2024 TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

Team Eligibility - Competitive teams formed by birth year must play in the birth year of their oldest player.  Recreational teams that are still formed in GotSoccer by school year may participate in the age group that the official roster classifies the team.  Teams must be registered and have player cards from a US Soccer Affiliate (US Youth Soccer, US Club Soccer, AYSO etc).  The Tournament Committee has the final say on the acceptance or denial of all team applications submitted for the event.  

Laws of the Game: Except as modified by these Rules, all games will be played in accordance with the laws of the game observed by USYSA/FIFA.

Eligibility:

Each participating team must submit the following:

1. A complete online entry application & entry fee payment.

2. An official roster.

3. Laminated USYS/US Club Soccer player and coach passes.  (Player passes not required for Academy age groups)

4. Signed Medical Release form for each player.  (digital acknowlegement from team manager through check in process)

5. Guest player forms (max five per team if outside of your club - unlimited within your club).

6. An official USYSA travel permit for out of state teams. (Not required for US Club)

Player and Coach Passes:

Each player and all coaches on the player side of the field must possess laminated USYSA/USClub player/coach passes. These will be verified through the online check in process and are not required to be presented to referees prior to the match.  For teams 11U-19U each player is allowed to participate with only one team entered in the tournament. Players that are found to have played for multiple teams will result in a forfeit of all games in which the offending player participated. Any team that plays an ineligible player will be removed from the tournament and no refund given.  For teams participating in the 9U-10U Academy divisions, rosters can be fluid if you have multiple teams.  The Academy age groups are focused on development vs winning.  Roster fluidity is not designed to stack a roster for any particular game.  

Guest players must have a completed guest player form and his/her player card must be uploaded to the online check in system.  Players must also be added to your online event roster.  

Player’s Equipment:

No player shall wear anything that is dangerous to himself/herself or to any other player, including but not limited to earrings (must be removed, not merely taped), watches, rings and medallions. Medical casts and splints must be approved prior to the start of each match by the referee. Shin guards are mandatory and must be worn under the socks.

Substitutions U8 – U19

Substitutions shall be unlimited. Substitutions shall be made, with the consent of the referee, at any stoppage of play:

Length of Match, Overtime Periods and Ball Size:

U8, U9, U10 games will utilize the build out line for goalkicks and goalkeeper distribution.  Attacking players are required to retreat to the build out line until the ball is distributed.  This rule is designed to teach proper distribution and provide an attacking role for defenders.  Goalkeepers are allowed to distribut past the build out line with a throw or drop the ball to their feet and pass out of the back.  The build out line is also used as the offside line per the US Soccer player development initiative guidelines.  This means an attacking player can be behind the 2nd to last defender and still be in an onside position if they are behind the build out line.  Players in U9/U10 Academy age divisions may be pooled among Academy teams from the same club.  The intent of this rule is to allow the youngest players developmental opportunities in a competitive environment with results being secondary.  

Per Louisiana Competitive rules, there will be no heading in the U11 and U12 divisions.  If there is a heading infraction inside the penalty box, the restart is an indirect free kick from the spot of the infraction.  If there is a heading infraction inside the goal box, the ball will be moved out to the closest line on the 6 yard box.  

No overtime periods in bracket play. Tie scores will stand in bracket games. Semi-final and final games ending in a tie will use FIFA kicks from the penalty mark in order to determine the winner.

Water Breaks:

A decision to conduct water breaks during the match will be the decision of the Tournament Officials. The referee will NOT stop the game clock during the water break period. A three-minute maximum period may be allowed. Players may leave the field for water.  Substitutions may be made with the consent of the referee.

Match Field and Team Responsibilities:

Tournament Officials shall assign playing field(s). Each team will abide by the following:

1. Be at your match ready to play, at the designated time.

2. First team listed is home team.

3. Home team is to wear the light jersey, away team is to wear dark jersey.  The team not following this rule is required to change in case of a color conflict.  The home team will have kickoff and visiting team will choose what side to defend.  

4. Game balls shall be furnished by the home team, who shall present a primary and an alternate game ball to the referee prior to the start of the game to prevent lost time due to lengthy ball retrieval.

5. The coach/manager of the winning team is responsible for verifying that the score to be reported by the referee is correct. Referees will turn in all game cards to tournament officials.

6. Following your game, please clean your team area and vacate the bench area.  

7. Spectators must be on one side of the field and players and coaches on the other side. Spectator boxes will be marked.

9. Coaches are responsible for the behavior and actions of persons on their sideline. Good sportsmanship will be expected from each coach, team, parent and spectator.

Protests:

The Referee’s decision concerning all aspects of the match is final. NO protests will be allowed.

Cautions and Send-Offs:

An ejected player or coach is ineligible for his/her teams next scheduled match. If the coach trains more than one team, he/she will serve the suspension with the team he/she was sent off with. Any player or coach who receives a red card will be ineligible to participate in the next tournament match.  Further disciplinary actions may be imposed at the discretion of the Tournament Committee. Any coach or player receiving two yellow cards in the same game will culminate in a red card infraction and he/she will be ineligible to participate in the next tournament match. Any red cards received in the final bracket game will carry forward to post bracket games. All red card infractions will be reported to the appropriate State Association. If a teams coach receives a red card and there are no other adults with a valid coaching pass available to finish the match, the match will be terminated and scored as a forfeit for the offending team. Please make sure you have at least one other designated coach/team manager with a valid pass.

The coach is responsible for the actions of verbal and physical abuse of referees by his/her spectators. Any player or coach sent-off must immediately report to the administration tent and remain there until the match is completed. If the offender does not leave the field area within 2 minutes, or fails to report to the administration tent, the referee or tournament director will declare the match a forfeit. Abuse of referees, tournament staff, or security staff will not be tolerated. Any spectator sent off by a referee, tournament official or security officer will be escorted to the parking lot. They will not be allowed back in the field area for the rest of that day. A spectator is anyone who is not a player, coach or official.

Grace Periods:

There are no grace periods. Any team that is not ready to play at the scheduled time is subject to (referees discretion) forfeit of that game. Teams should be at the game field 15 minutes before the scheduled game time and ready for check in with the referee.

Termination of the Match:

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to end the tournament, shorten matches or reschedule matches in the event of inclement weather. Such decisions shall be final and binding. In case of inclement weather, the Tournament Director will determine if the match is to be played. Once the match has started, the decision rests with the referee. If any matches are canceled, the involved coaches are responsible for checking with the Tournament Director for rescheduling information. Suspended matches that cannot be resumed shall be considered complete if at least one half of the match has been completed. The score at the stoppage of play shall be the final score. If at least one half has not been completed and the match cannot be resumed, the match will be rescheduled from the point of stoppage (weather permitting) only if it affects the outcome of the tournament. In the event the Tournament is terminated due to weather, winners will be determined under the point system described below. Check the tournament website for weather and other tournament related information updates.


FACILITY RULES:

1. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

2. Smoking is NOT permitted.

3. NO pets allowed (not even on a leash.)

4. Only park in the designated parking areas.

5. A $10 entrance fee per car will be collected upon entrance Friday - Sunday. Once paid, the parking pass is good for the remainder of the weekend. To help facilitate a smooth entrance, please have a $10 bill ready to pay upon entrance. Players driving themselves are not required to pay.

6. Sunflower seeds and gum are NOT allowed on any of the turf fields.

Refunds:

A team withdrawing from the Tournament before the entry deadline will receive a refund, less a 25% administrative fee. There will be no refunds given to a team withdrawing after the entry deadline. Teams submitting incorrect information or changing information on the entry form after acceptance shall be subject to removal from the Tournament and forfeiture of the entry fee. In case of cancellation of the tournament due to inclement weather or other unforeseen issues prior to Fridays games, 25% of the entry fee will be retained by the Caddo Bossier Soccer Association to cover expenses and start-up costs. No refund will be given once the tournament begins.  

Team / Player Awards:

Individual player medals will be awarded to all 1st and 2nd place teams in 10U-19U age groups.  Participation medals will be given for all 8U/9U teams.

POINT AND WINNER DETERMINATION

POINT AWARDS FOR GAMES

The following points will be awarded for games played during the round-robin competition:

6 points for a win

3 points for a tie

0 points for a loss

1 point for each goal (max of 3)

1 point for a shutout

Forfeited round-robin games:

The non-forfeiting team shall be accorded:

6 points for the win

2 goals for, 0 goals against and a shutout point for a total of 9 points.

The forfeiting team shall be accorded:

0 points for the loss

0 goals for, 2 goals against

The Tournament Director reserves the right to modify matchups for consolation games if the two teams involved have already played each other in bracket play.  For example, teams #4 and #5 play in a consolation game and teams #6 and #7 play in another consolation game.  If any of the teams have already played in bracket play, we may swap teams in order to allow teams to play a different opponent.  These decisions will be left solely to the discretion of the Tournament Director.  

TIEBREAKERS

At the completion of round-robin competition, if two or more teams are tied in the number of points awarded, advancement will be decided in the following sequential order (Note: bracket winners are determined first before wildcards or overall best second teams):

a. Winner of head-to-head competition during round-robin competition. This applies for advancement only if teams have played one another. Head-to-Head is not used if more than two teams are tied. If more than two (2) teams are tied, the following sequence will be followed until a team is eliminated. The remaining teams will then restart the sequence at (b.) below, until the tie is broken.

In all cross bracket formats, if more than two teams are tied then head to head will be used if one team has defeated all other teams with which it is tied.

b. Most wins

c. Team with the greatest net goal difference (NGD) which is computed as “goals for” minus “Goals against” with a maximum of 3 NGD in each game.

Example: A team's 3 game scores vs. opponent are:

5 – 1 = +3

1 – 3 = -2

2 – 2 = 0

Total goal difference = +1

d. Team with the least goals against (there is NO limit on the number of goals that will be counted to determine this tiebreaker

e. Teams with most goals (maximum of 5 goals in each game).

f. FIFA kicks from penalty mark