INTERPLAY GUIDELINES (U12 – U14)

SECTION 8 AREAS A, B, J

The Area Interplay Guidelines are intended to establish a common set of rules for interplay between regions. As players, coaches and officials' level of experience grows, so will the level of competition.

Area Interplay is defined as two teams who are competing in a game scheduled by the areas interplay scheduler. The Areas' Interplay Committee is made up of all area directors, all area coach administrators, and the area interplay scheduler of Area A, B, and J.

The need for communication and open constructive criticism is requested. After each season, the Area Interplay Committee may develop adjustments or further policy changes.

PLAYER AND COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES

The players involved must realize the team concept involved and the commitment needed for a coach to be able to instruct to the best of his or her ability. Coaches at this level must be serious and be committed to the ideas of A.Y.S.O. soccer and also be tuned to the competitive needs of the player.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

FIFA, AYSO rules and regulations, Area Guidelines and directives are to be adhered to during all area interplay games. The Regional Guidelines apply to two teams competing within the region unless the game was scheduled by the areas' interplay scheduler.

TEAM FORMATION

All regions need to have local registration completed by July 31 for the upcoming fall/spring season.

The number of teams must be known by February 15 for the spring season. The regions will make it known to the interplay scheduler what divisions and how many teams will need to be scheduled in regional interplay. The purpose of regional interplay is for regions that are not self supporting in a division to gain necessary games for their teams.

Self-supporting is defined as more than five (5) teams in a division within a region.

The interplay scheduler may request a region with more that five (5) teams in a division for game scheduling assistance if not enough teams exist within a division to provide a functional round robin without playing each other numerous times to gain a minimum of six games.

All teams participating in the regional interplay schedule will remain house teams.

The game schedules are to be completed 20 days prior to the start of each half season.

Divisional age groups are standard A.Y.S.O. format: U14, U12.

AREAS A, B, AND J INTERPLAY ROSTER CONFIRMATION

Coaches of all teams involved in interregional play will carry their teams' player registration forms with them and provide a line-up card to the referee before the start of the game.

PROCEDURE

• Regions announce the number of teams and division they wish to be involved in the interplay schedule. This forecast is to be completed July 15th .

Example A: Region places all their U14 boys into area interplay… the team schedules are completed by the interplay scheduler.

Example B: Region completes its own schedule for U14 boys but to have a total of 8 games, each team needs 2 more games. The region then requests that each of their U14 teams gets two games scheduled through the interplay scheduler.

• Regions who do not meet the July 15th deadline will have the teams scheduled subject to a) time remaining before first games are played b) the impact on the existing schedule c) may have to seek out their own games d) the area interplay scheduler may redo the schedule providing the least disruption to the teams already scheduled.

• The interplay game dates and times have the highest priority in each region in which interplay is utilized.

• During the August and March Interplay Scheduling Meetings, each region is required to furnish to the interplay scheduler the days, time blocks and fields which are available for interplay scheduling in their region.

5) Once the schedule is completed, changes are highly discouraged. If changes are

necessary, the regions involved will work with the interplay scheduler to cause

the least amount of disruption to the rest of the schedule.

• Fall Interplay starts after Labor Day. Spring Interplay starts the week after Spring Break.

GAME CANCELLATION

Games lost to weather, may or may not be rescheduled.

Interplay games can be cancelled five (5) days prior to the match by notifying the coach of the opposing team and the area game scheduler.

Cancelled games may or may not be rescheduled. It is up to the two individual regions/teams to reschedule the missed game.

GAME/TEAM FORMAT

Visiting team coach will contact home team coach or regional commissioner 24 hours prior to the game to confirm time and location for the interplay contest.

Home team will provide referee(s) for the game, visiting team will provide linespersons.

Game play will be in quarters. Time Limits are as follows: U12 – 60 minutes (each half not to exceed 30 minutes) U14 – 70 minutes (each half not to exceed 35 minutes)

During all area A, B, J interplay games, teams will utilize one of the following formulas depending on the number of players available for a game. The regions and their coaches are reminded that the game is for the soccer player. All attempts must be made to play as many players as possible each quarter. The exchanging of players is highly encouraged.

• If either team has 7 to 11 players, teams will match player for player, playing as many players as possible.

• If either team has 12 to 14 players, teams will match player for player up to 11 per side.

• If one team has less than 11 players and the opposing team has more than 14 players, the following procedure WILL BE adhered to if either teams' coach or players or any combination is unwilling to exchange players:

a. Each team will designate two captains.

b. Each team's captains will pick two teams from their players forming two squads.

c. The two teams will then exchange one captain and one squad.

d. The game will then be played. The teams will remain the same for all 4 quarters.

e. If a player or players arrive after the teams have been formed, they will be assigned to either team to balance the team numbers.

SPORTSMANSHIP AGREEMENT

A sportsmanship agreement is in place by which opposing coaches and teams will neither run up the score or embarrass an opponent. Fair play and consideration must be a part of every interplay game.

Protests are discouraged. Referees' disciplinary actions are not grounds for protests. If a protest is felt necessary, the procedure is as follows:

• The coach/referee/parent must submit a letter to their home regional commissioner within 72 hours of the incident.

• The home R.C. must submit his/her findings and planned action if required, to the R.C. of the opposing region within three days of receipt of the protest letter. The

opposing R.C. will then inform the home R.C. of the action taken. Copies will be

forwarded to the Area Director of each region. Either R.C. may submit a protest to the A.D. for action.

• The A.D. has two days upon receipt to act upon the protest. His/Her decision is final. This decision must be submitted to the two regions involved.

• The home R.C. has two days, upon receiving the A.D.'s decision, to respond to the writer of the protest.

COACHING and OFFICIATING

Rules for coaches and officials for interplay games will be FIFA, AYSO rules and regulations, area guidelines and directives and regional guidelines apply.

REFEREE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

1) PLAYER: (Red Card)

FIRST OFFENSE: ONE GAME SUSPENSION

SECOND OFFENSE: TWO GAME SUSPENSION

THIRD OFFENSE: INDEFINITE SUSPENSION

TOTAL OF THREE CAUTIONS (yellow card): ONE GAME SUSPENSION

*If the suspension takes place during the final game of the season, the penalty carries over to the next season.

2) COACH:

If a coach is cautioned (yellow card) in an interplay game, within the next two weeks the coach will be assessed by the Area Coach Administrator or a designated volunteer.

If a coach is ejected (red card):

FIRST OFFENSE: ONE GAME SUSPENSION

Following the suspension, the coach will be assessed by the Area Coach

Administrator or a designated volunteer.

SECOND OFFENSE: INDEFINITE SUSPENSION

TOTAL OF THREE CAUTIONS: ONE GAME SUSPENSION

*If the suspension takes place the last game of the season, the assessment will take place the following season.

3) TEAM

If a team fails to follow FIFA, AYSO Rules and Regulations, Area Guidelines and Directives, or Regional Guidelines:

FIRST OFFENSE: WARNING and ASSESSMENT BY AREA DIRECTOR or

Designated volunteer

SECOND OFFENSE: REMOVAL OF TEAM FROM THE INTERPLAY

SCHEDULE for the remainder of the present season

And the following season.

FUN, FAIR, and SAFE!!

INTERPLAY GUIDELINES (U16-U19)