2019 HERSHEY CUP
Below is the Hershey Soccer Club’s invitation to its 2019 edition of the Hershey Cup Soccer Tournament. The Hershey Soccer Club is a non-profit community based club, which strives to provide quality recreational and travel soccer opportunities for children of all skill levels and ages. The Hershey Cup was created as a pre-season tune-up tournament for Premier and Travel teams. Our goal is to offer quality competition on high quality fields in Hershey while encouraging sportsmanship and fostering a love of the game. The concept for the Hershey Cup Tournament is to provide teams with a preseason opportunity to bond on and off the field.
We hope your team accepts our invitation to compete in the 2019 Hershey Cup and learn firsthand why Hershey is commonly referred to as the Sweetest Place on Earth!
INVITATION
Tournament Format
All games will be played at locations in Hershey or a 10 mile radius of Hershey. Each team will be guaranteed a minimum of three (3) games (see rules/format document for more info and conditions). Preliminary games will be held all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. All teams have the potential for 8 am games both days. The final games will be held Sunday. Awards will be given to 1st (Champion) and 2nd place teams (Finalist).
Age Groups, Fees and Application Deadline
The Hershey Cup is a 2019/2020 Soccer year competition. Competition will be open to USYS and US CLUB SOCCER "CLUB" teams in the following age groups and divisions. No mixed rosters.
- U-8 Boys & Girls 7 v. 7
- U-9 Boys & Girls 7 v. 7
- U-10 Boys & Girls 7 v. 7
- U-11 Boys & Girls 9 v 9
- U-12 Boys & Girls 9 v 9
- U-13 Boys & Girls 11 v. 11
- U-14 Boys & Girls 11 v 11
- U-15 Boys & Girls 11 v 11
- U-16 Boys & Girls 11 v 11
- U-17 Boys & Girls 11 v 11
- U-18 Boys & Girls 11 v 11
2019 Fees Tournament Fees for teams
- U8 - U-10 (7 v 7) - $675
- U11 - U-12 (9 v. 9) - $775
- U13 – U-18 (11v11) - $875
7 v. 7 & 9 v 9 Teams play 50 min games
11 v. 11 Teams play 60 min games
Payments may be made by check or credit card. Refunds will not be provided to teams withdrawing after acceptance. There is a 3% processing fee for payments made by credit card which is non-refundable at any time. Checks will only be accepted up to 1 month prior to event. Any open payments thereafter must be made by CC
Note: Deadline to apply is July 15, 2019 at midnight. Payments may be made by check or credit card. All payment are due within 7 days of application. Refunds will not be provided to teams withdrawing after acceptance of teams. There is a 3% processing fee for payments made by credit card which is non-refundable at any time. Teams applying after July 15th will be added to a wait list. We will notify you if we are able to accept your team.
Levels of Play:
The Hershey Soccer Club Tournament Committee strives to bracket teams to provide a competitive environment. Teams will be bracketed in divisions as follows:
The top bracket is designated as Orange (Most Competitive), the next bracket is designated as Blue (Travel Teams) and the next competition bracket will be designated White (lower division Travel Teams).
The team selection will be based on league record and league division, past tournaments records-level of play, geographic balance, date of receipt of application and tournament fee, and number of teams applying in each age group. Please indicate on your application or in correspondence to the Tournament Director your perceived level of competition.
Note: To provide the best competition, the Tournament Committee may combine or eliminate age groups and/or move teams up to the next age group.
Eligibility
Travel teams participating in regularly scheduled league play or Premier teams that participate in a premier league are eligible as long as they belong to their local, state, and national association and have current validated photo player and coaches' passes. DDP Competitive teams in ages U9 and U10 are also eligible. Applications for designated “tournament team rosters” may only be submitted for teams age U13 and up (this means teams U12 and below must participate in either fall or spring league play to be eligible, DDP teams at ages U9 and U10 are also eligible). USYS, US Club Soccer, DDP and Travel Teams with photo player and coach’s passes designated as competitive, travel or premier teams are eligible. (Age groups by birthdate are listed within our rules.) The Hershey Cup will not accept mixed rosters. This means that teams must have all regular and guest players in a USYS or US Club roster and pass system and the Tournament will not permit a team with a USYS roster to have guest players with US Club or vice versa.
Information
- Team rosters are limited to a maximum of 22 players (18 suited players maximum for any given match) for 11 v. 11; a maximum of 16 for 9 v 9; and a maximum of 14 players for 7 v 7.
- A maximum of up to five (5) guest players are allowed. Secondary players are considered guest players and their primary pass must be presented at registration.
- Players may compete for only one team for the duration of the tournament.
- U-8, U-9, U10, U11 and U12 7 v 7 teams and 9 v. 9 on smaller sided fields.
- All teams must be associated with the USYS and the appropriate state association or US Club Soccer. NO MIXED ROSTERS ARE PERMITTED.
- A copy of your state stamped and approved US Youth Soccer or US Club Soccer Roster must be submitted during check in. For the August Cup, either 2018-19 or 2019-20 doucments may be used. However, all player ages must be accurate for the 2019-20 soccer year.
- US Soccer rules regarding the use of US Soccer registered referees will be followed. The one referee system will be used for U-8 to U12 small sided games and finals. All 11 v. 11 games will use the 3 referee system.
Application Procedures
Please complete the on-line Got Soccer Application (opens January, 1, 2019). Upon successful completion of the Got Soccer application, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and your registration number. If paying by check you should mail your check made payable to the Hershey Soccer Club to P.O. Box 66, Hershey PA 17033 and include a copy of the email confirmation with the check. If paid by credit card you will receive an additional email with a confirmation of payment receipt. Credit card payments will incur a 3% processing fee (see details on payment page). Please include your team name and Registration Number as the "Subject" of ALL correspondence including email correspondence relating to the Tournament.
For non-credit card payments by check or money order, the payments should be made payable to the Hershey Soccer Club for the full amount of the tournament fee. (See below for mailing address)
Fees will be refunded to teams not accepted (exception, the 3% processing fee for credit card payments will not be refunded). The Tournament fee is Non-Refundable after Acceptance. Checks will only be accepted up to 1 month prior to event. Any open payments thereafter must be made by Credit Card.
See Rules for details regarding refund policy if tournament games are canceled in full or in part prior to or during tournament due to weather or field conditions, etc.
Important Dates
July 14, 2019. Application deadline. Applications are due by midnight
July 14, 2019: Tournament fee.
July 14, 2019: Deadline for ordering Discount Hersheypark Tickets. The discount Hersheypark tickets are available for purchase online at the Got Soccer Store. The tickets may only be purchased by the team manager or coach listed on the Got Soccer application. The Hershey Park tickets will be sent via UPS or similar carrier for delivery to the Team representative one week prior to the Tournament.
July 21, 2019: Team Acceptances Announced
July 30, 2019: Deadline for Electronic Team Check-In
August 10, 2019: Mandatory team registration. In-person registration is open from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, TBD. All teams must be registered either electronically or in person on or before August 12th at 7:30 pm (Absolutely, No Exceptions!).
August 10 & 11 2019: 5th Annual Hershey Cup Soccer Tournament
Registration:
Teams may use their 2018-19 or 2019-20 rosters and passes.
PLEASE NOTE: Mandatory team registration: Friday, August 11, 2019, location TBD. All teams must complete the electronic registration or in-person registration prior to competition.
At Registration
Each team must present properly authorized player and coaches' passes with photos, an official roster, and valid medical release forms for each participant at the time of registration. You may use your current medical release forms or utilize the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association Medical Release Form.
Please note: Teams that fail to complete the check-in process and who do not have verified/approved documents may not participate in the tournament.
Secondary players are considered guest players and must present primary player passes. Check with your state or governing association to determine if they require completion of a guest player form.
Permission to Travel - USYS member teams from Region 1 DO NOT need to provide permission to travel at registration. Teams from other USYS Regions must provide their state association's properly executed "Permission to Travel Form." No such permission is required of US Club Soccer member teams.
ALL teams should ensure that they have current and up-to-date player medical releases. - proof is not needed at Friday night registration.
HOTELS
To be considered for acceptance, teams requiring hotel stays must use the Hershey Soccer Club’s designated Housing Coordinator’s reservation system. Any team that does not use the Official Housing Coordinator’s reservation service will not be accepted into the Hershey Cup Tournament. Any Team found to have booked outside the Housing Coordinator system will be disqualified from participation. If you are booking rooms at a later date, please apply now and provide the Tournament Director and Registrar with the Housing Coordinator reservation booking number upon receipt.
The Housing Coordinator for the 2019 Hershey Cup is Halpern Travel. Please visit the Hershey Cup page atwww.halperntravel.com for hotel reservations.
Address - for mailing fees & rosters
**Please make checks payable to the Hershey Soccer Club.
The mailing address of the Tournament Registrar is:
Maribeth Briggs – Tournament Registrar
Hershey Soccer Club
P.O. Box 66
Hershey, PA 17033
Questions?
Email us! We strive to respond promptly.
Registration or Rostering Questions?
Please email Tournament. Registrar Maribeth Briggs: [email protected]
To contact the Tournament Director
Please email Director, Anthony (Tony) Potter: [email protected]