American Youth Soccer Organization

Section 10

Area 10D - High Desert Communities

U16 - U19 Tournament Guidelines

Welcome to the Area 10D U16 - U19 Playoffs at the Lancaster National Soccer Center in Lancaster, California.  This event will bring together AYSO teams from Area 10D and we hope you will have an enjoyable tournament.

These Guidelines have been established to set a standard under which all teams will compete in the Tournament.  Your knowledge of these Guidelines could be the difference between a happy time, or a disappointing experience for you and your team.  All coaches, players, and spectators are urged to read these Guidelines.  In order to provide an atmosphere with a positive and sporting spirit, for the benefit of all of the young people who participate and play soccer in our respective programs – teammates and opponents alike, these Guidelines will be enforced.  These Guidelines do not supersede AYSO National Rules and Regulations, but are intended to cover situations not addressed in the AYSO National Rules and Regulations, which shall prevail in case of conflict.  Should you have any questions after reading these Guidelines, please do not hesitate to call the Area 10D Area Director, at (760) 868-2080.

Please remember these playoffs are only secondarily a competition.  They first are an opportunity to celebrate your team's success in getting here.  Please do remember to have fun, and to do your best to make sure your team and all the other teams have a fun time, too.

Conduct.  The Regional Commissioner shall be responsible for the conduct of their coaches, who in turn shall be responsible for the conduct of their players and spectators, all of who shall display the most positive aspects of good sportsmanship and conduct in keeping with the AYSO philosophy.  All of our young people deserve the best examples of sportsmanship, goodwill toward all players and participants (including opponents), and respect at all times for all referees and officials.  Please join us in making this an exceptionally good Tournament for all of our young people – competitively, emotionally, and in all other ways.

Coordination.  The Area Director, the Area Tournament Director, Area Referee Administrator, Area Coach Administrator, and their designees shall coordinate the Area playoffs.  All decisions concerning fields, schedules, re-play, or re-scheduling of games due to emergencies, discipline, eligibility, etc., shall be made by and within the discretion of the Area Director or designee, and shall be final.

Eligibility.  Eight teams in the U16 divisions, and the eight teams in the U19 divisions will be invited to the Area Playoffs.  Each Region participating in Area play will be entitled to send at least one team for each division (U16B, U16G, U19B).  Additional “wildcard” teams may be invited, provided there are positions available within the playoff brackets.  Preference for wildcard teams will be given to those regions with the highest percentage of their regional board members who trained and certified in their board positions. All efforts will be made to accommodate as many teams as is practical within field space available.

a.   Each Regional Commissioner is responsible for ensuring the eligibility of each player from their respective programs (See National rule III.F. and Section 10 Article 7).

b. Only eligible and registered players may participate in these tournaments.  Teams playing non-eligible players shall be subject to discipline, forfeit of games, or elimination at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

c.  In order to be eligible for the Area Tournament, all coaches, teams, and players must have followed the AYSO National Rules and Regulations, Section Guidelines, and Area Guidelines throughout the regular season.

Coach Eligibility

U16 and U19 - Advanced Coach Course

Coaches without the correct certifications listed in the eAYSO system may not coach in the Area Tournament.

The practical situation is that sometimes coaches have not had the opportunity to be certified at the appropriate age-specific levels. In these cases coaches may seek the approval of the Area Director to coach. The coaches must be taking courses and making reasonable progress toward complying with the Area and Section policy. Coaches not in compliance will not be eligible for Section Playoffs.

For a U16 or U19 coach, the requirement is to have passed the Advanced Coach Course. To be eligible the coach, within the last twelve months, must have completed the Intermediate Coach Course.

The coach MUST be Safe Have Certified.

Roster Changes and Additions. 

a.  No roster changes or additions may be made except in accordance with Area 10D Guidelines.

b.  On League teams, no roster changes or additions may be made after September 15.

Player Registration Forms.

a.  Coaches must have in their possession at all times a valid Player Registration Form for each player on the team.  Forms without an original signature will not be accepted, and the player or players affected will not be allowed to play.

b. At check-in, and if requested by an Area official at any other time, the coach will present the Player Registration Forms of all players shown on the lineup card.

c. NO FORM, NO PLAY, NO EXCEPTIONS, NO FOOLING!

Schedule/Format.

a.  Playoff teams will be randomly seeded. This will be a single elimination tournament.

b.  All games times will be as follows: U16 - 30 minute halves and U19 - 30 minute halves. There will be a maximum of a five-minute half time interval. The Championship and 3rd/4th Place games will be U16 - 40 minutes and U19 - 45 minutes.

c.  If the score is tied, the game will be decided by Kicks from the Penalty Mark.

d. Teams placing first through fourth will receive medals, which are presented at the check-in area after the final match, unless otherwise instructed by the field monitor.

Check-In.

a.  The teams will check-in adjacent to the Tournament administration area.

b. ALL TEAMS MUST CHECK IN AT LEAST FORTY-FIVE (45) MINUTES BEFORE THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE DAY.

c.  Player Registration/Emergency Release Form.  PLEASE have your team ready to check in at the appropriate time.  Coaches must have in their possession a Player Registration/Emergency Medical Release Form for each player, containing:

d.  An ORIGINAL signature of the parent or guardian.

e.  Photocopies of registration forms are acceptable only if the parent/guardian re-signs the copy in colored ink.

f.  The player’s uniform number, printed by the coach, should appear in the upper right hand corner of each form.

g.  Each team should be lined up at their designated check-in area, on time, dressed, and ready for play.

h.  Each player should be lined up, in uniform number order, holding his or her own emergency release form for check-in.  Please remember not to interfere with games in progress.

i.   Game (Lineup) Cards.  It is the responsibility of each coach to present THREE (3) properly completed official AYSO lineup cards to the Check-in Official during check-in.

j.  The three lineup cards will be retained at the check-in area to verify the roster.  One coach, or team official, must remain at the check-in area until the lineup cards are verified against the team roster.

k.  Game cards must include all players on the official team roster in Number Order with BOTH First and Last Names.  For any players not present, the reason for their absence must be noted on the lineup card.

l.  NO CARDS, NO PLAY.

Number of Players, Grace Period, and Rescheduling.

a.  The minimum number of players for a team is seven players.

b.  A scheduled match shall not begin, nor be continued, if one or both teams cannot field a team.

c.  All matches shall start on time, except in the case of field unavailability due to prior game delay.

d.  There will be no grace period.  All matches must end prior to the scheduled start of the next match.  Referees will be instructed to shorten games or end games early, if necessary, to keep the Tournament on-schedule.

e.  Matches canceled due to weather or other natural causes will be rescheduled, if at all, at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

f. All other questions regarding rescheduling, including all decisions regarding forfeits will be at the discretion of the Area Director or designee, whose decision will be final.

Players Under Doctor's Care.  Upon a return to active play after treatment for any injury, all players under a doctor’s care must present a signed release (on the attending physician’s letterhead) with the doctor’s permission to return to active play.  Such releases shall be presented to the Regional Commissioner who has the responsibility of informing and certifying to the Area Director that the child may return to active play with the physician’s permission.

Uniforms.

a.  Every player shall wear a team uniform consisting of matching jersey, shorts, and socks as provided by the Regions in accordance with AYSO Rules and Regulations.

b.  In accordance with FIFA Laws, metal braces, studs, earrings, hair ornaments, and any other hard or metal jewelry or other objects are not allowed.

c.   No hard-brimmed caps or bandannas are allowed.  In the case of cold or inclement weather, soft, knit headwear will be allowed.

d.  Commercially manufactured shin guards of the appropriate size are MANDATORY and must, in the judgment of the referee, afford a player a reasonable amount of protection.

e.  Bicycle shorts must be of the same color as the team's uniform shorts.

f.  Uniform tops must be tucked in at the waist at all times beginning at team check-in.  Uniform shorts must be worn with the waistband at waist level.

g.  No face or hair painting or other body decorations of any kind are allowed, except that soft hair ribbons, rubber bands, or “scrunchies” for hair grooming are allowed and may be colored.

h.  Excessively long fingernails of any kind are not allowed unless the player wears knit gloves during the match.

i.   In case of inclement weather, gloves, mittens, sweat pants and sweatshirts (including turtlenecks) may be worn at the discretion of the referee.  Sweatshirts with hoods must have the hood tucked into the shirt at all times during the game.  Such additional garments shall be of the same color and general style for all teammates who choose to wear them.  Pants shall be worn over the shorts and shirts shall be worn under the jersey.

j.   Goalkeeper jerseys shall not have advertisements for alcohol, cigarettes, etc. nor have obscene, suggestive, insulting, or profane language or artwork on them.

Home Team/Uniform Conflicts.

a.  The Home team is the first team listed on the schedule.

b.  All coaches, substitutes, parents, and spectators for each team shall occupy the opposite side of the field from the other team.  The Home Team shall occupy the west side of the field.  Some fields are laid out North-South.  For these fields, the Home Team will occupy the north side.

c.  The Home Team also is responsible for supplying the game ball and changing jerseys or wearing overlays in the event of a color conflict.  The referee shall make all decisions regarding color conflicts.  Overlays will be available at the check-in area with the deposit of a driver’s license.

Field Responsibility.

a.  It at all times is the responsibility of all teams, coaches, players and spectators to clean up their trash at the end of each match, and to leave the sideline promptly at the conclusion of each game so the next game can start on time.

b.  Noisemakers, megaphones, and loud music are not allowed.

Coaching Limitations.

a. Coaches at all times are expected to set examples of good sportsmanship and shall be responsible for the conduct of their players, parents and spectators.

b.  Coaching shall be limited to positive instruction and encouragement only.  Negative comments about referees or opponents, or abusive language, or behavior directed at the players as judged by the referee or tournament officials will not be tolerated and may subject the coach to discipline or expulsion at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

c.  Sideline participation shall be limited to two coaches from each team who at all times shall remain in the designated coaches' area which extends ten yards on either side of the half-line and is one yard behind the touchline.

d.  Coaches and spectators shall not enter the field of play at any time unless requested by the referee.  Once on the field, coaches shall absolutely refrain from providing coaching instruction to the team, except for player replacement for the injury.

Substitution Opportunities.

a.  Except as noted below, all registered players in attendance at the start of a match shall play at least one-half of the game, excluding overtime, unless injured or ill.  Any questions or special situations should be brought to the attention of the Tournament Director or designee.

b.      Regular Substitutions:

               i.  Regular substitutions are to be made midway through the first half, at the half, and midway through the second half ("quarters"). The Referee will, at a normal stoppage of play, halt the game and the Assistant Referees will note on the lineup cards the substitutions.  A stoppage of play shall be when the ball is out of play, such as just after an injury or a goal, prior to a penalty kick, throw-in, or a goal kick. Play may be stopped by the Referee immediately upon an injury. The injured player may be substituted, or the team may play short.

             ii.  Each team may substitute as many players or none during such substitution opportunities, if all players meet the minimum play requirements.

            iii.   Players substituting in and out at any time must report to the Assistant Referee.

             iv.  A goalkeeper may change with another player on the field at any stoppage of play as long as the referee is informed.  The referee should add time lost as a result of this change.

              v. If the coach enters the field to attend to a player, the player must leave the field to ensure the player's ability to continue in the match. If the coach choses to play short, and if the player is able to continue, the player may re-enter the match at the next stoppage of play with the permission of the referee.

If the player is injured and not able to continue, the team may provide a substitute for the player, in which case the injured player may not return until the next substitution opportunity.  The substitute player must be recognized by the referee prior to entering the field.  Only the player who is injured is credited with play for that period, regardless of the actual time played.  The team also may elect not to substitute for the injured player, in which case the injured player may re-enter the field of play at any time with the permission of the referee.

             vi.  During overtime play, substitution is at the sole discretion of the coach and can take place only at the break between the two overtime periods.

Disciplinary Action.

a.  Violent, abusive, negative, and/or disruptive conduct toward opponents, referees, or officials will not be tolerated.  It is the responsibility of each coach to counsel his or her players and spectators regarding positive and sportsmanlike conduct at all times.

b.  It is not the referee's responsibility to control unruly players and spectators.  IT IS THE JOB OF THE COACH TO DO SO!  And, we expect coaches to do so by setting the best possible example with his or her own behavior.  Any violation of these conduct guidelines may result in discipline, including expulsion from the Tournament, at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

c.  Players and substitutes who are sent off from a match for violent conduct or serious foul play, and coaches who engage in violent behavior will be suspended automatically from all participation from ALL SUBSEQUENT MATCHES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TOURNAMENT, INCLUDING LEAGUE AND ALL-STARS.  There will be no appeals.

d.  Players and substitutes who are sent off from a match for any other reason, and coaches who are asked by any official to leave a game, will be suspended from the remainder of the match and from the entire NEXT match in which they are eligible to play, including league and all-stars.

e.  Players, substitutes and coaches seeking another player, spectator, referee or official for the purpose of fighting or harassing another player, spectator, referee or official after a match either on or in the vicinity of the playing fields, will be suspended from all further play during the remainder of the Tournament, including league and all-stars.

f.   Players and substitutes accumulating a total of two send-offs (red cards) during the Tournament, and coaches accumulating a total of two match suspensions will be ineligible for any further participation for the remainder of the Tournament, including league, and all-stars.

g.  Any player sent off for any reason must immediately leave the vicinity of the playing fields accompanied by a parent or responsible adult, and that player’s team must play short-handed for the remainder of the match.

h.  Except for an instance of improper goalkeeper change, any player or substitute committing a second cautionable offense (yellow card) in the same match will be sent off for the remainder of the match, and the participant will be ineligible for the next match in which the player otherwise would be eligible to play, including league and all-star.

i.    If the individual committing a second cautionable offense (yellow card) is a player at the time, the team of that player must play short-handed.  Any player receiving a total of three yellow cards during this tournament will then be ineligible to play in their next scheduled match (league or all-stars).

j.   Stronger penalties may be imposed depending upon the circumstance of the cautionable offenses as determined by the Tournament Disciplinary Committee (consisting of the Area Director or designee, the Area Tournament Director, Area Coach Administrator, and Area Referee Administrator).

k.  The Area Tournament Director will keep a tally of all cautions and send-offs.

l.   Any player or coach, suspended under these Guidelines, who is found to have participated in a match from which he or she was suspended, shall be suspended for the next match in which he or she is eligible to play, including league and all-star play, and the game may be forfeit at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

m.  Any offending coach may also be suspended for the balance of the Tournament, including league and all-star play at the discretion of the Area Director or designee.

n.   Any team causing the termination of a match by any demonstration or disruption shall forfeit that match.  Any team causing the termination of two matches for disciplinary reasons will be suspended for the remainder of the Tournament, including league and all-star play.

Referee Reports.

a.  Referees shall submit a written report in the event of:

              i.  All cautions (yellow cards) and send-offs (red cards).

             ii.  Violent conduct of the players, and any conduct of coaches or spectators interfering with the control of the match.

            iii.   Abuse of AYSO minimum play rules which may come to the attention of the referee.

             iv.  Any other action, which the referee may determine merits a report.

b.  Referee reports must be made to the Area Referee Administrator.

The Taking of Kicks from the Penalty Mark (Shootouts).

a.  The following procedures shall apply if the taking of kicks from the penalty mark is necessary to decide the winner of a tied match as indicated by the Area Tournament tie-break rules:

               i.    The taking of kicks from the penalty mark will be conducted according to the FIFA Laws of the Game.

               ii.   Only those players on the field of play at the conclusion of the final overtime period (or regular game period if no overtime period is specified) may participate in the shootout.

               iii.   If, due to injury or send-offs, one team has fewer players than the other, the team with the greater number of players shall reduce their numbers so they have the same number of players eligible to participate.  The name and number of each player excluded shall be provided to the referee.

               iv.   Team captains shall participate in a coin-toss to determine which team shoots first.  The team that wins may chose whether to shoot first or second.

                v.   Five players from each team shall take alternate shots until one team has scored more goals than the opposing team has players left to kick.

                vi.  If the match remains tied after the first five shooters, the taking of kicks shall continue in the same order, until such time as both have taken an equal number of kicks (not necessarily five more kicks) and one team has scored a goal more than the other.

               vii.  If the score remains tied after all players from each team eligible to participate in the shootout have taken their respective shots, the teams shall continue to alternate the taking of kicks and any eligible player can shoot again.  It is not necessary that they follow in the same order in taking their second kicks as they had for the first series of kicks.

Protests.  While constructive input is always welcome, THERE WILL BE NO PROTESTS WHATSOEVER!!

HAVE A GREAT TOURNAMENT!!!

Your Area Tournament Staff

Charlie Johnson, Area Director

Chuck McKaughan , Area Coach Administrator

Linda Kovar , Area Referee Administrator

Randy Holland, Area Director of Referee Instruction

Rocky Kovar, Area Referee Director of Assessment

John Velotta, Treasurer

Steve & Kris Graham, Area Staff