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3:01 AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

3:01:01 The rules contained herein shall govern members of this Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of this Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation. All competition shall be governed by the rules stated herein unless the rules of a specific competition determine otherwise.

3:01:02 Districts and Leagues may deem fit to include rules and regulations more stringent than those included herein, but in no case may rules and regulations be less stringent. Districts and Leagues must submit their rules and regulations for review and approval by the Board of Directors of this Association.

3:01:03 Each team shall be responsible for the conduct of its players, coach, manager, team assistants and parents and it is the responsibility of each team to ensure that its actions, on or off the field, do not bring disrespect upon this Association. Each league shall be responsible for the conduct of those persons associated with its operations and it is the responsibility of each league to ensure that its actions do not bring disrespect upon this Association.

3:02 REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

Please refer to PIM 99-1 for additional information.

3:02:01 All players, coaches, and administrators shall annually register with CYSA and timely pay all dues and fees. All players are required to submit a properly completed USYSA Membership form. Players registering for outdoor and indoor soccer are required to submit separate USYSA Membership forms for outdoor and indoor soccer respectively.

A.                 Prior to acceptance of player registration into the Association, the following is required:  The only form that will be accepted will be the USYSA Membership Form #1601 (or equivalent CYSA form). The parent/legal guardian shall sign the Release of Liability and the Medical Consent on the player registration, form #1601. Coaches must carry the medical release of each player on the team roster (including any adds and/or transfers) with the ORIGINAL PARENT SIGNATURE at all team functions (practices, games, tournaments)

Please refer to PIMs 88-5, 96-2 and 99-1 for additional information.

3:02:02 Any player may register with any affiliated League in any District within this Association without restriction by the CYSA Board of Directors, its members, its program administrators, its Districts, or its affiliated leagues. This section does not change the right and authority of leagues to, among other things, establish the rules governing the players, team officials, and teams registered with the league, including the right and authority of leagues not to accept any person as a team official or any player the league chooses not to accept.

3:02:03 All teams are required to submit a CYSA team registration form. The submittal of the team registration form, with proper approvals, binds the player to that team for the seasonal year unless a player is granted a transfer.

Please refer to PIMs 77-12, 78-1 and 90-4 for additional information.

A.                  Maximum roster – no team shall be allowed more than eighteen (18) registered players at any given time.

B.                  Minimum roster – no team shall be allowed to have less than seven (7) players registered with a State Association.

C.                  Improper registration – any team playing a player who is over-age shall forfeit the game(s) in which that player takes part.

D.                  League variations – the state association may permit variances in Sections 3:02:03 through 3:02:03B in the best interest of the development of the sport within that state. Such variances shall not apply to the state level of National Cup competitions.

3:02:04 Any teams which have the same name (e.g., club’s name) must be identified by a numerical prefix or a different name. The same team name shall not be used for more than one team in the same age division.

3:02:05 Each member league shall be responsible for ensuring proper registration of the players and teams, proper accounting of fiscal transactions and accurate reporting to the District Commissioner and/or his/her appointed District Assistant within the time frames that have been set by CYSA.

3:02:06 This Association shall have first call on all players registered with the Association.

3:02:07 Each team official (i.e., coach, assistant coach/manager) shall be registered with this Association and have a proper USYSA Coach Pass.

Please refer to PIM 96-2 for additional information.

3:03 LIMIT DEFINITION

3:03:01 The term “youth” as applied to the Constitution, Bylaws, General Procedures and Specific Rules of this Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association, and the United States Soccer Federation, shall mean a youth player who has not reached the age of nineteen (19) years prior to August 1st immediately preceding the start of any seasonal year in which they apply for registration.

3:03:02 Players attaining the limiting age for any age group on or after August 1 immediately preceding the start of the seasonal year, will be eligible to play for the remainder of the seasonal year.

3:03:03 All leagues, unless otherwise sanctioned by the Board of Directors of this Association, shall divide play among teams of equal age groupings: Leagues may set up their teams in age groups that are beneficial for their own program (single age groups, multi-age groups, etc.) The teams when registered will be registered by the proper grouping determined by the birthdate of the oldest player on the team. Teams will enter competition, playing in their proper age group as registered or higher.

Please refer to PIM 77-12 for additional information.

A player’s age, for registration purposes, shall be his/her age on the July 31st immediately preceding the start of the seasonal year.

Please refer to PIM 81-8 for additional information.

3:04 PROOF OF AGE

3:04:01 Proof of age shall consist of: a birth certificate, birth registration issued by an appropriate government agency, Board of Health records, passport, alien registration card issued by the United States Government, a certificate issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service attesting to age, or a certification of an American citizen born abroad issued by the appropriate government agency, a current driver’s license, or a current identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.  Hospital, baptism, or religious certificates will not be accepted.

Please refer to PIM 96-3 and 01-2 for additional information.

3:05 SENIOR TRIAL GAMES

3:05:01 A youth player will be permitted to play an unlimited number of senior games without losing his/her youth eligibility. The youth player must obtain permission from his/her youth coach or other authorized team official. The coach or authorized team official shall, in writing or by form, request eligibility clearance from this Association. The youth coach or other authorized team official must, in writing, or by form, request permission from the California Soccer Association-North (senior board). When the above clearance and permissions have been granted, the California Soccer Association-North has sole discretion in permitting a youth player to play senior games and will be responsible for establishing the procedure under which this will be implemented.

Please refer to PIMs 78-4 and 90-1 for additional information.

3:05:02 Any youth playing for a senior club without the approval of the Board of Directors of this Association shall be declared ineligible for youth games. Any youth team using such ineligible player shall forfeit all games in which that player took part by a score of 1-0.

3:06 PLAYING WITH PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS

3:06:01 Any player signing a “Letter of Intent,” a professional contract or playing with a professional team, without the permission of the Board of Directors of this Association, shall be declared a professional player and shall lose all privileges of youth amateur status.

3:06:02 The Board of Directors of this Association may grant youth amateur player permission to play in benefit or exhibition games only, where professional players are involved. Permission must be requested in writing.

3:06:03 A player who has signed a “Letter of Intent,” a contract, or played in any game where professional players are involved without prior permission of the Board of Directors of the Association, will not be permitted to be reinstated to youth amateur status.

3:07 GAME TIMES AND BALL SPECIFICATIONS (OUTDOOR ONLY)

3:07:01 Length of games, overtime periods, and ball specifications, except as provided by USYSA and its affiliates, the length of games, ball size, ball weight, ball dimensions, and tie-breaking rules for each age group shall be as follows:

Game		O.T.
Length		Period	Ball
Div.	Halves	Halves	Size	Circum.	Weight
U-19	2 – 45 min.	2 – 15 min.	#5	27" - 28"	14-16 ozs.
U-16	2 – 40 min.	2 – 15 min.	#5	27" - 28"	14-16 ozs.
U-14	2 – 35 min.	2 – 10 min.	#5	27" - 28"	14-16 ozs.
U-12	2 - 30 min.	2 – 10 min.	#4	25" - 26"	11-13 ozs.
U-10	As modified rules specify	No tie breaker	#4	25" - 26"	11-13 ozs.
U-8	As modified rules specify	No tie breaker	#3	23"- 24"	11-12 ozs.
U-6	As modified rules specify	No tie breaker	#3	23" - 24"	11-12 ozs.

3:08 RULES OF PLAY

3:08:01 Players wearing orthopedic casts, air-splints or metal splints shall not be eligible to participate in any game.

Please refer to PIM 03-2 for additional information.

3:08:02 Charging the goalkeepers shall not be permitted at any time, when he/she is within his/her own penalty area.

3:08:03 Coaching from the sidelines, giving direction to one’s own team on points of strategy and position, is permitted provided:

A.                 No mechanical devices are used.

B.                 The tone of voice is informative and not a harangue.

C.                 No coach, substitute, player, or spectator is to be anywhere but at his/her bench area during the game. A team’s bench area shall be that area one (1) yard from the touchline and extending to ten (10) yards, one way, from the half-line only.

D.                No coach, substitute, player or spectator is to make derogatory remarks or gestures to the referees, other players, substitutes, or spectators.

E.                 No coach, substitute, or player is to use profanity.

F.                 No coach, substitute, player, or spectator is to incite, in any manner, disruptive behavior of any kind.

The penalty for the above shall be ejection from the game and disciplinary action will be taken by the Board of Directors of this Association.

Please refer to PIM 80-3 and 81-1 for additional information.

3:08:04 Where colors of uniforms are similar, the home team must effect a change to colors which are distinct from those of the opponent.

3:08:05 The home team will be responsible for the condition of the grounds, the proper field markings and proper equipment. Nets and corner flags are required. It will be the responsibility of both teams to have a game ball and see that their fans behave in a proper and respectful manner.

3:08:06 Players may be substituted at the following times:

A.                  Prior to a throw-in, in your favor.

B.                  Prior to a goal kick, by either team.

C.                  After a goal, by either team.

D.                  After an injury, when the referee stops play, by either team.

E.                  At half time.

F.                  When the referee stops play to caution a player, only the cautioned player may be substituted, prior to the restart of the game.

The number of substitutes shall be unlimited, unless a competition superseding the jurisdiction of this Association determines otherwise. In any case, a substitute shall not enter the field of play until he/she has been given a signal to do so by the referee.

3:08:07 The referee shall require that both teams enter all the appropriate information on a CYSA Referee Report form prior to the start of the game.

A.                 The referee shall verify the identity of the player with his/her player pass. He shall collect the passes of those players who are to participate in the game. The referee must allow no player into the game for whom he/she has no pass or whose name does not appear on the Referee Report form. The referee shall also require that the coach or manager of each team sign the Referee Report form verifying that the information entered on the form is correct.

Please refer to PIM 88-4 & Rule 4:05:02 for additional information.

B.                 Upon completion of the game, the referee shall send his/her report to the proper authority within forty-eight (48) hours, holidays excluded, along with the member pass of any ejected player and, in such cases of ejection, he/she shall also mail a supplementary 24 Hour Ejection Report.

C.                  Prior to the game, the referee shall make sure that each player’s equipment is in proper order.

Please refer to PIM 88-3 for additional information.

D.                  A Referee Report form must be filed for every game played.

E.                 In the event of a forfeited game, the winning team must submit a Referee Report form made out listing the players of their team; it must be noted on the card “forfeit” and submitted to the proper authority within the stipulated time (see “B” above). A postmark dated within the stipulated time will be deemed as proper compliance with this regulation.

3:08:08 The winning team is responsible for calling the proper authority in charge of the competition, immediately following the game (or within a reasonable time) to notify him/her of the outcome.

3:08:09 Any team delaying the start of a scheduled game more than fifteen (15) minutes without the sanction of the proper authority shall forfeit the game to the opponent by a score of 1-0.

3:08:10 In the event both teams do not show up for a scheduled game, and the referee rules the ground playable, then both teams shall be assessed a loss.

3:08:11 Referees responsible for the late start of a game may be disciplined by the proper authority. Referees may, at any time, be called upon by the proper authority to explain their reports.

Please refer to PIM 96-1 for additional information.

3:08:12 The referee’s judgment with regard to the physical condition of the field and its acceptance for play, to the actual happenings and occurrences related to the conduct of the game and those prerogatives granted to him/her, by the “Laws of the Game” for outdoor soccer and the “Official Indoor Soccer Rules” for indoor soccer, shall not be challenged.

3:09 TEAM TRAVEL PROCEDURES

3:09:01 Any team desiring to travel outside the jurisdiction of this Association must submit a properly completed USYSA “Application for Travel” form and “CYSA Official Travel Roster” form. No travel shall be allowed until the USYSA “Application for Travel” and “CYSA Official Travel Roster” have been processed by the CYSA office. Any team applying to play within the United States must submit their application to the District Commissioner at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the game. This applies to Canada and Mexico. Requests for games outside of the United States are to be submitted to the District Commissioner at least ninety (90) days prior to the date of the game.

Please refer to PIMs 81-2, 94-1 and 99-2 for additional information.

3:10 SEND OFF PROCEDURE (FORMERLY EJECTION)

3:10:01 If a player is sent off for misconduct, then the referee shall mail the member’s pass to the league (in case of league games), or to the proper authority, along with his/her game report. That player is ineligible until the player pass is returned to the player, upon completion of suspension.

Please refer to 4:08:07 and PIM 80-3 for additional information.

3:11 PROTEST AND APPEALS PROCEDURE

3:11:01 In the matter of protests and appeals, no person(s) associated with the operations of this Association at any level (team, league, district, or state) may invoke the aid of the courts of any state or of the United States without first exhausting all available remedies within CYSA/USYSA/USSF, including a final appeal to the USSF Council at the Annual General Meeting.

3:11:02 For violation of 3:11:01, the offending party(ies) shall be subject to the sanctions of suspension and fines, and shall be liable to CYSA/USYSA/USSF for all expenses incurred by CYSA/USYSA/USSF in defending each court action, including but not limited to the following:

A.                  Court costs

B.                  Attorney fees

C.                 Reasonable compensation for time spent by CYSA/USYSA/USSF officers and employees in responding to and defending against allegations in the action, including responses to discovery and court appearances.

D.                  expenses

E.                  Expenses for holding special CYSA/USYSA/USSF meetings necessitated by the court action.

3:11:03 Only violations of the Constitution, Bylaws, General Procedures and Specific Rules of this Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation, including the right of individuals to participate and compete, misapplication of the “Laws of the Game” for outdoor soccer and the “Official Indoor Soccer Rules” for indoor soccer, or violations of league rules and regulations, provided the latter are within the framework of the constitution, Bylaws, General Procedures, and Specific Rules of this Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation, shall be proper subjects to be considered for action.

3:11:04 In all league matters, the league management within each district, shall provide procedures for protests and the hearing of an appeal. Within those procedures all parties to the appeal shall be given written notification at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing and not until that procedure has been completed and an adverse decision rendered on the matter in question, will it be forwarded to the Protest and Appeals Committee of this Association. Upon rendering a decision the league shall forward a copy of its evidence, findings and decision to the office of this Association for future reference. All pertinent data must be forwarded within fourteen (14) days of the league decision.

3:11:05 Should any person, team, or league desire to appeal any adverse decision, communication shall be from the league to the District Commissioner; from the District Commissioner to the CYSA Protest and Appeals Committee; from the CYSA Protest and Appeals Committee to the next higher level.

3:11:06 Should any hearing body choose not to hear a protest or appeal, that body may, if they desire, refer the matter directly to the next higher authority.

3:11:07 Upon receipt of any adverse decision, appeal may be made to the next higher authority including an appeal to a validly constituted Appeals Panel of USSF that has jurisdiction to approve, modify or reverse the matter.

Please refer to PIMs 81-1 and 96-1 for additional information.

3:11:08

A.                 Protest and appeals are to be in writing and describe in detail the grounds for the appeal. Protests and appeals will be sent to the appropriate league/District Commissioner/CYSA, depending on the level the appeal is being directed, and shall be postmarked within seventy-two (72) hours (Sundays and holidays excluded) following receipt of league/district disciplinary decision being protested or appealed. The proper fee must be enclosed.

B.                 The protest or appeal sent to CYSA shall include all supporting documentation. Documentation must include the CYSA Notice of Appeal and copies of all previous decisions in the matter. The appealing party will follow the instructions for appeal/protest submission outlined on the CYSA Notice of Appeal.

C.                  The protest or appeal fee shall be established at two hundred dollars ($200.00) for items arising before the Protest and Appeals Committee.

D.                  The protest or appeal fee shall be returned if the protest or appeal is upheld. This fee shall be retained if the protest or appeal is denied, unless the Protest and Appeals Committee is overruled by a higher authority.

3:11:09 The Chairman of the Protest and Appeals Committee shall set a date for the hearing of the appeal. Such a date shall be within thirty (30) days of receipt of said appeal. All parties to the appeal shall be given written notification at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing.

3:11:10 The Protest and Appeals Committee of this Association shall consider all pertinent information arising out of an appeal of a league or district disciplinary action. The parties involved shall have the opportunity to present their case. The decision of the Protest and Appeals Committee of this Association shall be conveyed, in writing, to the party initiating the appeal within seven (7) days of the decision. This decision may be appealed as outlined in USSF Bylaw 705 for appeals beyond the state level. A copy of the decision along with all pertinent information and findings, shall be filed with this Association and the involved league.

3:11:11 Decisions rendered by protest and appeals committees shall stand, and be complied with, until such a time as they are overturned by a higher authority.

Please refer to PIMs 81-1 and 96-1 for additional information.

3:12 INSURANCE

3:12:01 All injuries, to be claimed against the medical insurance program, shall be completely reported on the proper insurance claim form. This form shall be obtainable through the CYSA office.

3:12:02 All completed reports on injuries shall be submitted to this Association’s office within thirty (30) days of the injury.

3:12:03 The Association shall, upon written request, provide member leagues with a copy of the liability and medical insurance policies covering players, coaches, managers, and league board members.

3:12:04 Insurance coverage will be in effect for a newly registered player upon the payment of registration fees to the league. A player that has been registered the previous year has insurance coverage in effect until September 1 of the following year. All players must be properly registered with their respective leagues before insurance coverage is valid for any type of tryouts.

3:12:05 All team coaches, managers and assistant coaches are automatically covered with liability insurance and medical insurance. It is necessary that these persons submit the proper registration forms to the CYSA Registrar for entry to the computer listing. The medical coverage is valid only when these persons are acting in the capacity of a team coach, manager or assistant coach.