The Tournament Committee, the Voorhees Soccer Association and/or NJSYAA will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any team, club or individual if the tournament is cancelled in whole or in part.

The Tournament Committee's interpretation of these rules shall be final and binding.

The decisions of the referees are final and binding.

Notarized medical releases must be presented at registration, and must be available for review at the fields upon request.

Refunds

Refunds will not be given to teams who withdraw after rejections and/or acceptances have been mailed.

Eligibility

The competition is open to accepted teams composed of a maximum of 18 players meeting the age limit of the specified division. Each team must be registered with a National Soccer Association and with a league affiliated with the USSF or National equivalent. Players must have current passes for the 1995 - 1996 year.

Out of state teams must have a "permission to travel" form approved and signed by a USSF or state representative.

Player passes and team rosters will be checked by field coordinators 15 minutes before the scheduled start of each game. Players who do not present passes at the field will not be allowed to play.

Guest Players

Guest players will be allowed up to a maximum of 3 with the purpose of maintaining a team's competetiveness. A player from the same club but not rostered to the team will be considered a guest.

Laws of the Game

All games shall be played in accordance with current FIFA laws, except as specifically modified by these tournament rules.

Fields and Game Equipment

The size of the field will be whatever the physical arrangements permit.

Each team's players, coaches and spectators will take positions on opposite sides of the field. The Home team has choice of sides.

Spectators must remain behind specially designated lines which will be drawn on the sides of the field a minimum of 3 yards from the touch lines. No spectators will be allowed to remain behind or near the goal lines.

Coaches must remain within specially designated areas which will be drawn on the sides of the field extending 10 yards in each direction from the mid-field line.

Teams must wear uniforms with individual numbers on the shirt. Uniform numbers must coincide with the listing on the team's official approved roster.

Where uniform colors are similar or identical, the designated home team will change colors. Home team is the team listed first on the official tournament schedule.

Equipment/Other

No jewelry will be worn by players (earrings, watches, necklaces, combs, metal barettes, etc.). Eyeglasses should be either sports goggle type or made of safety glass or plastic and must be held in place with some type of elastic band.

Orthopedic or other casts must be wrapped with soft foam padding and players will only be allowed to compete at the referee's discretion. Their decision is final.

Game balls will be provided by the Voorhees Soccer Tournament. Home team shall be responsible for game ball.

Teams will be required to be at the game site 30 minutes before scheduled kick off time and player passes and rosters will be checked by the field coordinator 15 minutes before game time.

In event of a crossover game the higher number team is the home team.

Inclement Weather

Regardless of weather conditions, coaches and their teams MUST appear on the field of play, ready to play as scheduled. Failure to appear will result in automatic forfeiture of the game. Only referees and/or tournament directors can cancel a game.

In the event of inclement weather, the Tournament Committee shall have the authority to change games as follows:

1. relocate or reschedule any game(s)

2. change the duration of any game(s)

3. cancel any game(s) which will have no bearing on the determination of division winners or runners-up.

4. recommence or restart a game which has had less than one-half played.

Should inclement weather force cancellation of a game after one-half of play has been concluded, the game shall be considered official and the score at that point shall be considered the final score.

Substitutions

Substitutions may be made without limit, with the permission of the referee as follows:

1. after a goal has been scored

2. at the beginning of the second half

3. at either team's goal kick

4. at a throw-in by the team in possession

5. in the case of injury to a player, if a substitution is made for the injured player, the other team may also make substitution(s)

6. after a player has received a yellow card, a substitution must be made for the carded player. The player may reenter the field of play at the next allowable substitution

7. there will be no substitution for a player who has received a red card and has been ordered from the field by the referee

Game Data - Qualifying Round

Age Bracket	Division	Ball Size	Game Length
1988/89 U-9	V	4	2 x 25 min.
1987/88 U-10	V	4	2 x 25 min.
1986/87 U-11	IV	4	2 x 30 min.
1985/86 U-12	IV	4	2 x 30 min.
1984/85 U-13	III	5	2 x 30 min.
1983/84 U-14	III	5	2 x 30 min.
1982/83 U-15	II	5	2 x 30 min.
1981/82 U-16	II	5	2 x 30 min.
1980/81 U-18	I	5	2 x 30 min.

There will be a 5 minute break for half-time at all age levels. There will be no stoppage of game time or an extension of game time except for serious injury, which will be solely at the descretion of the referee.

Game Data - Play-offs

In case of ties, two ten minute overtimes will be played changing sides after the first ten minutes. If game is tied after overtime, FIFA penalty kick procedures will apply.

Special Note

In the case of all final matches in both the U-10 and U-9 brackets, there will be NO penalty kicks to decide the Champion. If after two ten (10) minute overtimes the match is tied, both teams will be declared Co-Champions.

Referees

The Tournament Committee has made a commitment to the use of currently registered USSF referees. This commitment will be carried out wherever possible.

Protests

There will be no protests. The referee's decision is final.

Conduct

Players, coaches and spectators are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit of the game as well as the letter of the law.

The Tournament Committee encourages the exchange of patches between teams. This can be done in a continuation of good sportsmanship and good conduct by the players at the handshake following the end of each game.

Players, coaches or spectators ejected from a game by the referee must leave the field area. Referees will report all yellow/red cards to the field coordinator. Anyone receiving a red card will be ineligible for the next scheduled game. Anyone receiving a red card for fighting will be ineligible for any remaining tournament play.

Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their team's spectators. Any misconduct by spectators will result in yellow or red carding of the coach(es) responsible.

Incidents of misconduct will be reported by the Voorhees Soccer Tournament Committee back to the team's respective League or Affiliation as well as to the New Jersey State Youth Soccer Association.

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to suspend any player, coach, or team from the tournament for unruly conduct.

Games and Score Reporting

The field coordinator is responsible to see that the scores of each game are reported on a timely basis to tournament headquarters.

Each coach will be responsible for verifying the accuracy of the game report prepared by the referee before the field coordinator leaves the game site and reports the results of the match. No changes will be accepted once the game report has been filed.

Protection

Girls will be permitted to protect their chests while trapping the ball. If hands or arms are used to propel or redirect the ball, an illegal use of hands will be called with the appropriate foul being awarded.

Forfeits or Failure to Show

A team shall be awarded a 10 minute grace period after the scheduled kick off time before the game is awarded to the opponent. A minimum of 7 players constitutes a team and if seven players are present, the game may not be delayed past the scheduled starting time.

In no case shall a team which has forfeited a game be declared a division winner.

A forfeit shall be awarded as two points for the win. For tie breakers, the score for the forfeit game shall be set as the team's average of goals scored rounded up to the next whole number, against the average of goals given up rounded down to the next whole number.

Division Winners

All teams will play every other team within their specific division. Each team will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss.

The division winners and runners-up will be those teams with the most points and second most points. In the event that two or more teams are tied for first or second place, the following tie-breaking rules will apply:

1. head to head competition (does not apply if more than two teams are tied)

2. bonus points - the winning team will be awarded bonus points for goal differential to a maximum of three. Thus, a team winning 3-0 or 6-3 or 5-1 would receive the maximum of three (3) bonus points.

3. least goals scored against

4. most wins

5. FIFA penalty kick procedures. To be taken on a designated field at the discretion of the Tournament Committee.

Play-offs

Play-offs are determined by the Voorhees Tournament Committee and head coaches will be notified of all details with the mailing of the schedule or no later than registration (prior to the start of the tournament). Semi-finals and finals will be played, if possible. Some divisions may require a final only, eliminating the semi.

Sidelines

Coaches and players will share the same side of the field as designated on the field maps. All spectators will take up a position on the opposite side of the field during the time that the match is in progress.

All personnel must remain between the 18 yard lines of the goal line. No coaching is allowed from the goal line.