1. Team Acceptance/Check-in Procedures:
a. The tournament Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any team application.
b. All applications must be done on-line; no paper applications will be accepted.
c. The tournament fee is $495 for the U9-U10 age groups, $525 for U11 and U12, and $575 for U13 and older. The tournament fee must accompany your registration confirmation within 7 days of completed application. If a team is not accepted, the check will be returned or refunded in full. A check for entry fee that is returned from the bank will not be re-deposited. The amount of the check plus $35.00 (cashiers check or money order) must be received by the Tournament Committee within 7 days of the team representative being notified of the returned check. If new funds are not received, the team will be disqualified from the tournament.
d. No team shall be deemed accepted unless written notification has been sent from the Tournament Director. This can be either e-mail or U.S. postal service mail.
e. Once accepted by the Tournament Committee, the application fee is non-refundable.
f. Upon acceptance, all teams will be provided a time-line for paperwork submission. If required paperwork is not received, participation in the tournament may be jeopardized.
g. Accepted teams are required to have a 2007-08 ORIGINAL STATE ROSTER and two copies, 2007-08 year player passes, and current year medical release forms. The medical release form does not have to be notarized, and may be the form you use for league play.
h. Teams that are members of organizations of the United States Soccer Federation but not members of US Youth Soccer (such as AYSO, SAY, US Club Soccer) DO NOT have to have a US Youth Soccer Application to Travel form (although that team’s organization may require that the team have permission). An approved team roster does need to be provided to tournament officials, along with current player passes from its organization.
i. Completed and approved Permission to Travel forms are required for all out of state teams. NOTE: Region One teams with the exception of New Jersey and Connecticut do not require a permission to travel. USYS Connecticut and New Jersey teams must provide permission to travel. US Club Soccer teams are not required to have USYS permission to travel forms, but must be in good standing with their association.
j. Teams are required to register on the Friday evening prior to tournament play. Registration check-in procedures including a complete listing of required player and team documentation will be included in the tournament acceptance letter.
2. Roster and Player Documentation: Teams must participate with their 2007-2008 roster. A participating player may only play for one team. Any team who violates this will forfeit their games and may not advance to a semi-final or final game.
a. U9 and U10 teams are limited to 12 players, identified at Registration.
b. U11 and U12 teams are limited to 14 players, identified at Registration
c. U13 to U16 teams are limited to 18 players, identified at Registration.
d. U17 and U18 teams can have 22 players on their rosters, turned in at Registration. However, teams must identify 18 players before each game with the referees. Only 18 players in each game are allowed to play.
e. The current state roster and original player passes may be checked prior to each match. In order to avoid delays to scheduled matches, coaches must have their players’ passes with them at the field.
f. Combining of age groups will be done at the Tournament Committee’s discretion, if needed.
3. Guest Players: Guest players are to be written on a copy of the official roster (NOT ORIGINAL) to be provided at registration. There may be a maximum of 3 guest players for U9 through U12 divisions, 4 guest players for U13 and older. Guest players must have valid player pass, medical release, and permission to travel. Note: A guest player from another state association must have a permission to travel from their appropriate State association.
4. Player Equipment:
a. Teams should bring a primary and alternate jersey of different colors. When the color of the jersey is similar or identical, the designated home team (the team listed first in the schedule) will change jerseys.
b. All players must have uniforms with individual numbers on the jersey.
c. No jewelry may be worn by any player (earrings, watches, necklaces, etc.)
d. It will be at the Referee’s discretion to determine the safety and suitability of player equipment including the wearing of an orthopedic cast or hard brace.
e. Shin guards are mandatory and must be worn at all times by all players.
f. All referee decisions are final regarding player equipment.
5. Substitutions:
a. Substitutions are unlimited, but may be made only at the following times:
i. After a goal has been made
ii. At the beginning of the second half of play
iii. Prior to the beginning of an overtime period
iv. At a goal kick by either team
v. Prior to a throw-in by the team in possession of the ball. The opposing team may substitute as well if the team in possession is making a substitution.
b. Limited substitutions may be made, with the referee’s permission:
i. In case of stoppage of play for an injury
ii. To replace a cautioned player
c. Under no circumstances may substitutions be made on corner kicks or after the game has ended in a tie and FIFA penalty kicks will be required to determine a winner.
6. Game and Score Reporting: A team official from the winning team of each game will deliver the Score Card, completed and signed by the Referee, to the appropriate Site Official at the Site Headquarters tent promptly at the conclusion of each game.
7. Conduct:
a. Teams and spectators will exhibit reasonable conduct at all tournament venues, especially as regards all referees, tournament personnel, opposing players, coaches and other spectators.
b. It is the responsibility of the team’s coach or the person acting in the coach’s behalf to control the conduct of its parents and other spectators. Failure to do so may result in a warning to the coach or the person acting in the coach’s behalf by the referee. If unacceptable conduct continues, the referee may eject the teams’ coach, or the person acting in the coach’s behalf, from the game.
c. No team or club official may enter the field of play regardless of circumstances unless that person has been given permission to enter the field by the referee.
d. Ejection for fighting by players and coaches will result in the player or coach NOT being allowed to participate in ANY remaining tournament matches.
e. Players, coaches and team officials ejected from a game by the referee shall be ineligible to participate in the next scheduled game. Two yellow cards in the same match equal an ejection and the player will sit out his/her next immediate match.
f. In accordance with US Youth Soccer Tournament Hosting Agreement, all red and yellow cards and other matters involving team conduct will be reported to the home club and State/Provincial Association of the team involved as well as the US Youth Soccer National Office
8. Send-offs: If a player receives a red card or two yellow cards during a match, that player will sit out the rest of that match and also their next match. Players serving red card suspensions are allowed to sit on the bench during their team’s next game, but are not allowed to be in uniform. Any coach ejected or spectator asked to leave will not be within sight or sound of the playing field for that match. A coach or other authorized bench personnel sent off during a match must remain away from the field during the team’s next match.
9. Team and Spectator Field Positions: Players and coaches will occupy one side of the field. The home team (listed first in the schedule) will have choice of their bench area. Coaches will remain in their technical area and be restricted to the area between their side of the center line and 18 yard line. Spectators will occupy the side of the field opposite the player’s bench area. Home and visiting spectators shall occupy areas opposite their team benches. Spectators shall remain in the area between the 18 yard lines. No spectators will be permitted to sit/stand in the immediate areas behind the goal lines with the exception of photographers.
10. Referees: In the event of a shortage of Assistant Referee, club linesman will be used.
11. Tournament Duration/Play: Each team is guaranteed three (3) games minimum, except in cases of inclement weather or other unforeseen events. The tournament will provide the official game ball.
Age Group Ball Size Format Length of Game Half-time
U9-U10 4 7 v 7 two 25 minute halves 5 minutes
U11-U12 4 8 v 8 two 30 minute halves 5 minutes
U13-U18 5 11 v 11 two 30 minute halves 5 minutes
The tournament does not require the referee add time for substitutions, normal injuries, or stoppages. The official clock will not stop for any reason unless, in the judgment of the referee, removing an injured player from the field would endanger the physical well-being of the player. However, all preliminary games will be terminated not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game.
12. Advancement in Tournament Play:
a. Division of 12: 4 groups of 3 – Each team will play two games on Saturday. The winners of each group will advance to semi-finals. Third team in each bracket will play a consolation game.
b. Division of 10: 2 groups of 3 and 1 group of 4 – Group with 4 will play round robin with two games on Saturday and one game on Sunday; winner of the group advances to the Final. Groups of 3 will play two group games Saturday. Sunday, 1st in each of the 3 team groups will play a semi-final leading to the final. The remaining teams in these groups will play consolation games: 2nd vs 2nd and 3rd vs 3rd.
c. Division of 8: Each team will play 3 games within a 4-team group. At the conclusion of preliminary round matches, teams will be ranked in their respective brackets with the top two teams advancing to a final match.
d. Division of 7: Each team will play a 4 game round robin schedule. The champion will be determined by point system. (Head to head will not be used as a tiebreaker if top two teams did not play each other.)
e. Division of 6: Each team will play two games within a 3-team group. The 1st and 2nd place team in each group will play in a semi-final game. The 3rd place teams will play a consolation game. The semi-final winners will play for the division championship.
f. Division of 5: Each team will play a four game round robin schedule. The champion will be the top finishing team on points. No final will be played.
g. Division of 4: Each team will play a three game round robin schedule. The first and
second place teams will play for the division championship.
13. Rules for Advancement:
a. Three (3) points will be earned for a win, one (1) point for a tie, and no points are earned for a loss. Tie games after a SEMI-FINAL match will immediately proceed to FIFA penalty kicks to determine a winner (no overtime). FINAL matches resulting in a tie will proceed to two, five minute overtimes. If, at the end of both overtimes the game is still tied, FIFA penalty kicks will be taken to determine a winner, using only the players remaining on the field at the end of overtime.
b. When required to break a tie for standings within a division, the following order will be used to determine the winner:
i. Head to head competition , except where three (3) teams are tied, in which case head to head competition will not be used. In the case where three teams are tied, begin with tiebreaker number (ii).
ii. Most wins
iii. Fewest goals against
iv. Goal differential (positive only, maximum of 3 per game)
v. Most goals scored (up to 3 per game)
vi. FIFA penalty kicks (at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled playoff round games)
14. Forfeits:
a. A forfeit shall be awarded if a team is not present and prepared to play within ten minutes of the scheduled commencement time. Seven players constitute a team for full 18 player roster, and five for U9/10/11/12 rosters.
b. Any team forfeiting a match will not be allowed to play in a semi-final or championship match. If an apparent flight winner forfeits a game, the team in that flight with the next best record shall be named the flight winner.
c. Playing a “red-carded” player in the game following the receipt of a red card or its equivalent is grounds for a forfeit.
d. It is requested that teams be present 30 minutes in advance of the scheduled start of a match to aid in the timely start of play.
e. A forfeit will be scored one for the winner, and zero for the forfeiting team.
15. Inclement Weather:
a. Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at their respective field site, ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match.
b. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather:
i. Relocate and/or reschedule a match
ii. Change a division structure
iii. Reduce scheduled duration of a match
iv. Cancel a match
c. Should a match be terminated due to weather conditions after 30 minutes of play, the match will be considered official and the score at the time will stand.
16. Laws of the Game: All tournament matches will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified herein. All decisions by the Tournament Directors are final.
17. No protests are allowed. All officiating decisions are final.
18. General Prohibitions: Alcoholic beverages, smoking, pets and noise makers are prohibited.
19. Team Contact Information: Each team, upon checking in at registration, must sign a sheet providing contact information for the team’s coach, assistant coach, or team manager, so that these individual(s) may be contacted in the event that circumstances require such. All inquiries/questions with the Tournament Committee should be from the Team Contact/Coach and not numerous parents from the team, as this only delays response.
20. General: Under no circumstances will the Virginia Youth Soccer Association, Inc., the Virginia Soccer Association, the Bull Run Tournament Committee, or any of their official representatives be responsible for any expenses incurred by any team. This includes a situation whereby the Tournament or any game(s) is cancelled in whole or part. The Tournament Committee’s or their official representative’s interpretation of the rules shall be final pertaining to this Tournament.
