Saginaw 7-Eleven Soccer Classic

          Tournament Rules & Regulations

RULES: FIFA rules will apply to all games with the exceptions noted in this set of tournament rules.

•  LENGTH OF GAMES : All preliminary games including the U-10 exhibition, will be 50 minutes long - two twenty-five (25) minute halves. There will be five (5) minutes betn halves. The clock will start as stated in the schedule of games. All semi-final games will be 60 minutes long (30 minute halves). wee The finals will be of regular duration as listed for the particular age group involved: (U-11 and U-12 will be 60 minutes; U-13 and U-14 will be 70 minutes; U-15 and older groups will be 80 minutes). Exceptions to this are noted in the section titled "Inclement Weather".

•  UNIFORMS AND GAME BALL: Home team (1 st team listed on the schedule) will change uniforms in case of conflict in colors. Teams must have an alternate jersey. All players MUST wear shin guards, which will be covered by their socks. No hats may be worn by players. The home team will provide the game ball (Tournament Ball obtained at registration). U-10, U-11, U-12 will use a size 4 ball. U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-19 will use a size 5 ball. Casts may only be worn with referee permission that they are covered and safe to other players.

•  ELIGIBILITY: Teams will register in the age division that they played in during the previous fall/spring season. Players must be born on or after August 1 st of the year of the divisional year in which they are participating. There is no minimum age. USYSA/FIFA passcards or accepted regional passcards must be presented along with a team roster and a tournament roster to the Registrar when the team signs in for tournament play. U-10 Rosters will contain no more than 11 (11) players, U-11 & U-12 Rosters will contain no more than 14 (14) players and all other rosters will contain no more than (18) players, and include all required information on each player and coach (Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone Number, League, Club, State Association). Coaches MUST be at least 21 years of age in all cases. No changes to the roster will be permitted after roster is verified at Registration. Five (5) additional guest players may be added to any team's roster for the tournament, but in no case shall the number of players on a team exceed the maximum number of players based on the age groups above. All guest players must be documented with an MSYSA approved Guest Roster form prior to acceptance, and once a team has registered to play by checking in at the tournament, no additional player changes or additions may take place - the roster is "frozen" once the coach has checked his team in for the first time. No player may play for more than one team in the tournament-within their age division: specifically, a player may play on a U12 team and also play on a U13 team if properly rostered on both teams. No special scheduling will be done to accommodate such players playing on two teams. In addition, coaches are to show a Medical Release Form for each player when they check in at registration.

•  RISK MANAGEMENT: All coaches, assistant coaches, and managers must supply the Tournament Committee with proof of compliance with the MSYSA risk management mandate. This proof can be in the form of a risk management pass card, or letter from the MSYSA or similar state organization verifying clearance. No Coach. Assistant Coach, manager or team administrator will be allowed on the team sideline without such proof.

•  TOURNAMENT RESPONSIBILITY: The tournament director and tournament committee reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the operation of the tournament and their judgement is final.

•  REGISTRATION: Teams may register in the following manner:

1. At the soccer complex registration pavilion from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday (tournament headquarters)
2. At least one (1) hour prior to your first (1 st ) round robin game, at registration pavilion (tournament headquarters).

•  PRE-GAME CHECK IN: The entire team is REQUIRED to check in at least one hour prior to the teams FIRST scheduled game at the registration pavilion at the main complex. Coaches must present player pass cards for each player and risk management cards (as noted in item 6 above) at the check in. Teams MUST also present Medical Release Forms and, if from out of state the travel permission form. Teams who are NOT members of the USYSA and/or MSYSA, must also sign a form stating that they are aware that neither the USYSA nor the MSYSA are responsible for any insurance on their players; this can be done at check in. If the team is from Canada , they must show proof from its Provincial or National Association approving the team's participation in the tournament. The team MUST have entered their tournament roster online on the web site prior to checking in. All players and coaches will be given a wristband at this time and referees will check for this band at the playing fields before the start of each game. The Coach will be required to report thirty (30) minutes prior to each subsequent game of the tournament to pick up the game cards. It will be each player's and coach's responsibility to keep the wristband on throughout the tournament. If a wristband should become damaged or come off during the course of the tournament, it must be replaced at the registration pavilion prior to the game. At no time will any player or coach be allowed to participate in a game without the proper wrist band, or one that has been altered or taped. Deliberate tampering or transferring of a wristband is grounds for disqualification of the player and / or the team.

•  FORFEITS: A maximum of five (5) minutes grace period will be allowed after scheduled kick-off time before a game is awarded to an opponent (weather or other tournament delays such as for medical attention not included). A minimum a seven (7) players constitutes a team and if seven (7) players are present, the game will not be delayed. Any team leaving the field during play will result in a forfeit. In no case shall a team, which has forfeited a game, be declared a bracket or wild card team winner. If a team does not show for the tournament and no replacement can be found, resulting in the other teams in that bracket not playing three (3) preliminary round games, one-third (1/3) of the tournament fee will be refunded to the affected teams. All forfeited games will be recorded as a 2 to 0 win for the opposing team.

•  SPECIAL RULES for a 3 team Flight: If there are ONLY 3 teams in a bracket (e.g. Boys Under 13, Flight A), the following playing format will take place: All three teams will play each other (for 2 games each); the standings after two games will show who is number 1, 2 & 3 based on the other tournament rules, including tie breaker rules; the 2 nd and 3 rd place teams will play a BRACKET semi-final game to decide who plays the 1 st team to win the BRACKET. The winner of this 3 team BRACKET will then play the winner of a different bracket in either a semi-final game or a championship game depending on the number of brackets in the age division. The 2 nd vs 3 rd team BRACKET semi-final and BRACKET final games will be subject to all regular rules for a semi-final game, including overtimes and taking of penalty kicks to break ties. With this manner of playing, all three teams will still get to play the guaranteed three games.

•  SPECIAL RULES for a 5 team Flight: If there are ONLY 5 teams in an age bracket, those teams will play a four game round-robin along with all the other tie breaker rules to determine a winner. Where there are ONLY 5 teams in an age bracket there are no playoff games. If there are 5 teams in ONE FLIGHT of an age bracket the following will occur to determine who goes on in the tournament: The 5 teams will play a four game round-robin to determine the FLIGHT winner. Prior to any play: a random draw will take place to determine WHICH of the four games will count towards wild card team points. These games will be denoted on the scoreboard. Only three of the four games will count towards wildcard point consideration. If for instance the drawing indicates that games 1,2 and 4 are the wildcard point games, the points for EACH TEAM's first, second, and fourth games will be totaled to determine a wild card entrant. For the other flights in this age bracket all three round robin games count towards wild card consideration.

•  PROTESTS: No protest or appeals will be allowed. In all cases, the ruling of the referee is final.

•  SUBSTITUTIONS/RULE EXCEPTIONS:

1. Goalkeepers may not be charged while ball is in their possession.
2. Substitutions may be made with the permission of the referee:

1. Before a throw-in in your favor.

2. Before any goal kick.

3. After any goal scored.

4. At the beginning of either half.

5. In case of injury for the injured player from the bench or the mid field line. Players from the opposing team may also substitute on an injury stoppage IF they were at the midfield line prior to the injury.

6. On yellow card to replace a cautioned player.

7. Goalkeeper substitution will be allowed at halftime, or during play only in the event of injury to the goalkeeper.

8. During stoppages for inclement weather

•  INCLEMENT WEATHER: Unless tournament play has been suspended due to severe weather conditions, coaches and their teams MUST appear on the field of play ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the game. Only referees and/or the Tournament Directors can cancel or postpone a game.

Severe weather before games: In cases of severe weather conditions before play, Tournament Directors may reduce the length of the game by game by 50 %.

Severe weather during games: S hould a game's progress be terminated due to severe weather conditions after 20 minutes of play, the game will be considered official and the score at the time will stand. Games that do not reach 20 minutes of play will be postponed and continued.

Notification of severe weather: Should severe enough weather occur during tournament play that the tournament committee suspends play, a Seek Shelter Warning will be issued by the sounding of air horns with MANY SHORT BURSTS. WHEN THE SEEK SHELTER WARNING IS ISSUED, ALL FIELDS MUST BE CLEARED IMMEDIATELY. For your players and spectators safety, please adhere and clear the fields safely and quickly, keeping in mind that we are equipped with an accurate lightning detector and internet radar as well as television warnings on site at tournament headquarters.

In case the tournament should have to be cancelled due to weather for either it's entirety or partially, refunds will be issued to all teams based on the following. If NO games were played, a 75% refund will be issued. If 1 game was played, 50% refund. If 2 games were played 25% refund. If 3 games were played, no refund will be issued. If 3 games were played and the playoffs were not completed, age division winners will be determined based on the tie breaker rules listed below. Additionally, no refunds will be issued to a team pulling out of the tournament after the scheduling has been published on the tournament web site.

•  U10 - U12 EXHIBITION RULES AND EXCEPTIONS: The players and coaches of teams participating in the U-10 divisions will abide be all guidelines set forth in this document. EXCEPTIONS:

1. There are no semi-final or final games for the U-10.
2. Off Side will NOT be called in U-10.
3. There ARE semi-final and/or final games for the U-11 and U-12 divisions, however, only a single TEAM trophy will be awarded,
4. All players and coaches will receive participation medals in U-10, U-11 and U-12.
5. Awards ceremonies will take place on the field after the teams last game.
6. Pass cards will not be required for U-10 Teams, but a signed roster by the team's league registrar, verifying age, is necessary. For U-11 and U-12 teams, player pass cards ARE required, including guest player cards issued by the MSYSA where appropriate.

•  SCORING TO DETERMINE BRACKET WINNERS AND WILD CARD TEAMS : The teams will be ranked in order of points earned for wins and ties: Three (3) points for each win, one (1) point for each tie, and zero (0) points for each loss.

•  TIES: Ties will be allowed in preliminary rounds but will not be allowed in semi-finals or finals. During semi-finals or finals, if two teams are tied at the end of the game, two five minute overtime periods will be played in their entirety. (No sudden death endings). If the score is still tied at the completion of the second five (5) minute overtime, penalty kicks will be taken according to FIFA rules to decide the game. The Time and Field location will be determined by the Tournament Committee.

•  PERFORMANCE RANKING CRITERIA: Among teams with the same number of points, final placing will be determined by the following tie breaker rules which will be applied in order:

FIRST TIE BREAKER : Head to head competition (not applicable if the tie involves more than two teams). This DOES apply where there will be no semi finals or finals played - where there is only a 4 or 5 team tournament with no playoffs.

SECOND TIE BREAKER : If the teams are still tied after head to head competition, the tournament will use a bonus point system. A team will receive a bonus point for goals scored up to and including the third goal for each game. No team can receive more than three (3) bonus points per game. However, goals allowed in a game will be subtracted from a teams bonus point total. For Example:  

1. If team A beats team B by a score of 3 - 0, team A receives three (3) bonus points.
2. If team A beats team B by a score of 3 - 2, team A receives one (1) bonus point.
3. If team A beats team B by a score of 6 - 3, team A receives zero (0) bonus points.

THIRD TIE BREAKER : In cases where the above goal spread does not differentiate between teams, goals against each team will be totaled for the first three (3) games. The team having the fewest goals against them will be determined as having the better record.

FOURTH TIE BREAKER : Most wins during the preliminary round games.

FIFTH TIE BREAKER : Goals scored by each team will be totaled for the first three (3) games. The team having the most goals will be determined as having the better record.

SIXTH TIE BREAKER : Penalty Kicks. Time and field location will be determined by the Tournament Director.

In divisions where a wild card team advances to the semi-finals, bracket A plays bracket B and bracket C plays the wild card team. If the wild card team is from the C bracket, then bracket A plays the wild card team and bracket B plays bracket C.

•  REPORTING SCORES: The winning coach (home team coach in case of ties) must report the game score to the Tournament Official's Pavilion within forty (40) minutes of game completion or suffer the possible loss of the points his/her team would have received.

•  COACHES AND TEAMS: Coaches and teams must be on one side of the field and spectators on the other side. Where there are bleachers present, those are for spectators. A maximum of three (3) coaches per team is allowed. Coaches may not cross the center line.

•  GAME CLOCK: The referee will keep the official time of games. The game clock will not be stopped because of an injury to any player unless, at the discretion of the referee, the injured player must be removed from the field by medical personnel. Due to the time allowed for completion of all games, the clock runs continuously.

•  TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS: The tournament headquarters is located at 3577 McCarty Road , Saginaw , MI , 48603 . For further contact or rules questions contact the tournament director directly at (989) 799-4280 (D), (989) 792-3351 (H), (989) 295-1945 (C) or email: soccerburd@yahoo.com

•  ANIMALS: All pets MUST be on a leash at ALL times during the tournament. Owners are expected to bring proper equipment with them to pick up their pet's excretions. The woods on and surrounding the property is NOT a bath room for pets. Please be advised that the tournament site is a PUBLIC park and therefore no alcohol is permitted on the premises.