Battle At HillTop 2019 - Tournament Rules

Battle At HillTop 2019 - Tournament Rules

 

Battle At HillTop

Rules of Competition 

Revision: January 2018

1. Eligibility

The tournament is open to presently registered league or association teams composed of no more than 18 players. All teams must be currently registered with their state, national, or provincial association.

 

Maximum roster size for divisions U13 (11v11) and older is 18, including no more than 5 guest players. For U11-U12 (9v9) maximum roster is 15, including no more than 5 guest players. For U9-U10 (7v7) maximum roster is 13, including no more than 5 guest players. A player may only participate on one team during this tournament and may not switch to another team during the tournament. If a player is found to have played on multiple teams during this tournament both teams on which they played will forfeit their games and be removed from the tournament.  

 

All teams will determine their ages per the USSF/USYSA age guidelines effective September 1, 1991. The ages will be determined on birthdays as of August 1. For example - Please click for age group chart.

 

All teams outside Region 1 must file for permission to travel forms.

 

2. Laws of the Game

All matches will be played in accordance with the current F.I.F.A. Laws of the Game. Rules and/or interpretations are provided by the tournament director or site director. All director decisions are final. The following items will further interpret these rules for purposes of this tournament and/or will provide an administrative framework for the operation of the tournament.

 

The tournament will use only USSF registered referees for all tournament games. U11 and older age groups utilize a three-person referee system. U10 and below utilize a one-person referee system. The diagonal system of play will be used with the USSF procedure to be followed when only two referees are present. Where only two referees are present the USSF mandated procedure will be utilized - one will be referee and the other will be a linesman.

 

The 7v7 fields will consist of “build out” lines. The field’s will include build out lines to promote individual skills and facilitate game flow. The build out line is used to promote playing the ball out of the back in an unpressured setting. When the goalkeeper has the ball, either during play or from a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the build out line. Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw or roll the ball to a teammate. Punting the ball is not allowed as this would defeat the purpose of the build out line and reduces the opportunity to play out of the back in an unpressured setting. After the ball is put into play, the opposing team can then cross the build out line and play can resume as normal.

 

Players 11 and under (U9,U10 and U11) are not allowed to head the ball at any time during a game. Referees have been instructed by U.S. Soccer of the following rule addition: When a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick (IFK) should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.

 

3. Team Field Position

Coaches are required to bring player passes and medical release forms to every game. 

 

Each team’s players and coaches will be located along the same touchline (Seperated by the halfway line). All players’ passes are verified at registration check-in and should be available at the field for inspection upon request. Only the coach, assistant coach(es) (with coaches pass), may remain on the side of the field with the players. Spectators are to sit on the opposite side of the field behind the 2 yard spectator line. 

 

All players and coaches should remain near the player bench area while on the sidelines. All spectators must remain between the 18-yard lines. No spectators are permitted in the areas directly behind the end lines. Failure to provide the linesmen room to clearly see the touchline may lead to a bench caution.

Coaches and/or other officials, players and spectators may not enter the field of play at any time unless requested to do so by the referee. Only players and coaches will be permitted in the bench area. All sideline personnel must keep back from the touchline a minimum of two (2) yards at all times.

 

4. Player Uniforms and Equipment

A player’s uniform will consist of shirt, shorts, socks, shin guards, and footwear. Cutoffs will not be allowed under or in lieu of uniform shorts. 

 

Team uniform shirts must have a number on the back. Each player shall have a different number and this number must be the same as listed on the official tournament roster.  In the event of a color conflict, the home team will change color. The home team is the first team listed on the schedule.

Goalkeepers shall wear colors which distinguish them from the other players on both teams and from the referee. 

 

Players must wear shin guards, socks must be pulled up over the shin guards, and shirts will be tucked into their shorts at all times during tournament games. 

 

5. Player, Coach and/or Spectator Behavior

All players, coaches and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the spirit as well as the letter of the Laws of the Game. Referees have been specifically instructed to run the matches according to this spirit and will act accordingly. DISSENT FROM PLAYERS, COACHES AND/OR SPECTATORS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED; CAUTIONS AND/OR DISMISSALS WILL RESULT. Players are encouraged to play all matches with intensity and desire. However, UNNECESSARY PHYSICAL PLAY, PARTICULARLY THAT WITH INTENT TO INJURE, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED; CAUTIONS AND/OR DISMISSALS WILL RESULT. Coaches are responsible for the actions of the team’s players and spectators as well as their own actions.

 

Players, coaches, and/or spectators DISMISSED FOR FIGHTING will be banned from further tournament participation. Teams will be held responsible for adhering to this rule. Any team playing a dismissed player in violation of this rule will be disqualified from the tournament and all matches played by the team will be ruled to have been a forfeit.

 

THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE PARTICIPATION OF ANY TEAM, PLAYER, COACH OR FAN, IF THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PLAYERS, COACHES AND/OR SPECTATORS CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH A MATCH OR MATCHES CANNOT BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE SPIRIT AND LETTER OF THE LAWS.

 

Any player, coach, and/or spectator that is cautioned (yellow carded) twice during any given game will be ineligible to participate in the remainder of that match and may not participate in the next match.

If any player, coach, and/or spectator is sent off the field of play (dismissed/red carded) by a referee for any reason, that player, coach, and/or spectator is ineligible to participate in the remainder of that match and is not eligible to participate in the next match and possibly the rest of the tournament. The player, coach or spectator must leave the field of play. Referees are instructed to record the player’s name, number, team and reason for the caution or send-off and present the information to the tournament director. All cards issued will be reported to the appropriate state association. Any disciplinary measures imposed by the tournament staff shall be limited to placing restrictions upon an individual’s group participation in the tournament.

 

6. Pre-Game Activity

Team captains must report to the Referee at the field (center circle) before Kick off. Coin toss will be done at this time. Winner of the coin toss chooses the goal to defend or if they start with kickoff. Any team not reporting will be considered as having lost the toss and will forfeit selection of goal AND kick-off. Teams may warm up in practice areas away from playing fields. There will be no warm up on the field between games.

 

7. Start of Play

Regardless of weather conditions, players and coaches must be on the field at the scheduled playing time, ready to play. Forfeits will be awarded if play has not started within five (5) minutes of starting time as determined by the referee; a minimum of 7 players (for 11v11 games) or 5 players (for 8v8 games) must be prepared to play before a team will be allowed to start a match. A forfeited match will be recorded as a 1-0 score. The tournament director may modify a scheduled start time for any match or reduce scheduled match length prior to the start of the match; all such matches will be considered to be official.

 

8. Duration of Play

All matches will consist of:

1. For U11 and older - sixty (60) minutes of playing time divided into two (2) thirty (30) minute halves with a five (5) minute halftime

2. For U9 - U10 (7v7) – fifty (50) minutes of playing time divided into two (2) twenty-five (25) minute halves with a five (5) minute halftime

For only Semi Final, Final and (3rd/4th playoff in brackets of 8 for U11+ teams) games if the score is tied at the end of regulation the game will be determined with FIFA Rules Penalty Kicks. All other games that finish in a draw will be declared as the offical result.

Official match time will be kept on the field by the referee. Match time will be kept on a running clock, and there will be no stoppage of time unless an injured player is assisted from the field by medical personnel.

 

9. Substitutions

There shall be unlimited substitutions with the permission of the referee at the following times:

 

1. On a throw in, your own throw-in or your opponent’s throw-in provided they are also substituting. If your opponent is not substituting on their throw-in, you cannot substitute.

2. Either team’s goal kick.

3. Either team scores a goal.

4. At the beginning of the second half.

5. In case of an injury, substitution for the injured player is permitted but not required; the opposing team may also substitute one player if the injured player is substituted.  If the injured player’s coach comes on to the field of play to attend to the injured player, said player must be substituted.

6. If a player receives a dismissal (red card), that player must leave the field of play. Their team may not substitute for them at any time during that match. If the match goes into overtime the team will play down the number of players who are out with red cards. The team may field a full team in its next scheduled match.

7. The referee reserves the right to decline any substitution if they deem this action as time wasting or unsportsmanlike behavior from the said team.

All substitutions must enter the playing field from the halfway line with the permission of the referee. The referee may disallow a request for substitution if, in the referee’s judgment, that request is intended to delay the play of the game.

 

10.    No Protests

NO PROTESTS will be entertained concerning the interpretation of the Laws of the Game by a referee. The site director’s interpretation of the foregoing rules and regulations shall be final. The site director reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the tournament.  

 

11.    Cancellation Policy

If the tournament is cancelled in its entirety because of weather conditions or stoppages beyond the Tournaments control, the tournament will provide a credit of $250 toward next year’s tournament registration or $150 in check.

 

If a game is suspended because of weather problems, field conditions, or other situations beyond the tournament’s control, once the game has started this shall be considered official. If a game is temporarily suspended for any of the foregoing reasons before completion, each team involved must check with tournament headquarters for instructions. For long delays that exceed game times the tournament committee reserves the right to cancel or forgo any games that are effected by delays. All decisions by the tournament committee are final.

 

If games are suspended due to weather conditions, teams will hear two loud air horns to suspend play. When play resumes they will hear one loud air horn and games will commence. Teams will be notified via email if scheduled game times and future game durations have been altered due to any delays of weather.

 

12.    Payment Policy

Upon Registration before 1st July 2016, team(s) will have two (2) weeks to submit payment to secure acceptance into tournament, any team(s) registering for tournament on or after 1st July 2016 will have 3-5 business days to submit payment to secure tournament acceptance. No teams will be accepted unitl full payment is recieved by club.

Teams will not be accepted until payment is received by West-Mont United Soccer Association 

 

13.    Refund When Withdrawing Team

If a team withdraws after registration/applying for the Battle at HillTop;

  • 1 month before the tournament = The team will receive 50% amount refunded
  • 3 weeks before the tournament = The team will receive 25% amount refunded
  • Within 3 weeks before the tournament = The team will receive zero amount refunded

 

14.  Score Reporting

A tournament staff field marshal will be stationed in the field marshal tent by the field. The assistant Referee/Referee will collect their gamecard before scheduled games and will then fill out a game report for each game played. The assistant Referee/Referee will record all game related information such as goals scored, cautions, and dismissals. At the conclusion of each match (final whistle), the field marshal will enter the field and collect the game card from the Referee/assistant Referee. The field marshal will have each coach sign the game card. BOTH COACHES MUST SIGN GAME CARDS AFTER EACH GAME.The field marshal then relays the match results to the tournament scoring system. The field marshal may be available to answer questions however NOT pertaining to match situations. If there is a question on the score of a match, only the coach can contact the Site Director. The Site Director will take whatever action may be necessary to verify the score.

 

15.  Scoring

At the end of each divisonal game, teams will be awarded points for the following:

1. Regulation win = 3 game points

2. Tie Match = 1 game point

3. Regulation loss = 0 game points

 

16.  Tie Breakers

Tie Breakers will be determined the end of the preliminary rounds; the divisional winner shall be the team with the most points in their division. In the event of a tie within a division, the following criteria shall be used to determine the winner:

 

1. For two teams only: Winner of head-to-head play.

2. Highest goal differential (maximum of 5 per game)

3. Lowest number of goals allowed (maximum of 5 per game)

4. Bonus Points

5. 1v1 Penalty Kicks (Knockout Penalty Kicks - e.g. If team ’A’ scores and team ’B’ does not score, then team ’A’ wins)

 

Bonus points will be awarded as follows: 5 bonus points will be awarded for a shutout. Bonus points will also be awarded for winning team’s goal differential, one point for each goal up to a maximum of 5 points thus, if a team wins 5-0 or 7-1 they would receive five (5) bonus points for a goal differential but the team winning 5-0 would also receive five (5) bonus points for the shut out for a total of 10 bonus points. In the case of a 0-0 tie, both teams receive five (5) bonus points for the shutout. In addition, five (5) bonus points will be deducted for each red card issued to a player or coach during tournament play. Bonus points are not added to the game points and are only used in the case of a tie in the standings after step 3.

 

17.  Penalty Kicks

Semi Final and Final games (3rd/4th place games in brackets of 8 teams for U11+) must have a winner, if the score is tied at the end of regulation FIFA penalty kicks will be taken to determine the winner, there will be no extra time in any games. The best of five penalty kicks taken alternately by each team will determine the winner. Only those players on the field at the end of overtime may compete. If the penalty kick score is tied at the end of five kicks, teams will continue to take penalty kicks, alternately, until there is a winner. All players on the field must take a penalty kick before any player is allowed to kick a second time. 

 

18.  Disclaimer

The tournament director, members of the tournament committee, the host soccer club, its members and board of directors, any participating associations, colleges, advertisers, school districts and recreation departments, and related municipalities will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any team, player, or spectator nor will they be held liable for any injury of any player, coach, or spectator that may result from the participation in, or travel to and from the tournament.  Each team will be responsible for its own medical and liability insurance.

 

The tournament director or site director reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the conduct and administration of the tournament and their judgment shall be deemed as final.

 

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