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NEPTUNE SOCCER ASSOCIATION est. 1970

RULE I 

All teams participating must have provincial or state passes.

No player will be allowed to play unless he or she has a valid pass.

Each team will be allowed to have no more than 5 (five) guest players. 

A grace period of ten minutes may be granted before forfeit is declared.

Players with casts will not be allowed to play. 

Smoking is prohibited at all Tournament sites.

·        Rosters submitted at registration for full-sided teams may contain up to twenty-two (22) players who will be deemed eligible to play for the team during the events, including any combination of both rostered players and up to five (5) guest players; for small-sided teams, sixteen players (16) can be made eligible, including up to five (5) guest players.

·        Up to eighteen (18) players may be in uniform and present on the team’s sideline technical area for any single full sided game; fourteen (14) players for small-sided games. The players eligible to participate in any given game can only vary from day to day at the event, provided all the players used are listed on the roster submitted at registration.

·        Players may only play with a single team during the course of the event. Should a player appear on more than one roster, the first team with which the player participates on the field shall be deemed the player’s primary team for the event; Should the player participate with more than one team, the player can be barred from further participation at the event with any team. Teams that allowed such player to participate can also be sanctioned with a forfeit in any game where such ineligible player was used, and the Tournament Committee may fashion such other remedies as are deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

 

RULE II

F.I.F.A. rules will govern play with modifications as listed below.

 

RULE III

Substitutions may be made on any stoppage of play at the discretion of the referee.

 

RULE IV

Length of games will be:                  Full Sided..............30 minute half

                                                       Small Sided.............25 minute half

 

1st and 2nd place awards will be given to all teams U-11 and older.

 All games will be final, no overtime or shootouts. 

U8, U9, U10 teams will all receive participation patches.

 

U8, U9, U10 – 7 v 7

U11, U12 – 9 v 9

 

RULES FOR 7 V 7 (U8, U9, AND U10)

  1. Offsides
    1. The build out line (marked equidistant between the penalty area line and the midfield line) will also be used to denote where offside offenses can be called.
    2. Players cannot be penalized for an offside offense between the midfield line and the build out line.
    3. Players can be penalized for an offside offense between the build out line and the opposing goal line.
  2. Build Out Line
    1. When the goalkeeper has the ball in his or her hands during play from the opponent, the opposing team must move behind the build out line until the ball is put into play (restart is an indirect free kick for the opposing team if there is an infraction).
    2. Once the opposing team is behind the build out line, the goalkeeper can pass, throw or roll the ball into play (punts and drop kicks are not allowed and the restart is an indirect free kick taken on the penalty area line parallel to the goal line at the nearest point to where the infringement occurred).
    3. After the ball is put into play by the goalkeeper, the opposing team can cross the build out line and play resumes as normal.
    4. The opposing team must also move behind the build out line during a goal kick until the ball is put into play (kicked and moved).
    5. Ideally the goalkeeper will wait to put the ball into play once all opponents are past the build out line.
    6. However, the goalkeeper can put the ball into play sooner but he or she does so accepting the positioning of the opponents and the consequences of how play resumes.
    7. To support the intent of the development rule, coaches and referees should be mindful of any intentional delays being caused by opponents not retreating in a timely manner or encroaching over the build out line prior to the ball being put into play.
    8. Coaches are responsible for addressing these types of issues with their players.
    9. Referees can manage the situation with misconduct if deemed appropriate.
    10. Referees should be flexible when enforcing the six second rule and counting the time of possession should only begin when all opponents have moved behind the build out line.
    11. The opposing team must also move behind the build out line during defensive direct or indirect kicks taken from inside the penalty area.

RULES FOR 9 V9 (U11, AND U12)

  1. Offisides
    1. Offisides starts at the midfield line as usual.
  2. Punting
    1. Punting is allowed BUT once punted the ball cannot land in the penalty area of the opposing team from the air.  If the ball does then an indirect free kick should be taken on the penalty area line where the ball crossed into the penalty area

RULE V 

Any player receiving a red card will be required to sit out a minimum of one game following the ejection.

The pass of the player receiving the red card must be turned into the Site Coordinator immediately following the game.

The Tournament Site Committee shall have the authority to add additional game suspensions.

Any player / coach receiving a red card for fighting will automatically be ejected from the tournament.

 

RULE VI 

No protests will be allowed.

 

RULE VII 

All Red and Yellow cards and other matters involving the conduct of a team,

its players, coaches or supporters will be recorded by the Neptune Soccer Association Tournament

Director and Referee Assignor and reported immediately to the home state association and the home club/league. Disciplinary Points will be assigned to each Yellow Card (1 Point) and Red Card (2 Points) issued.

The accumulated total of Disciplinary Points may determine whether or not a team advances. (Refer to VIII)

 

RULE VIII 

Division V and VI Teams may not participate in overtime periods, all ties stand. 

No standings shall be maintained for Division V and VI brackets, all players will receive participation awards. Scores will be posted for Division V and VI brackets.

The scoring process for the tournament is as follows:

1.      Three points will be awarded for a win.

2.      One point will be awarded for a tie.

3.      Three points will be awarded for a forfeit (1-0). The bracket winner and runner-up will be determined as follows:

              1. Order of finish will be determined by total points from above.

              2. Ties will be broken by applying the following tiebreakers in the order indicated:

                         a. If one team has won in head-to-head competition.

b. Goal differential (maximum of 3 per game). Higher total gets the higher finishing position.

                         c. Fewest goals allowed. Lower total gets the higher finishing position.

                        d. Most shutouts. Team with the most shutouts.

                         e. Lowest number of Disciplinary Points.

                         f. If, after applying the above tiebreakers, a tie still exists, the teams involved in the

                         tie will break the tie by means of the last two procedures noted under item 2 of the

                         "Rules for Tie-Breakers for Forfeit within a Division".

g. If, after applying the above tiebreakers, a three-way tie still exists, the tie will be               broken via Kicks from the Penalty Mark (KPM). The Coaches involved will flip a coin, the odd coin will advance to the Bracket. Championship round.  The other two teams will shoot out via KPM, with the winner advancing to the Bracket Championship round.  

 

RULE IX 

If a tie exists at the end of regulation time for a semi-final or final game, we will proceed to F.I.F.A.

Penalty Kick from the penalty mark.

 

RULE X 

No coaching will be done from outside the technical area: ten yards on either side of the centerline and two yards back from the touchline.

 

RULE XI 

Harassment of the referees will not be tolerated from players, coaches or spectators. The referees are empowered to eject offenders from the playing area. The Tournament Site Committee may award forfeits on the advice of the referee if the harassment continues. Any matters involving referee harassment, assault or abuse shall, in accordance with USSF Rule 3042, will be referred immediately to the host state association. The Referee has the authority to stop play in the event of inclement weather.  The Tournament Director or Site Coordinator may also stop play in the event of inclement weather if the Referee has not done so. The Referee will note the time remaining in the match at the time the match is stopped. If play is stopped, the Tournament Director and/or Site Coordinator, in consultation with the

Referee Assignor will determine when play will resume.

 

RULE XII

THREE-TEAM DIVISION: Double Round Robin, each team plays four games. No finals: winner of division wins.

FOUR-TEAM DIVISION: Round Robin, each team plays three games. Finals.

FIVE-TEAM DIVISION: Round Robin, each team plays four games. No Finals.

SIX-TEAM DIVISION: Two three-team brackets. Intra-division play on Saturday.

Top two finishers in each bracket advance to semi-finals Third place finishers play consolation game.  Winners of semi-finals advance to finals.

EIGHT-TEAM DIVISION: Two four-team brackets, round robin within bracket, winner of each bracket will play in final.

There is no Championship for Division V and VI brackets.

 

RULE XIII

The tournament application fee is $750.00 for Full sided teams, $600.00 for U11 and U12 teams, and $575 for U8 – U10 teams.

Teams not accepted will have their application fee refunded.

The application fee is non-refundable after acceptance.

 

RULE XIV

In the case of inclement weather causing the stoppage or cancellation of games, the tournament committee reserves the right to modify the schedule, duration and/or number of games to best accommodate for the situation. The Tournament Committee and Neptune Soccer Association

are not responsible for any expenses incurred by teams if the tournament is canceled in whole or in part.

Exception – In the event the Tournament is cancelled for any reason prior to the start, a minimum

of 80% of the team’s entry fee shall be refunded. If the Tournament is postponed or rescheduled a

new permission to host application shall be submitted to NJYS. 

All teams that applied to the original date will be given the opportunity to withdraw from the

Tournament’s revised date with a full refund of their entry fee.

 RULES FOR TIE BREAKERS FOR FORFEIT WITHIN A DIVISION

 1. All teams receiving a forfeit will have been awarded three points.

 2. When a forfeit occurs within a division and the forfeit has an impact on the teams that are tied advancing to Semi-final or Final rounds, the following rules for breaking the tie will be applied in the order indicated:

* No bonus points will be considered for the tiebreaker.

* Head-to-head competition.

* A flip of a coin will determine the winner.

NOTE: Any team forfeiting a match during the tournament will not be allowed to advance to the

Semi-final, Final match or be eligible for Trophies, unless a reason for the forfeit is judged to be valid by the Tournament Site Committee.

 

RULE XV

Golf Cart Policy:  You must have a valid New Jersey Drivers License to operate a Golf Cart at the tournament.

 

RULE XVI

Tournament director & Committee has the right to adjust rules due to extreme heat or inclement weather for the safety of the kids. The Tournament Director and Committee’s interpretation of the rules shall be binding and final.