Nike Jr. Friendlies

Rules for the 2008 Nike Junior Friendlies
(Click here for Printable Version)

TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS

Tournament Headquarters will be located at West Creek Fields 12575 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238; Tournament Director: Chris Friant; 804-288-4625

REGISTRATION

Team Check-in/Registration will occur Saturday, August 30th one hour before your team's first game at West Creek Fields:

Team Check-in/Registration Requirements

Original 2008/2009 Player Passes; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer passes
Original 2008/2009 Official Roster; either USYS State Association or US Club Soccer
Two Copies of Official Roster
Guest Players identified: Written on front or back of COPIES of Rosters
Player Passes for Guest Player
Individual Player Medical Release Forms
Permission to Travel Paper Work: Not Required for US Club Soccer Teams. USYS State Association teams from Region I do not need Permission to Travel Paper Work except teams from Connecticut or New Jersey. USYS State Association teams from all other Regions need Permission to Travel Paper Work:

Region 1 Policy Regarding Application To Host A Tournament

Region I has established the following policy concerning permission to travel when attending USYS sanctioned tournaments in Region I. The purpose of this policy is to make it as simple as possible for the US Youth Soccer Region I teams to travel to tournaments within Region I.

The new policy states that any USYS State Association teams within Region I that is accepted into a tournament in Region I do not need permission to travel papers. Permission to Travel is not required in friendly games within Region 1. Note is to be taken on the two (2) states that have an exception to this policy (Connecticut & New Jersey).

National State Associations in Region I:
*Connecticut Jr Soccer Assn – Must provide Permission to Travel
Delaware Youth Soccer Assn
Eastern New York Youth Soccer Assn
Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Assn
Soccer Maine
Maryland Youth Soccer Assn
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Assn
New Hampshire Soccer Assn
*New Jersey Youth Soccer Assn – Must provide Permission to Travel
New York State West Youth Soccer Assn
Pennsylvania West State Soccer Assn
Soccer Rhode Island
Vermont Soccer Assn
Virginia Youth Soccer Assn
West Virginia Soccer Assn

No player may play for more than one team during the tournament.

Roster Sizes:

· U13 to U15 Teams are limited to 18 players identified at Registration.

· Five 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.

A. Ball Size: Size 5 U15 - U13

B. Game Duration:

· 80 min. U15 Halftime - 5 min

· 70 min. U13, U14 Halftime - 5 min

· Duration of Games on Sunday could change

C. Substitutions:
Unlimited/Free substitutions with permission of referee:

1. After a goal has been made;

2. At the beginning of the second half of play or prior to the beginning of an overtime period;

3. At a goal kick by either team;

4. At a throw-in by the team in possession;

5. Injury (any number of players from both teams may be substituted whenever an injury has occurred after being beckoned onto the pitch by the Referee)

Limited substitutions may be made, with the referee's permission:

· In case of stoppage of play for an injury; or

· Cautioned player (cautioned player only)

Under no circumstances may substitutions be made (1) on corner kicks or (2) after the game has ended in a tie and FIFA penalty kicks will be required to determine a winner

All substitutes shall inform the assistant referee on their side of the field that they wish to enter the game prior to the time they are entitled to enter the game as a substitute. The assistant referee will signal the referee that substitutes wish to enter the game at the first opportunity that the substitute is allowed to enter the game. The substitutes must wait until the referee signals that it is okay for them to enter the field.

D. Home Team

Team listed first is the designated Home Team and must change jerseys when the referee determines a conflict to exist.

E. 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.

F. Inclement Weather:
The Tournament Rules Committee 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 event 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. The tournament director will have the final decision on field closure.

G. 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.

H. Format of Games:
The Nike Jr. Friendlies are played in “friendly” format with no advancement to playoffs. Scores however will be kept and recorded on the tournament website. Teams will play 4 games over 3 days; either playing 2 games Saturday and 1 Sunday and Monday or 1 game Saturday, 2 games Sunday, and 1 game on Monday.

I. Protest:
There will be no protests. All officiating decisions are final.

J. 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.

K. WARNINGS & EJECTIONS
If a player is ejected from a match (red card by the referee) that player must sit out the remainder of that match and the team’s next match. This being a showcase or friendly event a substitution may be made for the ejected player during the match in which the red card was issued. Two yellow cards constitute a red card and ejection, same rule applies that the player can be substituted but the ejected player may not return and must sit out the team’s next match.

Coaches that receive a red card or two yellow cards in the same match are permanently ejected from the match. Any coach ejected from a match will not be allowed in the general vicinity of the field (as defined by the referee) for the remainder of that match and must miss the team’s next match.

No team or club official may enter the field of play, regardless of the circumstances, unless that person has been given permission by the referee.

Red cards issued after the end of regulation play or as a result of physical assault are subject to review by the Tournament Rules Committee and a more strenuous penalty that is not subject to appeal may be issued. Should the infraction be sufficiently serious law enforcement authorities may be summoned. All infractions shall be reported to the host association (VYSA) for relay to the team's state association following the tournament. In accordance with USSF Rule 3042, red cards for assault, abuse, or like offenses shall be reported immediately.

L. 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.

M. Game Balls: All game balls will be provided by tournament. Only balls provided by the tournament can be used.

N. The tournament will be played in accordance with FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified by these rules.

Please direct any questions you may have to our Tournament/Club Line
at Office: 804.288.4625, ext 16 Fax: 804.285.8477 or Email: tournaments@strikersonline.com