Tournament Rules and Regulations

Tournament Rules and Regulations

Laws of the Game
All matches for the Legends of Summer Soccer Series Tournament will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game, except where noted below. Rules and or interpretations provided by USYS and the National Soccer Hall of Fame will be incorporated. The following items will further interpret these rules for purposes of this tournament and/or will provide the administration framework for the operation of the tournament.

Registration Information:
Registration in the Tournament Office takes place one hour prior to the first match for your team on Saturday. The Tournament Office is located at the Concession building centering the four fields.
YOUTH TEAMS: Must present players passes, signed medical releases, insurance waivers and the team roster to the Tournament Director during registration.
ADULT TEAMS: Must present insurance waivers and the team roster to the Tournament Director during registration. For the Over 30, 40 & 50 Tournaments, each player must also verify his date of birth and provide a photo ID (Driver’s License, passport, etc). NB: Players arriving on the second day must be listed on the team roster prior to the first match on the first day

Team Eligibility
Participation in the Hall of Fame Summer Soccer Tournaments is open to accepted teams under the following conditions:
YOUTH TEAMS may consist of 18 or fewer players of proper eligibility and a maximum of three coaches. All USYS teams registered outside of region 1 (with the exception of NJ) must present an approved Application to Travel form prior to competition. US club soccer, AYSO, and other organizations are welcome to play with the appropriate paperwork from that organization. Each team participating in the Club Division is allowed a maximum of three guest players (see Guest Players). There is no limit to the number of guest players when playing in the Premier Division.
ADULT TEAMS are allowed a maximum of 22 players. Rosters must be complete prior to the start of your first match - no exceptions.
For any team that withdraws after being accepted, that team's entry fee will not be refunded - no exceptions.

Player Eligibility
In order to be allowed to participate in the tournament, the team representative must present an approved player pass or copy for each player participating and an approved team roster at registration (for youth teams). In order to be allowed to participate in the tournament, the team representative must present a properly filled out emergency treatment form for each participating player at registration. The form must show a valid signature from a parent or guardian of each player participating in the tournament. No players are permitted to register with more than one team or switch teams during any given weekend tournament. Failure to meet any of these requirements will render a player ineligible to participate in the tournament. Player passes/Identification cards (showing photo ID) must be presented before you play your first match. In the Over 30, 40 and 50 tournaments, each player must present his photo ID prior to his first match. At that time, if eligible, the player will receive a colored wristband which he needs to display for the duration of the tournament. Prior to each match, the official will check each participating player for the wristband. Only players with wristbands will be allowed to play in the matches. This also applies to those players arriving on the second day of the tournament. NB: Players arriving on the second day must be listed on the team roster prior to the first match on the first day. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all matches (2-0) - past, present and future.

Per ENYYSA, in matches for youth players (Under 19 and younger) if the match is stopped by the referee due to an injury the injured player including the goalkeeper must leave the field. They can be substituted for, or the team can play down. In the event the team chooses to play down, the injured player can return to the match with the permission of the Center Official.

Guest Player
A guest player is one defined as a player who is not properly registered to that team (i.e. that player is not listed on a team's roster for league play). Guest players must meet all player eligibility requirements. Limit of three (3) per team in the club division. Example: Team competing Oneonta 'Mavericks' U16 girls. Rostered team is the Oneonta 'Mavericks' 1. USYSA Player Pass states Oneonta 'Mavericks' and U16 girls. Guest player-Oneonta 'Rockets' or Oneonta 'Devils'.

Player Equipment
All players and teams participating must meet the following requirements. Shin guards must be worn. No Jewelry will be allowed. When jersey colors are similar, the away team (which is team that is listed second on the schedule) must change their jersey. All teams must bring two different jerseys. All socks must be pulled up over the shin guards and jerseys must be tucked in at the start of the match, the beginning of the second half and the beginning of overtime periods. No duplicate jersey numbers will be permitted whether on the sidelines or on the field of play. All jerseys must have a number on them. Any player in violation of these equipment rules will not be allowed to participate in a match. If the violation is discovered during a match, the player must be substituted immediately and will not be permitted to re-enter the game until he has made the equipment adjustment to the satisfaction of the match official.

Team Field Position
Both teams must sit on the same side of the field. All spectators must take a position on the opposite side of the field and remain behind the dashed restraining line. Failure to provide an official room to clearly see the touchline may lead to a caution given to the coach. Each team is limited to three (3) bench personnel in addition to the registered players (i.e. coach, assistant coach and trainer) and they must be listed on the teams roster. These are the only personnel allowed in the team area.

Player, Coach, Bench Personnel, Spectator Behavior
All players, coaches, bench personnel and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the spirit as well as the letter of the Law of the Game. Referees have been specifically instructed to run the matches according to this spirit and will act accordingly. Dissent from players, coaches, bench personnel 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 and will result in cautions and/or dismissals. Coaches are responsible for the actions of the players, bench personnel and spectators as well as those of him/herself. Players who are dismissed from a match will not be allowed to participate in the next match. Coaches, bench personnel or spectators dismissed from a match will be banned from further tournament competition. Dismissed coaches, bench personnel and spectators within "sight" or "sound" of his/her teams match(es) may be grounds for his/her team(s) being disqualified from the tournament. Players who are dismissed for fighting may be banned from further tournament participation. The Tournament Director will make this decision. His / her decision is final and binding. Teams will be held responsible for adhering to this rule. Any team playing a dismissed player outside of this rule will be disqualified from the tournament and all matches played by the team.

The Tournament Director reserves the right to terminate the participation of a team in the tournament if the behavior of the player(s), coach(es), bench personnel and/or spectators creates an atmosphere in which a match(es) cannot be completed with the spirit and letters of the Laws.

Duration of Play
Under 10 through Under 14: 50 minute games and five minutes for halftime.
Under 15 through Under 18: 60 minute games with 5 minute halves.
Open, Over 30, Over 40 & Over 50: 60 minute games with 5 minute halves.
Playoffs: All playoff games for all age groups are 50 minutes.
All times are subject to change at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

Overtime in Playoff Matches
Per FIFA, if overtime is used as a method to determine the winner of a match there must be two uninterrupted overtime periods of five (5) minutes in length and must be played to their entirety - no golden goal/sudden death can be used. There are no halftimes in overtime; after the completion of the first five minutes the teams immediately switch sides and commence the second over time period.

Ball Size
Under 8 through Under 12: Size 4
Under 13 and Up: Size 5

Substitutions
1) Unlimited substitutions can be made at any stoppage in play with the consent of the referee.
2) Players being substituted for may leave the field of play at the nearest touchline or endline.

Inclement Weather
Regardless of weather conditions, players and coaches must be at the site at the scheduled playing time, ready to play. The master schedule is posted at the tournament headquarters. All paper copies of the schedule are only tentative schedules. It is the manager/coach's responsibility to check the master schedule for changes. A minimum of 7 players must be prepared to play before a team will be allowed to start a match and continue playing a match. The Tournament Director may reduce the length or terminate the match due to weather conditions; all such matches will be considered to be official.

Division Ranking Criteria
Teams will be awarded points according to the following: (a) Win = 3 points, Tie = 1 points, Loss = 0 points; (b) In the case of a forfeit (i.e. team does not show up), the winning team is awarded a 2-0 victory.

Group Tiebreakers
If at the end of preliminary group matches two or more teams are tied with the same number of points the following tiebreakers will be used:
(1) If only two teams are tied: (a) result of head-to-head competition; (b) goal differential up to maximum of 3 goals per match; (c) fewest goals allowed; (d) most goals scored; (e) coin toss.
(2) If more than two teams are tied use the tiebreakers above starting with 1(b) until a clear winner has been determined.

Playoff Matches
Tie breaking procedure. If the match is tied at the end of regulation, the tie will be broken by the FIFA rules. If overtime is used as a method to determine the winner of a match there must be two OT periods of equal length and must be played to their entirety - no golden goal/sudden death can be used.

Matches
All decisions made during the match and/or contest can only be made by the referee assigned to that match and cannot be overruled by the Tournament Director or staff. In the event a referee terminates a match (different from temporarily suspending) the score will be recorded, as it was when the game was stopped. In the event a match, other than the final, ends in a tie the team, which earned the most points during the round robin play, will be declared a winner. If the teams have the same number of points the criteria in the division ranking criteria will be used to break the tie.

Round Robin Matches
In the event a referee terminates a match (different from temporarily suspending) prior to halftime it will be up to the discretion of the Tournament Director whether or not to record the score at the time of the suspension. In the event a referee terminates a match (different from temporarily suspending), after halftime it will be recorded as it was when the game was ended, unless the team winning the match (or tied) causes the termination. The Tournament Director will decide the outcome of the match and his/her decision is final.

Forfeit
Teams have 15 minutes to show up for the scheduled match, if a team does not show up within those 15 minutes the opposing team will be given a 2-0 win. Teams need a minimum of seven (7) players to start and compete in a tournament match.

Cautions-Suspensions
There are no yellow card accumulations. If a player receives a red card they will miss their team’s next game.

Protests
In the event of a team fielding an ineligible player, the opposing team's manager may enter a protest to the match official at half time or to the Tournament Director directly after the completion of the match. If a protest is upheld, a 2-0 forfeit will be the final result and the forfeiting team will be disqualified. Any team using an ineligible player will forfeit all matches (2-0) - past, present and future. If the protest is overruled then the match score will stand.

In the event that a coach removes his/her team from the field without the approval of the match official, that coach will be notified by the official that he will have 30 seconds to have his team return to the field and continue with the match. Failure to do so will result in a 2-0 forfeit with the coach being suspended for the remainder of the tournament. No players will be suspended. The match official will be responsible for terminating the match. At that time, the Tournament Director will declare a forfeit and notify the coach of his status.

Under 10 Rules
All rules will be the same as listed above with the following exceptions:
(1) Field of Play: Approximately 75 yd. by 50 yd.
(2) Markings: (a) Center Circle - 8 yd. radius, (b) Corner Arc - 2 ft. radius, (c) Goal Area - 6 yd. from each goal post, 6 yd. into field of play; (d) Goal - 7 ft. high and 7 yd. wide
(3) Ball: Size 4
(4) Number of Players: (a) Eight (8) - one being the goalkeeper; (b) Maximum of 15 players on the roster; (c) Teams may be co-ed, but will play in the Boys' Division
(5) Length of Match: Two 25 minute halves with a five minute halftime
(6) Footwear: Soft-cleated soccer shoes or sneakers
(7) Free Kicks: All defenders must be a minimum of 8 yards from the ball except on corner kicks
(8) No offside rules

Glossary
Application to Travel
A USYS form that must be approved by your state association before you will be allowed to participate. This form will not be returned.

Club Division
Open to all recreational, travel and competitive teams composed of players who are listed on the team's roster for league play. The tournament director allows select teams only when playing up in age and with prior approval. Maximum of three guest players .

Premier Division
Open to all teams, from state select teams to strong "Club Team". This division usually consists of league or county select teams, ODP teams, State Cup teams, strong club teams or teams put together for the purpose of tournament play. Unlimited guest players will be allowed.