement weather, a $150 processing fee will be withheld from each team's refund in order to cover fixed costs incurred prior to the cancellation date.

TOURNAMENT COMPETITION

Tournament Format:

Refer to schedule for bracketing.

Tournament Play:

Tournament games will adhere to the following durations:

Champion awards will be given only to the champions of each age bracket.

Point System & Scoring:

Teams will be awarded points on the following basis (10 point system):

• 6 points for each win
• 1 point for each tie
• 0 points for each loss
• Plus one (+1) point for each goal scored, up to 3 points per game
• Plus one (+1) point for each shutout
• Minus one (-1) for each player ejected
• Minus ten (-3) for each coach ejected
• A forfeit will be scored as a 1:0

Any team who forfeits a pool game will have all of its pool games scored as 0:1 losses (at the discretion of the Tournament Director) The Nike Athletic Super Cup Tournament is not responsible for the teams who do not attend their scheduled games. No refunds will be given for games that are not played due to no-shows or teams forfeiting.

Tiebreaker Rules:

In the event of a tie in points at the end of Pool play the tie shall be broken based on one of the following criteria (beginning with Step 1, and then proceeding to Step 2 if necessary, and so on until a determination can be made):

• Step 1: Goal differential
• Step 2: Most goals against
• Step 3: Most goals for
• Step 4: Most total wins
• Step 5: Most shutouts
• Step 6: If a tie still exists after Steps 1 through 5, FIFA Penalty Kicks will be taken fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the appropriate Semifinal or Championship game.
• Step 7: If a three-way tie exists within a Pool after Steps 1 through 5, a three way coin flip will be conducted.  The teams that tie in the coin flip will compete for the championship
• Note: Penalty Kicks to eliminate one team prior to proceeding to FIFA Penalty Kicks with the third team, the coin flip, and time of the FIFA Penalty Kicks will be determined at the fields

For Semifinal Games, should there be a tie at the end of regulation, then the teams shall proceed immediately to FIFA Penalty Kicks to determine a Winner. There will be no overtime played.

For Championship Games there will be a 2 x 10 minute overtime to determine a winner (no golden goal). If the game stays tied, a winner will be determined through FIFA penalty kicks.

Awards:

Individual players medals will be presented to the champions and finalists at the completion of the game.

RULES OF PLAY

All games shall be played by FIFA rules as modified by USYSA, CYSA-South, and the Nike Athletic Super Cup Tournament. The Tournament Director will resolve any situations/ issues not explicitly covered by the rules. The Tournament Director will make final decisions relating to the interpretation of the Tournament rules. However, the Tournament Director may delegate authority to the Venue Director/Field Marshal, if the Tournament Director is not available.

Game Check-In: 

At least fifteen minutes prior to the start of each scheduled game, a team representative must present to the Field Marshall the team’s player cards and game card, so the team may be checked in to play and the game started as scheduled.  The Field Marshall will retain the game card and the team’s player cards until completion of the game.  Each team manager or representative will be required to initial the game card area for that game before the player cards will be returned.  A team who fails to properly check in with the Field Marshall will forfeit that game.

Start of the Game: 

The game clock will start at the time defined in the Tournament Schedule regardless of whether the teams have taken the field.  No additional time will be added to the clock if actual play subsequently starts.

Player Equipment: 

It will be at the Referee’s discretion to determine the safety and suitability of player equipment including the wearing of a hard brace.  Hard casts are not allowed per CYSA-South rules.  Shin guards are mandatory for all players.

Substitutions: 

Free substitution will be allowed in all age groups.  However, teams may substitute only with the referee’s permission and only at the following times:

• Prior to a throw-in by the team in possession
• Prior to a goal kick, by either team
• After a goal, by either team
• After an injury, by either team, when the referee stops play
• At half-time
• On a caution; only the cautioned player may be substituted at that time

Coaching: 

All Coaches have total responsibility for the conduct of their players, substitutes, friends and spectators at all times.  Coaching from the sideline (giving direction to one's own team on points of strategy and position) is permitted, providing:

• No mechanical devices are used
• The tone of the voice is instructive and not derogatory
• Each coach or substitute remains within 10 yards on either side of the halfway line
• No coach, substitute, or spectator makes derogatory remarks or gestures to the referees, other coaches, players, substitutes, or spectators
• No coach, substitute, or spectator uses profanity or incites, in any manner, disruptive behavior

Cautions and Ejections: 

A player or coach receiving two cautions (yellow cards) in a single game is considered to have been given an Ejection (red card) for the purposes of awarding points for the Tournament competition.  A player who has been ejected (sent off), will not be replaced.  A player or coach who has been ejected will not return for that game and will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game.  A player or coach who is ejected for violent conduct or serious foul play will not be allowed to participate in the next TWO scheduled games.  Any player or coach who assaults a referee will be expelled from the Tournament.  For the purpose of this Tournament a coach can be carded.  A team will be disqualified from the Tournament if any player or coach fails to comply with the provisions of this section. Also, an ejection (red card) will result in a 1 point deduction for player red card, 3 point deductions for coach red card.

Suspended and Terminated Games: 

If in the opinion of tournament officials a game must be suspended (for reason); the game may be resumed, but is subject to being ended not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game.  If in the opinion of tournament officials, a game must be terminated for misconduct of players, bench coaches, or spectators, the offending team could be suspended from further play and forfeits that game and all remaining games.  All previous points earned remain as played. 

If a game is terminated due to problems associated with the fields, including lighting for a night game, or due to the serious injury of a player (see the next section entitled “INJURY”) the resumption of play for that game will be at the discretion of the tournament officials.  Tournament officials may at their option conclude the game, require completion of the game or utilize penalty kicks to determine the winner of the game depending upon the circumstance and taking into account the potential effect of the game results on the standings of the teams. 

Injury:

Delays of the game will only be allowed for an injury requiring professional medical attention and the inability to remove the injured player from the field until and while the medical attention is being provided to the player.  The delay will result in appropriate time being added to the full game time, based on the judgment of the referee.  Otherwise, each game will be played with a running clock and no suspension of the clock time. However, all preliminary games will be terminated not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game.  The failure to complete any game due to a serious injury requiring suspension of the game play shall be controlled by the preceding section, “Suspended and Terminated Games.”

Home Team: 

The Home Team will be the team, which appears first on the game schedule.  The Home Team will supply the game ball, unless supplied by the Tournament.  The game ball will be subject to Referee approval.  The Home Team will be required to switch to alternate jerseys to accommodate a color conflict as declared by the referee.  If the Home Team cannot supply alternate jerseys, the Home Team will forfeit the game.  The Home Team will have the selection of the side of the field they wish to defend and the visiting team will start with the kick off.  No two teams will play from the same side of the field, with the Home Team selecting the side from which they will play.

Forfeits and Byes:  Teams failing to report ready to play within five minutes of the scheduled kick off time will forfeit.  Home Teams unable to supply alternate jerseys, or teams failing to check in at the Mandatory Registration or for taking actions which cause a game to be terminated will forfeit.  Byes will be scored and tournament points awarded the same as a forfeit.           

Protests: 

NO PROTESTS WILL BE ALLOWED.

Disputes:  Game conduct is under the jurisdiction of the referee and the tournament will not overrule a referee’s decision. 

Inclement Weather and Acts of God: 

In the event of inclement weather, or act of God, once the games have begun, winners will be decided based on points earned up to that point.

Venue Rules and Restrictions:

• Smoking not permitted in the immediate vicinity of any playing site
• No pets allowed in the immediate vicinity of any playing site
• No alcoholic beverages shall be allowed in the immediate vicinity of the playing site. No person shall be permitted to appear on, or in the vicinity of the playing site in an intoxicated condition
• Breaking the law is under the jurisdiction of the Orange County Sheriff Department, not the tournament management team. Proper authorities will be contacted as deemed necessary