Newport Mesa Cup 2015

Soccer Tournament

May 23-24, 2015

Rules of Competition

General

This is a Class I & III tournament open to all Boys & Girls U8b-U19 teams affiliated with USSF.  Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.  The Tournament Committee reserves the right to accept or deny any application.  All decisions, judgments and rulings of the tournament referees and tournament officials are final.  NO PROTESTS WILL BE CONSIDERED.

• May 23-24, 2015
• Fields in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and the surrounding areas
• Boys U8b through U19 (“Last year’s”, 2014-2015 age groups)
• Girls  U8b through U19 (“Last year’s”, 2014-2015 age groups)
• Team Trophy to all Champions
• Awards to all players from Champion and Finalist teams
• 3 game minimum
• Added time allowed
• Unlimited loan players
• NO FRIDAY NIGHT CHECK-IN.
• Out-of-State teams will be Guaranteed Entry when their application and payment is received at least 30 days prior to the event.

Registration

• Check-in:  A team representative must register their team  at Tournament Check-In located near the field of their first game at least 45 minutes before their first game.
• Check-in Items required:  Player Cards (with photos), Medical Releases, a completed and signed Tournament Roster Form.  Teams traveling from outside of Cal-South/Cal-North must bring the approved Travel Permission Document certified by their appropriate home association.

Eligibility

• Open to all Boys & Girls U8b-U19 teams affiliated with USSF
• Bracketing (IMPORTANT) is based on Last Year’s Age group: the 2014-2015 season.
• Coaches must be licensed and in possession of a current coaching card.
• The coach or team administrator must attest to the accuracy of their roster and cards by signing the tournament roster form.
• Players can NOT play on more that one team in this tournament.
• Teams may use unlimited, eligible loan players.
• Rosters are limited to 14 players for U8b-U9 (8v8).
• Rosters are limited to 18 players for U10 (11v11) through U19.

TEAMS

• Home teams will be identified as such on the schedule.
• Teams must bring two sets of jerseys.
• There will be NO COIN TOSS. 
  • The HOME team will get choice of:
    • Sidelines
    • Side to defend
  • The HOME team will:
    • Provide the game balls
    • Change jerseys in the event of a color conflict
    • Kickoff
• Minimum # of players to start a game: 8 players for the 11v11 brackets
• Minimum # of players to start a game: 6 players for the 8v8 brackets.
• No supporters are allowed behind the goals.
• The referee will verify player cards and rosters before each game.

Important Reminder about Your Age Group

• Enter our tournament using LAST YEAR’S AGE -- your Fall, 2014 age. (NOT the age you will be playing in Fall of 2015).  You can “play up”, but it would be best to let us know that this is your intention.

LAWS OF THE GAME

• FIFA laws will be used, with the following exceptions and directives:

Age           Duration    Halftime      Ball Size   # Players      Field/Goal Size 

U8b-U9         44 min.         5                  4           8v8                      Smaller

U10-U11       50 min.         5                  4        11v11                     Regular

U12-U13       50 min.         5                  5        11v11                     Regular

U14-U19       60 min.         5                  5        11v11                    Regular

• Substitutions are permitted on any stoppage, with the permission of the referee.
• The referee may show yellow/red cards to coaches.
• The referee must record ALL cards (yellow/red) on the game report (including cards either shown or intended for coaches), as this is a tie-breaking item.
• In order to keep the schedule on time, the referee may end a game early, if there is only 5 minutes until the next scheduled game.
• The referee is permitted to add time to a game.
• In the event of a tie game in a final, the winner will be decided by “Kicks from the Penalty Mark” (no overtime periods will be played).  To keep games on schedule, it may be necessary to move the Penalty Kick Shootout to a designated “shootout” goal.  Any player, who has not been sent off, may be selected to participate in the “Kicks From the Penalty Mark” tie-breaker.

• Player Equipment
  • Shinguards are required.
  • Casts – No hard casts.  Soft casts are permitted with the permission of the referee.
  • Goalkeepers may wear baseball-type caps with the approval of the referee.

Tournament and Match Schedules

• Referees will by USSF certified referees.
• All teams will be guaranteed three games. The format will consist of pool play leading to a Championship Game.  Pool Play games can end in a tie.  Unless the pool is made up of five teams, in which case the winner of the pool will be declared the Champion and the second place team, the Finalist.  In flights with only four teams, the first and second place team in the pool will play in the final.
• No team will play more than two games per day. 
• Teams that are not ready to start their match on time will forfeit the game.
• In the event of a game not going the full time, a game will be considered complete and official if it has completed at least the first half of play.
• In the event that the referee deems it necessary to abandon or terminate a game due to weather or safety issues, the Tournament Director has the authority to determine an alternative means to decide the outcome of the game.  This could include Kicks from the Penalty Mark or another means.
• In the event that the referee terminates a game due to the behavior of the players, coaches, or spectators, then the Tournament Director has the authority to determine a winner based on the report of the referee and other Tournament Officials.  For example, if a team is winning but displays a behavior that the referee deems to necessitate the termination of the game, that team could be sanctioned with a loss by forfeit.
• The Jack Hammett Sports Complex (The Farm) will serve as Tournament Headquarters (not all teams will play at The Farm).

Scoring System

• Game Reports should be reviewed carefully by the referee and the team representatives directly following the game for the accurate recording of scores and Disciplinary Cards (red cards and yellow cards), as these effect the scoring and tie-breaker system.
• 10-point scoring system
  • Win  =  6 points
  • Tie   =  3 points
  • Loss =  0 points
  • Shutout = 1 point (exception: a 0-0 tie, earns only 3 points for the tie)
  • Each goal scored = 1 point (up to a maximum of 3)
  • Deduction of 2 points for each Send Off (Red Card) to a player or coach.
  • A forfeit will be recorded as a 1-0 score.  At the discretion of the Tournament Director, all games involving the forfeiting team can be adjusted to 1-0 scores.
• Tie-Breakers
  • In the event of a tie in points for determining advancement out of pool play, the following tie-breakers will be used:
    • Head-to-head
    • Fewest goals allowed
    • Goal differential (Maximum +8 Goal Differential per game)
    • Most shutout wins
    • Fewest Send Offs (Red Cards), including coaches
    • Fewest Cautions (Yellow Cards), including coaches
    • The Tournament Director will decide what tie-breaker to use -- either a coin toss or a Penalty Kick shootout, depending on logistical and timing limitations.

Conduct and Discipline

• Team and spectator conduct
  • Coaches are responsible for the behavior of their players, parents and spectators.
• Players, Coaches and Team Administrators sent off or dismissed from a game will serve AT LEAST a one game suspension.  The Tournament Director has the authority to suspend the individual for the remainder of the tournament if he deems it warranted.  The Tournament Director can issue a spectator a game suspension due to undesirable behavior.  It will be the responsibility of the coach to enforce such a suspension.  Failure to do so can result in the team forfeiting.
• No Animals
• No Smoking
• No Artificial Noisemakers
• No Alcohol
• The Field Marshall will pull and hold cards for players and administrators sent off (red carded) or dismissed and return them upon eligibility or elimination from the tournament (unless an offense of a serious nature occurred, in which case the card, along with a report, will be sent to the appropriate jurisdiction).

Refund Policy

• Full refunds will be made to all teams not accepted.
• Teams must drop, in writing, prior to 11:59pm, May 9, 2015 to receive a refund.
• Requests for withdrawals from the tournament will only be accepted from Administrators (Contact Person or Coach) listed on the team application for the tournament.
• Refunds provided to teams that drop prior to the deadline, will be assessed a $50.00 administrative fee.
• Teams that drop after the May 9, 2015 deadline will forfeit their entire entry fee.
• If the tournament is cancelled as a result of weather or an Act of God, after May 9, 2015, teams will receive a full refund less an administrative fee of $100.
• If the tournament is cancelled once it begins, refunds will be given according to the following schedule:

Three Matches Played        =      No Refund
Two Matches Played           =  $100 Refund
One Match Played               =  $200 Refund
Cancellation of All Matches =   Full Refund, less $100 administrative fee


Protests and Disputes

• No protests will be considered.
• The Tournament Director or his designee has the authority to make decisions on any matters not specifically covered by these rules and regulations.  Decisions by the referee may not be appealed.  Decisions by the Tournament Director or his designee may not be appealed.  All game results will be considered final and no protests will be allowed.

The Hosting Organization and Mailing Address for Payments:

Newport Mesa Soccer Club
PO Box 10157
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
www.NewportMesaSoccer.com

Contacts:               Tournament Director:                President:

                              Tamiko Davila (D.O.C.)                 Mark Arblaster

                              (714) 720-9039                           (949) 642-5003