Rules

Tournament Rules & Regulations:

1. MATCH PROCEDURES

a. All games will be played on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 & 19, 2024.

b. All games will consist of two 25-minute halves with a five minute break at halftime. Any matches requiring a winner will go straight to kicks from the penalty mark per FIFA to determine a winner; no extra time will be played. (Semi-finals and finals may or may not be necessary, depending on the structure of each division/bracket.) See item F below for rules regarding kicks from the mark.

c. The first team listed on the schedule is the designated home team; the home team shall supply a game ball. The home team must also have an alternate jersey and be prepared to change, if, in the opinion of the referee, there is a color conflict. Team jerseys must match in color, style and brand, and have a unique number for each player. Player jersey numbers must match the jersey numbers submitted on the Official Tournament Roster. No sharing of jerseys permitted.

d. The tournament will be played under the FIFA Laws Of The Game that are in effect July 1, 2023, with the following exceptions:

* Substitutions are unlimited, and may be made at any out-of-bounds stoppage by either team at the discretion of the referee.

* There is no offside violation.

* Goalkeepers may not punt (or drop kick) the ball; distribution allowed only by throwing or playing with the feet. (Indirect free kick from the spot of the infraction.)

e. Reminders:

* Shin guards are required for all players.

* Standard throw-ins will restart balls going into touch (no "kick-ins").

* Slide tackles will not be allowed in RIBS tournament play, with the exception of the goalkeeper within his/her penalty area. (Any tackle that would have been legal during a regular match, restart is an indirect kick. Any tackle that would have been a foul in a regular match, restart is a direct kick or penalty kick, as applicable.) Sliding to keep a ball in bounds or save a goal is allowed as long as no other player is in your vicinity. What constitutes a slide and/or slide tackle is up to the discretion of the referee.

f. For any games requiring a winner (semis/finals), games will go straight to kicks from the mark (no overtime/extra time)...standard best-of-five-kicks per FIFA.

During coed games, any kicks from the mark must have a female as one of each team's first three kickers...subsequent kicks may be taken by any of the four remaining kickers.

Only those players on the field at the end of regulation are eligible for kicks from the mark.

**If more than seven kicks are required to determine the outcome, sudden death will continue with kicks moved back to the line at the top of the penalty box.

g. Should a penalty kick be called near the end of either half, and the clock expires prior to the kick being taken, time shall be extended for the taking of the penalty kick. Once the kick is either scored, missed, or saved by the goalkeeper, the half is over.

2. TEAM/PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

RIBS is an official Tennessee State Soccer Association (TSSA) sanctioned event. All teams will need an Official Tournament Roster submitted to the tournament committee prior to the beginning of the tournament. Only those players on each team's roster are allowed to participate for that team for the duration of the tournament. No guest players or non-rostered players are allowed under any circumstances. Referees will have a photo-ID roster for each team for each game; players will be checked in prior to their first game and spot-checked throughout the event. Teams may be rechecked if they advance to the finals.

Copies of each team's roster will also be posted at soccer central. Teams found to have used illegal players will incur forfeitures and/or be disqualified from the remainder of the tournament.

3. PLAYER & ROSTER REQUIREMENTS

A team roster must consist of a minimum of eleven (11) players, and may consist of a maximum of seventeen (17) players.

Games will consist of seven players on the field at all times to comprise a full team...six field players plus a goalkeeper. For all coed games, there must be a minimum of two women on the field at all times to comprise a full team, though playing more is acceptable (for example, four men and three women is perfectly legal.)

* If only one female is present for coed games, the match may still proceed, but the missing female may not be replaced with a male...the team must play short handed. If no females are present, the match will be forfeited, as the match is no longer coed.

All teams must have a minimum of five players present for any match to proceed. (For coed, four men and one woman is the minimum.)

Players may not play on more than one team per league classification. Meaning, players may play on one men's team (regardless of division) or one women's team (regardless of division). Those players MAY also play on one coed team if they so choose, but ONLY one coed team (regardless of division). *NOTE: Men's over-35 is considered to be a separate classification from all other men's divisions, so men playing in this division MAY play on another men's team and/or coed team.

All players must be 18 years of age prior to start date of this year's tournament. All players in the men's over-35 division must turn 35 years of age prior to the start date of this year's tournament.

4. CAUTIONS / EJECTIONS

A player who receives a red card must sit out the remainder of that game (no substitution allowed) and the game immediately following if applicable. If a red card is issued to a player for fighting/assault or for referee abuse, the player will be immediately ejected from the tournament.

5. SCORING / STANDINGS

Group standings will be determined using a 10-point scoring system as follows:

Win: 6 points

Tie: 3 points

Loss: 0 points

Shut Out: 1 point

Tiebreakers:

1. Head-To-Head Result

2. Total Goal Differential In Group Play (Maximum Goal Differential is +/-5 per game)

3. Fewest Goals Allowed

4. Most Goals Scored

5. Penalty Shootout

Format of each bracket will be determined once the number of participating teams is determined, but will include some form of round-robin play, guaranteeing every team at least three matches...semi-final and/or final elimination games may also be included.

At the end of each game, after verifying both scores, the winning coach/manager must sign the game card. An information board posting schedules, results and standings will be available near the fields.

Forfeits are scored as a 2-0 results. Shutout point is not awarded for forfeits.

6. INCLEMENT WEATHER PROVISIONS / GAME CANCELLATIONS

If weather issues (or subsequent field conditions) make it impossible to carry out the tournament to its full extent, the tournament committee will make the necessary decisions concerning the rearrangement or cancellation of games for any reason, in conjunction with the grounds manager of the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

Fees are non-refundable, if games or the tournament are cancelled for any reason.

The tournament committee has the right to shorten the length of games. The decision to suspend games due to lightning will be made by the tournament committee. If one half of the game has been played before termination for weather conditions or tournament committee decision, the game stands as a completed match.

NOTE: A game may be suspended or delayed by the tournament committee without necessarily being terminated. If there is a need to suspend any games due to severe weather, announcements will be made over the radios to the field managers, and via email to team coaches/managers. The games will resume as soon as possible. Any adjustments will be announced at that time.

7. FORFEITURE OF GAMES

No grace period is allowed. Listed games times are actual kickoff times. Please be present at the field at least 15-20 minutes prior to the start of your match. Every match is 55 minutes (25 minutes halves with a five minute halftime) in specific time blocks (typically between 70 and 90 minutes), depending on the schedule for that day. This means only a 15-30 minute break between matches, so teams should be ready to take the field, warm-up, and be ready to go at the scheduled start time. Failure to do so will result in a forfeiture. Only the tournament committee can authorize a delay or schedule start-time change.

Misconduct: A team shall forfeit a game if, in the opinion of the referee, its conduct causes a game to be prematurely terminated or abandoned.

8. PROTESTS

No protests will be allowed. All referee decisions are final.

9. TOURNAMENT LOGISTICS

Tournament committee members will be located at the headquarters facility (the red pavilion between fields 4/5/6/7) and are the first line of communication. Committee members will have radios to communicate with each other and with each field. Announcements will be made over the on-field sound system as needed, and also communicated via email and the "Rained Out" system.

Medical staff and the referee coordinator are also linked via radio in case of emergencies.

10. MISCELLANEOUS

The RIBS tournament is a charity event benefiting charities very important to children. As such, RIBS strives to maintain a "family friendly" atmosphere at our venue during all tournament activities. We realize this is an adult tournament where the weather is usually warm and humid, and tempers can occasionally become equally "warm". But we ask that all coaches, players and spectators observe conduct, language, and overall behavior that is befitting of a family-friendly event. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

11. MIKE ROSE SOCCER COMPLEX

The following is a list of rules, regulations, and restrictions for the Mike Rose Soccer Complex where all tournament games are to be played. All team representatives, players, family, and friends are to be familiar with these rules; any failure to comply with them may result in the team forfeiting a particular game or disqualification from the tournament.

Please help us enforce these safety rules by informing others who are unaware of the rules. These rules are in place for the safety and comfort of all our participants and spectators and mandated by our insurance advisors. Thank you for your compliance.

- During league games, home team will determine which side of the field the team, coaches and spectators will occupy

- No dogs or other animals in the playing field areas (pets allowed in lake area only)

- No bicycles, skateboards or scooters in the field areas or pathways

- No unauthorized vehicles on cart paths

- No destruction or damage to any property including climbing over the white fence

- No profanity, vulgar language or fighting

- No parking on main road and entrances into parking areas. Park only in designated spaces due to emergency vehicle access

- No entry onto playing fields by persons not authorized. This includes cutting across and warming up on closed fields. In order to maintain the highest standard for play, fields must be given time to recover. This policy will be strictly enforced and your cooperation is appreciated.

- No fuel heaters

- No alcohol or drugs

- No unauthorized fireworks or other explosive devices

- No fires of any kind

- No smoking in playing field area. The playing field area includes any vicinity within the white fence.

- No weapons of any kind

- No swimming or wading in the lake

- No solicitation of any type

- No littering

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The following are permitted in the lake area only. The lake area is located in the southwest corner of the complex.

- Bicycles: Helmet use is mandatory

- Skateboards: Helmets, elbow pads and knee pads are mandatory.

- Scooters: Helmets, elbow pads and knee pads are mandatory.

- Pet Walking: Pets must be on a leash at all times. For health and safety reasons, pet owners shall be responsible for removing droppings and other waste from the lake area. This includes all grass and pathway areas.

Visitors: NO swimming in the lake

-MRSC Management reserves the right to amend these rules as necessary.

-MRSC Management shall have final ruling over all complex issues.

-Failure to comply will result in actions that may include, but are not limited to, disciplinary hearings, ejection from facility and/or arrest.