Rules

CERRITOS PREMIER CUP

July 27-28, 2013
 
RULES OF COMPETITION:
The Cerritos United Soccer Club would like to take this opportunity to welcome the players, coaches, referees, parents and friends to our tournament. In the next few paragraphs, we would like to explain to each of you the special information and rules of our tournament.
GENERAL
This is a Class 1 tournament is open to all boys’ & girls’ teams under 8 - 18 from CYSA-S and USYSA National Affiliates. The application deadline is July 16, 2013 or until brackets are filled. Qualifying applications will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. We will be notifying teams as soon as accepted. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any application. Decisions are final.
This tournament shall be played under F.I.F.A. rules, as modified by the Cerritos Premier Cup, for youth competition. All games will adhere to the rules set forth with the following additions/clarifications:
  • Decisions relating to the interpretation of the Tournament Rules can only be made by the Tournament Director.
  • Tournament Director may delegate authority to Site Manager or Field Marshall if Tournament Director not present at game site.
  • Disputes relating to the interpretation of these rules will be resolved with the administrators/coaches that are registered with the involved team(s). Individuals may not represent a team if not registered as an administrator/coach with the involved team(s).
  • All decisions, judgments, and calls of tournament referees and Tournament Director or designated Field Marshall are final. No protests will be allowed.
 
Eligibility
Teams will play in age brackets for 2012/2013 season. Player passes and medical releases are required.
U8 & U10 ages will play 8v8 with no exceptions.
Teams must be affiliated with FIFA and/or USSF and players and coaches must have laminated cards.
Unlimited loan players will be permitted with a maximum roster size of U8 & U10 (14 players), U11-U15 (18 players) U-16-19 (20 players) with loan papers, if applicable.
All USYS teams will need proper travel papers.
 
Registration
Teams will register at mandatory registration area one hour and half before your first game Saturday July 27, 2013 unless previously approved otherwise by the Tournament Director due to extraordinary circumstances such as travel arrangements.
There will be no additions to the team roster after the team registers. Player cards or medical releases may be accepted later by Field Marshall but only if player is listed on the official team roster at time of registration.
At registration, a complete and signed Team Roster must be submitted by Coach or Manager who must certify that all players are FIFA and/or USSF 2012/2013 registered players.
Laminated player cards with photo and the player’s signature (for States or Countries that require signatures, photos and/or laminated cards for identification) and medical release forms will be required at registration.
 
Check-In -Game
Teams will check-in 1 1/2 hours prior to game time at game site. Field Marshals will check in all teams and will hold player ID cards during match. Coach or Team Administrator will hold Medical Release forms. The Field Marshall will collect match cards, which must be signed by Coach or Team Administrator.
 
Conduct
The following rules of conduct apply:
· All coaches have complete responsibility for the conduct of their players, bench, friends, and spectators at all times.
· If, in the opinion of game officials, a game must be terminated for misconduct of players, bench or spectators, the offending team can be suspended from further play and forfeit that game and all remaining games. In this event, all previous points earned remain as played.
· Any player or coach ordered from the field of play (RED CARD) will not be allowed to participate in the next match as a minimum and if violent conduct occurs the player or coach may be ejected for remainder of tournament at discretion of Tournament Director. Two YELLOW cards during match shall be ejected for remainder of the match and may serve a one game suspension at the discretion of the Tournament Director. A one point deduction will be given to the offending team for each red card (double yellow included).
  • Disciplinary measures imposed by this tournament organization for inappropriate behavior shall be limited to placing restrictions upon an individual player, coach, and spectator or team’s participation in the tournament. Such disciplinary action will be as determined by and at the discretion of the Tournament Director or designated Field Marshall and can include exclusion from further tournament participation
  • Any cards issued will be reported to US Club and USYS in a tournament report and thereby to the home club/league of the player, coach, team or supporters involved except that all matters involving a referee assault shall, in accordance with USSF Rule II08, be referred immediately to USYS and US Club Soccer.
The home state association and the home club/league of the player, coach, team or supporters shall, except in the case of referee assault, have the responsibility for imposing, should the circumstances warrant, additional sanctions within their respective jurisdictions with regard to matters arising from the tournament.
· All players are required to use shin guards at all times. No shin guards - No play!
· No player may compete in the Tournament on more than one team.
 
Competition Format
Home teams are listed first and will choose sides in case of a conflict. The home team will change jerseys in case of a color conflict.
All games will begin on time. A forfeit will be declared if a team cannot field a minimum of seven (7) players at start time.
Preliminary round game times may be varied by Field Marshall to maintain game start schedules. These games may end in a tie. All preliminary games will be held on Saturday and Sunday.
Teams will be grouped into divisions according to age and gender and will play all their games within their assigned divisions.
· Teams/players will compete based on 2012/ 2013 age groups.
· All teams will play minimum of 3 games unless the scheduled games are shortened or canceled due to rain, unforeseen circumstances such as critical injury or acts of God
· The Tournament reserves the right to alter the game formats to enhance competition and to improve the overall quality of the Tournament. Teams will compete in  Four,Six, Eight, Twelve, and Sixteen team divisions as follows:
-SIX TEAM DIVISIONS will consist of two (2) groups of three (3) teams each. Each team will play the other teams in its group plus a crossover game in other group for a total of three (3) preliminary round games. In crossover game 1 st of Group A will play 2nd of Group B and 1 st Group B will play 2nd of Group A in Semi Final matches. 3 rd of Group A will play 3 rd of Group B. The Semi Final winners will play for the championship.
-EIGHT TEAM DIVISIONS will consist of two (2) groups of four (4) teams each. Each team will play the other teams in its group for a total of three (3) preliminary round games. The winner of Group A will play the winner of Group B for the championship.
TEN TEAM DIVISIONS will consist of two (2) groups of five (5) teams each. Each team will play the other teams in its group for a total of four (4) preliminary round games. The winner of Group A will play the winner of Group B for the championship.
-TWELVE TEAM DIVISIONS will consist of three (3) groups of four (4) teams each. Each team will play the other teams in its group for a total of three (3) preliminary games. The winner of Group A will play the wild card (WC) in Semifinal game #1 and the winner of Group B the winner of Group C in Semifinal game #2, The semifinal winners will meet for the championship. In the event WC comes from Group A, then winner of A will play winner of Group C and winner Group B will play WC.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games ending in a tie, after regulation time, will go immediately to F.I.F.A. kicks Qualifying matches ending in a tie will stand. Quarter-final and Semi-final matches ending in a tie will proceed immediately to FIFA penalty kicks to determine a winner.
Championship games tied after regulation will play two complete overtime halves. Under 14 through Under 19 will play two complete 10 minute overtime halves. Under 11 to Under-13 will play two complete 7 minute overtime halves. U-8 to U-10 will play two complete 5 minutes overtime halves. If a tie still exists after two complete overtime halves, FIFA Penalty Kicks will determine the game.
 
Substitution
Substitution will be allowed during natural stoppage of the match at the referee’s discretion. For Divisions U-8 thru U-19, free substitution and re-entry will be allowed.
All Round Robin, Quarter Final, and Semi-Final games will consist of the following periods with a five (5) minute half time:

Age Brackets
Each Half
U14- U-18
35 minutes
U11 - U13
25 minutes
U9 – U10
20 minutes

Championship games will consist of the following periods with a five (5) minute half time:

Age Brackets
Each Half
U15- U-18
40 minutes
U13 - U-14
U-11 - U-12
35 minutes
30 minutes
U9 – U10
25 minutes

Substitutions
Will be allowed during natural stoppage of the match at the referee’s discretion. For Divisions U-8 thru U-19, free substitution and re-entry will be allowed. Or
· Prior to a throw-in.
· Prior to a goal kick by either team
· After a goal, by either team
· After an injury to either team, when the referee stops play
· During half-time
· Prior to the start of either overtime period
· A player receiving a yellow card may be substituted for at the time of the caution
STANDINGS
The following point system will be used to determine 1st in each group and the wildcard selection during preliminary rounds:
· Three (3) points for each win
  • One (1) points for a tie
  • Zero (0) points for a loss
  • A forfeit is a 1-0 win
  • One (-1) point deduction for each ejection (red card or double yellow on a coach or a player).
At the end of each game, the Coach or Team Administrator must carefully review and sign the score card. Coach or Team Administrator should review Cerritos Premier Cup’s website to verify scores properly recorded and contact Field Marshal and/or Tournament Director immediately of any possible errors. The score card is official match record and may not be changed except under the following circumstances:
Score corrections:
  • If Coaches/Team Administrators of both teams, meet with Field Marshal and agree to a score correction, the Field Marshal will correct the score and other records accordingly.
  • Scores incorrectly posted on Website shall be investigated by Field Marshall by checking original match record and corrected accordingly.
Red Card corrections:
  • If Referee verifies incorrect player was recorded as receiving Red Card (includes double Yellow), Field Marshal (with Tournament Director’s approval) may correct records accordingly.
 
TIE BREAKERS and WILD CARDS
For 12 team divisions, the wild card team will be the team that does not win their bracket, with the highest point total of all three brackets. In the event of a tie on point totals for Wild card (or within any Bracket), the following tie breaking system will apply.
· Head to Head (where applicable).
· Goal Differential, total all goals counting for (maximum 5 in any individual game) minus total all goals counting against (maximum 5 in any individual game)
· Goals Scored, total goals counting for (maximum 5 in any individual game)
· Goals Allowed, total goals counting against (maximum 5 in any individual game)
· F.I.F.A. kicks from the penalty mark
(unless otherwise mutually agreed by both Coaches or Team Administrators, scheduled 30 minutes prior to next match at match site—special goal may be used)
 
Special Rules
In the event of an unusual event that results in a significant loss of game time, the lost game time may be rescheduled at the discretion of the Tournament Co-Directors. The rescheduling of the lost game time is subject to field availability. An example of an unusual event would be a major injury to a player, which prevented the use of the playing field. The Tournament defines a significant loss of game time as more than half of the game. An accumulation of time delays due to minor/moderate injuries to several players would not constitute an unusual event nor will these delays be considered lost game time. An accumulation of time delays resulting from the normal course of a game will not be considered lost game time.
Tournament Director/Site Manager may shorten games as necessary to make sure all matches scheduled on a given field are played. For example, a field running behind schedule due to an injury may have all remaining games shortened by few minutes each game so that each game gets played.
 
In case of inclement weather or field conditions, games may:
· Be shortened
· Go to F.I.F.A. kicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner
· Be canceled
REFUND POLICY
No Refunds after you have been accepted. No exceptions. If the Tournament is canceled due to Inclement Weather Prior to the Start of Competition, teams will be issued partial refunds as determined by the Tournament Committee, after a reasonable amount has been deducted for incurred tournament costs.
PROTEST
The Cerritos Premier Cup Soccer Tournament Committee will accept no protest.
Our gratitude and bestwishes to all the teams participating and may you enjoy and play your games in the true Spirit of Soccer!