Soccer
2008 Tournament Rules
The Utah Summer Games Soccer Tournament is being conducted in accordance with established tournament procedures and current FIFA Laws of the Game (July 2007), except as tailored to suit the unique circumstances peculiar to the Utah Summer Games (the desire is to benefit the players). The following guidelines and rules may be unique to this particular tournament.
1. PLAYER AGE AND ELIGIBILITY: The primary age groups are defined in the table below. While it is not encouraged, players are not prohibited from playing in an older age bracket. This is left to the discretion of parents and coaches who must signify their permission for the player to play up by signing the Team Waiver form for the player. Players are not restricted from participating on more than one team, although they may not participate with more than one team in the same bracket. All players must be properly included on the team waiver from and checked in through the team check-in process for each team they participate with.
If you discover that you are registered in the wrong age group or gender as listed below, please send an e-mail to usgsoccer@comcast.net IMMEDIATELY.
Birthdates |
|
|---|---|
| Boys under 19 | 8/1/88-7/31/91 |
| Girls under 19 | 8/1/88-7/31/91 |
| Boys under 16 | 8/1/91-7/31/93 |
| Girls under 16 | 8/1/91-7/31/93 |
| Boys under 14 | 8/1/93-7/31/95 |
| Girls under 14 | 8/1/93-7/31/95 |
| Boys under 12 | 8/1/95-7/31/97 |
| Girls under 12 | 8/1/95-7/31/97 |
| Boys under 10 | 8/1/97-7/31/99 |
| Girls under 10 | 8/1/97-7/31/99 |
Teams may carry a roster of up to 18 players except U-10 teams may only carry up to 14 players. Field play will consist of 11 players including a goal keeper except that U-10 which will consist of 8 players including a goal keeper. All teams must complete the team check-in process before beginning play. No additions to team roster after final check-in are allowed. Appropriate and approved soccer clothing and equipment, including shin guards, is required (FIFA Law IV).
In the event an ineligible player has participated in the tournament, the team will forfeit any games in which that ineligible player has participated.
2. PLAYER PASSES: Each player is required to have a player pass, which must be laminated and include a current picture, name, and birth date and have a Summer Games Tournament sticker attached. The ONLY passes allowed are regular UYSA, AYSO or USASA passes, Permanent Utah Identification Cards, or official Utah Summer Games player passes. Under no circumstances will Driver Licenses, Temporary Utah Identification Cards, Student ID Cards, or Military ID's be accepted in the place of a player pass.
3. GAME TIME: Each player and coach must be at the assigned playing field THIRTY minutes prior to the scheduled game time and available to be checked in by game officials. During this time, players' equipment and picture player passes will be checked and verified. NO PLAYER PASS, NO PLAY!!!
Referees are instructed to begin playing time within 5 minutes of the scheduled time. If a team is not on the field, ready to play, within 15 minutes of the scheduled game time, that team will forfeit the match.
4. HOME TEAM: The home team: (a) is the FIRST team listed on the schedule; (b) will have their choice of bench area (see Sideline Policy below); (c) shall change jerseys when there is a color conflict in uniforms; and (d) provide the game balls.
5. SIDELINE POLICY: The home team players and supporters will be on the same side of the field; however, the team bench and supporters are in separate areas as shown below. The visiting players and supporters will be on the opposite side of the field. The team bench is on the assistant referee half of the field with the parents on the other half of the field. A 20-foot technical area (10 feet in each direction from the center line) is provided to facilitate substitutions. The area for the team bench ends at the top of the penalty area. See diagram below.
In games played in football stadiums, the above restraints do not apply to supporters sitting in the bleachers, although they do apply to those sitting on the sideline. If field conditions do not permit the use of both sidelines, the team benches and supporters’ areas shall be as designated by the referee.
__________________________________20 Feet
Team A Bench
Team A Parents
Assistant Referee
Assistant Referee
Team B Parents Team B Bench
____________________________________20 Feet
6. GAME DURATION AND BALL SIZE:
POOL PLAY
Age |
Ball Size |
Game Duration |
|---|---|---|
U19 |
5 |
35 minute halves* |
U16 |
5 |
35 minute halves* |
U14 |
5 |
30 minute halves* |
U12 |
4 |
25 minute halves* |
U10 |
4 |
20 minute halves* |
*playing time may be decreased to accommodate available playing fields, late starts, etc.
SEMI-FINAL & FINAL GAMES
Age |
Game Duration |
|---|---|
U19 |
40 minute halves |
U16 |
40 minute halves |
U14 |
35 minute halves |
U12 |
30 minute halves |
U10 |
25 minute halves |
During pool play, regardless of game start time, referees have been instructed to limit playing time, so the games finish on time. Half time will be 5 minutes.
7. SUBSTITUTIONS: Free substitutions will be employed in all divisions. Substitutions may be made at the following times:
- prior to throw-in: team with possession: opposing team if they have players up and ready for substitution at the time the team with possession requests the substitution
- prior to a goal kick: unlimited - both teams
- prior to a kick-off: unlimited - both teams
- after an injury: unlimited - both teams
- upon caution: cautioned player only
All substitutes must enter the field of play at the halfway line and only with the permission of the Referee.
8. COMPETITION: At the end of the pool play matches, teams with the greatest number of points in each flight will be eligible for Semi-Final and Championship play. Standings for qualifying will be determined by the following point system:
- Win 6 points
- Tie: 3 points
- Forfeit: a total of 7 points to the non-forfeit team
- Loss: 0 points
- Goals: 1 point for each goal to a maximum of 3
- Shutout: 1 point (0-0 tie is NOT a shutout)
There will be no overtime periods or shootouts in pool play. In the event of ties in the standings after the qualifying matches, the ties will be broken as follows.
- head to head record
- average number of RED cards received per game played
- average number of YELLOW cards received per game played
- number of goals scored by opponents per game played
- number of goals scored by the team per game played (maximum of 4 goals counted in each game
- kicks from the penalty mark
9. OVERTIME AND SHOOTOUT: In the event that a semi-final or medal game has ended in a tie, two five-minute overtime periods will be played with the teams exchanging ends at the end of the first overtime period. If a tie exists following the overtime periods, the match will be decided by the "taking of kicks from the penalty mark." The shootout will follow FIFA Laws of the Game (July 2007) including the requirement that only players who are on the field of play at the end of overtime may be designated as one of the eleven players to participate in the shootout.
10. MISCONDUCT:
- The penalty for a player or coach who is "sent off the field of play" and shown the "red card" will be a minimum of a one-game suspension.
- Game officials will retain the pass for each player or coach who is sent off. The team coach may pick up the pass after the team has played the game for which the player or coach is suspended.
- Tournament officials will not hesitate to eject from the tournament, any team, player, or team representative for gross misconduct. An expulsion may extend to future Utah Summer Games tournaments.
- Inappropriate behavior by coaches, parents, and /or team supporters will result in those individuals being required to leave the vicinity of the soccer playing field before play will continue.
11. COACHES: Each team must have a non-playing adult (21 years or older) designated as its coach at each game. If the regular coach is not available for a game or has been sent off, another adult must fill the role of coach. ALL coaches and assistant coaches must have a coach's pass.
Coaches must conduct themselves in a responsible manner. At all times, they will promote the "laws of the Game", encouraging clean competition and sportsmanship, and abide by the rules of the Utah Summer Games Soccer Tournament. Coaches are limited to positive coaching from within the coach's box. Negative comments will not be tolerated! Coaches will be responsible for the behavior of their team's spectators. Yellow and red cards shown to coaches will be counted in the breaking of ties in the standings.
12. PROTESTS: Protests regarding games or their outcome will not be entertained. Questions of eligibility must be addressed with referees at the field.
13. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS: The tournament committee reserves the right to change tournament rules to accommodate unforeseen circumstances and to benefit the players.
14. CASTS, SPLINTS, KNEE BRACES: Casts, splints and knee braces are allowed provided they are (in the opinion of the referee) adequately covered and padded so as to eliminate the possibility of its causing injury to the other players on the field. Players may wear no jewelry.
15. BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGEN PROCEDURES: The following procedures will be followed to minimize the risk of infection by blood-borne diseases. Any player or official who is bleeding must leave the field of play immediately to receive medical treatment, and may not return until the situation is corrected to the satisfaction of the referee as follows.
- The bleeding is stopped, the blood has been removed from the skin surface, the contaminated skin has been disinfected, and the wound is covered.
- If there is blood on the uniform, it must be washed from the uniform and the uniform disinfected.
