Chisholm Trail Classic

Academy Teams

NTSSA / U.S Club Academy Soccer

All Academy teams may be moved up to play next level or any academy team playing up might be placed in either bracket depending on number of registered teams. Example if you registered as an 8U Academy team and wanted to play in the 7v7 bracket, but a team is needed in the 4v4 bracket your team can be placed in the 4v4 bracket to make that bracket.

Or if you register as a 7U/8U academy team to play 4v4 your team can be moved to play 7v7 bracket if needed to fill a bracket. All teams will be given the option to move before a team is moved by the Tournament Director. If no team volunteers then the last team or teams registered for the tournament will be automatically be moved and notified.

12U Competitive teams

9v9 and 11v11 Brackets

All 11U/12U Competitive teams may be moved to either 9v9 or 11v11 bracket. Example if your team registers for the 12U Competitive 11v11 and another team is needed to fill a bracket in the 9v9 your team can be moved to the 9v9 bracket to help fill the bracket. If you sign up for the 11U/12U Competitive 9v9 and a team is needed to move and play in the 11v11 bracket your team can be move up.

All teams will be given the option to move before a team is moved by the Tournament Director. If no team volunteers then the last team or teams registered for the tournament will be automatically be moved and notified.

Uniforms

Tournament Uniform Requirements

Each team must have unique numbered jerseys. Alternate jerseys or numbered T-shirts must be available with a unique number for each player. Pinnies may be used over the jersey resolve color conflicts. Goalkeepers are not required to have a number on their jersey but should be identified by number on the roster. Violators will be removed from the field and not allowed back on the field of play until player equipment is corrected. Home Team is team listed first on schedule. Home Team will change jerseys if there is a color conflict.

Technical Area

The Place for Coaches & Players

Teams will occupy the side of the field designated for Coaches / Players on the opposite side of the field from spectators. Coaches and players will remain within the standard technical area during the match.

Forfeits

Be Ready To Play

A game may be declared a forfeit by the Tournament Director if a team is not ready to play at the published time within ten (10) minutes of the game. At half-time the teams must be ready to resume play within five (5) minutes of the referee’s designation.

Game Protests

Contact the Tournament Director

The only protests allowed are for ineligible player and misapplications of the laws of the game that the referee admits. All protests must have a material impact on the outcome of the game and be reported in writing, with a One Hundred Dollar ($100) cashier’s check, money order or cash.

Game Lengths

Prelims, Semis, Finals

Teams will play Mini-Games in preliminary & quarter-final games. Semi-final and Final games will be full length up to 40 minute halves. Half-time will be 5-10 minutes depending on the age group. ( 6U – 8U recreational do not play advancement games)

Advancement / Points

Tiebreaker Procedures

Brackets with three (3) or four (4) teams that play each other within the bracket, the team with the highest total points will advance from the bracket. Three (3) team brackets that play crossover games with other three (3) team brackets, the top two (2) teams with the highest total points of the two (2) brackets combined will advance. Preliminary games may end in a tie. If any quarterfinal, semifinal, or final games end in a tie, IFAB “kicks” from the mark will be taken to determine the winner and there will be no overtime periods of play.

NTSSA scoring system for mini-games will be as follows:

6 points for a win
3 points for a tie
0 points for a loss
1 point per goal scored in the game with a maximum of 3
1 point for a shutout (not allowing opponent to score including 0-0 tie)

A forfeit game will be scored at a 3-0 win in calculating mini-games points for tiebreaker determination.

When determining “Wild Cards” if needed, the team(s) from all brackets with the next highest number of points will be selected after all bracket winners have been chosen. Age brackets that contain flights with different numbers of scheduled games, points will be determined on a 10-point system. All teams will divide points by total games scheduled in order to obtain equality with all brackets.

If two or more teams are tied in points after their mini-games are completed, the following tiebreaker procedures will be used to determine the team advancing:

Head to Head game results - winner will advance.
Most number of “shutouts” - team with most “shutouts” will advance.
Goal differential – team with highest goal differential against opponent will advance (maximum of five (5) goal differential). (Example: A 7-0 game = 5-0 in calculating advancement; an 11-5 game = 10-5 in calculating advancement).
Fewest goals allowed - team with fewest goals allowed will advance.
Fewest accumulation of caution points, 1 point for yellow and 2 points for red.
Kicks from the mark

These tiebreaker procedures will be applied, in order, to the teams tied in points until one team is selected for advancement. In the event of a tie involving age brackets that contain flights with different numbers of scheduled games, then the same tie breakers are used with the exception that averaging to determine b, c, d, and e will be used.

Minimum Players

Roster Requirements

Each team must have a minimum of seven (7) players on the field to start the game. There must be a minimum of seven (7) to continue the game. In 6U and 8U, three (3) players are required, and 10U five (5) players are required.

Substitutions

Subs at Any Stoppage in the Game

Due to the typical amount of heat during this tournament, there will be free substitution, with the referee’s consent, for all age groups, at any stoppage in play.

Misconduct

Send Offs and Suspensions

Any send-offs should be reported to the Tournament Director immediately following the game. Any player or coach sent-off (other than receiving two cautions in the same game) shall automatically sit out the next played tournament game with their team (unless the send-off occurred in the last game of the tournament for that player or coach, in which case such player or coach would be required to sit out their next scheduled game played).

IF THE SEND-OFF WAS FOR FIGHTING (VIOLENT CONDUCT) OR IF IT IS THE PLAYER’S SECOND TOURNAMENT SEND-OFF, THE PLAYER WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE TOURNAMENT.

Any player receiving three (3) cautions (yellow cards) in the tournament must sit out the next played tournament game with their team (unless the third caution occurred in the last game of the tournament for that player or coach, in which case such player or coach would be required to sit out their next scheduled game played). The NTSSA Cup & Games A&D Committee has the right to hold a hearing and increase the suspension at its discretion. Any player sent off must immediately report to the tournament headquarters with a manager or parent.

ANY COACHES OR SPECTATORS SENT OFF MUST REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THE TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS IF THEY WISH TO ATTEND ANY FURTHER GAMES AT THE TOURNAMENT.

Match Decisions

The Authority of the Referee

Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match. He or she is the final decision-making authority on all facts connected with play, and is the only official on the pitch with the authority to start and stop play and impose disciplinary action against players during a match.

The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final. The decisions of the referee, and all other match officials, must always be respected.

Final Authority

Tournament Oversight

The Tournament Director’s interpretation of all rules shall be final and binding. The Tournament Director reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to the tournament including matters not covered explicitly by the rules. No appeals will be allowed beyond that point.

Club Linesman

When Necessary

In the event the referee or assistant referee are missing from the field, report immediately to your Field Coordinator. In the event the Assistant Referees are not available, each team is required to provide a “club linesman”. Club linesmen are those volunteers who help a solo referee determine if the ball is out-of-bounds. They do not have any other authority or responsibilities of an Assistant Referee (AR).

Game Stopped Short

Half = Full Game

If a game has played one full half but is stopped short of full time, other than acts on the part of one of the teams, the game shall be considered complete. Full-length games, if tied will be determined by the tiebreaker procedure.

Inclement Weather

Tournament Cancellation

In the event of inclement weather, format for tournament play and/or completion of the tournament will be determined by the tournament committee. If a game is played into the second half and stopped short of full time, other than acts on the part of one of the teams, the game shall be considered complete. Full-length games, if tied, will be determined by the tie-breaker procedure.

“ If inclement weather cancels the tournament prior to the completion of a team’s first scheduled game of the tournament, a maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the team’s entry fee may be retained by the tournament to cover start-up cost of the tournament.

Score Cards

Required By Both Teams

When coaches first check in at the tournament tent they will be given all score cards. Coaches will turn in Score Cards to the Tournament Headquarters after each match and they do not need to be signed by the referee. Referees will retain the match report and turn them into the tournament tent as soon as possible.

Once both score cards are turned in then scores will be updated. If only one team turns in a card then that card will be used. If the two teams score cards do not match, then the Tournament Director then will pull the Referees match report and this will be used as the official score.

Refunds

Tournament Refund Policy

All teams not accepted by the tournament will be refunded in full within ten (10) days of the notification of rejection, or notification to the teams accepted, whichever comes first. Refunds are not given to any team that withdraws from the tournament after being accepted to the tournament.

Tournament Withdrawal

Tournament Withdrawal Policy

Any team that withdraws from a tournament less than two weeks from the start of a tournament or does not complete all required scheduled games, may not be allowed to enter any sanctioned tournaments until said team appears before the NTSSA Cup & Games Committee. The committee may issue sanctions to include suspension from tournament play. No refunds will be made to teams that withdraw from tournament after they have been accepted.

Cases Not Covered

See the Tournament Director

For any situation or question not covered by the rules, the Tournament Director will make the final decision regarding that matter. The decision shall be final and cannot be appealed.