C. Violations of team or player eligibility rules results in forfeiture of games in which a team or player has participated. Any coach or manager found to have used an ineligible player is, together with the team, ineligible to compete further in Cup Competition in the current and next seasonal year. The coach of the team is ultimately responsible for verifying player status and eligibility.

II. Game Officials

A. Three officials must be used for all State Cup games. Cup Chairs are responsible for notifying the State Referee Assignment Coordinator of requirements for game officials.

B. If an assigned official fails to appear for a round-robin tournament game or a semifinal or final game, the Site Administrator designated by the Cup Chair will provide a substitute official.

C. If an assigned official fails to appear for a single-elimination game within 15 minutes of the scheduled kick-off time, and the coaches agree to a substitute, the game may be played. If the game is played, the results are official and no protest is permitted regarding use of a substitute official. This paragraph does not apply to semifinal and final games.

D. In case of game official's uniform color conflicts with either team color, game officials will change their shirts.

III. Applications, Entry Fee, and Deadlines

A. Each season, an announcement of Cup competition, with an application, procedures, and other pertinent information, is available on request, providing information about competition dates, eligible age groups, Cup entry fee, and application requirements.

B. The application must be filled out completely, signed by the coach, and mailed or delivered to the VYSA State Office. This application must be accompanied by a copy of the team's VYSA roster for the current seasonal year and a check or money order for the correct fee for the age group for which the team is applying. Application without a current roster and fee check is void. These documents must be in the hands of the VYSA State Office no later than the appropriate filing deadline. Applications not in the hands of the VYSA State Office by the deadline will be returned. The application and roster must be reviewed and verified by the Cup Chairmen. If the application is not accepted by the Cup Chairmen, the coach will be notified within 24 hours of review.

C. Unless otherwise directed by the Cup Director, filing deadlines for Cup applications are:

1. Fall Cup - in hand by 4:00 pm September 1;
2. Spring Cup - except for Ul9 and U20, in hand by 4:00 pm April 1;
   - U19 and U20, in hand by 4:00 pm May 15.

D. In the event of forfeiture of a game the team forfeits its entry fee and will be fined $100 if notification is given at least 48 hours before the scheduled game time. If the forfeit occurs within the 48-hour time period prior to the game, a $200 fine will be imposed. Notification of intent to forfeit must be made to the Cup Chairmen or the Cup Director. A forfeit may also preclude a team's acceptance to future competitions (see G below). The State Office will subsequently invoice the team for the appropriate fee.

E. Teams that represent Virginia at Regional or National Cup competitions must follow the written rules and guidelines for those competitions. If it is determined that those rules and guidelines were not followed, a fine of up to $500 may be imposed (see III F).

F. The amount owed by a team as the result of Cup competition is an obligation of the Club of that team. If the amount is not paid upon notification by VYSA, then all teams of that Club, for the purposes of Cup Competition, are placed in bad standing until the amount is paid.

IV. Seeding and Drawing Teams

A. Four teams may be seeded for each boys' and girls' age group, U-13 and older. For the U- 12 age group, all teams are included in the draw and no team is seeded. Teams taking first and second place in an age group in the previous year's Cup Competition are seeded first and second respectively in the next older age group in the next seasonal year. However, if a second-place State Cup age group winner wins the Region I Cup competition for that age group, the second-place State Cup winner will be seeded first, and the first-place State Cup winner will be seeded second. The two teams eliminated in the previous year's semi-final games will draw for the next two seeded positions at the Draw. All other positions are drawn at random.

B. If the State Champion from the previous year does not enter or re-form, the second-place team advances to the number one position and the otherwise third- and fourth-place teams advance to draw for positions two and three. If the second-place team from the previous year does not enter or re-form, the otherwise third- and-fourth place teams advance to draw for positions two and three.

If only one of the otherwise third- and fourth-place teams enters or re-forms, that team is awarded the next available seeded position.

If neither of the previous year's top two teams enters or re-forms, the entire age group is drawn for bracket placement.

C. If there is a need for bye games in single elimination format or in single-elimination games leading to the tournament round, the byes are awarded the top teams determined at the Draw, starting with the highest bracket number (one) and progressing down until the number of necessary byes is used.

D. A team must enter the next older Cup age group to preserve its seed based on the previous year's Cup performance.

E. If a team competes in an age group older than its own, it cannot retain an earned seed by re-entering that same age group the next year.

F. A team is validly re-formed for the current Cup Competition by retaining 8 players from the previous year's Cup Competition roster.

G. Home and away status for each game is determined by flipping a coin after drawing for bracket positions. For semifinals and finals, the first team listed (top of bracket) is the home team. Drawing the home position establishes play in your home region. Weather problems, field availability, unusual travel distances, and referee availability may necessitate moving a game. Games will be held as assigned or re-assigned by the Cup Chairman. If a game needs to be moved from the designated "home" area, this will not be grounds for protest of a Cup game. A condition of acceptance of a team's application is that team's agreement to travel. Team officials are expected to inform their players of this requirement prior to entry.

V. Team Obligations

A. Teams and all leagues must arrange league schedules to avoid conflicts with published State Cup dates. Teams are expected to be available on the planned Cup game dates; week days are not used unless necessary. It is the coach's responsibility to inform players of Cup game and rain dates to permit scheduling of their other activities.

B. Home Team Responsibilities for Tournament Format

The team listed first in each pairing is the home team. The visiting team has the choice of jersey color. If, in the opinion of the referee, there is a color conflict, the home team changes jerseys. The home team provides the game ball.

C. Home Team Responsibilities for Single-Elimination Format

The home team shall:

1. provide acceptable fields to VYSA for competition. The Cup Chair has the right to reject unacceptable fields. The Cup Chair selects game sites;
2. contact visiting teams at least 72 hours prior to the game to verify date, time, field directions, and uniform colors (changing jerseys, if necessary);
3. arrange for field setup and takedown unless otherwise arranged; and,
4. provide the game ball, and bring the game report card and a copy of these rules (for referee's reference) to the field.

The winning team shall:

1. notify the Cup Chair of game results within 4 hours, including score, overtime, penalty kicks, and red cards;
2. initiate contact with next opponent, if the winning team is the home team for the next game.

Except as modified herein, FIFA Laws of the Game apply to all State Cup games.

A. Single-Elimination Format

Cup games start at the scheduled times, and the procedures below must be completed at the field prior to the scheduled game time.

1. The home team completes its portion of the game report card and gives it to the visiting team.
2. Upon completion of the visitor's section, the card is given to the referee.
3. Each team gives a certified copy of its VYSA roster to the referee in order to check it against players and USYSA player passes. Checking rosters, players, and passes may not be waived.

1. There will be a maximum of four brackets of four teams each in the tournament format. If needed, single-elimination format will be used to determine the sixteen teams playing in the tournament.
2. Players, USYSA Player Passes, and VYSA rosters must be checked by the referee before every game in tournament play. Checking rosters, players, and passes may not be waived.
3. A team that has forfeited a game forfeits all games in its tournament bracket, including games played, and may not be declared a bracket winner or otherwise advance. Scores of all games in the bracket for the forfeiting team are recorded as 0-4.

1. The official team roster and USYSA Player Passes must be available at the game site at all times during competition. The official team roster must include the number of each field player's jersey.
2. Goalkeepers must wear colors which distinguish them from other players and game officials.
3. Each field player must wear a numbered jersey which must be affixed to the back of the jersey and must be clearly visible. Each player on a team must wear a different number. Numbered jerseys for goalkeepers are optional.

1. A 15-minute grace period is given to each team to present its VYSA roster and USYSA Player Passes to the referee for all games. Failure to comply results in a forfeit with no right of appeal.
2. A 15-minute grace period is given to a team which arrives without 11 players. After 15 minutes, the game will start provided the team has at least 7 players. If less than 7 players are present at the end of the grace period, the team forfeits with no right of appeal.

1. Each field must have sideline marks for spectators, teams, and coaches who are required to stay behind those marks.
2. No artificial noise makers are allowed at any Cup game.
3. Competing teams and a maximum of 4 team officials for each team take one side of the field; spectators take the other side unless physically unable to. Home team chooses on which side the teams stand.
4. The Site Administrator, a designated field marshal if no Site Administrator is present, or referee if no Site Administrator or field marshal are present, will make the decision on whether spectators are able to take the other side of the field from the players'.

If a game is called because of bad weather or darkness, even during penalty kicks, the game is replayed in its entirety.

1. A tie at the end of regulation play in single-elimination format, preliminary games before tournaments, semifinal, and final games play overtime periods. If still tied after overtime periods, the winner is determined by penalty kicks.
2. All games in tournament format are played and decided in regulation time. Ties are not broken. Advancement to the semifinal bracket in each age group is determined by round-robin results.

In tournament games, the following points are awarded:

Win	=	3 points
Tie	=	1 point
Loss	=	0 points

1. Winner of head-to-head competition;
2. Goal differential to a maximum of 4 goals per game

   e.g.	8-1	=	5-1	(+4)
   	7-3	=	7-3	(+4)
   	3-2	=	3-2	(+1)
   	2-4	=	2-4	(-2)

   Total goals against are subtracted from total goals for to equal goal differential.

3. Least goals allowed (3 games totaled).
4. Penalty kicks immediately after the round-robin games.

   In the event of a 3-way tie within a bracket, only criteria 2 through 4 apply. If penalty kicks are required, the Site Administrator conducts a draw. The first team drawn receives a bye; the second team drawn is home team against the third team for the first contest of penalty kicks. The winner of the first contest then competes against the bye team in penalty kicks to determine the bracket winner. The bye team is the home team. Selection of wild card teams for those age groups with 12 teams (3 brackets of 4 teams each) uses the same point system and criteria as above.

J. Semifinal and Final Games

1. At semifinal games, players are checked against USYSA Player Passes and the VYSA team roster by tournament officials at a designated location.
2. At semifinal games, each team brings its copy of the USYSA Official Blue Roster form and the USYSA Official Game Lineup and Referee Report form, filled out completely, typed, in player alphabetical order, and unsigned.
3. At the final game, the USYSA Official Blue Roster form and USYSA Official Game Lineup and Referee Report form must be signed by all players at the field prior to kickoff in the presence of a representative of the VYSA Board.
4. All teams advancing to Regional competition are required to have their USYSA Player Passes laminated prior to the start of credentials check at Region I competition. All teams entering VYSA State Cup competition may laminate their passes, if they wish.

L. Duration of Games and Ball Sizes

See table at end of manual.

Substitution is unlimited and is made with the prior consent of the referee:

• prior to throw-in, your favor
• prior to goal kick, by either team
• after a goal, by either team
• after an injury, by either team
• for a cautioned player
• at halftime

A. Game Protests

1. Single-Elimination Format: Protest of a Cup game in single-elimination format over a matter not described in part VII.D must be communicated to the Cup Chair within 24 hours of the start time of the game being protested, and delivered in writing within 48 hours. A protest is decided by the Cup Chair.
2. Tournament Format: Protest of a Cup game in a round-robin tournament format over a matter not described in part VII.D must be filed with the Cup Chair or Cup Representative designated by the Cup Chair within 2 hours of the completion of the game being protested. A protest is considered and decided by the Cup Representative and two other people selected by the Representative.

Protests of games in tournament or single-elimination format must adequately describe the circumstances at issue, and be accompanied by cash, money order or certified check for $100 payable to VYSA. The protesting team's coach must also send a copy of the protest to the opposing team's coach. To be valid and eligible for consideration, each protest must be given verbally to the referee and to the opposing coach before departing the game site.

C. Appeals

Adverse decisions may be appealed to the VYSA Adjudication Committee, and must be submitted within 48 hours following receipt of the decision, accompanied by cash, certified check, or money order for $150 payable to VYSA.

Any other matter not involving a game protest, or an assault or abuse on a game official under part VII.D, may also be appealed to the VYSA Adjudication Committee. An appeal must be filed in writing not later than 48 hours after the matter being appealed occurs, and accompanied by cash, certified check, or money order for $150 payable to VYSA.

D. Assaults and Abuses of Game Officials

The VYSA Adjudication Committee has original and exclusive jurisdiction of assaults and abuses on a referee or linesman by players, coaches, managers, and other team or club officials.

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) requires any player, coach, team or club official accused by a referee or linesman of assault to be immediately suspended from ad soccer-related activities until a hearing of the allegations is held and decided by VYSA within 30 days of notification of the alleged assault.

L. Duration of Games and Ball Sizes

Age	Length of Half	Overtime	Ball Size	Advancement
U20	45 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional &National
U19	45 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional & National
U18	45 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional &National
U17	45 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional & National
U16	40 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional & National
U15	40 minutes	Two 15-minute	#5	Regional
U14	35 minutes	Two 10-minute	#5	Regional
U13	35 minutes	Two 10-minute	#5	Regional
U12	30 minutes	Two 10-minute	#4	Regional

Sponsored by: