LAWS OF THE GAME

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

This is a USYS unrestricted tournament. There will be divisions for boys and girls, U8 (may be coed), U10, U12, U14, U16, U19, with Silver/Gold brackets in each age group. Silver brackets are intended for younger aged players. All team members must be currently enrolled in high school or below to participate in the tournament, i.e. no college players are allowed. There is a three-game guarantee for all teams and typically the top 2 teams in each pool advance to the semi-finals. Divisions may differ at the discretion of the committee. Requests for division placement will be considered but the committee will place teams where appropriate to insure competitive play for all!!! Players who cannot present a current USYS, USSF, AYSO or USCS player pass will be required to register for a 3-day player pass for the tournament.

REFUND POLICY

If a team chooses to cancel their registration, a full refund will be given if it is requested before November 10, 2024 or if a replacement team can be found before tournament scheduling is completed. Teams that are accepted into the tournament and that have not paid in full by the time scheduling begins may be dropped from the tournament and replaced with a waitlisted team that has paid in full.

Optional insurance will be available for purchase to cover your registration fee in the event of illness or weather cancellations in addition to other covered items.

CHECK IN PROCEDURES

Current US Youth Soccer or US Club Soccer player cards, medical releases, and tournament rosters are required for all teams. At check-in all players that will participate in the tournament up to a maximum of 10 must be listed in the roster.

What you will need for check in:

  1. Tournament Roster

  2. Current player passes/cards

  3. Current coach(es) passes/cards

  4. Medical Releases

All players must carry the team identifier throughout the tournament. Players may roster for one team only and may play only for that team. Players must participate in at minimum 2 games in pool play to be eligible for knock out round play. The home team is the first team listed and will be required to use their alternate jersey if there is a color conflict.

Non USYS/USSF/AYSO/USCS player exception: players not registered with a club and cannot present a current USYs/USSF/AYSO/USCS pass will be required to register for a 3-day player pass for the tournament ($15 fee).

LAW 1 FIELD OF PLAY

Fields are turf and range from 75'x105' - 75'x120'. Older groups will be scheduled on the larger field as much as possible, but may play on the smaller field. Soccer cleats or turf shoes are recommended. (NO METAL CLEATS ARE ALLOWED) Coaches and substitute players will remain in the designated team areas while their teams are playing. No drinks other than water or sports drinks are allowed in the indoor facility. Spectators are not allowed on the player's side of field. Each team is allowed to bring two balls for warm-ups. The tournament will not be responsible for balls brought to the tournament.

LAW 2 THE BALL

The game ball shall be: size 3 – U8; size 4 – U10 &12; size 5 - U14 and above.

LAW 3 NUMBERS OF PLAYERS

There will be 5 players per side one of whom is a designated goalkeeper. The match may not start if either team consists of fewer than 3 players. Players may roster for one team only and may play only for that team. Players must participate in a minimum 2 games in pool play to be eligible for knock out round play. Tournament director has the discretion to allow double rostering in special circumstances. These players will carry the team mark for both teams in which they are rostered.

LAW 4 PLAYERS' EQUIPMENT

The basic player equipment shall be a numbered (minimum 3") jersey (shirt, plus alternate color), shorts, socks, shin guards and soccer shoes. Goalkeepers will wear colored jersey to distinguish themselves from the other players. Home team (first listed on the schedule) wears the dark color.

LAW 5 REFEREE

Each match is controlled by a referee, or more, who has the full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match as have been modified.

LAW 6 ASSISTANT REFEREE

Assistant referees will be assigned to matches as determined by the CTW committee.

LAW 7 DURATION OF THE MATCH

There will be a central timekeeper so that all games will start and end at the proper time. Games may not be extended in time and no allowances will be made for lost time. Length of play will be 2 equal 19 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime break. Teams that are more than 5 minutes late from the scheduled time will forfeit the game.

LAW 8 STARTS AND RESTART OF PLAY

The kick-off may go in any direction and is an indirect free kick. The kick-off will be taken by the visiting team in the first half and the home team in the second half. Restarts are indirect and begin with a stationary ball with a kick (Except goal kicks which are thrown and penalty kicks which are direct from the penalty area.) Four (4) yards must be given immediately. The player must put the ball into play within 6 (six) seconds from time ball is determined ready to play. If two players attempt to score a goal from an indirect kick, the first player must produce a noticeable movement of the ball, i.e. a tap is not sufficient.

There will be free substitution, but a player may only enter the field when the player he/she is replacing is completely over the touch line at the center line. The new player must be in the substitution area prior to the player leaving the field. The first violation results in an indirect free kick being awarded the opposing team at the center line and subsequent violations will call for a yellow card being given to the player entering the field and the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free kick at the center line. Substitutions will not be allowed in overtime unless a player is injured. Injured players may not re-enter the game.

LAW 9 BALL IN AND OUT OF PLAY

If the ball touches an object above the floor, an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team at the point directly below the point of contact, unless that point is within the goal area and then it will be an indirect free kick from the point closest on the edge of the goal line. The ball is in play unless it has wholly crossed the goal line or the touch line or the referee has stopped play.

LAW 10 METHOD OF SCORING

  • A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goal posts and under the crossbar provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed.

  • The team with the greatest number of goals is the winner of the match.

  • Equal number of goals results in a draw.

  • Coaches will be asked to initial the official game score card at the conclusion of each match.

  • Tournament scoring will be 6 (six) points for a win, 3 (three) points for a tie, 0 (zero) points for a loss. 1 (one) additional point will be awarded to a team for earning a shutout.

  • Additional points, up to 3 (three), are earned for each goal the winning team scores which is included in the margin of victory. (Example: Team A scores 5 goals, Team B scores 2 goals. Team A gets 6 points for the win and 3 additional points for beating Team B by 3 goals. Team A would receive 9 total points in this example.)

  • A 0 (zero) to 0 (zero) tie will result in both teams being awarded 4 (four) points

  • Forfeits will result in a full 10 (ten) points being awarded to the winning team (6 points for win + 3 points for goals + 1 point for a shutout).

  • Teams with a forfeit may not advance to semi or final round.

  • Tie-breakers for advancement bracket play, semifinals, or finals will first be based on:

    1. Head to head competition

    2. Fewest number of accumulated red & yellow cards

    3. Shutouts earned

    4. Goals scored against

    5. Goal differential

    6. If a tie still remains, a coin toss will used. If more than two teams are tied, the above sequence 2,3,4,5 is used until two teams remain, and then the process begins with the 1st tie-breaker until one team remains.

Bracket play will be as follows (minimum games):

  • One Pool (4 Teams): Team 1 vs Team 2

  • One Pool (5 Teams): Team 1 vs. Team 2.

  • Two Pools (3, 4 or 7 Teams/Pool): Winner A vs. Runner up B and Winner B vs. Runner Up A.

  • Two Pools (5 Teams/Pool): Only Final Game Winner A vs. Winner B.

  • Three Pools/Brackets: Top 2 teams in each pool/bracket advance to a seeded playoff. The 6 advancing teams, consisting of the top 2 teams from each pool/bracket, will be seeded 1-6 based on total points. The top 2 overall seeds get quarter final byes. QF1) Seed 3 plays Seed 6; QF2) Seed 4 plays Seed 5; Winner QF1 plays Seed2; Winner QF2 plays Seed 1.

  • Four Pools: Top 2 teams in each pool advance the playoff. Winner A vs. Runner up C; Winner B vs. Runner-up D; Winner C vs. Runner-up A; and Winner D vs. Runner-up B.

  • Movement of teams from pools into playoff games may be adjusted at the discretion of the tournament director to avoid teams from the same club playing each other in quarter or semi-final games.

  • Ties in a quarter-final, semi-final, or final game will be decided by golden goal in over time as follows.

  1. One overtime period will be played until a goal is scored.

  2. The visiting team will kick off and each team will defend the goal that they used in the second half.

  3. Each team will begin overtime with a full team defined in Law 3 (unless a red card has been issued).

  4. One player will be removed every (1) minute until one field player remains, plus a goalkeeper.

  5. If no goal is scored after 4 minutes, the result will be determined by a penalty kick shootout. The 1 (one) remaining field player from each team will have one shot each, then the goalkeepers will have one shot each. When one team scores and the other misses, the scoring team shall be determined the winner.

  6. No substitutions allowed in overtime except for injury and injured player may not return.

LAW 11 OFFSIDE

There is no offside offense.

LAW 12 FOULS AND MISCONDUCT

Fouls and misconduct are penalized by the awarding of a free kick to the opposing team. Slide tackles are not allowed. A yellow carded player may be substituted with referee permission. A second yellow card is a red card and the player is ejected for the remainder of that game and the next game. Any red card requires the player to leave the playing area and he/she is ejected for the remainder of that game and at least the next game. Yellow cards in sequential games will require that the player sits out the next game.

LAW 13 FREE KICKS

Direct free kicks will include the corner kick as defined in Law 17 and the penalty kick as defined in Law 14. Indirect free kicks will be used for all other restarts. 4 yards must be given immediately. The player must put the ball into play within 6 (six) seconds from time ball is determined ready to play.

LAW 14 PENALTY KICK

A penalty kick will be awarded when the infringement takes place in the penalty area and will be taken 10 yards from the goal. Infringements will include:

  • kicking or attempting to kick an opponent

  • tripping an opponent

  • jumping at an opponent

  • charging an opponent in a violent or dangerous manner

  • charging an opponent from behind

  • holding an opponent pushing an opponent

  • pushing an opponent

  • charging an opponent with shoulder

  • sliding at an opponent

  • handling the ball (except goalkeeper)

LAW 15 KICK-IN (THROW IN)

There are no throw-ins as all in touch restarts are an indirect free kick. 4 yards must be given immediately. The player must put the ball into play within 6 (six) seconds from time ball is determined ready to play.

LAW 16 GOAL CLEARANCES (GOAL KICK)

Goal clearance may be taken from anywhere inside the goal box (the goal box is 5 yards from the end line and the complete width of the field) and must be put into play by the keeper throwing the ball. The thrown ball is indirect and may not go over midfield for any age group. An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at midfield should a keeper release go over the midfield without first touching a player or the floor. The keeper can distribute the thrown ball to a teammate inside the goal box. The opposing team cannot enter the goalbox until the keeper has released the ball. The goalkeeper has 6 (six) seconds to put the ball into play from time ball is determined ready to play. Violation of the 6 (six) second rule will result in an indirect free kick from the penalty mark.

LAW 17 CORNER KICK

The ball is put in play at the corner of the touch and goal line and is a direct kick. Four (4) yards must be given immediately. The player must put the ball into play within 6 (six) seconds from time ball is determined ready to play.

LAW 18 GOALKEEPERS (IN THE RUN OF PLAY)

The keeper may handle the ball in the goal area (5 yards completely across the field). The keeper may not handle kick-ins or balls intentionally played back to the keeper. The keeper has 6 (six) seconds to release the ball. In the run of play, kicked releases by the goalkeeper can not go over the half line unless the goalkeeper is first established as a field player (for that ball possession). The keeper is considered a field player if the ball has not been handled during that possession. If the ball has been handled, the keeper can reestablish himself or herself as a field player by allowing the ball to bounce on the floor twice before kicking it in the air over the half line. In the run of play, thrown releases by the goalkeeper may not go over the half line in any division. An indirect free kick at midfield is awarded to the opposing team should a keeper release go over the half line without first touching a player or the floor. A goal may not be scored directly from a thrown ball.

LAW 19 HEADING

No heading in the U8-U12 divisions per US soccer rules.

LAW 20 Coaches

All coaches must have current seasonal cards and only 2 coaches are allowed on the player’s side.

LAW 21 Time wasting

Obvious time wasting at the end of a game will be penalized with a yellow card given to the offending player and a team warning. A second offense by the same team will result in a penalty kick for the opposing team.

FIFA & WSA RULES and Referees

All FIFA and WSA rules will be enforced and all decisions by the referee are final. There are no protests. Use of US-soccer registered referees, who are in good standing, shall be used for all games (in accordance with US Soccer Bylaw 532). CTW uses a one-referee system. There will be an adequate number of US Soccer registered referees available in the area during the tournament or game dates to cover the scheduled games.

FIELD MARSHALS will be present during the tournament and will enforce policies including the No food policy in both facilities. Participants and spectators are asked to abide with their requests. 

MOST IMPORTANT

Have Fun. Play Fair.


Wyoming Soccer Association Concussion Protocol

  1. All coaches will complete the CDC HeadsUp concussion training upon registration and then every two years.

  2. Each season:

    • The Director of Coaching (or designee) for each club will hand out the CDC Heads Up Concussion Fact Sheet for Youth Sports Coaches and CDC HeadsUp Clipboard Concussion Information Sheet to all the coaches and review the concussion protocol.

    • Each Coach will hand out the appropriate CDC Heads Up Concussion Fact Sheetsand review the concussion protocol with all players and parents/guardians.

3. Possible concussion identified.

4. Appropriate care provided to victim.

5. Trainer, first responder, or coach complete Possible Concussion Notification form and upper portion of the WSA Concussion Return to Play Form (paper or electronic), submit to state. Generate a copy of Return to Play Form for player/parent.

6. Call to parent, notify of possible concussion, provide CDC Heads Up Concussion Information Sheet and Return to Play Form, player must see medical provider before return to play.

7. Player sees medical provider (MD, DO, NP, PA), provider completes Medical Provider Recommendations portion of Return to Play Form.

8. Completed form returned via email to WSA (wssa@wyomingsoccer.com) for provider verification and final approval.

9. WSA notifies club that player may return to play.