Team Eligibility
All teams must be affiliated with their appropriate governing Soccer Associations. U-9 & U-10 teams are allowed a maximum of 12 players. U-11 & U-12 teams are allowed a maximum of 16 players. U-13 & U-14/15 teams are allowed a maximum of 22 players. A tournament team may have up to 2 guest players. A guest player must be age appropriate, rostered on a team's Certified State Association Roster for the current season, and that roster must accompany the team roster at all times. Guest players must also be entered on the team roster in the Teamsnap platform. Medical Release Forms and USYSA / US Club Soccer player passes for each participating player are required. Certified rosters are required for all players, Coaches, and Team Officials. Player passes will be checked at registration and also held on the playing site by the Field Manager for the duration of each game. Rosters will be verified at registration as well. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to check player passes at any time during the tournament. Each team is required to have the roster copy that is signed and verified by the tournament organizers at all matches.
General
All Tournament matches will be played in accordance with "The Laws of the Game" as issued by FlFA except as modified in the "Tournament Rules."
All decisions of the Referee are final and binding. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide on all matters relative to the tournament and its decisions are final.
Under no circumstances whatsoever will Newtown Soccer Club, the Tournament Committee, any official sponsor or CJSA be responsible for expenses (including tournament entry fees) incurred by any team. This includes a situation where the tournament or any match is cancelled in whole or part.
Fees
Registration closes on May 1st, 2024.
Registration fees are as follows:
Regular Entry - $600
Early Bird Entry - $550 (registered and paid by 3/31/24)
Registration of 5 or more teams in the same transaction will receive a discount of $25 per team.
If the event is canceled and is not played on the rain date, a refund for half of the fees paid can be requested. Teams requesting to withdraw in writing, prior to 5/1/2024, can request a refund of half of the fees paid, if their slot is backfilled by another team. If the slot is not backfilled by another team, no refund will be given.
Inclement Weather
In the event a match cannot be completed as scheduled, the score will stand if at least one-half of the match has been completed. In the case of matches halted prior to the completion of at least one-half, the Tournament Committee and/or Director reserve the right to declare the match final thereby counting the score at the time the match was halted. The Tournament Rules Committee reserves the right to make the following changes in the event of inclement weather:
Sidelines
Coaches and players from both teams will share the same side of the field as designated by the Field Manager. All spectators will take up a position on the OPPOSITE side of the field during the time that the match is in progress. Coaches, players and spectators for all participating teams must remain on their respective sides of the field during the time of the match, including half time. Only coaches and team managers are allowed on the player side of the sidelines. No more than 3 coaches/team managers may be on the player side during the course of the game.
Behavior of spectators associated with any team is the responsibility of that team's coach. The Referee and Field Manager are authorized to remove any spectator whose behavior, in their opinion interferes with the game. No coaching will be permitted within eighteen (18) yards of the goal line or behind the goal line. Coaches, players or spectators are not permitted to stand behind the goal line at any time during the time the match is in progress.
Alcoholic beverages will not be permitted at any tournament site per Town statute. Violators will be subject to criminal prosecution.
Start Of Play
It is the duty of the coaches to ensure that players report to the field fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of each match. Coaches should position their players such that at the end of the previous game, they are ready to take their positions quickly to enable their game to start on time, without disrupting or distracting players of coaches from the previous game.
U9 & U10 Games will be played using the Build Out Line rules which are outlined within the CJSA rules.
A U-9 or U10 team that cannot field at least five (5) players at the scheduled start time of a match will forfeit the match.
A U-11 through U-12 team that cannot field at least six (6) players at the scheduled start time of a match will forfeit the match.
A U-13 or U14/15 team that cannot field at least seven (7) players at the scheduled start time of a match will forfeit the match.
Any team forfeiting the match will be declared the loser by a score of three (3) goals to none (0). Any team declared the winner due to a forfeit, must be at the scheduled field at the time of kick-off in order to be awarded as such.
All games will have 3 referees assigned.
If there is no Referee present within ten (10) minutes of the scheduled start time, the match will be rescheduled unless both teams' coaches agree to proceed. If the match proceeds, the score will stand as played.
If there is only one Referee present for a preliminary match at the scheduled start time, the Referee present will commence the match using club linesmen. Should the second or third Referee arrive at the field, he or she should enter the match at any appropriate break in play and club linesmen will be relieved of their duties. Club linesman only signal when the ball is out of play, no other calls or signals are made by a club linesman.
At all times, Coaches must adhere to the instructions given by the Field Manager.
In the event of a uniform conflict the HOME TEAM must change. The Home Team is listed first on the schedule.The home team is responsible for providing the game ball unless the ball is provided by the tournament.
Protests
No protests will be permitted.
Player Equipment
Shoes must meet FIFA specification. All players must wear shin-guards.
Wrapped casts will be allowed:
Such approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
Ball Size
Duration Of Matches
All matches will start on time. The duration of halves is listed below. The interval between halves will be five (5) minutes. The Referee is the official timekeeper of the match. During the preliminary matches there will be no injury time allowed. Any teams who must play consecutive games will be provided a 30 minute rest between games.
Division
Length of halves (two halves per game)
Number of players
U-9 to U-10
20 minutes
7 vs. 7
U-11 to U-12
25 minutes
9 vs. 9
U-13 to U-14/15
11 vs. 11
Substitutions
Both teams will have unlimited substitutions subject to the following conditions and upon approval of the Referee:
Division Standings
Division standings will be decided by the following point system (all groups except U9 and U10):
Rankings for U11-U14/15
1. Each team will play four matches within their respective bracket.
2. After the conclusion of all matches, all teams will be ranked with the top team being the champion.
Tournament Tie Breakers
Total point ties within divisions and/or brackets will be broken by the following tiebreakers, in order:
For tie breaking purposes, the maximum goal differential is 3.
1. Head to Head: A comparison of two or more tied teams based on who has won or lost when playing against each other. Games played against non-tied teams are ignored.
2. Goal Differential (Group): The total number of goals scored by a team in all games minus the total number of goals scored by the team’s opponent in all games.
3. Most Games Won: The team that won the most games wins the tiebreaker.
4. Total Goals Scored: Breaks a tie by comparing the sum of all goals scored by each tied team in all games played by those teams.
5. Fewest Goals Allowed: This tiebreaker compares the number of goals that were scored against a tied team and compares it to the number of goals scores against the other tied teams, for all games played by those teams. For example, if two teams are tied with the same number of wins/losses, and one team has only had 1 goal scored against them and the other has had 5 goals scored against them, the team with 1 goal scored against them will be ranked higher.
6. Goal Differential Tied Teams Only: When two teams are tied in the standings, this setting will break that tie by calculating the total number of points scored by one team minus the total number of points scored by the other team in games between those two tied teams only. (Does not calculate goals scored in games with other non-tied teams.)
7. If still tied after steps 1 through 6, both teams will proceed to an available field, at a time and place directed by the Tournament and take penalty kicks in accordance with FIFA tie breaker rules. (See following section on "Tournament Overtime").
Game Conduct
If a player is ejected from a match – Send-Off / red card by the Referee - the player must sit out the remainder of that match plus his team's next tournament match. No substitution will be made for the ejected player during the match in which the red card was issued. Two Cautions / yellow cards to the same player in the same match equal a Send-Off / red card and will result in immediate ejection from that match.
Coaches or Managers ejected from a match are subject to suspension from their next two matches. A Coach or Manager ejected from a match will not be allowed in the vicinity of the field for the remainder of that match as well as the team's next two matches.
Coaches and Managers are responsible for their players, parents and guests on the sideline. No team or club official may enter the field of play regardless of the circumstances unless that person has been given permission to enter the field of play by the Referee. Because of the seriousness of such instances, red cards issued after the end of regulation play or as a result of physical assault are subject to review by the Tournament Committee and a more strenuous penalty, which is not subject to appeal, may be employed.
Each team is permitted to have a maximum of four adults on the team sideline. This may include the Head Coach, Assistant Coach(es), and/or Team Manager. These adults must be from those that are listed on the team's Certified State Association Roster. Coach(es) not listed on the team roster, must be listed on another roster within the same club and have that roster submitted to the tournament in advance.
Coaches are to have their own passes along with all of their player's passes in their possession prior to each game. Medical release forms are also to be in the coach's possession for all rostered players. Passes for all ejected players will be held by the tournament until that player is eligible to resume play.
Unsportsmanlike conduct by players, managers, coaches or team supporters will not be tolerated. Repeated violations may result in termination of the game, at the Referee's discretion, with the outcome to be decided by the Tournament Director.
Every two yellow cards accumulated during any part of the tournament by an individual, including players, coaches, or managers, will also result in a one game suspension. Such suspension will be effective for the next tournament game in which the team participates.
Every three cards issued by an official (regardless of color) and accumulated by a team during the preliminary rounds will result in said team losing one (1) point from their total score. Team members will include players, coaches, and managers.
Problems/Questions
In the event of a problem, or if a team has a question about the tournament, they should first check with the Field Manager at their respective field location. The Field Manager will check periodically with the Tournament Headquarters (Base) and can handle most problems.
The Tournament Director and Club President will ultimately decide all issues not resolved on the field locations. The decision of the Tournament Director and Club President is final.
Newtown Soccer Club Ltd. Newtown, Connecticut
P.O. Box 291 Newtown, Connecticut 06470