Ken Mercer Sports Park

ELIGIBILITY 

-Each player must be of the required age during the year of the tournament:
Over-30: women 25 and over, men 30 and over
Over-40, Masters: women 35 and over, men 40 and over

-Each player must have registered online prior to playing their first game and must be listed on the Team Roster at check-in.

-The Team Roster must be completed online, and is limited to 22 players. Instructions have been sent out on how to invite players to your roster, and then to have them register for an account.  Please have the players on your roster accept their invites by noon on Thursday before the tournament, so the Committee can print your rosters and have them available for the fields and check-in. Any changes can only be made by the manager, and only up until their first game on Saturday(in person). Any team playing an ineligible player may have to forfeit games, manager may be suspended, and/or team may be eliminated from the tournament and barred from future tournaments (tournament committee discretion).   Team managers are ultimately responsible for not allowing underage players to play on their roster, and violations will be dealt with by the tournament committee.  

-Wristbands will be issued at check-in and must be worn at all times.  If you lose your wristband, you must obtain another at check in prior to playing your next game.

-Proof of age Players must be able to prove age at all times during the tournament.  To prove age, a player must have a current CA driver's license with name and birth date.

-Playing on more than 1 team is allowed if they are in different age groups only.  For example, a player may play on one over 30 team, and one over 40 team if he/she is age eligible for the division.  However, a player may not play for more than one team in the same age group.  Violations will be dealt with by the tournament committee (see above).

-Sunday only players must check in prior to the team’s first Sunday game.

-Park rules A reminder that alcohol is not allowed at the Sports Park.  Dogs are allowed.  There will be garbage cans at each field, please do your best to clean up after your team.

GAMES (will be governed by FIFA rules except for the following)

The game length will be 30-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime period.

-Substitutions Teams may substitute on any goal kick and after a goal has been scored.  A team may also substitute when in possession of the ball on their own throw-in and on their own corner kick.  A team may also substitute on the other team’s throw in if the other team is substituting as well, provided it does not slow down play intentionally(referee’s decision)

-Shinguards are mandatory.  Players without proper equipment will not be allowed to play.

CO-ED ADULT SPECIFIC RULES:

-Men must be in control of their bodies and must be aware of their actions in proximity of women, intimidating play will not be allowed.

-Slide tackling is never allowed while in proximity of another player of either gender within 10 feet for any reason, and is considered “unsportsmanlike”.  In all cases, this will be dealt with by a yellow card in an effort to control safe play.

-The slide tackling rule applies to goalkeepers, they will not be allowed to go into a challenge feet first to ensure the safety of both players.  GK’s may approach challenges while going to the ground as long as their feet are not in the direction of the attacker.

-Free Kicks (Direct or Indirect) may be taken by players of either gender except for penalty kicks.  Women take all penalty kicks from the penalty spot during regulation play/overtime.  

-Field player gender mix- Out of the 10 field players, 5 must be women.  If a woman is injured with no other women substitutes, the team must play short.

-Teams must have at least seven players, two of whom are women, within 10 minutes of the start of the game, or forfeit.  Forfeits scored as a 1-0 game.

-Yellow cards - Any player issued a yellow card must spend ten minutes on the sidelines.  However, a substitution may occur.

-Red Cards- Any player issued a red card will be ejected from that game and suspended from the next game.  Such offenses will be reported to and reviewed by the Tournament Committee to determine if a more severe penalty, including ejection from the tournament, is needed.  Fighting another player, or assaulting a referee or linesman is an automatic ejection from the tournament.  If the GK is red carded from a game, this position is non-gender specific, so a team may substitute the keeper, and remove a player of either gender from the pitch.

OTHER

-The designated home team is listed first and has preference if there is a color conflict.  On Sunday play, the higher seed is considered the home team and will have preference.

-All decisions of the referees are final and incontestable.  Protests will not be accepted.

The coach/Team Captain is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the proper score has been recorded by the referees at the end of each game.  It is recommended that each team’s coach/captain double-check the scorecard prior to it being turned in.

*****Any situation not covered by the Tournament Rules will be resolved by the Tournament Committee.

Saturday Seeding Round for Over30/ Bracket play Sat & Sun for Over40 Division

Teams will be seeded using the following point system.

• 6  points for a WIN
• 3  points for a TIE
• 0  points for a LOSS                                  
• 1 point for each goal (maximum 3)
• 1  point for a shut-out

Red Card—Subtract 1 point                         Forfeits Scored as a 1-0 Game

(Maximum Points=10 per game)                                                                                                       

Any ties between teams will be determined by:  

(1) Head-to-Head Competition;  

(2)  Goal Differential (max 5 per game) 

(3)  a Flip of a Coin.  

Over 30  

A.  There are 5 teams.  5 teams will play randomly 2-3 games on Saturday, and 1-2 games on Sunday.  The 1st and 2nd place teams after these 4 game, will play in a Final.

B/C. There are 14 teams.  Teams will be seeded based on points within bracket play.  Teams 1-6 based on points will go into B.  Teams 7-14 will go into C.

Over 40

There are 7 teams. Teams will be seeded based on points, after round robin play on Saturday.

Sunday Tie Breaking Procedure(for over 30BC/40 Sunday play, and final only for Over 30A):  

 If the score is tied at the end of regulation play:

           -Quarterfinals and semifinals go straight to PK tiebreaking procedure.  

           -Finals will be (2) 7-1/2 minute overtime periods, then to PK tiebreaking procedure.

PK tiebreaking procedure:

a. Each team will designate three women and two men from the players still on the field at the end of the game.  Those players will then alternate taking penalty kicks using the following sequence:    A woman from team 1, a woman from team 2; a man from team 1, a man from team 2, a woman from team 1, a woman from team 2, and so on.   The team with the most goals after completing all five of their kicks is the winner.

b. In the event of a tie after the kicks described above, the game will be decided by sudden death kicks of alternating gender of players who are on the field, but have not yet taken a kick.  (i.e 6th kicker new male, 7th kicker new female, etc).  If both teams exhaust their available players and a tie still exists, they may begin to repeat players.)

*****Any situation not covered by the Tournament Rules will be resolved by the Tournament Committee.