Johnston United Soccer Association
Kickin It Rec Festival - May 2019
RULES AND REGULATIONS
All teams are grouped into divisions. Divisions with enough teams will be further divided into brackets. The Tournament Committee and JUSA reserve the right to combine ages to form Divisions.
All teams will play a minimum of 3 matches. Preliminary match play shall be round robin format.
At the conclusion of preliminary match play, teams will be ranked in their playing group based upon points earned from wins and ties. 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss.
All ties in preliminary match play and consolation matches will stand at the end of regulation time. Semifinal and Championships matched will proceed to overtime.
It is requested that teams be present 30 minutes in advance of the scheduled match, warmed up, and ready to play immediately at the scheduled game time.
NOTE: THERE IS NO TIE BREAKING CRITERIA RELATED TO THE MOST GOALS SCORED. NO TEAM WILL GAIN ANY RANKING ADVANTAGE BY RUNNING UP A MATCH SCORE BEYOND A 3 GOAL DIFFERENTIAL.
** Please know we may change the format of games to fit field and referee availability **
DIVISION PLAY AND ADVANCEMENT
Divisions with 8 Teams
- Two brackets will be formed with 4 teams in each bracket
- Each team will play 3 round robin matches in bracket play
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, the top team from each bracket will play in a CHAMPIONSHIP match
Divisions with 7 Teams
- Two brackets will be formed through random selection – (Group A) the 4 team bracket and (Group B) the 3 team bracket
- Group A (4 teams) will play 3 round robin matches
- Group B (3 teams) will play 2 round robin matches
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, seeding will be determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss. Tie breakers will be decided per the tie breaker system
- Upon seed determination, the post group play will be as follows:
- A3 vs B3 (Consolation match)
- A2 vs B2 (Consolation match)
- A1 vs B1 (This will be the CHAMPIONSHIP match determining the winner of the division)
- A4 will not play in a 4th match
Divisions with 6 Teams
- Two brackets will be formed through random selection – (Group A) and (Group B)
- Each team will play 2 round robin matches in bracket play
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, seeding will be determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss. Tie breakers will be decided per the tie breaker system
- Upon seed determination, the post group play will be as follows:
- A1 vs B2 (SEMIFINAL #1)
- A2 vs B1 (SEMIFINAL #2)
- A3 vs B3 (Consolation match)
- The winners of the two semifinal matches will play in a CHAMPIONSHIP match
Divisions with 5 Teams
- Each team will play 4 round robin matches in the division
- At the conclusion of round robin play, ranking will be determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss. Tie breakers will be decided per the tie breaker system
- The team with the most points will be declared the CHAMPION
Divisions with 4 Team
- Each team will play 3 round robin matches in the division
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, seeding will be determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss. Tie breakers will be decided per the tie breaker system
- Upon seed determination, the post group play will be as follows:
- #1 vs #2 (This will be the CHAMPIONSHIP match determining the winner of the division)
- #3 and #4 will not play in a 4th match
Divisions with 3 Team
- Each team will play 2 round robin matches in the division
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, seeding will be determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 pts for a loss. Tie breakers will be decided per the tie breaker system
- Upon seed determination, the post group play will be as follows:
- #1 (Bye)
- #2 vs #3 (SEMIFINAL)
- CHAMPIONSHIP match will be Winner of Semifinal vs. #1 to determine the winner of the division
Division standing at the conclusion of preliminary match play will be per points earned and shall be determined as follows:
- WIN 3 points
- TIE 1 point
- LOSS 3 points
- FORFEIT -1 point (Scored as a 0-3 loss) (Forfeiting team receives -1 point and winning team receives 3 points)
Standing/Seeding Tie Breaker
- At the conclusion of preliminary match play, any situation in which two or more teams have the same number of points will have the tie broken by using the following criteria in the order listed, one after the other as needed:
- Results of Head to Head Competition (Does not apply where more than 3 teams are tied)
- Goal Differential (Maximum of +3 goals per game) (Minimum of -3 goals per game)
- Fewest Goals Allowed (Maximum of 3 goals per game count)
- Most Goals Scored (Maximum of 3 goals per game)
- FIFA Penalty Kicks (If necessary, these penalty kicks will take place immediately prior to the semi-final or championship match)
Goal Differential
- Teams shall be awarded Goal Differential points in each match with a maximum of 3 bonus points being awarded in any match. (Example: Team A wins against Team B by a score of 6-2. Team A gets 3 points towards goal differential. Team B gets -3 points towards goal differential)
- A team winning by forfeit is scored as a 3-0 win.
- THERE IS NO TIE BREAKING CRITERIA RELATED TO THE MOST GOALS SCORED. NO TEAM WILL GAIN ANY RANKING ADVANTAGE BY RUNNING UP A MATCH SCORE BEYOND A 3 GOAL DIFFERENTIAL
Semifinal and Championship Matches
- For both semifinal and championship matches only, in the event of a tie, teams will be given a 5 minute rest and then immediately proceed with one overtime period (5 min 1st half – 1 min halftime – 5 min 2nd half) to be playing in its entirety regardless of quantity of goals scored
- NOT Sudden Death or “Golden Goal”
- If the teams are still tied at the end of the overtime period, the winner of the match will be determined using the FIFA penalty kick method.
Laws of the Game
- All matches played during this tournament will be played in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game. Some rules and/or interpretations provided by USYSA and/or NCYSA for youth matches are incorporated, as well as some rules detailed in the USYSA National Championship Rules. The following items will further interpret these rules for purposes of the tournament and/or will provide the administrative framework for the operation of this tournament.
General Play Rules
- All players must play a minimum of one half of total game time
- A player may only play on a single team in the tournament
- Offsides will be called in all age groups, except U8.
- NCYSA has recommended that we allow the defense to substitute during the offensive throw-in, if the offense is substituting at that time
- No protests will be allowed
U8 Age Group
- 4 v 4 play
- (4) 10 minute quarters = 40 min total
- 3 players minimum to play and 8 players maximum per roster unless players have been with a team all season. Must be approved by Director.
- No Offsides - No Goalies - Throw Ins
- Scoring Arc Rules apply
- Even though offsides will not be called, please observe the spirit of the rule for the preservation of the game
U10 Age Group
- 7 v 7 play
- (2) 25 minute halves = 50 min total
- 5 players minimum to play and 12 players maximum per roster
- Size 4 Ball
- NO HEADING, if it is intentional, restart is an indirect free kick.
- All FIFA free kicks are enforced, PK, direct free kick, and indirect free kick
- Offside WILL be called between the build-out line and the goal line, must be an obvious advantage
- Goal kicks and keeper distribution, opposing team must back up to build out line, Restart is an indirect free kick
- Keepers CAN NOT PUNT and drop kick the ball
U12 Age Group
- 9 v 9 play
- (2) 30 minute halves = 60 min total
- 6 players minimum to play and 16 players maximum per roster
- All FIFA rules apply
U15 Age Group (GIRLS ONLY)
- 9 v 9 play
- (2) 30 minute halves = 60 min total
- 6 players minimum to play and 16 players maximum per roster
- All FIFA rules apply
U15 Age Group (BOYS ONLY)
- 11 v 11 play
- (2) 35 minute halves = 70 min total
- 7 players minimum to play and 18 players maximum per roster
- All FIFA rules apply
Yellow and Red Cards
- Due to the instructional nature of small sided games at the recreation level, the referees are discouraged from using cards on U8, U10, and U12 matches. Instead, the referee will escort the player to the sideline, inform the coach of what occurred and why it would normally be carded, and have the coach remove the player from the game temporarily. This will give the coach an opportunity to explain to the player why the action/behavior is not appropriate.
- On the U15 matches both yellow and red cards will be utilized as deemed appropriate by the officials in accordance with FIFA's Laws of the Game.
- Any player ejected from the match will not be allowed to participate in their team’s next match
- Any player ejected for fighting will not be allowed to participate in any remaining matches in the tournament.
Referee
- The score of the match must be reported to the tournament scorer by the referee immediately following each match
- Names of cautioned and ejected players must also be reported to the field marshal
Forfeitures
- A forfeit shall be awarded if a team is not present and prepared to play within ten minutes of the scheduled match time.
- 7 present players for 11 v 11 (max 18)
- 6 present players for 9 v 9 (max 16)
- 5 present players for 7 v 7 (max 12)
- 3 present players for 4 v 4 (max 8)
- A forfeit can be awarded for poor parental and coaching behavior as described in the coach and parent behavior section.
- Matches terminated due to fighting will be considered double forfeits and the teams involved will have 1 point deducted from their goal differential point total.
- Any team forfeiting due to a disciplinary forfeit will not be permitted to advance to a semi-final or championship match.
Coach and Parent Behavior
Good sportsmanship is required by all participants, whether player, coach, or spectator, at all times. Adults are held to a higher standard than kids. If a player starts to get upset or is getting too rough on the field, the coach is expected to calm his player down and get him/her under control, even if that means removing the player from the field. At no time is dissent (openly and loudly disagreeing with the referee’s decisions) considered acceptable by anyone.
- COACH : If a coach goes beyond instructing his players, to attempting to instruct or criticize the referee, he will get one verbal warning (coaches are never shown cards per FIFA and USSF). If the coach’s behavior does not improve then the game will be stopped until the coach has left the premises (sight and sound of the field). If there is not an assistant coach readily available to take responsibility for the team, a parent from the sidelines will be asked to move to the team bench to manage the players until the end of the game. Any coach ejected from a match must seek approval from the Tournament Director before he will be allowed to coach any additional matches in the tournament.
- SPECTATORS : All spectators, especially the parents of the players, are held to a Code of Conduct. Any spectator who does not behave in an appropriate manner during a match, who becomes disruptive during, before, or after the game, or whose behavior is having a negative impact on the players on the field, will be asked to leave the premises (sight and sound of the field). Play will be temporarily stopped until this individual leaves, and if necessary the coach will be asked to assist. Game time may or may not be extended at the discretion of the referee and can be shortened depending on scheduling considerations. If the disruptive individual refuses to leave in a timely fashion the match will be terminated and recorded as a loss by forfeit of the team whose player the disruptive adult is supporting. This individual’s behavior will be written up and submitted to the JUSA Board of Directors, and further sanctions may be administered.
- Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at the respective field site, ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match.
- Only the Tournament Director or his/her designee(s), in collaboration with the Referee Assignor, may cancel, postpone, or shorten the match prior to its commencement.
- Referees may suspend a match only.
- In case of severe weather that occurs AFTER the beginning of play, the Tournament Director may reduce the length of the match and may discontinue or cancel the game.
- Should a match be terminated due to weather conditions after 20 minutes of play, the match will be considered official and the score at the time will stand.
- If a match is terminated prior to 20 minutes of play, every attempt will be made to complete the match. In the event this match is unable to be completed, the game shall be scored as a tie and points awarded respectively.
- Referees and field managers will not consider beginning or continuing matches when a lightning storm exists. Please remain in your vehicles or in a suitably safe location.
- In the case of severe weather, the Tournament Director may cancel any and all games.
- No refunds will be given in the event of cancellation due to inclement weather.
Neither the Tournament Committee or Johnston United Soccer Association, are responsible for any expenses incurred by any team in the event that the tournament is canceled in whole or in part or in the event games are discontinued or canceled due to inclement weather or adverse field conditions, nor will any refunds be made. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide any and all matters pertaining to the tournament. The judgment of the Tournament Committee and/or the Tournament Director has authority to make all decisions and these decisions will be final. All referee decisions are final and binding.
Thank you for participating in this year’s JUSA Kickin' It Rec Tournament.
JUSA Tournament Committee