Tournament Rules

Please read fully the following rules and guidelines fully to ensure complete understanding of the 2009 NACS procedures. If there are any questions, comments, or complaints, feel free to contact us.

AGE AND ELIGIBILITY:  

Participation in the 2009 The North American College Showcase is open to teams composed of eighteen (18) or fewer players meeting the age limit of the specified division. Players must have been born during, or subsequent to, the divisional year. Each team must be registered with a National State Association affiliated with US Youth Soccer, with US Club Soccer, or if a foreign team registered with an appropriate National or Provincial Association. All teams must present an approved and valid Association Roster. Appropriate passes/pass cards duly authorized by appropriate Association or US Club Soccer will be required as proof of age only. 

 CREDENTIALS:  

At the Mandatory Registration, teams must provide the required credentials. All U.S. teams must provide team rosters and signed and notarized Medical Release Forms for all players on the roster.  Foreign teams must also provide Player I.D. Cards with photographs, and signed Medical Release Forms. Foreign players should be able to provide proof of entry documents required by the United States (e.g. Passports) and provide a proof of permission to travel form from their National or Provincial Association approving team’s participation in the Tournament. Team Rosters and medical consent forms with proper jersey numbers for each team must be present at the field for the duration of each match.

 COST:

Team Registration cost is $ 650.00 USD.  Teams must submit payment in the form of check or money order for US Dollars upon receipt of acceptance to the NACS.

 ROSTER:

Teams may register a maximum of eighteen (18) players. A team may use up to five (5) guest players but any team utilizing guest players is still limited to the eighteen player maximum.

 2009 AGE GROUPS for teams are as follows: 

• Under 18 G/B
• Under 17 G/B
• Under 16 G/B

US CLUB TEAMS CHECK IN LIST:  

• US Club Player Passes
• US Club Medical Releases
• US Club Roster (have a copy to turn in)
• Emergency, Lodging and Contact Information Sheet for Your Team
• Coaches and or designated sideline personal need to present their risk management cards at check in.

USYSA TEAMS CHECK IN LIST: 

• USYSA Player Passes
• State Association Medical Release Forms
• State Roster from Your State Association (have a copy to turn in)
• If appropriate, Guest Player Forms and Permission to Travel Forms
• Emergency, Lodging and Contact Information Sheet for Your Team
• Coaches and or designated sideline personal need to present their risk management cards at check in.

FOREIGN TEAMS CHECK IN LIST: 

• Appropriate Player Passes
• Appropriate Medical Release Forms
• Roster from Appropriate Association (have a copy to turn in)
• If appropriate, Guest Player Forms and Permission to Travel Forms
• Emergency, Lodging and Contact Information Sheet for Your Team
• Coaches and or designated sideline personal need to present their risk management cards at check in.

PLAY: 

Each Team will be guaranteed four 60 minute matches. This is a showcase for the players, there are no championship awards and no semi-final or final games will be held and therefore no overtime periods, PK shootouts, standings or tie-breakers are necessary. Games not played will be classified as "Forfeits and Byes’ 

All Games will be called not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game regardless of the amount of time played in each half up to that point. A game is "complete" upon completion of one half of play regardless of the circumstances of termination during the second half with final results based on the score at the time the game is called. 

HALF TIME:  

Half Time will be exactly ten minutes, and may be shortened upon agreemeent of part5icipating teams and officials.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Free and unlimited substitution (sub on the fly) will be allowed in all age groups at any time the ball is out of play. A substituted player may re-enter the match.

Providing the following:

• All substitutions are within the substitution technical area of the field.
• The player being substituted is at the touch line of the substitution technical area.
• Only when the player being replaced has reached the touch can the new player enter.

PLAYER’S EQUIPMENT: 

It will be at the Referee's discretion to determine the safety and suitability of player equipment including the wearing of a hard brace or soft cast. Hard casts are not allowed. Shin guards are mandatory for all players. 

The Home team shall wear light color. In case of a color conflict, the home team is asked to change jerseys. The first team listed on the schedule is the Home team. The designated home team (listed first on the schedule) must provide the game ball.

Players and coaches will take one side of the pitch, and supporters will take the other side of the pitch.

INJURY: 

Due to time constraints and the showcase format, delays of the game due to injury will not result in time being added to the full game time, except in the case where serious injury delays the restart of a game by more than 10 minutes. In that case, upon notification by the field marshal, the showcase director may allow extension of the game for an amount of injury time determined by the referee.

COACHING:  

All Coaches have total responsibility for the conduct of their players, friends and spectators at all times. Coaching from the sidelines (giving direction to one's own team on points of strategy and position) is permitted although discouraged during a showcase event such as this, provided: No mechanical devices are used; The tone of the voice is instructive and not derogatory; No coach, substitute, or spectator makes derogatory remarks or gestures to the referees, other coaches, players, or spectators; No coach, player, substitute, or spectator uses profanity or incites, in any manner, disruptive behavior.

CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS: 

A player or coach receiving two cautions (yellow cards) in a single game is considered to have been given an Ejection (red card). A player who has been ejected (sent off) will not be replaced. A player or coach who has been ejected will not return for that game and will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game. A player or coach who is ejected for violent conduct or serious foul play will not be allowed to participate in the balance of the showcase. Any player or coach who assaults a referee will be expelled from the Showcase. For the purpose of this showcase a Coach can be carded. Players and Coaches must serve all suspensions away from the playing field.  They may remain at the soccer complex, but must move to the parking lot area.

SUSPENDED AND TERMINATED GAMES: 

If in the opinion of game officials a game must be suspended (for reason), the game may be resumed, but is subject to being ended not less than five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled start of the next game. If in the opinion of game officials, a game must be terminated for misconduct of players, bench coaches, or spectators, the offending team could be suspended from further play and forfeits that game and all remaining games. Additionally, the home league and State Association will be contacted as appropriate.

FORFEITS:  

All teams who forfeit will have the game(s) scored a 0-1 loss. Teams failing to report ready to play with a minimum of 7 players within ten minutes after the scheduled kick off time will forfeit. Home Teams unable to supply alternate jerseys or teams failing to check in at the Mandatory Registration or for taking actions that cause a game to be terminated will forfeit. Teams who forfeit seriously jeopardize their right to play in any future Showcases. Due to the nature of this Showcase, every effort will be made to provide a replacement team/game for the team whose opponent forfeits.

DISPUTES:

Game conduct is under the jurisdiction of the referee and the showcase will not overrule a referee’s decision. All disputes will be settled by the Showcase Director or his/her designee and the decision will be final. PROTESTS FROM THE COACH, TEAM PLAYERS OR TEAM MANAGERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.

CONDUCT: 

Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit and the letter of the Law. Displays of temper or dissent are cause for ejection from the game and surrounding field area. Please use no artificial noise making devices. Please honor our site restrictions of NO smoking, NO Pets, NO Alcohol, and NO Glass Containers, Please DO NOT Park on the Grass. Please Pick up ALL Litter at the fields or in the parking lots after the matches.  

In the event of an assault or abuse of a game official, a judiciary hearing shall immediately be taken place at a Showcase site to be designated by the Showcase Director. All terms described in the USSF Official Administrative Rule Book – Misconduct Toward Game Official – shall apply. In any event, a player or coach or other team official or spectator who is charged with an assault on or abuse of a game official is suspended from further participation in the Showcase. 

In the event disciplinary action is required, if deemed necessary by the Showcase committee, the appropriate USSF, US Club, or National/ Provincial Association shall be notified and the appropriate Disciplinary Report shall be filed.

INCLEMENT WEATHER: 

In case of inclement weather or other force of nature, the Showcase Committee will have the authority to change games as follows:

• Reschedule any game(s).
• Change the duration of any game(s).

INCLEMENT WEATHER BEFORE THE MATCH: 

Referees and/or Showcase Committee may reduce the length of the match, and subsequent matches by 50%, however the halves of the match must be of equal duration. If the match is cancelled, the Showcase Committee will award a 0-0 tie. 

INCLEMENT WEATHER DURING A MATCH: 

The match will be considered completed and the score will stand if one half has been completed. If less than one half has been completed, a 0-0 tie will be awarded by the Showcase Committee. 

INCLEMENT WEATHER BEFORE START OF SHOWCASE: 

If severe inclement weather causes the cancellation of the Showcase in its entirety, ALL TEAMS WILL BE PROVIDED A DISCOUNT TO NEXT YEAR’S SHOWCASE.  The percentage discount will be determined by subtracting the cost incurred per team by their original entry fee (Cancellation of the Showcase due to inclement weather is the only condition that qualifies for this discount) 

GENERAL: 

Except in the case described in the paragraph above, under no circumstances whatsoever will The North American College or US Club be responsible for any expenses (including the Showcase entry fee) incurred by any team. This includes a situation where the Showcase or any game(s) is canceled/terminated in whole or part. 

The Showcase Committee's interpretation of the rules shall be final. The Showcase Committee reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to this Showcase. No items of any kind may be sold at The Saginaw Sports Complex, the playing fields, or surrounding the event areas for the duration of the Showcase without the expressed, written approval of the Showcase Committee.