1. Player and Coach Passes and Affiliation:

All players and coaches required to have a valid US Club card (laminated with head shot picture) which can be obtained at www.usclubsoccer.org.

2. Check-In

High School Ages 15U + – Home and away group play.

• A copy of the Official US Club Roster is due to the league office 5 days prior to the start of group play for WA Cup for all teams, even if a team does not play the first weekend. They should be emailed to tournament@pugetsoundpremierleague.com. Rosters are frozen at that time. No players may be added.

10U – 14U – Venue based group play & High School Age 15U+ Elimination Play

• At “check-in” all teams must provide the following to tournament officials:

• At least two copies of the Official US Club Master Roster

• 3 copies of the PSPL Game Day Sheet for each group play and Elimination round match

• US Club Player and coaches cards for review

• Present copies of the US Club medical release for all players

• Proof of compliance for concussion and cardiac arrest protocol

At the conclusion of the match, the referee must complete and sign the PSPL Game Day Sheet. The referee must return 2 copies of the Game Day sheets to each team. Each team must receive a home and visitor signed copy. These documents shall serve as the Official Score Report. All teams must have a US Club master roster of their team “in hand” and provide one to the other team if requested prior to “kick off”. Extra copies of the US Club Master Roster must be available if the referee requests one. Team managers must follow PSPL pregame procedures as outlined in the posted PSPL rules.

3. Tournament Format:

There are two legs – a preliminary round and an elimination round. PSPL teams will be seeded for the preliminary round. Teams may be seeded East and West depending on the number of teams and balance of the competition. Teams are seeded for the qualifying rounds based on previous year WA Cup performance, Fall and/or Spring League performance and other competitive criteria. The first-round seeding is final. Teams will advance to the Elimination Round based on points in each bracket.

Top teams will advance to Gold, Silver and Bronze division elimination rounds, depending on the number of teams. Due to a possible imbalance in the number of teams in the Preliminary rounds, teams advancing from each preliminary round could be weighted accordingly. Brackets for the elimination round will be posted on the Cup website link.

All teams will be seeded with the goal of placing teams in groups of 8 for the preliminary rounds and moving the top 4 into each division Finals. Not all groups will have 8. In some cases preliminary games will be home and away based. Elimination matches will be venue based. As stated before, team check-in will be required for all teams in the Elimination Round.

4. Player Eligibility:

• Laminated and valid US Club player cards with pictures are required for all players at “pregame and/or tournament check in”. If the individual picture is not on the US Club Soccer card or the card is not laminated, the individual will not be eligible to play in the Tournament.

• All eligible players must be listed (and valid) on the club’s US Club Master Roster, which is to be submitted at check-in along with the US Club player cards.

• Only players designated at “check in” are eligible to play in the tournament.

• The US Club Master Roster is frozen prior to the first preliminary game and/or at “check-in” for the entire tournament.

• US Club maximum roster size is 26 players. (20 for High School Girls 2017)

• For each PSPL State Cup match, teams must present US Club player cards with the attached approved PSPL Game Day Sheet to the referees. Team managers must have an extra copy of the US Club Master roster to exchange with the opposing team prior to the start of the match.

• No “guest players” or “player passing” allowed in WA Cup events.

5. Match Details by Age Group:

Age Group Game Length Half time Game Day Sheet (Max) Playing Format Ball size Field Size Mandate W x L yds Goal Size H x W ft 10U 50 min 5 min 14 7v7 4 30 x 47 6.5’ x 18.5’ 11U 60 min 5 min 16 9v9 4 47 x 70 6.5’ x 18.5’ 12U 60 min 5 min 16 9v9 4 47 x 70 6.5’ x 18.5’ 13U 70 min 5 min 18 11v11 5 70 x 110 8’ x 24’ 14U 70 min 5 min 18 11v11 5 70 x 110 8’ x 24 15U 80 min 5 min 18 11v11 5 70 x 110 8’ x 24’ 16U 80 min 5 min 18 11v11 5 70 x 110 8’ x 24’ 17U+ 80 min 5 min 18 11v11 5 70 x 110 8’ x 24’

Special Considerations

10U Tournament Rules:

• The 10U WA Cup tournament follows WA Cup rules except where exceptions and modifications are noted for modified play.
• Tournament is played over one weekend in round-robin format.
• Teams likely will play two matches on one-day during the tournament.
• Teams play modified rules as set out by PSPL Development League rules for 10U soccer.
• Use of 6.5 X 18.5 ft modified-size goals
• Teams are guaranteed three matches.
• Top four finishers may qualify for Washington State Premier League at 11U.
• NPL berth may be awarded to the Champions

6. Scoring Method:

Points will be awarded, up to a maximum of 10, as follows:

• 6 points for a win
• 3 point for a draw
• 1 point for each goal up to 3
• 1 point for a shut out

Notes:

• In divisions where teams may be playing an uneven number of matches in first round, their respective point totals will be averaged to a “points per game” total. This number will be used to compare teams who have played an unequal number of matches.
• Teams advancing to the elimination round will be seeded. For divisions that may have preliminary rounds in both Eastern Washington and Puget Sound, the seeded team placement will be weighted based upon the total number of entrants and performances in each preliminary round.
• Forfeits will be recorded with a result of 1-0. The PSPL and the Washington Cup tournament committee reserves the right to impose sanctions on teams that forfeit matches. Forfeiting teams may be fined and/or expelled from the tournament and/or imposes other sanctions deemed appropriate by the PSPL and the Washington Cup tournament committee.

In case of a tie in the standings within a group:

1. “Head to head” Points (win/lose/draw) between teams
2. “Head to head” Goal Differential between teams
3. Overall Goal Differential (up to 4 per game)
4. Goals Against (up to 4 per game)
5. Goals For (up to 4 per game)
6. Coin flip unless the tie is to determine advancement to "Gold and "Silver", or "Silver" and "Not advancing". In either of those scenarios, the tournament director will contact the teams involved to schedule Kicks from the Mark tiebreaker prior to the start of the elimination round.

7.  Tie-breaker rule for elimination matches:

If a game ends in a tie at the end of a “play in” match, quarter-final or semi-final match, the teams will proceed directly to kicks-from-the-penalty-mark where a winner will be decided. In the finals, there will be two 10-minute halves of golden goal. The team that scores first will be deemed the winner. If a match remains tied following the overtime, kicks-from-the-penalty-mark will decide the winner.

8. Substitutions:

Substitutions are at the referee’s discretion. A substitution can take place at any stoppage with the referee’s permission.

Unlimited substitutions are allowed but the PSPL reminds all coaches that it is their responsibility to handle their substitutions in a professional manner so as not to detract from the game.

9. Illegal players:

Any player that does not appear on the US CLUB master roster shall be considered an illegal player. No guest players allowed. No “player passing”.

Any team using an illegal player(s) shall forfeit each game the illegal player(s) were used. In addition, the guilty team shall be expulsed from the tournament and could face other sanctions from the PSPL and/or US Club Soccer.

10. Appeals:

Referee judgment decisions are final and may not be appealed. Any other appeal must be verbally lodged with the referee and the opposing coach prior to the end of the match at the game site. The appeal must then be made in writing to the Tournament Director within two hours of the end of the match. The Tournament Director will review any appeal correctly filed under this rule. There will be a $150 non-refundable fee for any appeal that is filed. All decisions of the Tournament Director are final.

11. Shortened/Abandoned Games:

Referees are the sole arbiter of the game clock. Their decisions regarding game length are final and may not be appealed. If games are shortened or abandoned for any reason, the Tournament Director reserves the right to determine how the game result shall be determined. Decisions by the Tournament Director in determining the official game result are final and may not be appealed.

12. Game Start Times:

Referees will start the game clock at the designated time regardless of whether teams are ready to play. A referee may add time lost due to injury, but the game must conclude at least five minutes prior to the start of the next match. A five-minute grace period will be allowed for teams that do not have the minimum number of players to start the game.

13. Minimum Number of Players to start and finish a match:

For 10U, a team must have a minimum of 5 players to start and end a match. For 11U-12U, a team must have a minimum of 6 players to start and end a match. For 13U and older a minimum of 7 players must start and end the match. If a team does not have the required number of players (after a 5-minute grace period), they will forfeit the game with the other team receiving eight total points.

14. Team Sidelines:

Players and Coaches of both teams must be on one side of the field, spectators on the other side (unless otherwise specified by the field rules. Coaches, players, and spectators are not allowed behind the goal line, or closer to the goal line than the edge of the 18 yard penalty area line. Only those persons with a valid US Club player or coach’s card are allowed on the team’s side of the field.

15. Alternate Color Jersey:

Each team must have an alternate jersey color. The home team (listed first) will be responsible for changing jerseys if there is a color conflict.

16. Official’s Report and Score Reporting:

Coaches should verify with the referee at the game’s conclusion that their score matches his report. All game results in the first rounds will be reported by the winning team’s manager using the mobile “Got Soccer” Score Reporting system. Referees also will submit match results to tournament headquarters, or a field marshal, immediately following each match. In the event of a conflict, the referee report shall be deemed the official score for the game.

17. Cautions and Ejections:

Any player receiving two yellow cards in a single game will be shown the red card and sent off and may not be replaced. Any player that receives a red card in a game will receive at least a one-game suspension (the next game). The tournament director may apply a greater suspension. Cautions and ejections received in the Washington Cup apply to Washington Cup only. Existing PSPL cautions and/or Red cards carryover to the Washington Cup tournament.

Any coach or team official that is ejected by the referee for unreasonable behavior from a game must immediately leave the game site so as not to be within sight or sound of the field and will serve a minimum of a one game suspension, which may be increased depending on the nature of the ejection. In the event the coach or team official refuses to leave, the referee shall suspend the game and report to the Tournament Director who will rule the match a forfeit by the offending team.

18. Player’s Equipment:

No equipment shall be worn that is dangerous to another player, including any cast constructed of hardened material, without approval from the Tournament Director and/or the lead match official. Shin guards, covered by socks, are mandatory. All casts and equipment are subject to approval by the match referee and/or Tournament Director.

The home team is responsible for supplying game balls for the preliminary rounds, the quarter final and semi-final matches of the championship round. The tournament will provide game balls for the finals.

19. Inclement Weather:

In any event that play cannot be started or is stopped due to weather, teams will take cover, but will remain at the game site and proceed as follows:

If time allows, resume play and play to completion.

If there is insufficient time to play the entire game, the game will be continued until the half is completed. The game will then be considered complete.

The Tournament Director and/or the Head Match referee will coordinate any stoppage of play. The Tournament Director reserves the right to make whatever adjustments deemed necessary to proceed with the tournament schedule following delays due to inclement weather.

20. Other:

Trainers may or may not be provided at any of the tournament game locations. Teams are encouraged to bring first aid equipment as the tournament may or may not provide those items. Emergency services (911) are to be called for all injuries, both on and off the field.

Rules governing game venues are posted at the various locations. All teams, coaches and spectators are expected to follow all posted venue rules. In addition, alcohol and swearing are not permitted at any location. Violators of these rules will be asked to leave the venue.

21. Code of Conduct:

Do not tarnish the game of soccer, the PSPL, US Club Soccer, USSF, your club, your Team, yourself or your family. Behave reasonably, respectfully and ethically.

22. In the event Washington Cup rules may be deemed insufficient, PSPL league rules will apply.