1. LAWS OF THE GAME
All matches shall be played under the laws recognized by the USYSA/ FIFA, except as noted below.
U9 and U10 Build out line, offside & heading
- U9 and U10 teams will play with the build out line implemented with the recent USSF small sided games mandate.
- Any time goal keeper gains possession of the ball via the hands or a goal kick:
- All defending players move beyond the buildout lines
- Defenders may not cross buildout line until the ball is played to an attacking player by the goal keeper
- No punting, the goal keeper must roll, throw or place ball on ground and pass the ball.
- No deliberate heading of the ball.
- Indirect free kick at spot of infraction
- Off sides will now be in effect
- A player may not be closer to the goal than the ball and or last field player from the opposing team. This will only be enforced once passed the build out line
2. ELIGIBILITY
Age divisions will be determined according to the USYSA birthday eligibility date of January 1.
Maximum roster:
- U7 and U8 have a maximum roster of 10 players.
- U9 and U10 have a maximum roster of 14 players.
- U11 and U12 have a maximum roster of 16 players.
- U13 - U19 may have a tournament roster of 22 players – 18 of which are eligible for each tournament game. (This is intended to be consistent with the WYSA 22 player roster policy). The players in uniform at game time are considered to be on that game’s roster, the number of which may not exceed 18 for any given game.
Aside from the players listed on a team’s official roster, an unlimited number of Guest Players are permitted and an unlimited number of club Pass Players are permitted. Club Pass Players will NOT count as Guest Players. All players in the tournament must have a valid USYSA player pass and be listed on the official, signed team roster received by the Tournament Committee. An official league roster must be supplied for all recreational teams. No other forms of identification or registration will be accepted.
Tournament Medical Waiver Release must be electronically completed and electronically signed by parent of players entered onto SportsForms Tournament Roster before the team tournament roster can be approved by the tournament.
Players without completed Electronic Waiver can not participate.
2. FIELD PLAYERS / PLAYING FORMAT
- U8…….4 v 4, no goalkeeper
- U9 – U10…..7 v 7, one of which is the goalkeeper
- U11 – u12….9 v 9, one of which is the goalkeeper
- U13 – U19…11 v 11
3. DURATION OF MATCHES AND OTHER RELATED INFORMATION
- Each U8 match is scheduled as two 20-minute halves with a five-minute halftime rest.
- Each U9 - U12 match is scheduled as two 25-minute halves with a five-minute halftime rest.
- Each U13 – 19 match is scheduled as two 30-minute halves with a five-minute halftime rest.
No time will be added to games for injury or other delay.
The Tournament Committee reserves the right, due to inclement weather or other extraordinary conditions, to take any, or all of the following actions:
- Relocate a match,
- Shorten a match up to 50%,
- Cancel a match.
- In the event of rain, the games will continue. If, in the opinion of the Tournament Committee, the rain becomes extremely heavy or lightning is sighted, an air horn will be sounded to indicate that the games are temporarily suspended. Information regarding game resumption will be available in the Player Center. Each team is asked to send only one representative. When conditions improve, the air horn will be resounded to indicate that the games have resumed.
A team must consist of a minimum of 7 players. Teams arriving late may be subject to discipline by the Tournament Committee. Teams failing to appear will be subject to discipline by the Tournament Committee and will be reported to the team’s home state association.
Teams must arrive at the field at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time of their matches to allow for check-in by the field marshal.
Team winning the coin toss will determine which goal it will attack in the first half. The other team takes the kick-off to start the match.
No on-field warm-ups are permitted in order to protect the fields.
4. EQUIPMENT
- Each player must wear a separately numbered, tucked-in jersey. The team listed first is the home team and must provide a game ball and change jerseys in case of color conflict; Field Marshals will assist recreational teams lacking numbered alternate jerseys.
- Shin guards must be worn during all matches, and socks must cover the shin guards.
- In accordance with the WYSA, metal studs in cleats are not permitted for use.
- According to WYSA rule, no casts, hard or soft, are permitted. Leg or arm braces must be padded or covered.
- The referee’s decision on all other equipment issues is final.
5. SUBSTITUTIONS
- Substitution will be in accordance with USYSA rules, with WYSA adaptations and revisions. Therefore, substitutions are NOT allowed on any corner kick, or on the opposing team’s throw-in unless the opposing team also has a player waiting to enter the game.
- Any player who receives a red card MUST leave the field and cannot be substituted. They shall be suspended for the remainder of the match and a minimum of the player’s next match.
6. PROTESTS
Referee decisions are final. No protests will be accepted.
7. AWARDS
Team and Individual first and second place awards will be given for each age division from U11 – U19. Each player in U7 –U10 will receive a participation award.
8. SCORING
Points are awarded on the following basis for each game:
- Win = 6 points
- Tie = 3 points
- Shut out = 1 point (no shut out point for 0-0 tie)
- Goals = 1 point per goal up to a maximum of 3 per match per team.
- A team winning by forfeit will be credited with a 2-0 score.
Bracket seeding based on results:
- All teams will be scheduled for at least 3 games. For U7-U10 flights with an odd number of teams, one of the teams will have 4 games to allow the schedule to work.
- In all U11 and older age flights, the team scoring the most points in its bracket will be considered #1 for that bracket, #2 with second most points, and so on. These bracket finish positions will be used to determine which teams advance, depending upon that specific flight’s schedule.
- In a 3 team flight, the two teams with the lowest points will play in a semi-final game. The winner of the semi-final will advance to a championship final. The winning team will be determined as the Champion and the loser will be determined as the finalist.
- In a 4 team flight for U11+, the two teams with the highest points will receive #1 or #2 trophies.
- In a 5 team flight for U11+:
- Harvest: all teams will play 2 games on Saturday, then be reseeded for Sunday. On Sunday, seeds #4 & #5 will have a play-in game to see who advances to the semifinals. The winners of the semifinals will meet in the final. The winner and runner-up will receive #1 or #2 trophies.
- Lighthouse: the two teams with the highest points will receive #1 or #2 trophies.
- In a 6 team flight for U11+:
- Harvest: the teams will be divided into two brackets of 3…A & B. Play is within each bracket on Saturday, then reseeded for Sunday. On Sunday, A1 plays B2 in one semifinal and A2 plays B1 in the other semifinal. A3 plays B3 in a consolation game. The winners of the semifinals will meet in the final. The winner and runner-up will receive #1 or #2 trophies.
- Lighthouse: the teams will be divided into two brackets of 3.. A & B. Play is crossover, meaning Bracket A plays Bracket B. The top two teams from either bracket at U11 and up will play a final with wild card 1 playing wild card 2. The two wildcards could be from the same bracket.
- In a 7 team flight, everybody will play two random games on Saturday. The #1 in points after Saturday will get a bye for the first round of the playoffs on Sunday morning and become the overall #1 seed in the semifinal games. The remaining 6 teams will play each other (2v7, 3v6, 4v5) with the winners advancing to the semifinal round. These 3 teams will join the #1 seed with two semifinal games with the winners advancing to the finals to determine a champion and a finalist. The winner and runner-up will receive #1 or #2 trophies.
Tiebreakers == In the case of a tie for bracket finish position, the following tie-breakers will apply in the order listed:
- Head to head matches
- Most wins
- Fewest goals allowed
- Most goals scored
- Disciplinary record (see disciplinary rules; this subtraction only applies to the tie-breaker) Yellow cards = (minus 1) point per yellow card against team. Two yellow cards given to the same player during a match resulting in a red card will count as a total of (minus 3) points against the team. Red cards = (minus 3) points per red card against the team.
- If all teams involved in the tiebreaker to this point are still advancing with equal games remaining to reach the finals, the Tournament Director may choose to settle the tiebreaker by flip of the coin. If a team will be eliminated by this level of tiebreaker or one team will have less games remaining to reach the final, then the tie will be settled with Kicks from the mark (5 v 5). If the score is still tied, alternating kicks by the remaining players will be taken until there is a winner.
9. SEMI-FINAL & CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
Or other games where winner advances, not based upon points
- The home team is listed first on the scoreboard.
- In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, the game will be decided by a 5 v 5 kick from the mark shoot-out using players on the field at the end of the game. If the score is still tied, alternating kicks by the remaining players on the field will be taken until a winner is determined.
- Any team forfeiting a championship game will not be welcomed back to the tournament for a minimum of three years. Additionally, all other teams from their club will also not be welcomed back for a minimum of two years.
10. COACH, PLAYER, PARENT AND SPECTATOR CONDUCT
- All players and non-players are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship, which is a critical goal of athletic competition. Accordingly, harassment of officials or players will not be tolerated. After warning the team’s coach, a referee may temporarily suspend or terminate any match for persistent harassment. The Tournament Committee may declare a forfeit in such case.
- Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players, parents, and spectators at the fields and elsewhere in the community. If the Tournament Committee receives complaints regarding the conduct of a team, it may ask individuals to leave the tournament area and may bar the team from future tournaments.
11. DISCIPLINARY RULES
In an effort to curb misconduct and un-sportsmanlike behavior, the WYSA has directed we include the following Disciplinary Rules. All decisions of the Tournament Committee are final.
- Players who are sent off due to receiving a red card will be given the following suspensions
- Serious foul play: 1-2 matches. Additional offenses that result in a send off include: insulting or abusive language; receipt of two cautions (yellow cards) in the same match; and denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity by fouling an opponent or by deliberately handling the ball.
- Violent conduct: 2-3 matches. Includes spitting at an opponent or another person. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to suspend a player for the duration of the Tournament.
- Any send-off will be reported to the WYSA in the Post-tournament report.
- The Tournament Committee, who will render an appropriate decision as to further discipline, will review circumstances surrounding the dismissal of a coach or spectator.
- Players dismissed during the last match of the tournament for Serious Foul Play. Referees must report the offense and submit the send-off report to the Tournament Director. The Tournament Director must include the description of the offense and conduct in the Post-tournament Report.
- Players dismissed for Violent Conduct
- The referee must submit the send-off report and to the Tournament Director. Tournament Director must note the appropriate suspension or punishment in the Post-tournament Report.
- The referee must complete the Supplemental Referee’s Report and submit it to the Tournament Director immediately following the match.
- The Tournament Director must forward the Supplemental Referee’s Report to the WYSA Office within 24 hours upon completion of the tournament. If a Wisconsin team is involved, the WYSA will take appropriate measures. If it is an out of state team, the WYSA will forward the Supplemental Referee’s Report to the home state association of the offending team.
12. UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES
Any circumstances not covered by these rules will be resolved by the Tournament Committee so as to promote the best interests of the tournament, the participants, and good sportsmanship.
13. REFUND
- Refunds will be made to any team that is not accepted to the tournament.
- There will be no refunds for teams that withdraw from the tournament after they have been accepted.