Soccer

2011 Soccer 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 2010), except as tailored to suit the unique circumstances peculiar to the Utah Summer Games (the desire is to benefit the players). The following rules may be unique to this particular tournament.

1. PLAYER AGE AND ELIGIBILITY:  The age divisions are defined in the table below.  While it is not encouraged, players are not prohibited from playing in an older age division.  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 age division.  All players must be properly included on the team waiver from and checked in through the team check-in process, and have a separate sticker applied to their pass for each team they participate with.

If you discover that you are registered in the wrong age division or gender as listed below, please send an e-mail to usgsoccer@comcast.net IMMEDIATELY.

 
Birthdates
Boys under 19
8/1/91-7/31/94
Girls under 19
8/1/91-7/31/94
Boys under 16
8/1/94-7/31/96
Girls under 16
8/1/94-7/31/96
Boys under 14
8/1/96-7/31/97
Girls under 14
8/1/96-7/31/97
Boys under 13
8/1/97-7/31/98
Girls under 13
8/1/97-7/31/98
Boys under 12
8/1/98-7/31/99
Girls under 12
8/1/98-7/31/99
Boys under 11
8/1/99-7/31/00
Girls under 11
8/1/99-7/31/00
Boys under 10
8/1/00-7/31/01
Girls under 10
8/1/00-7/31/01
Boys under 9
8/1/01-7/31/02
Girls under 9
8/1/01-7/31/02

U12 and older teams may carry a roster of up to 18 players with 11 players on the field including a goalkeeper. U11 and younger teams may carry a roster of up to 14 players with 8 players on the field 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.

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 State Identification Cards, or official Utah Summer Games player passes. Under no circumstances will Driver Licenses, Temporary State Identification Cards, Student ID Cards, or Military ID's be accepted in the place of a player pass. Each pass must have a sticker placed on it representing the age division of each team the participant is registered with. Players may not participate on more than one team in an age division.

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.

6. GAME DURATION AND BALL SIZE:
POOL PLAY

Age
Ball Size
Game Duration
U19
5
35 minute halves*
U16
5
35 minute halves*
U13 & U14
5
30 minute halves*
U12
4
25 minute halves*
U11
4
25 minute halves*
U9 & 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
U13 & U14
35 minute halves
U12
30 minute halves
U11
30 minute halves
U9 & 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: Unlimited substitiution by either team at any stoppage of play with the Referee's permission. All substitutes must enter the field of play at the halfway line and only with the permission of the Referee.

8. EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS: Appropriate and approved soccer attire (including jerseys with a different number for each player) is required. Each player is required to have an alternate color jersey and the home team is required to change color in case of a color conflict.

9. 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.

  1. head to head record
  2. total number of RED cards received
  3. total number of YELLOW cards received
  4. number of goals scored by opponents per game played
  5. number of goals scored by the team per game played (maximum of 4 goals counted in each game
  6. kicks from the penalty mark

10. 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 2009).

11. MISCONDUCT:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

12. 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.

13. PROTESTS: Protests regarding games or their outcome will not be entertained. Questions of eligibility must be addressed with referees at the field.

14. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS: The tournament committee reserves the right to change tournament rules to accommodate unforeseen circumstances and to benefit the players.

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