Fall Kickoff Classic '20 August 22nd & 23rd, 2020 Roanoke, VA Hosted By Valley AFC

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1. GENERAL RULES

A. NO protests. All decisions made by the referee are final and may not be protested or appealed.

B. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the tournaments and all interpretations of the rules are final. If a team disregards any decision by the tournament committee (including the inclement weather policy), all remaining games will be forfeited and therefore disqualified from the tournament.

C. Under no circumstances will the Tournament Committee, the host club or governing body be responsible for any expenses (including tournament entry fee) incurred by any team; including situations in which the tournament or any game(s) is canceled in whole or part.

D. If the event is cancelled in its entirety meaning no games have kicked off for the event, refunds will be decided by the tournament committee after all tournament expenses are accounted for. If the event is cancelled in part, the tournament committee reserves the right to refund teams with a credit towards future events and will be determined at the conclusion of the event.

E. Upon notice of acceptance, any team that withdraws from the tournament will forfeit the entry fee in its entirety.

F. First and second place awards will be presented in each division.

2. LAWS OF THE GAME

A. All games shall be played in accordance with FIFA Laws, except as specifically modified by these rules.

3. TEAM CHECK-IN REQUIREMENTS AND TEAM ELIGIBILITY

A. Teams are required to check-in prior to tournament play. Please reference ValleyAFC.org for check-in instructions.

i. What is needed for Check-in:

1. Two copies of your USYS State Association or US Club approved roster

2. Player passes for every participating player

3. Medical releases for every participating player

4. Guest players and information added to the bottom of the roster being submitted

5. A copy of the state association's permission to travel for teams traveling outside of Region I.

B. Participation is open to accepted teams meeting the roster limit and player age limit as defined by US Soccer Guidelines and the tournaments’ permission to host.

i. U10 will play small sided (7v7) with a maximum roster of fourteen (14) players

ii. U11 and U12 will play small sided (9v9) with a maximum roster of sixteen (16) players

iii. U13 through U19 will play full-sided (11 v 11) with a maximum roster of eighteen (18) players.

C. Each team must be registered with a National Soccer Association affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation or their national equivalent and possess and present a valid state / provincial or national association roster.

i. Teams from the United States:

1. Player registration cards authorized by the team’s Federation Organization Member (USYS, US Club) will be required as proof of age. Players who do not present a valid player pass will not play. All player passes must be present at the field for the duration of the game.

2. Region I has established the following policy concerning permission to travel when attending US Youth Soccer sanctioned tournaments in Region I. The purpose of this policy is to make it as simple as possible for the US Youth Soccer Region I teams to travel to tournaments within Region I. The new policy states that any US Youth Soccer State Association teams within Region I that is accepted into a tournament in Region I do not need permission to travel papers. Permission to Travel is not required in friendly games within Region 1. National State Associations in Region I:

Connecticut Jr Soccer Assn
Delaware Youth Soccer Assn

Eastern New York Youth Soccer Assn

Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Assn

Soccer Maine
Maryland Youth Soccer Assn

Massachusetts Youth Soccer Assn
New Hampshire Soccer
New Jersey Youth Soccer Assn
New York State West Youth Soccer Assn

Pennsylvania West State Soccer Assn
Soccer Rhode Island
Vermont Soccer Assn

Virginia Youth Soccer Assn

West Virginia Soccer Assn

3. Teams registered outside of Region I, must have a copy of the approved Permission to Travel or Notification to Travel form, as required by their host association, in order to participate.

ii. Rosters submitted at Team Check-In shall govern. Each team shall have a roster properly stamped by its state or regional association present at every game. Rosters may be inspected by the field marshal at the request of either coach or on the decision of the referee.

iii. A US Youth Player may only play with a US Youth Soccer team, A US Club Player may only play with a US Club team. You are not allowed to cross affiliations.

D. No player shall play for more than one team during the tournament.

E. Up to five (5) guest players will be allowed during the tournament. All guest players are required to have the same information included on the roster as the ‘original’ team members. Additional guest players may be approved at the discretion of the Tournament Director.

i. If a guest player is from another state association, you must have that player complete an Interstate Permission Form and get both State Associations to approve it.

4. UNIFORM, EQUIPMENT, AND FIELDS

A. Players must wear numbers on the back of their uniforms and these numbers shall coincide with the numbers listed on the team’s official state / provincial roster. If the numbers are not the same, the player may not participate.

B. Players are required to wear shin guards in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game.

C. When the uniform colors are similar, the designated home team will change colors. The home team is listed first on the schedule.

D. Teams must be at the fields 20 minutes prior to the scheduled kick-off.

E. Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and teams must appear on the field ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the game, as only the referees and / or tournament committee can postpone or cancel a match.

F. Game balls will be provided by the referees at the start of the match. If the balls provided are lost or damaged throughout the course of the day, the home team will provide the ball.

5. SUBSTITUTIONS

A. Substitutions without limit may be made during any stoppage of play with the referee's permission and discretion. This can include throw-ins by either team in possession, goal and corner kicks, etc.

6. DURATION OF GAMES

A. The following table shows the length of game halves for the tournament’s matches. There is NO overtime for this tournament. Halftimes will last 5 minutes.

Age Group	# Players On Field	Half Length	Ball Size
U10	7v7	25 Minutes	4
U11 & U12	9v9	30 Minutes	4
U13 - U19	11v11	35 Minutes	5

B. In the event of inclement weather forces a cancellation of a game after at least 20 minutes have been played, the game shall be considered official; the score at the point of cancellation will stand as the final score. If the game is halted before 20 minutes has passed, the match will be rescheduled for complete replay, or recommenced at the discretion of the tournament committee.

7. FAILURE TO SHOW AND FORFEITS

A. A game may not start with fewer than seven (7) properly uniformed players on each team for any full-sided match. Once a game has started, it may not continue with fewer then stated minimum. If a match cannot start or continue because of a team having fewer than the minimum, that team shall forfeit the game.

B. A team shall have a five (5) minute grace period from the scheduled kick off before the match is awarded to their opponent as a 3-0 forfeited win.

C. If a team is the cause for a termination of a game, the match will be awarded to their opponents as a 3-0 forfeit win.

D. Teams that have forfeited a game will have their performance bond cashed.

8. DETERMINATION OF DIVISION WINNERS

A. At the end of the tournament, the division winner shall be the team with the most points in their group.

B. Teams will be awarded points on the following basis:

i. Three (3) points for each win

ii. One (1) point for each tie

iii. Zero (0) points for each loss

C. Tie-Breaker System after division play

i. Head-to-head competition (if there is a 3 team tie, proceed to the next tie breaker)

ii. Most wins

iii. Positive Goal Differential (the difference between goals for and goals against) with up to three (3) bonus points per game. For example, 4-1 and 3-0 scores each earn three bonus points.

iv. Most shutouts

v. Fewest goals against

vi. Penalty Kicks – FIFA penalty kick procedure will be used to determine a winner

D. When the tie-breaker system is used, the criteria are followed in order until one (1) team is eliminated and then the criteria starts over again at the top of the tie breaker system. Rules are repeated until one team remains.

E. In the event that a wildcard team must be selected for the playoff rounds, the above procedure starting at (8A.) will be used across the entire flight.

F. Resolving Ties in Semi-Final and Final Match: If the semi-final or finals match is tied at the end of regulation time, the teams will be given a five minute rest. The following will decide the match:

i. Overtime will be 2 - five minute periods with substitutions allowed. Overtime will not be sudden death. Ejections will reduce the number of players on the field as normal

ii. If teams remain even at the end of overtime the game will be decided by the FIFA, Kicks from the Penalty Spot Procedure as outlined in the Laws of the Game; using only the players remaining on the field at the end of overtime.

9. GAME AND SCORE REPORTING

A. The registered team contact will be provided a score reporting hot-line to report the final scores. The winning team should submit the score immediately at the conclusion of each game.

10. INCLEMENT WEATHER

A. In the event of inclement weather, the tournament committee will have the authority to change game as follows:

i. Relocate or reschedule any game(s)

ii. Change the duration of any game(s)

iii. Cancel any preliminary game(s) that have no bearing on the selection of division winners.

11. CONDUCT

A. Smoking is NOT permitted at any game sites.

B. Pets are NOT permitted at any tournament fields.

C. Alcoholic beverages are NOT permitted at any game sites.

D. Artificial noise-makers are NOT permitted at any game sites.

E. Players, coaches and spectators are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit of the law, as well as the letter of the law. Displays of temper and/or dissent are cause for ejection from the game and surrounding field area. Repeated violations may result in the suspension of the team or person from the tournament and/or future tournaments as decided by the tournament committee.

F. Both teams (players and coaches) will be on the same sideline. Spectators of both teams will take the opposite side of the pitch. No one will be allowed behind either end line.

G. A player or coach receiving a red card because of foul language or unruly conduct will not be able to participate in the tournament game following the game the card is issued. The tournament committee reserves the right to allow a coach or player who received a red card to participate in the tournament with a red card as long as the card was not due to foul language or unruly conduct. The tournament committee also reserves the right to suspend any player, coach, or team from the tournament for unruly conduct.

H. In the event of assault / abuse on a game official, a judiciary hearing shall immediately be convened at a tournament site to be designated by the tournament director. All terms described in the USSF Official Administrative Rule Book under Rule 3.2.8, Suspension for Assault on an Official, shall apply. In any event a player, coach, or other team official who is charged with assault on a game official is suspended from further participation in the tournament.

I. Any teams disregarding a decision by the referees and / or the tournament committee to either suspend or cancel tournament play, can be disqualified for the remainder of the tournament. A written complaint will be filed with the team’s state, provincial or national association (if applicable).

12. HEADING RULE AT AGE GROUP DIVISIONS U11 AND YOUNGER CONDUCT

A.  Whenever the ball strikes a player in the head, play is stopped. The proper restart depends upon whether the player deliberately played the ball with his or her head. If deliberate, 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 in advertent, then the proper restart is a dropped ball.