Tyler Soccer Association 3v3 Tournament
Rules of Play
FAIR PLAY:
Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to act in the nature of "Fair Play" at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated and will result in a red card or removal of the field. In the event of a spectator, the red card and/or removal will be issued to the coach. The referee may end any game at any time where abuse is present, and the game will be considered final. Abuse of opponents will result in a red card. At the discretion of the tournament director, teams can be removed from the tournament for abusive conduct by players, coaches, or spectators. Players, coaches, and spectators are not allowed on the field or in the Scoring/Referee area, and must direct all questions to the tournament headquarters. Teams in violation of this rule may be removed from the tournament by the tournament director.
Players / Teams
PLAYER REGISTRATION: Roster changes, substitutions and additions, may not be changed after being submitted without permission of tournament director. Any team determined by the tournament director to have falsified any player’s age is subject to be dismissed from the tournament. All players must provide proof of age as follows and upon request by birth certificate or player ID card.
NTSSA (state association) Players
If players are all registered on the same roster, the official roster is all that needs to be submitted. If players are from various rosters, each player not on your original roster must have a guest player form or the original roster signed by the coach and registrar that the player is carried on. Academy players must submit an academy player form. All forms need to have proper signatures.
USClub Players
If players are all registered on the same roster, the official roster is all that needs to be submitted. If players are from various rosters, each player not on your original roster must have a player loan form or a copy of the original roster that player is carried on. USClub players fall under the NON-Registered Players below, but proof of age is not required as long as they have a player card.
NON-Registered Players
All players not registered with a state association (NTSSA) or USClub must submit proof of age, birth certificate, and fill out the special event registration form. There is an additional $5.00 per player fee for this form.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: The maximum number of players on a team is five (5): three (3) field players and two (2) substitutes. Only three (3) players are on the field at a time. The minimum number of players a team can field is three (3). There are no goalkeepers. A player can only play for one team. Any team who is found to have fielded an ineligible player may be dismissed from the tournament, subject to the decision of the tournament director.
PLAYER EQUIPMENT: All players must wear shin guards. Any player without shin guards will not be allowed to play.
PLAYER "KITS": Each team must have unique numbered jerseys. Alternate jerseys or numbered T-shirts must be available with a unique number for each player. Pennies may be used over the jersey to resolve color conflicts. 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.
TEAM NAMES: Be sure to distinguish each teams name when forming multiple teams from a larger roster. For example: FC Dallas team 1, FC Dallas team blue, or Strikers black, Strikers red-coach Crocker.
The Field of Play and Equipment
FIELD DIMENSIONS: The playing field is thirty (30) yards long by twenty (20) yards wide. Goals are four (4) feet high and six (6) feet wide. The goal box is an arc with a radius of eight (8) feet. Field dimensions are subject to change by the tournament director.
DEAD ZONE: The goal box, an eight (8) foot radius half circle marked in front of each goal.
BALL SIZE: U5-U8 size 3 / U9 – U12 size 4 / U13 and up size 5
The Game
GAME DURATION: The game consists of two 12-minute halves separated by a one-minute half-time period. Games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie except in the playoffs. There are no time-outs in 3V3 soccer. The match length may be shortened at the discretion of the tournament director
GOAL BOX / DEAD ZONE RULE: There is no ball contact allowed within the goal box. However, any player may pass through the goal box. If the ball comes to rest in the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the team defending that goal regardless of who touched the ball last. Any part of the ball or player's body on the line is considered in the goal box and is an extension of such. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.
PENALTY KICKS: A penalty kick will be taken from midfield line anywhere within the circle in front of an open goal. All non-kicking players must be behind midfield line and outside the middle circle. A penalty kick shall be awarded if, in the referee’s opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by an infraction (the infraction does not automatically result in a red card). This is a dead-ball kick. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick.
PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions may be made at any dead-ball situation, regardless of possession. Teams must get the referee’s permission before making the substitution and players are to enter at midfield. There are no substitutions on the fly.
GOAL SCORING: A goal can only be scored from the offensive side of the field. Meaning the ball must be at or past the midfield line into the side of the field you are scoring on for the goal to count. If a team scores a goal from the side of the field in which they are defending, a kick in will be given to the other team at midfield. The ball changes possession after a goal is scored, and is restarted from midfield.
HIGH BALL RULE: If the ball exceeds higher than the height of the goals cross bar (top of the goal), an indirect kick will be awarded to the other team from the spot the ball was kicked. The referee shall be the sole judge of all high balls.
RESTARTS: All restarts are indirect kicks (including the kickoff to start each half). This does not include penalty kicks or drop balls, which are direct.
KICKOFF: All kickoffs are indirect kicks taken from midfield, and may be taken in any direction.
THREE (3) YARD RULE: In all dead ball situations, restarts, including game start and halftime start, defending players must stand at least three (3) yards away from the ball. If the defensive player’s goal area is closer than three (3) yards, the ball shall be placed three (3) yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty.
THROW-INS: There are no throw-ins. All out of bounds balls will be taken as "kick-ins."
KICK-INS: The ball shall be kicked into play from the sideline instead of thrown in. The defending player must be at least three (3) yards from ball on all kick-ins. All kick-ins are indirect.
GOAL KICKS: May be taken from any point on the defensive touchline. Goal kicks are indirect.
INDIRECT KICKS: On an indirect kick, a goal can be scored only if the ball subsequently touches another player before it enters the goal. If the kick directly enters the opponents’ goal, a goal kick is awarded. If the kick directly enters the team’s own goal, a corner kick is awarded to the opposing team.
OFF-SIDES: There is no off-sides in 3v3 soccer
SLIDE TACKLING: There is no slide tackling in 3v3 soccer. Slide tackling is an automatic yellow card and is indirect kick from the spot of the foul. For this tournament, a slide tackle is defined as: If a player leaves his/her feet, to stop a shot on goal for example, within 3 yards of an opposing player, slide tackling will be called.
The Tournament
SEND-OFFS: Any send-offs should be reported to the Tournament Committee immediately. Any player or coach sent-off (other than on account of 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, 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.
SCORING (IN POOL PLAY): Games will be scored according to the following: six (6) points for a win; three (3) points for a tie, zero (0) points for a loss, one (1) point for a shut out; one (1) point for each goal scored up to three
TIEBREAKERS: If two (2) teams are tied on total points in group play, the tie will be broken by the following: 1.) Head to head result; 2.) Most number of shutouts; 3.) Goal differential, max of 5 goals per game; 4.) Fewest goals against; 5) fewest cautions; 6) Kicks from the mark
COMPETITION FORMAT: The first round consists of bracket play to be determined by the number of teams and tournament director. Teams are guaranteed at least 3 games. The playoffs are single elimination. The format is subject to change by the tournament director.
PLAYOFF OVERTIME: If after regulation time a match is tied, the teams will compete in a 5-minute sudden death "golden goal" overtime period. A coin toss will decide the kick-off and direction. The first team to score in overtime is the winner. If no team has scored in the first five-minute overtime period, one additional 5-minute overtime period will be played. If after two (2) 5-minute overtime periods the match is still tied, the teams will compete in a sudden death penalty kick shootout. Please see “penalty kicks” for rules. Overtime rules are subject to change by the tournament director.
FORFEITS: The opponent of a forfeiting team will be granted a 3-0 victory. The forfeiting team will be granted a 0-3 loss. Any team forfeiting a game in pool play will be removed from the tournament. Any team forfeiting a game in the playoffs will be removed from the tournament. All grace periods and forfeits are at the discretion of the referee and the tournament director. If both teams are not present at game time, both teams will be forfeited and will be granted (0) zero points.
5 MINUTE GRACE PERIOD: Teams must have three (3) players with full uniform and equipment on the scheduled field to begin the match. Teams are given a five (5) minute grace period before a forfeit is declared, subject to the discretion of the tournament director.
PROTESTS: No protests are allowed, except in the case of protesting a player’s eligibility. Referees’ judgments are not a basis for protests. Eligibility is determined by a player’s age and is contingent upon registering and playing for only one team in the tournament. Protests must be filed in writing to the tournament director ten (10) minutes prior to the completion of the match with $100.00 cash. The tournament director will make a decision before the teams’ next scheduled match. If the decision is in favor of the protest, the money will be refunded.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR DECISION: All decisions are final
WEATHER: 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.
In case of rain - HARD RAIN, NOT A SPRINKLE – Follow the tournaments weather guidelines. If inclement weather cancels the tournament prior to the completion of a team’s first scheduled game of the tournament, GAMES WILL RESUME ON SUNDAY August 30th. If the makeup day is also rained out 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.
Weather guidelines:
SITUATIONS OR OCCURRENCES THAT THESE RULES DO NOT ADDRESS SHALL BE LEFT TO THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR.