Great Basin Youth Soccer League
2014 Competitive Play Guidelines
REMEMBER THESE SIMPLE RULES!
1. PLAYER CARDS ARE REQUIRED! No Player Card(s), No Play. Referees are REQUIRED to
check and hold all player cards until the match is completed. Unless you have an approved GAME CARD from
the League to play a player without a player card, the player may not participate in the league game. An Official
Roster (Golden Rod) or Birth Certificate ARE NOT proper documentation for your player to play. It is not worth
your time to appear before the Disciplinary Committee which could result in up to a year-long suspension for
both the coach and player involved! Player card(s) must be surrendered to referee when requested.
2. FIELD & PLAYER EQUIPMENT! If you are the Home Team (as designated on your league
schedule) you are responsible for being sure that the corner flags are up and the nets are in playable condition
(no large holes, etc.). HOME team is responsible for returning the flags to the equipment box after the game.
Failure to return the flags to the storage box will be a $75 assessed to the home team.
As the HOME team, you are also responsible for providing the GAME CARD to the Center Referee.
All coaches and team officials are responsible for their player’s equipment including proper shin guards and eye
protection (GBYSL recommends “sports spectacles” or a similar sport eye protection. Final determination is
still up to the referee). Failure to prep the field for match play may result in your forfeit of the game (five
minutes after scheduled match play). Players not ready with the proper equipment may also be asked to sit out
of the game until compliance is met.
Uniform Policy -- Home team will be dressed in light/white color, visitor will wear dark color, and in case of
same color the HOME team will change uniforms. All teams are to have two distinctive colors, one dark and
one light. Failure to follow procedures could result in forfeiture of game at the discretion of the referee.
3. GBYSL has a NO cancellation policy.
If you must cancel a game due to unforeseen circumstances, then it must be done prior to referee assignment by
the referee assignor. (business hours – not weekends) GBYSL has an active “Intra-Club Guest Player” Policy
to be used in case of a team facing a player shortage for a game. The “Intra-Club Guest Player “Policy was
designed to stop game cancellations due to lack of players. You will find the Policy on the GBYSL website
under “By-laws & Policies”.
If you must still cancel, you must call and email the League Executive Director, ([email protected]),
the Referee Assignor ([email protected]) and the game scheduler, Eric Perez
([email protected]) to cancel your game. Your team will be required to pay the $100 game cancellation
due to the assignment of referees. Your game will go down as a forfeit in favor of the opposing team. The score
of the forfeit will stand even if the game is played at another date. If the game takes place on another date, then
the cost of the referee team will be paid by the teams. (Remember, only the County/City, League or Referee’s
may cancel a game due to weather, fire, and field conditions, etc.!)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN THIS POLICY!!
4. Maximum Number of Games
The 2013 Season(s) will contain 8 games with an average of one game per week or three games every two
weeks per registered local team. Matches will be scheduled for weekdays (after 5:00PM) and Saturdays from
8:00AM to 6:00PM. Those teams traveling more than 60 miles to participate in League play may be scheduled
for weekend play only and may include more than one match per Saturday, maximizing the benefit of their
travel. “Friendly” matches between any two GBYSL registered teams are allowed but must be coordinated
among the teams/coaches directly. League involvement for friendly games is limited to field scheduling and the
friendly matches will have no effect on League standings at season end. The League will not provide referees
for any matches beyond the original schedule nor will guarantee field space for these friendly matches.
5. Team Standings and Point Calculation
Team standings will be kept for the season. Standings will be determined by division games with ties being
broken by overall record(s). Game Reports submitted to GBYSL through our Gotsoccer program by USSF
referees will determine final team standings. Awards may be awarded to the first & second place team(s) on a
straight win/loss record. Standings will be posted at the end of the season on our web site at www.gbysl.org
under the “Competitive” Tab. (A team playing down an age division will not be eligible for a trophy in the
division standings.)
Score Reporting Method
Referee Game reports will be used for final official standings.
Referee Selection and Payment
GBYSL is making every attempt to schedule referees at ALL League games. In the event a center referee is
unavailable, officiating will be determined in the following descending order:
A. Any certified USSF referee onsite acceptable to both team’s coaches. This referee may assign “Club”
linesmen & will abide by the USSF referee’s direction.
B. Any soccer knowledgeable adult, another organization(s) certified referee or team official acceptable to both
team’s coaches.
C. Any soccer knowledgeable and experienced youth player acceptable to both teams’s a coach that is AT
LEAST one age division older than the teams playing.
D. In the event no agreement can be reached under these options, each head coach shall participate in refereeing
the match. Any disputes that cannot be resolved on the field between officiating coaches shall be documented
and presented to the Disciplinary Committee for a hearing and determination.
E. Agreement as to officiating shall be vocally stated between the game coaches prior to the beginning of match
play. Payment for uncertified volunteer referees is to be determined between the two teams and any agreed upon
sum shall be paid prior to the commencement of play. Great Basin Youth Soccer League will only pay certified
USSF referees.
F. To determine the referee status of your scheduled game, please check your game schedule through your team
account in Gotsoccer. As referees are assigned to games, their names appear on your official game card.
If a referee does not show for your scheduled game, please report to the League Executive Director at
[email protected]) AND the Referee Assignor at [email protected].
6. Forfeiture, Non-Appearance and Make-up Games
Any team failing to appear for a scheduled match without prior and adequate notification, (See Item #3) will be
responsible for both a “No Show” fine AND Referee fees. The first occurrence of a “No Show” will be a fine of
$100 and the appropriate Referee fees (depending on how Referee’s were assigned for the game). The fine will
increase to $200 per additional “No Show” (plus Referee fees). If a team has two “No Show” occurrences per
season they WILL be placed in bad standing resulting in one (or more) of the following actions taken: 1. Travel
Papers will not be issued. 2. Next season team registration will be placed on hold pending a hearing before the
Disciplinary Committee. 3. The team’s coach and team official(s) will be requested to appear before the
Disciplinary Committee and/or the GBYSL Board of Officers which may result in suspension! Inclement
weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances which prevent a team from appearing (ice, snow, road
closures, etc are acceptable BUT NOT rain, cold weather, school functions, dances, etc.) will be given special
consideration with possible waiver of the penalty.
Any team unable to take the field with the minimum required number of players (7) at the starting time of match
play shall be declared forfeiture. Friendly play may ensue but any scoring will not be counted in team standings
other than as listed above in the “Team Standing and Points” section.
7. Procedure to Reschedule
For the 2014 season, GBYSL will not reschedule any games EXCEPT for those that are cancelled because of
field closure by the County/City, unsafe playing conditions as deemed by the on-site Referee, or other factors
uncontrollable by the teams in question, the League, or City/County entities.
REMEMBER, CANCELLING A GAME IS A FORFEIT EVEN IF YOU RESCHEDULE. A CANCELLED
GAME WILL RESULT IN A “0-1" LOSS FOR THE TEAM THAT HAS CANCELLED THEIR MATCH. IF
BOTH TEAMS AGREE TO THE CANCELLATION, THEN BOTH TEAMS WILL RECEIVE A “0-0" SCORE
FOR THE CANCELLED MATCH. LEAGUE STANDINGS WILL BE BASED ON THE “ORIGINAL”
SCHEDULE REGARDLESS OF CANCELLATIONS OR MAKEUPS.
8. Player and Coach Passes
The League provides NYSA STATE player and coach passes for every player, coach and team official. To
commence play, these passes MUST be presented to the center referee or game official for player, coach &
team official verification and shall be held by the center referee or game official until such time match play has
ended. Any trainer on the sideline must also submit their pass to the center referee or game official.
ONLY COACHES, TEAM OFFICIAL(S), PLAYERS AND TEAM TRAINERS WITH PASSES ARE
ALLOWED IN THE TEAM BOXES DURING MATCH PLAY! THERE MAY BE NO MORE THAN A
MAXIMUM OF 4 COACHES/TEAM OFFICIALS/TRAINERS ON THE SIDELINE/TEAM BOX AT
ANY TIME DURING MATCH PLAY! Any parent, adult or child without passes will be removed from the
team boxes or the sideline in which the teams are situated.
Any player/coach/team official/trainer unable to produce their player pass when requested will be declared
ineligible for play and will remain on the sideline. See Item #1 of the Guidelines- PLAYER CARDS ARE
MANDATORY!
9. Discipline
The League feels sportsmanship is a strong concern for our players and coaches. Therefore we will enforce the
following policy:
RED CARDS - If a player receives a red card by a USSF certified referees his/her player pass will be taken and
given to a League Official. The player will sit out for the next League game. If the card is given for foul/abusive
language or violence, the player will sit out for up to two additional games AND IMMEDIATE SANCTIONS
WILL BE IMPOSED. The player may also be requested to appear before the Disciplinary Committee.
SECOND RED CARD - If a player receives two red cards during League play the player is automatically
suspended for play for the remainder of the season. The player may also be required to appear before the
Disciplinary Committee for additional reprimand/sanctions. Likewise, the player may request to appear before
the Disciplinary Committee to have his playing privileges re-established.
YELLOW CARD/THREE YELLOWS - The League will track yellow cards. After a player receives three
yellow cards during League play then the player in question will miss the next scheduled game. If the player
returns to play and receives two more yellow cards he/she will be required to appear before the Disciplinary
Committee.
COACHES/TEAM OFFICIALS - You are expected to display sportsmanship AT ALL TIMES and comply
with the By-Laws and Rules of the Great Basin Youth Soccer League and Nevada Youth Soccer Association.
You may lose your coaching status if you display poor sportsmanship or break the Rules as currently written
and/or may be requested to appear before the Disciplinary Committee or the Board of the Great Basin Youth
Soccer League. GBYSL WILL IMPOSE IMMEDIATE SANCTIONS FOR LANGUAGE,
PHYSICAL/VERBAL ABUSE OR OTHER INFRACTIONS PER GBYSL & NYSA RULES.
PLEASE BE SURE TO REVIEW BOTH DOCUMENTS! GBYSL & NYSA State Rules are posted at
http://gbysl.org & http://nysa.org.
Likewise, you are also expected to ensure that the parents & spectators from your team display sportsmanship at
all times. COACHES WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF THEIR PARENTS AND
SPECTATORS!
10. Match Play
SHIN GUARDS: Shin guards shall be age appropriate and will provide appropriate coverage out of acceptable
material.
UNIFORMS: Shirts shall be tucked in at all times during match play. The only exception to this rule is if the
uniform is “form fitted”, designed not to be tucked in. Girls will be allowed to wear sleeve “scrunchies”.
GARMENTS OTHER THAN UNIFORMS: Sliding shorts, sweats, long sleeve shirts, etc have to be the same
color as the uniform color (or very close). The wearing of sweats requires approval by the on-site referee.
JEWELRY: None. Only exception is medical alert and religious symbols that must be pre-approved by the
League prior to match play.
CAST & BRACES: Must have a signed doctor’s release releasing the player to play. The Center Referee has
the final say as to the safety of the player and other players regarding casts. Casts must be wrapped with ½”
foam, bubble wrap or appropriate material. Knee braces must be covered with the manufacturer’s sleeve. No
other wraps will be accepted.
SUBSTITUTIONS: All players should enter the field at the center line with permission of the center referee.
Players should leave at center unless the center referee approves otherwise.
TEAM HANDSHAKE: Referees will supervise team handshake at the end of the game and a card may be
given for unsportsmanlike conduct. Prior permission from the referee to forgo handshake is acceptable.
RECOMMENDATION: GBYSL recommends that all players on the sideline be required to stay in the warmup area or wear a pinny to differentiate players from those on the field or ready to substitute.
Thank You for Your Support and Understanding!!!
FIELD & LEAGUE CONTACTS
League Executive Director: Vicki LaRovere 775.250.8509 [email protected]
Referee Assignor: Matt Taber [email protected]
League Scheduler- Eric Perez [email protected]