Rules
A reminder to all teams, parents, and spectators –
- Drones and Arial video and photography are NOT permitted at any time.
- Alcoholic Beverages & Smoking are Prohibited.
Tournament Headquarters
Tournament Headquarters will be located at Richard Barry Memorial Park, 13707 Beatty's Ford Rd., Huntersville, NC 28115
Tournament Director: Barry Slagle; 803-940-1279
Registration
Team Check-in for the 2021 Independence Boys College Showcase will be via online check-in only. There is a $20 fee associated with online check-in.
Registration Requirements
US Teams:
· Original 2021/2022 Player Passes; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer passes
· Original 2021/2022 Official Roster; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer
· Official Roster
· Guest Players identified: Written on front or back of COPIES of Rosters
· Player Passes for Guest Player and Player Loan forms for all guest players from a different club
· Individual Player Medical Release Forms
· This is a US Club Sanctioned event so NO PERMISSION TO TRAVEL IS REQUIRED.
Tournament fees are required to complete registrations and are non-refundable unless a team is not accepted into the event. See below for our tournament cancellation policy.
Roster Sizes
· 2009-2004/03 (U13 to U19) Teams can have 23 players on their rosters turned in at Check-In.
Three guest players per team will be permitted for all age groups. US Club Soccer teams may only take guest players registered under US Club Soccer, and USYSA teams may only take guest players registered with properly stamped USYSA player pass cards.
*Players playing with a different team within the same club in which the player is registered (i.e. playing up an age group), will not count towards the guest player maximums.
**Players can only play for 1 team throughout the tournament.
Ball Size
Size 5 2003 - 2009 (U19 - U13)
Laws of the Game
Unless otherwise specified below, all FIFA Laws of the Game shall be used.
Game Duration (Same for both Boys and Girls Weekend)
90 min, 2003/04-2005 (U19, U18, U17) Halftime - 5 min
80 min, 2006-2007 (U16, U15) Halftime - 5 min
70 min. 2008-2009 (U14, U13) Halftime - 5 min
*All games have a running clock. Extended time due to injuries or other stoppages will not occur unless decided by the tournament director or site coordinator.
Substitutions
Substitutions shall be unlimited, but made only at the following times:
a) Goal kick, after a goal, half time, at the beginning of an overtime period, throw in – by the team in possession and by the team not in possession (only if the team in possession has a substitute), after a yellow card – for carded player.
b) An injured player may be substituted for at the discretion of the referee. If a substitution is made for the injured player, the opposing team may also make one substitution (with the referee’s acknowledgement).
Home Team
Team listed first is the designated Home Team and must change jerseys when the referee determines a conflict to exist. Home teams should wear LIGHT colored jersey and away teams should wear DARK colored jerseys.
Forfeits
Teams not at the field ready to play with a minimum of 7 eligible players at the scheduled game time will forfeit the match at the discretion of the tournament director. Forfeited scores will be counted 3 – 0. Teams forfeiting games will not be able to advance to the playoff rounds.
Inclement Weather
Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams must appear at their respective field site, ready to play as scheduled, unless notified by the tournament that the match has been moved or postponed.. Failure to appear will result in forfeiture of the match. Only the Tournament Director(s) may cancel or postpone a match. Referees may suspend a match only in case of severe weather, in his/her discretion. The Tournament Director reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather:
· Relocate and/or reschedule a match.
· Change a division structure.
· Reduce scheduled duration of a match.
· Cancel a match.
In the evet of inclement weather, forcing play to be halted and preventing the match from completing during the scheduled time, the score shall stand if at least one-half of the match has been completed.
Player’s Equipment
All players must wear shinguards. No metal-rimmed glasses or jewelry of any kind will be allowed. Casts, splints or body braces made of a hard substance in its final form such as leather, rubber, plastic, plaster or fiberglass must be covered on all exterior surfaces with no less than ½ inch thick, high density polyurethane, or an alternate material of the same thickness and similar physical properties to protect the injury. A medical release for the injured player signed by a licensed physician must be available at the game site. Players may not play with these casts without the approval of the Referee.
Rules for Team Standings
Teams will be awarded points on the following basis:
· Six (6) points for each Win
· Three (3) points for each Tie
· Zero (0) points for each Loss
· One (1) point for each goal scored up to a max of three (3) per game. Losing teams receive points also.
· One (1) point for each shutout
Teams will LOSE one (1) point for each Red Card earned during the match
· Examples:
A 0-0 tie will be scored as 4 points for each team (3 for tie, 1 for shutout)
A 4-2 game will be scored as 9 points for the winning team (6 for win, 3 for goals) and 2 points to the losing team (2 for goals).
Since this is a College Showcase, all teams will play three matches, with no advancement.
Protest
There will be no protests. All officiating decisions are final.
Sideline Behavior
Both teams will sit on the same side of the field. Only coaches and trainers may stay on the player’s sideline. Spectators are only allowed on the opposite side of the field from the coaches and players and are limited to being in the designated area from penalty box to penalty box. No spectators are allowed behind the goal areas. Harassment of the officials from coaches, spectators or players will not be tolerated.
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.
Coaches
· A coach or other authorized bench personnel sent off during a match must leave the field immediately upon being sent off and must remain away from the field during the team’s next match.
NO alcoholic beverages are allowed in the park or the parking lot of any of the game sites. Your team will be subject to forfeiting 1 game. Smoking or use of tobacco products on or near playing fields is prohibited at all times.
Outdoor Grilling is prohibited at all tournament venues.
Game Balls: All game balls will be provided by tournament at each field. Extra balls may be suppled by either team IF approved by the refree.
*The tournament will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified by these rules above.
Tournament Cancellation
The Independence Soccer Club and the Tournament Director(s) reserve the right to decide all matters pertaining to the tournament – and may, in their sole discretion, delay, postpone, or cancel the tournament, or otherwise alter the tournament structure (such as the duration of and/or number of games for teams), The decision of the Independence Soccer Club and the Tournament Director(s) on these matters shall be final, and shall not entitle any team to a refund or other return of entry fees paid, except as provided below (subject to any exception set out below, entry fees are nonrefundable).
If the tournament is cancelled for any reason before any tournament matches are played, teams will receive a refund of 80% of fees paid or 100% credit towards another Independence event that occurs within the subsequent calendar year. Teams will have the option to choose between these options.
Outside of complete tournament cancellation, other circumstances may arise in which the Independence Soccer Club, based on the totality of circumstances, decide to provide a refund of some or all of team entry fees (or for particular teams based on impacts from weather and other circumstances). Any such decision to alter the no-refund policy is in the sole and absolute discretion of the Independence Soccer Club, and any such decision shall not constitute a binding commitment with respect to future similar circumstances or other teams.
The Independence Cup, Tournament Director(s), and Independence Soccer Club will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by tournament participants (including, without limitation, for travel, lodging, or meals) if the tournament is delayed, postponed, cancelled, or otherwise altered for any reason.
Hotel Services
To insure the quality of service provided at the 2022 Independence Boys Colleh Showcase, Independence Soccer Club has appointed T2C Sports as our official Hospitality Service of the tournament. Teams are not mandated to book hotel reservations through T2C Sports but it is highly recommended to ensure teams have the best accommodations and are protected in the event of tournament cancellation.
Please email Lauren.Fine@T2Csports.com or call 704-281-5445 to discuss hotel options. Of visit the T2C Sports website HERE.