Adobe PDF Format of 2005 Rules

1. AGE AND ELIGIBILITY

A. Participation in the WAGS TOURNAMENT is open to accepted teams composed of 

Max 22 players:              Under 17 - Under 19
Max 18 players:              Under 12 - Under 16 
Max 18 players:              Under 11 (11 v 11)
Max 14 players:              Under 11 (8 v 8)

each meeting the age limit of the specified division (See 1.B. and 1.C. below for loan player requirements). 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 and must present an approved and valid Official State Roster. US Youth Soccer Member passes duly authorized by State National Association will be required as proof of age. US YOUTH SOCCER MEMBER PASSES AND OFFICIAL STATE APPROVED ROSTERS MUST BE PRESENT AT THE FIELD FOR THE DURATION OF THE GAME.

B. Loan Players Under 11 – Under 14’s:  A maximum of three (3) loan players may be used on a WAGS Tournament Roster.  However, a team using loan players must have no more than a total of fifteen (15) players on said roster (14 player max for the U11 8v8 age group).  The Request for Loan Players must be submitted, by the designated deadline date, to the WAGS Tournament Committee for approval.  Loan players must be current US Youth Soccer players whose team for which they are registered is not participating in the WAGS Tournament.  In addition, ALL teams (including WAGSL affiliate teams) must provide duly authorized National State Association documentation denoting the use of loan player(s) and permission to travel. Teams failing to abide by this rule will not be permitted to play in the tournament.

C.  Loan Players Under 15’s & Under 16’s:  A maximum of three (3) loan players may be used on a WAGS Tournament Roster.  However, a team using loan players must have no more than a total of eighteen (18) players on said roster.  The Request for Loan Players must be submitted, by the designated deadline date, to the WAGS Tournament Committee for approval.  Loan players must be current US Youth Soccer players whose team for which they are registered is not participating in the WAGS Tournament.  In addition, ALL teams (including WAGSL affiliate teams) must provide duly authorized National State Association documentation denoting the use of loan player(s) and permission to travel. Teams failing to abide by this rule will not be permitted to play in the tournament.

D.  Loan Players Under 17’s & Under 19’s:  A maximum of three (3) loan players may be used on a WAGS Tournament Roster.  However, a team using loan players must have no more than a total of twenty-two (22) players on said roster.  The Request for Loan Players must be submitted, by the designated deadline date, to the WAGS Tournament Committee for approval.  Loan players must be current US Youth Soccer players whose team for which they are registered is not participating in the WAGS Tournament.  In addition, ALL teams (including WAGSL affiliate teams) must provide duly authorized National State Association documentation denoting the use of loan player(s) and permission to travel. Teams failing to abide by this rule will not be permitted to play in the tournament.

D. US Youth Soccer Permission to Travel – Region I Teams:  US Youth Soccer Permission to Travel forms are not required for Region I teams accepted into the WAGS Tournament.  The only exception being NJSYS and CJSA Teams.

E.  US Youth Soccer Permission to Travel – Non Region I Teams:  All non US Youth Soccer Region I Teams must obtain and approved US Youth Soccer Permission to Travel Form, approved and signed by a duly authorized State or National Association representative, to attend the WAGS Tournament

F. Age groups for teams are as follows:

Under 19 (August 1, 1986 and younger)
Under 17 (August 1, 1988 and younger)
Under 16 (August 1, 1989 and younger)
Under 15 (August 1, 1990 and younger)
Under 14 (August 1, 1991 and younger)
Under 13 (August 1, 1992 and younger)
Under 12 (August 1, 1993 and younger)
Under 11 (August 1, 1994 and younger)*

* All U-11 teams must have a minimum of 7 players born 8/1/94 through 7/31/95.

2. LAWS OF THE GAME

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

3. DURATION OF GAMES

The duration of tournament games shall be in accordance with the following:

All games will be played with a running clock.  The referee may add time for serious injuries or other incidents, including, but not limited to, deliberate time wasting.  The referee is the official timekeeper and therefore all decisions regarding game duration are solely at th e referee’s discretion.

4. FIELD AND GAME EQUIPMENT

A.  Under 11 through Under 16 teams:  All teams must check in w/ the appropriate Field Marshal 30-minutes prior to their kick-off time.  At this check-in, all teams must produce the following items for verification:

1.       US Youth Soccer Member pass for all players

2.       Official State Roster denoted w/ “WAGS Tournament” stamp. 

B.  Under 17 & Under 19 teams:  All teams must check in w/ the appropriate Field Marshal 30-minutes prior to their kick-off time.  At this check-in, all teams must produce the following items for verification:

1.       US Youth Soccer Member pass for all players

2.       Official Game Roster (denoting the maximum 18 players that will be participating in that game) denoted w/ “WAGS Tournament” stamp. 

3.    The remaining players (listed on the Official State Roster but not listed on the Official Game Roster) may sit on the team bench side HOWEVER they may NOT be in uniform.

Failure to produce either items 4.B.1 or 4.B.2 will result in a forfeit for the offending team.  Failure to comply with 4.B.3 will result in a forfeit for the offending team.

C.  Players (excluding the goalkeeper) must wear numbers on the back of their uniforms and these numbers shall coincide with those listed on the team's Official State Roster.  The WAGS Tournament requires jersey #'s on the Official State Roster.

D. PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR SHIN GUARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FIFA LAWS OF THE GAME.

E. Where uniform colors are similar, the designated home team will change colors. Home team has choice of sideline. Home team is listed first on the schedule.

F. For all age groups, players and coaches will take one side of the pitch, and supporters will take the other side of the pitch. No one will be allowed behind either end line.

G. When requested by the referee, each team must provide an Assistant Referee (A/R).

H. The designated home team must provide the game ball provided by the tournament.

5. PROTESTS

THERE WILL BE NO PROTESTS!

6. SUBSTITUTIONS

A. Unlimited substitutions may be made, with the referee’s permission:

1. After a goal has been made.
2. At the beginning of the second half of play or prior to the beginning of an overtime period.
3. At a goal kick by either team.
4. At a throw-in by the team in possession.

B. Limited substitutions may be made, with the referee’s permission, in case of stoppage of play for an injury (one-for-one basis for the injured player(s)).

7. GAME AND SCORE REPORTING

A. The Field Marshal will ensure that the game report forms are properly completed, signatures obtained, and scores recorded at the end of each game.

B. It is the responsibility of BOTH coaches to deliver the completed and signed Score Card to the appropriate Site Official (Division Coordinator/Site Scorekeeper). In case of a discrepancy, the Official Game Report Form, signed by the referee, prevails.

C. The Division Coordinator and/or the Site Scorekeeper will ensure that the scores of each game are reported to the Tournament HQ, in a timely manner, each day.

8. CONDUCT

A. 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.

B. Players, coaches, and team officials ejected from a game by the referee shall be ineligible for the next scheduled game. WAGSL players and coaches receiving yellow and/or red cards will, in addition, have the matter referred to the WAGSL Director of Rules and Discipline for further action under the WAGS League rules. Also, Tournament management will report yellow and/or red cards issued to players from other State Associations to those players’ home State Associations.

C. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE NOT PERMITTED AT GAME SITES.

D. SMOKING IS PROHIBITED AT QUANTICO MARINE BASE AND IS ENFORCED.

E. ARTIFICIAL NOISE-MAKING DEVICES ARE PROHIBITED.

F. In the event of an assault or abuse of a game official, a judiciary hearing shall immediately be convened at a Tournament site to be designated by the Tournament 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 who is charged with an assault on or abuse of a game official is suspended from further participation in the WAGS Tournament.

9. GROUP WINNERS AND WILD CARD TEAMS

A. Each team will be awarded three (3) points for a win, one (1) point for a tie, and no (0) points for a loss. 

B. At the end of the preliminary rounds, the group winner shall be the team with the most (win/tie) points in their group. In the event of a tie within a group, the following criteria shall be used to determine the winner.

1. Head to head competition. (In the event of a tie among more than two (2) teams, this criterion will not be considered).
2. Most wins.
3. Most bonus points.  For each preliminary game, the winning team will be awarded bonus points for goal differential up to a maximum of 3 points.  Thus a team winning 3-0 or 7-3 would receive the maximum of three (3) bonus points.
4. Goals against.
5. FIFA penalty kicks 

C. In the event of a tie among three (3) or more teams, the elimination procedure begins with Step B. #2 noted above. If two (2) teams remain, the tie shall be broken by repeating the above elimination procedures beginning with Step B. #1.

D. In the event that a wild card team must be selected for the playoff rounds, the above procedure, starting at 9.A, will be used across the entire flight

E. Division Coordinators, acting within the parameters of these rules, will determine the teams to advance into the final rounds.

10. PLAYOFF ROUNDS

A. Winners of each group advance into the playoff rounds.

B. If a wild card team MUST be selected for the playoff rounds, that team will not be assigned to play against the winner of its own group in the first playoff round.

C. Overtime will be played in case of a draw at the end of regulation time in the playoff rounds. The winner will be determined as follows:

1. Two “golden goal” or “sudden death” overtime periods, five minutes each, with teams changing ends after the first period.
2. Should the game remain a draw after the overtime play, FIFA penalty kicks will be taken to determine the winner. The best of five penalty kicks taken alternately by each team will determine the winner. Only those players on the field at the end of the sudden death overtime period may compete. If the penalty kick score is tied at the end of the five kicks, the teams will continue to take penalty kicks alternately until there is a winner. All players on the field must kick before any player may kick a second time.

11. FAILURE TO SHOW AND FORFEITS

A. A team shall be allowed a ten (10) minute grace period after the scheduled kick-off time before the match is awarded to their opponent. A minimum of seven (7) players constitutes a team and if seven (7) players are present, the game will not be delayed.

B. In no case shall a team, which forfeits a game, be declared a division winner or wild card team. If an apparent division winner forfeits a game, the division team with the next best record shall be named the division winner.

C. If a team is the cause for termination of a game, that team will be considered to have forfeited that game.

D. A forfeit in the preliminary rounds shall be awarded as three (3) points for the win. For tie-breaking purposes, the score shall be set as the average of goals scored by the winning team rounded up to the nearest whole number, against the average of the goals given up by that team rounded down to the nearest whole number, as a minimum, the score will be recorded as 1-0.

E. Forfeits of a game in the playoff rounds shall be recorded as 1-0 game.

F. Failure to produce both the US Youth Soccer Official Member Passes and the “WAGS Tournament” stamped Official State Roster, to the appropriate Field Marshal, thirty (30) minutes prior to kickoff will result in a forfeit for the offending team.

12. INCLEMENT WEATHER

In case of inclement weather or other force majeure, the Tournament Committee will 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 preliminary game(s).
4. Preliminary games terminated by Game or Tournament officials after one half of play shall be considered official as of the time of termination.
5. Determine format for advancement.

13. GENERAL

A. Under no circumstances whatsoever will the Tournament Committee, WAGSL Inc., MSYSA or VYSA be responsible for any expenses (including the Tournament entry fee) incurred by any team. This includes a situation where the Tournament or any game(s) is canceled/terminated in whole or part.

B. The Tournament Committee's interpretation of the rules shall be final.

C. The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decide on all matters pertaining to this Tournament.

D. WAGS teams may, with prior approval of the Tournament Committee, operate food and drink concessions at their fields. Priority for such operations will be given to clubs providing fields for the Tournament. All profits from such operations will go to the team operating the concession, except at County/Regional Park fields and Military Installations.

E. No other items - including raffle tickets - may be sold at Tournament Headquarters, playing fields, or surrounding the event areas for the duration of the Tournament. A team found in violation of this rule will not be declared a division winner or a wild card team. Determination of guilt will be by the senior Tournament Official present.

14. QUANTICO INDEMNIFICATION

ANY TEAM that fails to produce the “Waiver of Liability” (signed by both player & parent) at tournament registration will not be permitted to participate in the Tournament.

15. YELLOW CARD ACCUMULATION - MD Fields Only

“Any player receiving two (2) yellow cards in the tournament will sit out the next game following receipt of the second yellow card. This rule will apply to play-off rounds and final matches.”

Please note that this is a rule of the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association and all teams affiliated with the WAGS Tournament and having games in Maryland will be subject to this policy.