All parents and coaches are to act respectfully toward all others in the tournament, including all players, parents, coaches, referees, tournament officials, staff, and volunteers.

Any parent or coach observed acting in a belligerent, threatening, or otherwise misbehaving manner, including by screaming, yelling, finger-pointing, or any other misbehavior, will be asked to leave the complexes at the discretion of the tournament officials and directors.
In the event that a parent or coach refuses to vacate facilities after being asked by tournament officials (referees, tournament volunteers, tournament staff, or facility personnel), the police will be called to intervene, and the involved individuals will be banned from attending the tournament for the remainder of the weekend.

Zero tolerance

There is a ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy for aggressive / bullying behavior by any individuals at the tournament, including the behavior outlined in the above section. This includes all participants, coaches, players, parents, fans, spectators, and anyone in attendance.
We hope this is not a problem, but anyone acting out of line will be asked to leave the facilities and may face possible bans from the tournament - this is at the sole discretion of the tournament officials and is not protestable.

STAFF MEMBERS ON BENCHES DURING GAMES

2 Team staff members only allowed in the designated team technical area during matches (2 Coaches or 1 Coach + 1 Manager).

ROSTERING & PLAYER PASSES

Player cards/passes are required during ONLINE check-in of all Academy/Competitive teams. Players' cards may be requested by Coaches/Team Managers at any time - please bring them to the fields and keep them readily available if asked by tournament officials.

Games and rostering

11v11 teams can roster up to 22 players, but may dress only 18 for games.
No Academy or Competitive players are allowed on any recreational teams without the Tournament Directors' approval

No double rostering players OR ‘player passing’ or ‘club passing’ in the tournament:

Players cannot play on two teams during the tournament.
Any team that plays a player on two teams during the tournament will forfeit ALL GAMES and will be disqualified from the tournament.
There is no ‘Club Passing’ or ‘Player Passing’ during the tournament

GAMEPLAY NOTES

Recreational teams are allowed to play in the Academy and Competitive divisions.

PETS AT COMPLEX

Liberty Park Soccer Complex - pets allowed on a leash
Turf fields - no pets allowed

SUBSTITUTIONS

If one team is subbing, the other team may substitute.
Teams will substitute from their own sideline and from designated areas.

AGE AND ELIGIBILITY

Participation in the Tournament is open to accepted teams that meet the roster and age limits of the specified division. Players must have been born during or after the divisional year. Each team must be registered with a National State Association affiliated with USSF, USYSA, US CLUB, SAY, and AYSO.

ONLINE TEAM CHECK-IN

All teams are required to perform an online check-in via the tournament website.
There is no on-site check-in. See website for details.

TEAM REQUIRED CREDENTIALS

RECREATIONAL TEAMS PLAYING CASL (ALABAMA)

CASL rosters from your regular season will be honored in the tournament.
All players who played on the CASL team during the current season are eligible to play on the team for this tournament.

OFFICIAL TEAM ROSTERS (FROM STATE ASSOCIATIONS):

During online check-in, each team must submit an approved roster for an affiliated league, such as AYSO, USSF, USYS, US Club, CASL, etc.

SOCCER IN COLLEGE MULTI-GAME GAME CARD/ROSTER

The tournament will supply the game cards for the referees and use the multi-game game card issued by Soccer In College at the tournament website. Teams are required to update the information in SINC (this information auto-populates on your game card). No player will be allowed to play who is not on the tournament-approved game card/roster. Please note the Online Check-In deadlines on the tournament website.

GUEST PLAYERS

Teams participating in the Tournament may have the following number of guest players (teams must have their state or league approval for guest players - does not apply to US Club teams):

Guest player limits for 7v7 teams: 3 players
Guest player limits for 9v9 teams: 4 players
Guest player limits for 11v11 teams: 5 players

All teams with guest players must abide by State Association rules and submit appropriate paperwork for guest players.

Even if teams are guest-playing players from other teams within their own Club, the teams must obtain a ‘Tournament Roster’ or ‘Travel Roster’ from the State Association.
This is required of all teams, including Alabama teams: http://www.alsoccer.org/asa_administrative/forms/ (click on ‘Permission to Travel’)

TRAVEL PERMITS

Teams outside the jurisdiction of the Alabama Soccer Association must have travel permits. U.S. Club Soccer teams are not required to obtain a travel permit.

MEDICAL RELEASE FORMS

One Medical Release form for each player, provided by your state association or league, must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian and, if applicable, notarized.

PLAYER I.D. CARDS

Player passes are NOT required for Recreational teams
Player passes are required for Academy and Competitive teams

TEAM / PLAYER FIELD USAGE LIABILITY WAIVER

Each team/player/family will need to sign the field usage liability waiver and turn it in with all check-in materials. See the website for the document (Vestavia Hills Soccer Club teams are excluded).

All the documents listed above are required for team registration and Online Check-In.

Please note that all documentation must be US Club documents if a team checks in as a US Club team. If a team checks in as a state-affiliated team, all documentation must be state-affiliated documentation. Mixing and matching of documents is not permitted.

LAWS OF THE GAME

The Tourn. will follow USYS/FIFA Laws of the Game, except as expressly modified in these Rules.

DURATION AND FORMAT OF GAMES

The duration of tournament games shall be as specified in the following table. There will be no overtime periods played at any time. Kicks from the Penalty Mark per FIFA Rules will determine winners in tie breaks, semi-final matches, wildcard games, and finals.

Ages	Format	Roster	Dress for games	Guests	Ball Size	Referees	Game Length
U9-U10	7v7	14	14	3	4	1	50
U11	9v9	18	18	4	4	1	60
U12	9v9	18	18	4	4	1	60
U12-U14	11v11	22	18	5	5	3	60

No deliberate heading for 7v7 and 9v9 (U9-U12) matches: Academy, Competitive
No punting for 7v7 matches.
Punting is allowed for 9v9 matches.
The build-out lines for 7v7 divisions are approximately halfway between the end line and midfield.
Please note that for 11v11 teams, teams may ROSTER 22, but only 18 are allowed to dress out for each game.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Division champions may be determined by points or by a final, at the Tournament's discretion.

The 1st- and 2nd-place teams in each division will receive medals.

GAME DAY: PREGAME CHECK-IN PROCEDURES & GAME CARDS

Referees will check in teams with tournament game cards and during the equipment check. The tournament will provide all game cards for the games. All team documentation must be completed online during OLC. No players can be ‘written in’ on any tournament game card roster.

EQUIPMENT & UNIFORMS

In accordance with FIFA, teams will wear uniforms, and each player will have a unique number on his/her jersey.

The home team is the team listed as home on the tournament website for the match and must provide acceptable game balls.
No jewelry allowed.
Players wearing beads in their hair will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by tournament officials to determine the player’s eligibility and safety.
If long-sleeve shirts are worn, they should match those of other players on the same team.
The referee and tournament officials will be the final judges of allowable equipment, including casts and medical wraps.
No beads allowed in the hair.

UNIFORM COLORS

HOME TEAM - white or light-colored jerseys and uniforms
VISITOR TEAM - dark or dark-colored jerseys and uniforms
Teams not in accordance with tournament rules will be required to change jerseys.

RECREATIONAL TEAM UNIFORM NOTES

If teams only have one jersey, the team in jersey color conflict can wear pennies if needed

Pennies/bibs are NOT provided by the tournament…
If you only have one jersey, make sure to bring pennies to your games.

#’s are required on all jerseys.
#’s are NOT required on pennies if used.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions shall be unlimited and may be made with the referee’s consent at the following times:

Players will sub from their respective sideline and from the designated substitution area.
If one team is subbing, the other team may do so as well.
Prior to a throw-in for your team.
Prior to a goal kick by either team.
After a goal by either team.
At half-time.
After an injury, only the injured player(s) and an equal number for the opposing team.
For a cautioned player, only the cautioned player(s) and an equal number for the opposing team.

SCORING SYSTEM

Division winners will be determined using the indicated point system. At the end of the preliminary round, the division winner shall be the team with the most points in their division. Division winners advance directly to the Finals. In some cases, semi-final and/or wild card games may be required. Each team will be awarded points as follows:

6 points for a win
3 points for a tie
0 points for a loss
1 point for a shutout
1 point per goal, up to a maximum of 3

Preliminary games decided by penalty kicks (e.g., for inclement weather) will be scored 1-0.

TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURES

In the event of a tie within a division, the following criteria shall be used to determine the winner:

Winner of head-to-head games
Highest goal difference (goals for minus goals against) max. 3 per game
Fewest goals allowed
Most goals scored, max 3 per game
Most Shutouts
Most Shutout Ties
Kicks from the Penalty Mark
Coin toss if Penalty Kicks cannot determine a tiebreak

Kicks from the Mark

7v7 and 9v9 Teams begin with 3 Kickers
11v11 Teams begin with 5 Kickers

Three-Way Ties

If a three-way tie occurs, use Procedures 1-5 until one team emerges as the winner or one team is eliminated, whichever occurs first. In the latter instance, start again with Procedure 1 for the remaining two teams. If all three teams remain tied after Procedure 4, go to Procedure 5.

Use a coin toss to determine the first two opponents.

The tournament official will designate the team officials/representatives, then flip the coin and allow it to hit the ground/grass/floor and settle on its own. The tournament official is only to flip the coin and not ‘catch’ the coin after flipping it, allowing the coin to hit the ground and settle without human interference.
If the coin is caught or hits another person, the coin flip will be reflipped.
The winner will then face the third team.

FAILURE TO SHOW & FORFEITS

Match time is forfeit time.

A minimum of 8 players constitutes a team for 11v11 teams. A minimum of 6 players constitutes a team for 9v9 teams. A minimum of 5 players constitutes a team in 7v7. In no case shall a team, which forfeits a game, be declared a division winner or a wild card team. A forfeit in the preliminary round shall be awarded 10 points for the win to the opposing team and any other team that the forfeiting team has played or will play.

Deliberate forfeit means expulsion from the tournament.

EJECTIONS

A player or coach ejected from a match will be barred from further participation and the next succeeding match for that team. Coaches with multiple teams ejected from a match will serve their suspension only for the team playing in the game at the time of the ejection. However, a coach who receives two ejections during the tournament will be banned for the remainder of the tournament from all teams he/she coaches.

An ejected coach must leave the facility/complex immediately.
An ejected player must leave the field/field area and may not remain on the players’ bench. Players ejected for violent conduct must leave the facility/complex immediately.
Failure of either coach or player to leave designated areas will result in a forfeited match and a ban from the remainder of the tournament.

In the case of a red card, the coach or team official must give the offender's pass to the referee during the game. Referees will hand the card to tournament officials, and an official team representative may pick it up after the team’s next game. If a red card is shown in the team's last match, the team must hand the card to the referee during the game and can reacquire the pass after the match. Reports will be filed with the home state association.

PROTESTS

In games, all referee decisions are final.
No protests are allowed.
For the tournament, all decisions of the Tournament Committee are final.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

In the event of inclement weather, the Tournament Director will have the authority to change or cancel games. The following may occur at the sole discretion of the Tournament Director:

Relocation or rescheduling of any game(s).
Changing the duration of the match(es).
Canceling any preliminary game(s). A shootout or a coin toss may decide whether canceled matches are decided. If a shootout or coin toss occurs, the game will be scored 1-0 for point determination.
If games are terminated by game or tournament officials before halftime, the score will be recorded as 0-0.
In games terminated at or after halftime, the score will stand as it is at the time of termination and will be considered a completed match.

I.E., if a game is played with a score of 2-1 at halftime and is terminated at halftime or thereafter, the score will be recorded as 2-1 and considered a completed match.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to cancel any match or tournament if playing conditions dictate.
The decisions of the Tournament Director are final and cannot be appealed or protested.

TOURNAMENT RULES INTERPRETATION AND REFUND OF ENTRY FEES

The Tournament Committee's interpretation of these rules is final.
The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide and rule on all matters about the Tournament.
There will be no refunds of tournament entry fees for any reason.