2023-2024 VYSA National Championship Series: The State Cup Rules

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STATE CUP RULES

I. National Championships Series and State Cup Organization

A.           National Championships Series - The Virginia Youth Soccer Association State Championships (or State Cups) is a state championships competition conducted annually by the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) for boys’ and girls’ teams in the 12 and under through 19 and underage groups. VYSA conducts the State Cup competition two times each seasonal year: In the Fall, competitions are conducted for the 15-19 age groups, boys and girls. In the Spring, competitions are conducted for the 12-14 boys and girls.

The VYSA State Cup is a part of and a qualifying event for, the US Youth Soccer East Region Championships and National Championships conducted by United States Youth Soccer. The US Youth Soccer Championship Policy prescribes the requirements of the Championship Series. This VYSA State Championship Policy is designed to supplement that policy and establish the procedures to be followed by VYSA. Winners of the VYSA Championships advance to the US Youth Soccer East Region Championships and in the 13U to 19U age groups, Region I winners advance to the United States Youth Soccer National Championships. Except as otherwise provided, the US Youth Soccer Championships Policy and the VYSA Championship Policy apply to the 12U age group.

B.           State Cup Organization - The VYSA State Championships are conducted under the direction of the VYSA Director of Cups. The Director may, from time to time, appoint Site Administrators and others to represent and assist them.

II. Eligibility of Teams and Players

In order to apply to play in the VYSA State Championships, a team must secure an Official State Cup Roster. This roster will be utilized for all State Cup, Regional, and National Championship competitions and will need to be presented at all events. All players must be registered with US Youth Soccer prior to the applicable freeze date for each age group.

A.    The State Cup Roster - The State Cup Roster is part of the Got.Sport online registration process. You will print the State Cup Roster (called Official Game Roster) from this site. This roster now becomes the team’s State Cup Roster and will be utilized in all State Cup, Regional and National Championship activities. The State Cup Roster in Virginia is for State Cup play only and may not be used for other events, such as league and tournament play.

B. Eligibility - State Cup competition is open to the teams of any member in good standing of VYSA. Teams and players must be properly registered with VYSA and US Youth Soccer for the current seasonal year (September 1 to August 31). All teams from the 12U through 18U age groups must compete in one or more of the following leagues: a VYSA member sanctioned league, USYS sanctioned league, or the USYS National League Conference. The league must consist of at least four teams playing at least three (3) league games against different opponents during the seasonal year.

If a team participates in VYSA State Cup competition and they need to complete league play prior to June 15^th 2024. Teams entering the U19 age group are not required to participate in league play. Age group 18U is the only age group allowed to play up an age group into 19U.

C. Roster Size and Continuity - A 19U, 18U, 17U, 16U, 15U, 14U and 13U team must not allow more than twenty-two (22) players on its State Cup roster at any given time during the seasonal year.

A 12U team must not allow more than sixteen (16) players on its roster at any given time during the seasonal year.

The 13U – 18U teams must keep a roster continuity from their league roster to the State Cup roster of eleven (11) players throughout the entire National Championship Series competition. 19U teams who are not required to play league play must keep a minimum of eleven (11) players from their frozen roster throughout the National Championship Series competition.

12U teams must keep a roster continuity of 8 players throughout the State Championships and Regional Championships.

D. Rosters "Frozen" - There will be ONE FREEZE DATE for all teams entered in Fall and ONE FREEZE DATE for Spring State Cup competition. The rosters of every team entering in State Cup competition will be frozen 48 hours before the first Cup play date in the Fall for the 15U-19U teams and 48 hours before the first Cup play date in the Spring for the 12U-14U teams.

After the State Cup roster is frozen: (1) no "additions or transfers to the roster are allowed for the VYSA State Cup competition, and (2) a team and its players shall be considered to have competed in the State Cup competition for that seasonal year, whether or not the team or players actually play in a State Cup game.

Teams and players may compete in only one VYSA State Cup competition in a seasonal year. This rule has not changed and will apply to each player until the team they play on is eliminated from a National Championship Series Competition. Each Cup event is separate, State Cup, Regional Cup and National Cup. No players may move to another Cup team until the current Cup event they are playing in is finished and then only if the team they played on has been eliminated from any level of the National Championship Series competition.

E. Roster Changes –

1. Each team may make changes to their State Cup roster prior to the roster freeze date of the applicable season. Club pass players, additions and transfers may be added. Prior to the freeze date, all players that a team wants to appear on their State Cup roster must be “Locked IN” on the State Cup roster in Got.Sport. After the roster freeze deadline, no changes can be made to a roster. Verifying the correct players are checked as active is critical.

The current rostering system will not allow any player changes to the VYSA State Cup Roster after midnight on the applicable freeze date. Any changes prior to this date must still be verified by a registrar. It is the responsibility of the coach of the team that has changed its roster to ensure that the changes are official by the deadline.

2. Your State Cup Roster and your league roster no longer need to mirror each other prior to the freeze date. You may add players from your club to your VYSA State Cup rosters that don’t play on your league team. Your team may make changes to the VYSA league roster at any time since the rosters are two separate rosters now, but once the State Cup Roster has been Locked IN and frozen any players added/transferred to your VYSA league roster are ineligible for VYSA State Cup play with your team.

3. Changes to the frozen roster after the State Cup Champions are chosen for Regional and National competitions. There are 3 competitions in the National Championship Series, the NCS VYSA State Cup, the NCS East Region Cup, and the National Championship Series Championship.

After the VYSA State Champions are decided, the 12U-19U Championship teams must keep 50% of the players on the frozen State Cup roster.

• Any player that can be considered for your team must be a US Youth Soccer registered player with your club.

• They must be the appropriate age.

§  19U January 1, 2005 or later

§  18U January 1, 2006 or later

§  17U January 1, 2007 or later

§  16U January 1, 2008 or later

§  15U January 1, 2009 or later

§  14U January 1, 2010 or later

§  13U January 1, 2011 or later

§  12U 9v9 January 1, 2012 or later

• Players who were registered to your club as a US Youth Soccer player by your age groups freeze date for State Cup competition are eligible for club passing. These players may have played State Cup with another team in your club this seasonal year. Movements of club players that were registered to your club before the freeze date for your age group are not considered transfers.

• A club pass player cannot be a player from a team that won the VYSA State Cup or a player that may advance to East Region Cup from another venue. Teams may advance to the East Region Cup competition from the East Region National League Conference, the League Championship, and as a wild card team. It is always best to ask about club passing a player if you are unsure.

• Additionally, US Youth Soccer has added the following new rule in 2020/2021 and an exception to this rule in 2022/2023: A State Champion team (or teams going to Regionals or Nationals from the National League Conference, the League Championship or as a wildcard) may club pass to its roster, for Regionals and again for Nationals, a player who is newly registered to your club after the freeze date. This player does not have to have been in your club before the rosters were frozen for your age group. If the new player was previously rostered to another US Youth Soccer club/team this club pass player will be a transfer to your team. You may have only 5 transfers (previously rostered to another US Youth Soccer club/team) on your Official State Cup roster at any time. If the player is new to US Youth Soccer and is registered with your club you may club pass that player and the player will not be counted as a transfer.

**Under this rule, any new player that your club registers after the rosters are frozen for your age group will be ineligible to be added to the roster for Regionals or Nationals if that player was rostered to a team that played State Cup for any other team/club in VYSA or any other US Youth Soccer State Association during the current seasonal year.

Exception to the Rule: For Regional and National competitions a team may add a max of two players from other Club's teams who had been eliminated in a lower level of competition. These two players may have participated in Cup at another level before being added to your team.

• The team that advances cannot change clubs as long as they are going forward in the National Championship Series, to Regionals or Nationals.

• These player movements to your Championship team can take place between the date your team wins VYSA State Cup and the June deadline set by the Region for Regional Competition. After Regional Competition, should your team win; the same process for picking players for the National Championship will apply.

• There are some additional rostering rules for teams playing in the National League Conferences, the League Championship USYS National League. Ask for additional information prior to changing your roster for these three leagues.

• The current player passes used by VYSA teams are also used for your club pass players at games. Each pass in VYSA has the name of the player’s club, which is what is required in a “club pass”.

F. Eligibility Rule Violation – Violations of player or team eligibility rules will result in the forfeiture of any games in which an ineligible team or player has participated. Any coach or team official found to have rostered an ineligible player is, together with the team, ineligible to compete further in State Cup competition in the current seasonal year. Any coach, manager, or official found guilty of knowingly using an ineligible player is not eligible to compete further in National Championship Series competitions in the current and the subsequent seasonal year. The coach is ultimately responsible for verifying player eligibility.

III. Competition Announcements, Applications, Deadlines and Withdrawals

A. Competition Announcements - The announcement of State Cup competitions for the Fall and Spring seasons will be published on or about July 15 and February 15, respectively. The Competition Announcement will be made available on the VYSA web site and will include an application form and other pertinent information about competition dates, age groups eligible to participate, entry fees and other requirements.

B. Application Form - The application form must be filled out online in the Got.Sport system and the application fee must be paid online by credit card. The completed online application will be printed from the application program by the VYSA State Office. The State Cup Roster must be approved by your VYSA Registrar by the roster freeze deadline. If any part of the application is not completed online or a State Cup roster is not in the hands of the VYSA State Office by the deadline, the team will not be eligible for State Cup Competition. The State Cup application can be completed, and the roster available at application, but teams may continue to add to or make changes to the State Cup roster up to the roster freeze deadline.

C. Age Divisions and Deadlines - Unless otherwise indicated in the Competition Announcement, the division of age groups will be as follows: 15U-19U boys and girls will play in the Fall and 12U-14U will play in the Spring. The official application deadline for each season will be published in the official State Cup Calendar and in the Competition Announcement.

It is always the responsibility of the coach of the team to ensure the application for Cup play is complete by the application deadline.

D. Withdrawal - Notice of intent to withdraw must be made via email to the VYSA Director of Cups. A team may withdraw its application and have its fee returned at any time prior to the seeding and draw meeting. Withdrawals after the draw will be considered a forfeit. Withdrawals after the draw are strongly discouraged. A team that withdraws after the draw will be subject to the following penalties:

1. After the draw and any time during the competition: The team shall forfeit its entry fee and shall be fined an additional $500, and it may be declared ineligible to participate in future competitions. Note that after rosters are frozen, a team and its players are considered to have competed in State Cup, whether or not they actually play in a State Cup game. A team or players that withdraw after rosters are frozen, or at any time thereafter, are ineligible to compete in any other State Cup competition during that seasonal year.

2. If a team wins the VYSA State Cup Championship and does not go on to the Region I Cup Competition, it will be considered a forfeit. The fine will be $1,000.00. This amount is above any fine amount that the Region I may impose. A team that forfeits the Region I Cup Championship by their refusal to participate in the Region I Cup Competition may be ineligible for State Cup Competition the following seasonal year. The final decision will rest with the VYSA Director of Cups on eligibility for future Cup completion.

The exception to this refusal is as follows: If a VYSA State Cup Champion team is also a National League team that qualifies and intends to compete in the National Championships Competition as a National League representative, the team can decide to give up their place at the Region I Cup Competition, and the next eligible team in their VYSA State Cup gender age group will replace that team giving up its place. There is no penalty associated with this decision.

E. Regional and National Obligations - Teams representing VYSA at the East Region and National Championships must observe all US Youth Soccer rules and guidelines for those events. If it is determined that a team or its players have violated these rules and guidelines, a fine of up to $500 may be imposed by VYSA. This amount is above any fine amount that the Region may impose.

F. Payment Obligations - Any uncollected amount owed by a team in connection with a State Cup competition is an obligation of the team’s club. If any amount remains unpaid after notice, VYSA may place the club and all of its teams in bad standing, rendering them ineligible to compete in any VYSA-sanctioned event.

IV. Competition Format, the Draw and Seeding

A. Competition Format and the Draw - Each seasonal year, VYSA will conduct a competition to determine a State Cup winner in each age group. Some days after each application deadline, an open draw will be conducted to determine tournament seeding and "home" and "away" designations. At this time the teams seeded by the seeding committee will be placed in positions 1-4.

B. Seeding - Each seasonal year a seeding committee will be formed to gather information on all teams entered in the Competition. The top teams in each bracket will be decided by this committee according to information gathered by the committee and the information supplied by the team on the application form.

1. The following will be taken into consideration as teams are placed in seeded positions for the Cup each year.

To be considered when looking at seeding all age groups:

• Returning State Cup final 4 teams, teams in Regional competition and teams in National competition;

• All other applicant’s rankings from immediate past season of State Cup competition.

• Age group played during last year’s State Cup;

• Numbers of players returning from the roster;

• INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE SEEDING COMMITTEE IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THE STATE CUP APPLICATION. THIS WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR SEEDING PURPOSES.

The seeding process will be difficult and will depend a great deal on the amount of information supplied by each team.

2. Home and Away Designations

In the U12 through U19 age groups up to four (4) teams may be selected for seeding in each age group. In each game played by the teams seeded 1-4, the highest seeded team will be home. Teams not seeded 1-4 will be drawn at random for home and away.

In the single elimination rounds, if a seeded team should not advance, the team that defeats a seeded team will hold the home designation. Should that team lose, each successive team that wins, as that bracket is built towards the semi-finals will hold a home designation. All other home and away positions will be determined at random at the time of the draw.

In the semi-final and final games the team in the higher seeded position shall be the home team. For the Semi-final and Final games, the team listed first at the top of the bracket will be home.

C. Assignment of Byes - In the event "byes" are required, they will be assigned in descending order starting with the highest seed (No. 1), then the second highest seed (No. 2), and so forth, until the requisite number of byes are assigned.

V. Game Sites

A. As a condition of acceptance into the competition, applicants must agree to play anywhere they are scheduled within the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Team officials are expected to inform their players and parents of this requirement prior to entering the competition. Game sites are assigned (and may be re- assigned) by the Cup Director, taking into account field availability, referee availability, travel distances, weather considerations, scheduling efficiency and where possible, home and away designations. A team with a "home" designation may or may not be assigned to play in its home region and may be assigned (or re-assigned) to a game site in another region of the Commonwealth or the District of Columbia. This shall not be grounds for protest.

B. Each club entering 2 or more teams in the competition is strongly urged to provide 1 or more fields each weekend during the Fall and/or Spring State Cup Competition. The location of games after the home and away draw will be determined by the numbers of fields available in each playing region. Teams from clubs that make no attempt to provide fields will receive the last field assignments as the teams are placed on game fields during scheduling.

VI. Team Obligations

A.     Team Availability - Pursuant to US Youth Soccer rules, State Cup games take precedence over all other games. Teams and their respective leagues must arrange league schedules to avoid conflicts with State Cup game dates. State Cup game dates will be published in advance, but due to weather contingencies, these must be regarded as subject to change. Except as noted below in paragraph B, teams should plan to be available every weekend from the start of the competition until the final match.

Major unforeseen circumstances that affect travel to a game, such as Interstate closure, must be communicated to the VYSA Director of Cups. These issues will be needed to be documented and will be taken into consideration in deciding game start time, grace periods, etc. This in no way is the same as the usual heavy traffic and slow downs on our Virginia roads. Teams are expected to begin travel early enough to account for our heavily traveled roads.

B.     Schedule Conflicts - Teams entered into State Cup Competition are expected to be available on all game dates. VYSA will do it’s best to play the Cup schedule as published. Religious holidays for all age groups and SAT testing for the U18 and U19 age groups will be taken into consideration when planning the schedule. No other testing types or dates will be considered for a reschedule. The application letter will give the details of any scheduling variances that the Cup Committee will consider.

If the game scheduled for a Saturday is changed because of a religious holiday request, or SAT testing date, we will try to play the game in question later in the day or on Sunday of that weekend. Some fields have been secured for this purpose and the games will be scheduled at the discretion of the State Cup Director. Home and away status will not be considered. There will be no protest of this decision.

We will make an effort to keep the numbers of weeks between games equal for each team in an age group. If a large number of teams and age groups are affected by dates off, and Sunday games are not possible, the semi-final and final dates may go to rain date weekends. The ability to keep games on the same track will only be possible if the weather allows play each weekend. The rain dates will be flexible and will not be changed for other tournaments. It is the coach’s responsibility to inform players of these schedule requirements and expectations. There should be no expectations on home or away venues or schedules as published or changed. Any field choices or schedule changes will not be grounds for protest.

C. Home Team Responsibilities - The designated home team shall:

1. Contact the visiting team at least seventy-two (72) hours before the game to verify game date, kick-off time, travel directions and uniform colors.

2. Arrange for field preparation, set-up and takedown (unless otherwise arranged). Fields must be properly measured, and lines painted.

3. Home teams needs to print out Got.Sport Match Card. This is different to the home teams Official Roster as it records the score with a QR code.

VII. Game Officials

A.     In all preliminary games - Three (3) officials shall be assigned for each preliminary State Cup match in the U12-U19 age groups. Cup Director shall be responsible for notifying the State Referee Assignment Coordinator of requirements for officials.

B. If an assigned official fails to appear at a preliminary match 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 shall be official, and no protest will be honored regarding the use of a substitute official or outcome of the game.

C. If an assigned official fails to appear for a semi-final or final match, the Site Administrator designated by the Cup Director will provide a substitute official. In the event the game officials’ uniform color conflicts with either team’s color, the game officials will change colors.

VIII. Rules of Play, except as modified herein, the FIFA Laws of the Game shall govern all State Cup play.

A. General Rules of Play –

1. Both teams and a maximum of four (4) team officials for each team shall take the same side of the field. Spectators shall take the other side of the field. The home team shall choose which side the teams will take. The Site Administrator, or the referee if no Site Administrator is present, shall decide upon other arrangements if required by site contingencies.

2. No artificial noisemakers are permitted.

3. No Drones of any kind are permitted in the vicinity of any State Cup game.

4. The home team shall provide the game ball.

5. Each field player (except goalkeepers) shall wear a numbered jersey. The number shall be affixed to the back of the jersey and shall be clearly visible. Each player must wear a different number. Numbered jerseys for goalkeepers are optional in State Cup competition (but are required in East Region Championships and the National Championships). Goalkeepers must wear colors that distinguish them from other players and referees.

6. The away team shall have choice of colors. In the event of a conflict, the home team must change if so directed by the referee.

7. The home team shall make available on request a copy of these Rules and Procedures for the referee.

8. All US Youth Soccer player’s passes used for VYSA State Cup competition must be LAMINATED prior to participating in any VYSA State Cup match.

9. Every team official, to a max of four, that intends to take the team side of the field during a State Cup game must have a current year LAMINATED team official pass or club pass. This pass is the same as the player’s passes and must have a picture of the team official and be approved by the registrar. Some leagues issue a club pass for officials and some issue a team official pass. Either pass will be accepted.

B. Pre-Game Procedures –

1. In all age groups, both the home team and the away team will provide the Official Game Roster. All players who will participate in the Fall or Spring State Cup competition must be “Locked IN” the Got.Sport system no later than the Roster Freeze date/time to be listed as available players on the Official Game Roster. For the U13-U19 age groups, as part of the team check-in process, the referee will check off those players who will not participate in the game on that specific day; up to 18 players can be rostered to play in a game. At the time of the kick off, the roster of 18 will be set and no changes can be made to the Official Game Roster. Players not participating may sit on the team’s bench but they must be dressed in street clothes; they cannot wear any part of the team uniform. The referees may ask any player not playing in the game to leave the team bench and the team sideline should an issue arise.

2. For the U12 age group all players rostered may play in every game.

3. Each team must present for inspection at the beginning of the game or at the prescribed grace period their approved frozen Official Game Roster and their laminated US Youth Soccer Player Passes. Checking passes, players, and rosters MAY NOT be waived by the referee or the coaches. If checking of the Official Game Roster and passes against each player is not done, the coaches of both teams will be considered to be at fault. This may be grounds for a hearing on the validity of the game. The referee will check in each team official. Team officials must show a current team official pass in order to be on the team bench.

4. Each team has a cash payment available for the Game Officials in the preliminary rounds. This paid before kick off.

C. Required Identification Documents for each State Cup match:

1. Official Game Day Roster (State Cup roster) printed from Got.Sport

2. Laminated Player Passes.

1.      All teams must bring both the Official Game Day Roster and the Laminated Player Passes to each game. Home team brings a printout of the Got.Sport Match Card. This is different to the home team’s Official Roster as it records the score with a QR code.

In extreme circumstances when a team does not have the required pieces of identification at the start of the game, we have outlined a way to proceed with the game. No game can start without at least either the Match Card, Official Game Day Roster, or the Laminated Player Passes. No game can continue in the second half without all 3 documents (Match Card, Official Game Day Roster and the Laminated Player Passes).

A) At game time—If both or just one of the required identification documents is present for check in, then the game may proceed. If the game proceeds with only one piece of required identification, the other missing documents must be available to the referee not later than the start of the second half of the game. If the additional identification documents are produced, the referee will be required to perform a check of the identification documents. If the missing documents are not presented to the referee before the end of half time, the game will be declared a forfeit. The score of the game at half time will have no bearing on the decision to declare the game a forfeit.

B) At game time—if none of the Match Card, Official Game Day Roster or the Laminated Player Passes are available, a 15-minute grace period will be allowed to produce one or all of the required identification documents. If at the end of the 15-minute grace period none of the Match Card, Official Game Day Roster nor the Laminated Player Passes are presented, the game will be declared a forfeit.

2. U13-U19 Teams, Players Available A fifteen (15) minute grace period is given to each team (11v11) which cannot field eleven (11) players at game time. After fifteen (15) minutes, the game will start provided that the team has at least seven (7) players. If less than seven (7) players are present at the end of the grace period, the team forfeits.

3. U12 Teams, Players Available A fifteen (15) minute grace period is given to each U12, (9v9) team which cannot field nine (9) players at game time. After fifteen (15) minutes, the game will start provided the team has at least five (5) players. If less than five (5) players are present at the end of the grace period, the team forfeits.

D. Game Durations, Overtime, and Ball Requirements –

1. Games shall consist of two halves of equal duration in accordance with the age group specifications included below under paragraph 3.

2. In the single elimination rounds and the semi-finals and finals, if a game is tied at the end of regulation, the tie shall be resolved by playing two equal overtimes according to the age group specifications. If tied after both overtimes have been played, penalty kicks in accordance with the FIFA Laws of the Game will break the tie.

3. Games shall be played in accordance with the following Age Group Specifications:

4. Goal size for the 12U State Cup age group has been established. The goal size for each field used by 12U State Cup for games must be 7’ by 21’.

E. Substitutions –

1.            Substitutions may be made, with the consent of the referee, at any stoppage of play.

2.            For the U14 and younger age groups, unlimited substitutions shall be allowed.

3.            For all U15-U19 age groups, a maximum of 7 substitutes for each team shall be allowed in each game during each half and during any overtime play. After leaving the game during a half of play, the substituted player may not re-enter the game during the same half of play. After leaving the game during overtime play, the substituted player may not re-enter the game. All U13-U19 teams may dress only 18 players for each game. Additional players may sit on the team bench as long as they wear no part of the team uniform.

4.            If a player is suspected of suffering a head injury, they may be substituted for evaluation without the substitutions counting against the team’s total number of allowed substitutions during each half or overtime period. If the player with the suspected head injury has received clearance from the events’ Health Care Professional, the player may re-enter at any stoppage of play. The evaluated player must replace the original substitute and will not count as a substitution. The temporary substituted player may re-enter the game as a regular substitute. A team may only make a temporary substitution if they have a substitution available and have not used the maximum of 7 substitutes during the half.

F. Ejections –

1.            If a player or coach is cautioned or ejected in connection with a State Cup game, the caution or ejection is to be recorded on the Official Game Roster by the referee. Ejections must also be reported by telephone/email to the Cup Director by the referee AND by the manager/coach of the team receiving the ejection. 

2.      Players or coaches ejected from a State Cup game are prohibited from participation in the next following US Youth Soccer National Championship game, whether it be the next VYSA Cup game, the first game of the Region I Championships, the first game of the National Championships, or the first VYSA State Cup game of the following seasonal year (State Cup suspensions are served only in connection with US Youth Soccer National Championship Series games and have no bearing on league or other tournament play.) Each season the coach of each team must verify the eligibility of the players on his/her roster and determine if a sit-out is necessary (see VYSA State Cup Rule II, F for sanctions.) Ejections and cautions issued in connection with State Cup play may be referred to the VYSA Board of Directors for further disciplinary action.

3.            If a coach is ejected from a State Cup game, they must leave the field and the area surrounding the field. At no time is the ejected coach to be close enough to the field to participate in or comment on the game. The referee will send the coach off and will make the determination of the distance from the field. If a player is ejected, the coaching staff or manager must make sure that the player ejected is on the bench with street clothes or a jersey of an alternate color from the playing jersey. The player may remain on the bench under the supervision of the team officials. At no time can that player become disruptive to the game. Team Officials must guarantee the control of the bench during the game. If the red carded player is asked to leave the bench, a team official from the player’s team must escort the player away from the field and remain with the player until a parent or another adult has taken responsibility for the ejected player.

4.            Coaches and other team officials shall be subject to all rules pertaining to misconduct contained in the rules, including cautions, ejections, and standard suspensions. Any other individuals who may be reasonably construed as being associated with a team, such as relatives and spectators, are also subject to the jurisdiction and authority of US Youth Soccer. Any coach or team official shall be held responsible for the actions of any individual at any game that, in the opinion of the referee, is a supporter of that team.

G. Terminated Games – Games terminated due to inclement weather, darkness, or for other reasons (assuming neither team is at fault), even during FIFA Penalty Kicks, must be replayed in their entirety. If a game is terminated by a referee based on the conduct of either team, a hearing will be held to determine penalties, including forfeiture of the game. If a team terminates a game before the referee signals the game ended, the team will forfeit the game and a hearing may be held to determine any additional penalties.

H. Post-Game Procedures –

1. The Match Card Official Game Rosters for both the home and away teams will be completed by the referee including the score, cautions, and ejections, if any.

2. The completed Match Card, Official Game Roster for both teams is provided to the WINNING team.

The WINNING team shall:  confirm the score with the referee crew. The referee crew will input the score with the QR code on the Official Match Card.

The WINNING team shall: Collect both the home and away Official Game Rosters and Official Match Card from the referee after the game.  These forms must be mailed to Ray Ford, 409 Harrison St, Lynchburg, VA, 24504.  These forms are the official game report and must be received as soon as possible.     

These forms are the official game report and must be received as soon as possible.

IX. Protests, Appeals and Referee Assaults and Abuse

A plea of ignorance to the rules and regulations of the National Championship Series Policy and/or the VYSA Championships Policy is not sufficient ground for a protestor appeal. Playing in the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, whether at the State, Regional or National level is a privilege. The most current National Championship Series Policy can be found online at www.usyouthsoccer.org .

A. Game Protests - To be valid and eligible for consideration, the protest of a game regarding a matter not described in paragraph F. below must be communicated and received, at least orally to

1. The referee and the opposing coach before departing from the game site; and

2. The Cup Director within twenty-four (24) hours of the kick-off time of the game being protested.

B. Protest Documents and Fees - The written protest must then be delivered by hand, email or mail to the Cup Director within forty-eight (48) hours of the kick off time of the game being protested. Written protests must adequately describe the issue or incident under protest and the circumstances that apply. The protest fee of $300 must be made by credit card or cash, certified check or money order made payable to VYSA. The fee, if not paid by credit card, must be express mailed to the VYSA State Office to arrive on the first possible business day after the protest is lodged. The VYSA Director of Cups will provide a copy of the protest letter to the coach of the opposing team.

C. Protest Decisions -The State Cup Director will apply all State Cup Rules to the protest and will determine the validity of the protest. If a protest is determined to be valid, a committee will be formed to hear this protest. The Committee will be composed of all or a combination of the Cup Director, the two (2) Cup Chairs and up to three others assigned to the hearing by the State Cup Director.

D. Appeals - The decision of the State Cup Director in determining a valid protest and/or a decision of a Protests Committee may be appealed to the Adjudication Committee of VYSA. The appeal must be submitted in writing within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the State Cup Director’s decision or the Protests Committee decision. The appeal to the VYSA Adjudication Committee must be accompanied by credit card payment or cash, certified check or money order in the amount of $300 payable to VYSA. The fee, if not paid by credit card, must be express mailed to the VYSA State Office to arrive on the first possible business day after the protest is lodged.

E. Other Matters for Adjudication - Any other matter not involving a seeding decision, game location, schedule, game protest or the assault or abuse of a referee, assistant referee, or other game official under paragraph F. below, may be presented directly to the Adjudication Committee for adjudication. The request for adjudication must be submitted in writing not later than forty-eight (48) hours after the occurrence of the incident, written decision or issue in question, and it must be accompanied by credit card payment or cash, certified check or money order in the amount of $300 payable to VYSA. The fee, if not paid by credit card, must be express mailed to the VYSA State Office to arrive on the first possible business day after the protest is lodged.

F. Assaults and Abuse of Game Officials - The Adjudication Committee of VYSA has the original and exclusive jurisdiction over alleged assaults or abuse of referees, assistant referees, and other game officials by players, coaches, managers or other team or club officials. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) requires that any player, coach, team or club official accused by a referee, assistant referee, or other game official of assault be immediately suspended from all soccer-related activities until a hearing on the allegation can be conducted.

Rules Revised: July 2011; July 2013; July 2014; July 2015, July 2016, August 2, 2016, February 2017, July 2017, July 2018, August 2018, July 2019, August 2020, February 2021, September 2021, Sept 2023.