Tournament Rules and Policies
2020
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS
All participating teams must be properly registered and in
good standing with their sanctioning national organization and their State
Association (as appropriate). Only Club Teams with a maximum of three (3) guest
players are accepted. Each team must submit an approved Team Roster at the time
of registration composed of no more than a maximum of 14 players (U9 & U10
(7v7), a maximum of 16 players U11 &
U12 (9v9), and a maximum of 22 players for U13 – U19. All USYS teams outside of
Region 1 are required to present an approved permission-to-travel form as filed
with their state association, if required. US Club Soccer teams are not
required to present a travel form. All teams must also present a medical
release form for each player on the roster or guest player, at registration. NO
EXCEPTIONS TO THESE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE MADE.
All players must be born in the year of their age
classification or later. Player registration cards duly authorized by a team’s
sanctioning organization shall be required as proof of age and eligibility.
Player passes are verified against the roster at Registration and before each
match if requested by a coach or tournament official. No player is allowed to
be registered with more than one team or to transfer from one team to another
once the tournament has begun. A player must play for the team to which they
are primarily rostered if that team is in the tournament.
TOURNAMENT AGE GROUPS
Boys U9 through U19 for the seasonal year 2019-2020
REGISTRATION AGES
· Under 09:
after January 1, 2011
· Under 10:
after January 1, 2010
· Under 11:
after January 1, 2009
· Under 12:
after January 1, 2008
· Under 13:
after January 1, 2007
· Under 14:
after January 1, 2006
· Under 15:
after January 1, 2005
· Under 16:
after January 1, 2004
· Under 17:
after January 1, 2003
· Under 18: after January 1, 2002
· Under 19:
after January 1, 2001
AWARDS
One award per player is presented to first and second place
teams in each class of competition.
TOURNAMENT RULES
The Tournament is played in accordance with the FIFA Laws of
the Game Guide for Referees: United States Soccer Federation, except as
modified in this document (see the end of this document for small-sided age
group-specific differences). Potomac Soccer Association intends to apply the
rules as presented in this document, but reserves the right to rule as it deems
necessary on any situation. Potomac Soccer Association is not responsible for
any expenses incurred by any Team or Club if the Tournament is canceled in
whole or part.
Law II: The Ball
Under 09 through Under 12: Size 4
Under 13 through Under 19: Size 5
Law III: Number of
Players
Unlimited numbers of substitutions are allowed at the
discretion of the referee. Substitutions are allowed, at the discretion of the
referee, after any goal, at any kickoff or goal kick, by the team in possession
of a throw-in, and at the time of an injury. In addition, teams may substitute
at time of an opponent’s possession of a throw-in, presuming that the team in
possession of the throw-in also is substituting, at the referee’s discretion.
U13, U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 & U19 Rule Modification: U13,
U14, U15, U16, U17, U18 & U19 teams may have up to a maximum of 22 players
on their tournament approved roster, which may include up to a maximum of 3
guest players. Prior to each match the team must provide to the field marshal
their chosen 18 man roster for that particular match. Only these 18 players may
remain in uniform in the bench area during the match.
Law IV: Players
Equipment
Each player must have a different number, which must
coincide with the number on the team’s Tournament Roster. All teams must have
two jerseys of different colors. In case of color conflicts, the first team
listed in the Schedule must change.
Laws V and VI:
Referees & Assistant Referees
All referees are certified by the USSF. Small-sided games
(7v7 or 9v9) use a 1-referee system, and full-sided (11v11) games use a
3-referee system. If less than two assistant referees appear at a game, the
referee and Field Marshal shall solicit, and the coach of each team shall offer
volunteers. The referee shall select the best qualified person(s) and explain
the role of the assistant referee to the volunteer(s).
At the conclusion of each game, the referee submits an
official game report to the Field Marshal, including the final score, the name
and number of all players cautioned and/or sent off and the reason why, and the
signature of each team’s coach or manager is required on each game report.
Law VII: Duration of
the Game
25-minute halves:
U09-U10 (7v7), U11-U12 (9v9)
30-minute halves: U13 - U15
35-minute halves: U16-U19
The interval between
halves is five (5) minutes
CONDUCT
A player or coach (whether he/she is actually shown a card
or not) who receives an ejection from a game or is shown a red card (straight
red or 2 yellows in one game) is required to sit out of the next game in which
his team actively participates (forfeited games do not qualify), without regard
to the importance of the game to player, coach or team.
Potomac Soccer Association does not tolerate disruptive
behavior on or off the field or at area hotels, by players, coaches, parents or
other spectators. No alcoholic beverages may be present or consumed at the
field sites. Players, coaches, managers, parents and spectators are expected to
conduct themselves in a responsible manner at all times. No team official or
spectator may enter the field of play regardless of the circumstances unless
the person has been given permission to do so by the referee.
Note: No smoking is allowed at the MD SoccerPlex. It is a
smoke free facility by county law. No pets are allowed at the Maryland SoccerPlex
facility. Any individual bringing a pet will be asked to remove that pet from
the premises, immediately, by the Park Police.
POSITION OF PLAYERS
AND SPECTATORS ON THE FIELD
Players and coaches for both teams shall occupy one side of
the field, while spectators affiliated with those teams shall occupy the side
of the field opposite that of the teams. All persons affiliated with a team are
permitted on the sidelines only, not behind the goal line, and must remain at
least 3 yards from the field of play at all times. No individual may stand
closer to the end line than the 18-yard line. The home team listed first or on
top in the Schedule has choice of sides.
FORFEITS
A team shall forfeit if it is not prepared to play with
seven players within 10 minutes of the scheduled kick-off time (five players in
the case of U9-U12 age groups). In no case shall a team which forfeits a game
be declared a Round Robin Division Winner or Runner-Up or Wildcard Team.
If a team forfeits one Round Robin Game, it forfeits all its
games in the Round Robin, even if one or more games have already been played.
The winning teams will be awarded a 3-0 win. The forfeiting team may play all
remaining Round Robin Games with referees as official exhibitions. Teams are
requested to be present at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled kick-off time.
TOURNAMENT PROTESTS
No protests are accepted.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event inclement weather forces cancellation of a game
after at least one half of regulation time (or at the discretion of the
tournament director) has been played, the game shall be considered official and
the score at the point of cancellation shall be the final score. The decision
on whether a game has been canceled or will be recommenced if weather improves
(and if the referee agrees to resume play) is made by tournament officials, and
communicated via the Field Marshal. If a game must be stopped before one half
has been completed, tournament officials will rule on its potential
rescheduling. Such a game may be temporarily halted and recommenced, picking up
where play stopped. Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams
MUST appear on the field of play ready to play as scheduled unless officially
notified not to appear by the Tournament Director. Failure to appear (unless
notified) results in forfeiture of the game. In case of inclement weather, the
Tournament Director or the Field Marshal may reduce the length of the game (no
halftime break except to switch ends of the field). The Tournament Director or
the Field Marshall or the referee may postpone or cancel any game. If the
decision is made to postpone or cancel, that decision is final. Teams that
continue to play shall be suspended from the Tournament.
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
AND TIE BREAKERS
1. In Round Robin play, teams receive a maximum of three (3)
standings points per game, as follows:
· three
(3)points for a win
· one (1)
point for a tie
· zero (0)
points for a loss
If at the end of round robin play two teams are tied in
standings points, the following will be used to determine the group winner:
Head-to-head result
Most wins
Total goal differential (goals for minus goals against) in
all games (up to +/- 5 per game)
Fewest goals allowed
Penalty Kicks (in accordance with FIFA penalty kick tie
break procedure)
If at the end of round robin play three or more teams are
tied in standings points, the following will be used to determine the group
winner:
Total goal differential (goals for minus goals against, up
to +/- 5 per game)
Fewest goals allowed
Penalty Kicks (in accordance with FIFA penalty kick tie
break procedure)
If one team has an advantage over all other "tied
teams" after application of the first tiebreaking criterion, that team is
declared the winner. If no advantage exists, the second criterion is applied,
and so on until at least one team "falls out" of the tie. If at least
one team "falls out" of the tie, without a winner yet being declared,
the remaining "tied teams" shall return to have the first tiebreaking
criterion applied (either for a 2-team tie or multi-team tie, as appropriate).
If ultimately a tie between a number of teams greater than 2 still exists after
all criterion have been applied, we will draw lots to determine team A, team B,
etc. Team A v Team B will do FIFA kicks and the winner will play Team C, etc.
to determine the winner.
2. A. In flights where there are three
groups of four teams, each of the three 1st place teams advances to the
semifinals, along with the 2nd place team (Wild Card) with the most standings
points. If two or more 2nd place teams have the same number of standings
points, tiebreakers above are used to break the tie (without regard to
commonality of opponents). The group winner with the most standings points
(Group Winner 1) shall play the Wild Card team in the semifinals, unless they
both come from the same group. In that event, the group winner with the
second-most standings points (Group Winner 2) shall play the Wild Card team in
the semifinals, and Group Winner 1 shall play Group Winner 3.
B. In flights where there
are 6 teams, each team in bracket A plays the other 3 teams in Bracket B. At
the conclusion of group play the 4 teams with the highest accumulation of points
plays in the semifinals as 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd.
C. In flights where
there are 10 teams, each team in bracket A plays the other 3 teams in bracket B
and the 3 teams in bracket B plays the 3 teams in bracket A. The 4 teams in
bracket C play within their bracket. At the end of group play, Bracket C winner
advances to the semis, the top 3 teams in accumulation of points advance to the
semis. Bracket C winner plays the lowest seed #3, and the seed #1 plays seed #2
unless the #3 seed comes from bracket C in which case the bracket C winner
plays seed #2.
D. In U15, U16, U17,
U18 & U19 age groups ONLY: 8 team
flights will play three group games with each group winner advancing directly
to finals.
3. If Elimination Round Games end in a tie, two (2) periods
of overtime shall be played to full time (i.e., no "golden goal"),
each consisting of 5 minutes. The score at the conclusion of both overtime
periods shall stand. If the game remains tied at the conclusion of the overtime
periods, referees shall proceed to FIFA Penalty Kicks to determine the winner
of the game.
4. If the Final ends in a tie, two (2) periods of overtime
shall be played to full time (i.e., no "golden goal"), each
consisting of 5 minutes. If the game remains tied at the conclusion of both
overtime periods, referees shall proceed to FIFA Penalty Kicks to determine the
winner of the game.
Players, coaches or spectators receiving a red card (or
ejected for the match for any reason) or two yellow cards in a match will be
sent off for the rest of that match and must sit out the next match that their
team plays (this is a minimum sanction, as additional sanctions may be imposed
by the tournament, as deemed appropriate). In addition, suspended players may
not be present at the vicinity of the field before, during, or after any game.
This applies to all group, semifinal and final games. NO EXCEPTIONS, NO
PROTESTS AND NO APPEALS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES REGARDLESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE MATCH TO ANY INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM.
U9 & U10 (7v7)-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES AND
INFORMATION
1. Number of Players: 7-a-side (6 plus goalkeeper)
2. Field Size: approximately 45-50 yards x 65-75 yards
3. Goal Size: approximately 6.5 feet x 18 feet
4. Roster Size: Maximum number of registered players is 14
Build Out Line
When the goalkeeper has the ball, either during play (from the
opponent) or from a goal kick, the opposing team must move behind the build out
line until the ball is put into play.
Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can
pass, throw or roll the ball into play (punting is not allowed). After the ball
is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out
line and play resumes as normal. If a
goalkeeper punts the ball, an indirect free kick should be awarded to the
opposing team from the spot of the offense.
The buildout line will also be used to denote where offside offenses can
be called.
U11 & U12 (9v9)-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES
AND INFORMATION
1. Number of Players: 9-a-side (8 plus goalkeeper)
2. Field Size: approximately 45-50 yards x 65-75 yards
3. Goal Size: approximately 6.5 feet x 18 feet
4. Roster Size: Maximum number of registered players is 16
U9, U10
& U11 SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES AND INFORMATION
Heading the ball is prohibited in U11 games and younger. At
age group divisions U11 and younger, whenever the ball strikes a player in the
head, play is stopped. If deliberate,
then the proper restart is an indirect free kick to the opposing team. If this 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. If the play by the head is deemed
inadvertent, then the proper restart is a dropped ball.
SPECIAL MESSAGE REGARDING VIDEO EQUIPMENT
AND DRONES
Drones and Arial video and photography and the use of HI-Pod
(or similar) video camera equipment are not permitted at any facility used for
the Potomac Memorial Tournament.
CANCELLATION
In the event of tournament cancellation, there is no
guarantee of refunds.