The following rules have been designed to ensure fair play for all participants. Each player is expected to understand and be familiar with these rules prior to participation in the tournament. Any questions concerning these rules should be directed to the Tournament Event Staff.

Click here for a printable copy of the Tournament Rules or read below.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PLAYER REGISTRATION

Each team must fill out the Team Registration Form (online via the Registration page) prior to being accepted into the tournament. Every player must appear on the roster and fill out a Medical Release Form prior to playing in their first game.

All teams must check-in at least 30 minutes prior to their first game. No passcards are required.

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ROSTERS

Additions and/or changes to any roster must be approved by a Tournament Event Staff member prior to a team's first game. Barring severe injury, no changes or substitutions to rosters are allowed after the start of a team's first game. A player is allowed to participate for only 1 team in each age group for the duration of the tournament.

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NUMBER OF PLAYERS

5 is the maximum number of players on a team. Each team must have 3, 4, or 5 players on its roster who have registered their team by the pre-determined entry deadline. All games must start with 3 players on each team, unless a team with 3 players agrees to allow the opposing team to play with only 2 players. If a team with 3 players does NOT allow the opposing team to play with 2 players, or if the opposing team has 0 or 1 players, that team will be penalized 1 goal per 2 minutes after the designated start time up to 6 goals. Game is forfeited after 12 minutes (1 half).

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EQUIPMENT & TEAM UNIFORMS

All players must wear jerseys/shirts during play and each team must bring both a light and dark colored jersey/shirt. If both teams are wearing the same color, a coin flip in qualifying play will determine the team to change uniforms. In the playoffs, the higher seed will have the option.

All players MUST wear shinguards. Any player without shinguards will not be allowed to play.

Teams listed first on the schedule are responsible for providing game balls.

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FIELD DIMENSIONS

Length - 40 yards, Width - 30 yards.

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GOALS

The goals are 4 feet high by 6 feet wide.

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GOAL BOX

The goal box, 8 feet wide by 6 feet long, is directly in front of the goal. No player may touch the ball within the goal box. However, any player may move through the goal box. Any part of the ball or player's body on the line is considered in the goal box; the player is an extension of the box. If a defender touches the ball in the goal box, a penalty kick is awarded to the offensive team. If an offensive player touches the ball within the goal box, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team. If the ball comes to a complete stop in the goal box, regardless of which team touched it last, a goal kick is awarded to the defensive team.

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GAME DURATION

The game shall consist of two 12-minute halves running time, separated by a 2-minute halftime period. Qualifying games tied after regulation play shall end in a tie. Playoff games tied after regulation play will go to a 4-minute "Golden Goal" period, followed by a shootout. There are no timeouts.

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GOAL SCORING

Goals may be scored from anywhere on the offensive half of the playing field. The ball must be last touched (either by offense or defense) within the attacking team's offensive half of the field.

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SUBSTITUTIONS

Substitutions may occur at any dead ball situation, but players must get referee's attention and enter and exit at the half-field mark only.

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NO OFFSIDES

There is no offsides in 3v3 soccer.

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NO SLIDE TACKLING

If a player is sliding, no contact with an opposing player is allowed. If a player slides and contact is initiated, a free kick shall be awarded. This does not prevent players from sliding to stop/intercept a ball where contact with an opposing player is NOT initiated during the slide.

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INDIRECT KICKS

All restarts (kick-ins, free kicks, kick-offs) are indirect, with exception of corner kicks and penalty kicks (which are direct).

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FIVE YARD RULE

In all dead ball situations, defending players must stand at least five yards away from the ball. If the defensive player's goal area is closer than five yards, the ball shall be placed five yards from the goal area in line with the place of the penalty.

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KICK-INS

Any ball that goes over the sideline shall be kicked back into play from the sideline, instead of a throw-in. A ball is considered in play when it has been touched and moved one full revolution. All kick-ins are indirect.

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GOAL KICKS

Any ball that goes over the endline will be kicked back into play from any point on the endline, and not in the goal box area.

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KICK-OFFS

Kick-offs may be taken in any direction and are indirect.

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PENALTY KICKS

Penalty Kicks shall be awarded if, in the referee's opinion, a scoring opportunity was nullified by the infraction. It is a direct kick taken from the middle of the half-field line, with all players behind the half-field line. If a goal is not scored, the defense obtains possession with a goal kick. Penalty Kicks are NOT live balls.

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PLAYER EJECTION (YELLOW/RED CARD)

Referees have the right to eject a player from the game for continual disobedience or as a result of an incident that warrants sending the player off. The Tournament Director will decide suspension from additional games.

Any player receiving a yellow card must be subbed out. If that team only has 3 players on its roster, the team must play a man-down until the next dead ball, at which point the player can re-enter.

Any player accumulating 3 yellow cards during the tournament will automatically be suspended for their next game.

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SCORING (IN POOL PLAY)

Games will be scored according to the following: 3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie; and 0 points for a loss. A forfeit will be entered as a score of 6-0. Goal Difference will be awarded up to a difference of 9 per match (i.e. 15-0 would only earn a +9 goal differential).

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TIEBREAKERS

In qualifying play, ties between two teams will be broken by:

1. 1) head-to-head result between tied teams;
2. 2) goal difference in qualifying play;
3. 3) goals scored in qualifying play;
4. 4) least goals allowed in qualifying play;
5. 5) shootout.

Ties between three or more teams will use the following criteria to eliminate all but 2 teams:

1. 1) goal difference in qualifying play;
2. 2) goals scored in qualifying play;
3. 3) least goals allowed in qualifying play;
4. 4) shootout with 1 team receiving a first round bye by random draw.

When only 2 teams remain tied, the criteria for a tie between 2 teams (above) will be used.

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PLAYOFF OVERTIME

Teams will have one 4-minute "Golden Goal" overtime period. If the score is still tied, the winner shall be decided by a shootout. A coin flip will decide which team starts the penalty kick round. The 3 players from each team remaining on the field at the end of the overtime will alternate penalty kicks, with the higher scoring team winning after the 1st round. If the score remains tied after the 1st round of penalty kicks, the same field players will rotate in a sudden death penalty kick format until one team scores unanswered.

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SPORTSMANSHIP

Players, coaches, and spectators are expected to act in the nature of good sportsmanship at all times. Abuse of the referees will not be tolerated. Any instance of such conduct will disqualify the responsible team from the event. Use of illegal players, providing false information, unnecessary vulgarity, or abusive contact could all also result in disqualification from the tournament.

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WEATHER-RELATED ISSUES

The Love To ComPete Staff reserves the right to modify, reschedule, or cancel the tournament due to inclement weather. The Tournament Director has the right to move or reschedule games, as well as the right to shorten game lengths. All efforts will be made to proceed with the tournament as scheduled.

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CANCELLATION/REFUNDS

In the event that the entire tournament is canceled due to inclement weather, each Team Contact will receive an e-mail and an announcement will be posted on the tournament website by 7:00am on gameday. Teams will receive a 50% refund of their entry fees and the tournament t-shirts/programs will be shipped to each Team Contact.

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