Copa Del Rey 2009 Tournament Rules

Disputes: ALL GAME RESULTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FINAL. NO PROTESTS WILL BE ALLOWED.

FIFA Rules: As modified by USYSA, US Club Soccer as modified herein.

Credentials: All US Club Soccer and USYSA teams are eligible to play provided that the proper US Club credentials are presented at registration. The following credentials must be presented at the mandatory credentials check-in:

Official Team Roster - A US Club Soccer official team roster, guest players forms with signatures of both the loaning club and receiving club representative.

Medical Authorization Form - Each participating athlete must complete an official US Club Soccer medical authorization form. Each form MUST include a parent’s signature.

Laminated US Club Soccer Player Pass: A valid laminated US Club player cards with a photograph. Player pass cards must all be from the same season (2009/10), they can not be a mixture of seasons.

Laminated US Club Soccer Coaches Pass: Each team must have at least one properly credentialed adult present on the sidelines of each match. Coaches’ pass cards must possess an August 1, 2010 (or later) expiration date.

For Non US Club Registered Teams: If you are not a US Club registered team, you may attend our tournament as a non-member by obtaining temporary US Club status and insurance just for our tournament. Visit www.usclubsoccer.com and select the green “Registration” tab and proceed to the “Tournament Team Insurance” Option for further details.

Game cards will be provided by the tournament. Team rosters must be input on line by Wednesday, December 3rd. Failure to complete the on-line roster will result in your manual input the night of registration. Only those players on the game card will be permitted to participate in tournament games. Players and coaches may not be added once registration is complete.

Check-In: Mandatory check-in is on the night prior to tournament play between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Sacramento Marriott, 11211 Point East Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742.

Conduct: Good sportsmanship will prevail at all times. Coaches are directly responsible for the conduct of their players, assistant coaches, substitutes, team officials and other spectators affiliated with their team, and will be accountable for continued disruptive action.

Players’ 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. Shin guards are mandatory for all players.

Prohibitions: The following are prohibited at any of the Cup game sites|

• Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances
• DOGS
• Noise makers, horns, etc
• Use of tobacco products – Use of tobacco products on the grounds of any public school facility is a violation of California State Law
• Fire Arms

Referees will be instructed to abandon a game if, after being asked to do so, any person affiliated with the team refuses to comply with the prohibitions listed above. Any team (including players, coaches, parents and affiliated spectators) found violating these rules will automatically forfeit all games played, face possible expulsion from the Cup and will not be invited to any future Capital Athletic Soccer Academy club events.

Alcoholic Beverages and Controlled Substances: Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances is expressly prohibited at any of the fields being utilized for the event. Any team (including players, coaches, team officials, parents and spectators) found violating this rule will automatically forfeit all games played, face possible expulsion from the event, will not be invited back in future years.

Inclement Weather: Games may be cancelled or shortened due to inclement weather.

Tournament Cancellation: If the tournament must be cancelled due to inclement weather, acts of civil disobedience, war, destruction of facilities or other circumstances deemed by the Tournament Committee to be beyond the control of the hosting club, the tournament may retain up to 25% of the entry fee once the tournament’s expenses are paid. Refunds of no less than 75% of the team’s entry fee will be postmarked and mailed to the teams within 45 days of the approved tournament date.

Refunds: Full refunds will be made to teams not accepted. Full refunds will be provided to teams that withdraw from the tournament prior to the application deadline. Accepted teams requesting to withdraw must do so by contacting the tournament director; however, they shall forfeit their entire application fee. No refunds will be given after the deadline.

Suspended Games: If, in the opinion of game officials, a game must be terminated for misconduct of players, bench or spectators and/or unsportsmanlike conduct; the offending team(s) could be suspended from further play and forfeits that game and all remaining games. The score at termination will stand. All previous points earned remain as played. Additionally, the home league, state association and/or FIFA Association will be contacted as appropriate.

FORMAT – Each age group/gender will consist of three, four, six or eight team divisions. Each team will play in a minimum of three (3) games with the possibility of (4) games should a team advance out of the preliminary rounds. The tournament committee will seed all teams at acceptance and prepare schedules accordingly.

Four Team Divisions: Each four team division will consist of one flight of four teams. Each team will play the others within its flight for a total of three (3) preliminary games. The team with the highest number of points from flights A and B will play in the Championship Game.

Home Team – The Home Team will be the team which appears first, or is designated in the schedule as the home team. The Home Team will wear a light color jersey and may be required to switch to alternate jerseys to accommodate a color conflict as declared by the referee.  Only the properly credentialed players and team officials may be present on the playing team’s sidelines.

Game Balls – The tournament will supply all game balls. The game ball will be subject to Referee approval.

Awards – Individual player medals will be awarded to each player and coach on the first through second place teams. A Championship cup trophy will be awarded to the winning team in each age group.

• First Place: Championship Game Winner Team Trophy and Individual Award Medals

• Second Place: Championship Game Loser Individual Award Medals

Game Check-In / Start Times –All schedule games will start on the hour.   Teams should take the field at the one minute warning.  Teams must be at the field 45 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of their game in order to be checked in by referees or appointed tournament officials. 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. Pending unforeseen circumstances, games will be started within five (5) minutes of the designated start time. If a team has not taken the field with a minimum of seven (7) players within the five (5) minute grace period, the game will be forfeited to the team that has taken the field with at least seven (7) players. If neither team takes the field within the five (5) minute grace period, no points will be awarded to either team and the game will be declared a double forfeit.  The referee and/or Tournament Committee may terminate a game and award a forfeit if a team leaves the field during the game without the approval of the referee, the referee abandons a match due to excessive violent conduct and/or misconduct by the players, coaches or fans, or a team is deemed to be in gross violation of US Youth Soccer, CYSA, or rules of this tournament.

Duration of Games & Overtimes, By Halves, and Ball Size are as follows:

* In preliminary games ties will stand. All Preliminary Games will be called not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game regardless of the amount of time played in each half up to that point. A game is “complete” upon completion of one half of play regardless of the circumstances of termination during the second half with final results based on the score at the time the game is called. Preliminary games can end in a tie.
** Final and Consolation games tied after regulation will play two equal overtime halves (see table above). If a tie still exists after overtime halves in Final games, FIFA Penalty Kicks will determine who advances or is awarded the trophy. Penalty Kicks will immediately follow the game. At the discretion of the Tournament Committee, overtime periods may be shortened or eliminated if the game has been significantly delayed at the start. The length of any game may be shortened to shorter but equal halves if the Tournament Committee deems it necessary due to field conditions, weather or darkness.
Every attempt will be made to schedule the tournament so that teams have a minimum of two hours between games. The two hour period will commence when a team’s match is scheduled to be completed and will end when the team’s subsequent match begins.

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 (including overtimes):

• 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 on either team when the referee stops play;
• Prior to the restart of the game for the second half;
• Prior to the beginning of an overtime period;
• Prior to the restart of the game following an injured player being removed from the field (either team may sub)
• Prior to the restart of the game following a player being cautioned, the referee will give the coach the choice of substituting the cautioned player.

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

• 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 (see SCORING section). 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.

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. Additionally, the home league and State Association will be contacted as appropriate.
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.”
Any injuries must be reported to a tournament official so that an accident report form can be completed. A tournament official will call 911 for an injury at a coach or parent request.

Scoring System – Maximum number of points allowable per game: 10 Points will be awarded / deducted as follows:

• 6 points will be awarded for a win
• 3 points will be awarded for a tie
• 0 points will be awarded for a loss
• 1 bonus point for each goal scored (maximum of 3 per game)
• 1 bonus point for a shut out (including a 0-0 tie)
• 1 point will be deducted for each player red card
• 2 points will deducted for each coach red card

Forfeits will be scored 1-0 against the forfeiting team with 8 points awarded to the winner. If both teams forfeit there will be no score and, therefore, no points awarded to either team. A 0-0 tie will be scored as 4 points for each team (3 for tie, 1 for shutout)

Tie Breaking Procedure – In case of a tie in tournament points following the completion of preliminary games, the advancing team will be determined based on the following criteria in the order specified below. All game results will be considered final and no protest of their outcome is allowed:

• Head to Head competition between teams that are tied
• Goal differential advances (goals scored by a team minus goals allowed by a team, not to exceed a differential of 4 goals in any one match).
• Team with fewest goals allowed advances.
• Team with most goals scored advances (not to exceed 4 goals counted for any one match).
• If a tie still exists after steps 1 through 5, kicks taken from the penalty spot per FIFA will be taken fifteen (15) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the appropriate Semi-Final or Final game.
• If a three-way tie exists within a bracket after steps 1 through 5, a three-way coin flip will be conducted. The teams that tie in the coin flip will compete in FIFA Penalty Kicks to eliminate one team prior to proceeding to FIFA Penalty Dicks with the third team. The coin flip and time of the FIFA Penalty Kicks will be determined at the fields.

Forfeits and Byes – All teams who forfeit will have the game(s) scored a 0-1 loss. The winner will be awarded eight tournament points (six for the win, one for a goal and one for a shutout). 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.