RULES AND REGULATIONS

 

4300. NJSA STATE CUPS

 

 

4301. STATE CUPS COMPETITIONS

 

a)      The NJSA, through the Cups Committee, shall organize, annually, competitions for men and women, as follows:

·        New Jersey Premiere Cup

·        Men’s Open Cup

·        Men’s Over 30 Cup

·        Men’s Over 40 Cup

·        Women’s Open Cup

 

b)      Each competition shall be conducted only if sufficient interest (i.e. entries) is evident.

c)      The trophies presented shall be the property of the winners. The trophies will be presented to the winners at the Annual NJSA Dinner.

 

4302. ELIGIBILITY

 

  • A team to be eligible to enter the competition must be AFFILIATED with the NJSA and registered as a Premier member of an affiliated PREMIER NJSA League.

 

4303. ENTRIES AND DEADLINES

 

  • The Cups Committee shall establish the closing date by which all teams’ entries must be received.

 

4304. ADMINISTRATION

 

a)      The Cups Committee shall be responsible for administrating the above competitions. The Committee shall consist of two or more persons appointed by the NJSA V.P. of Games Operations.

b)      The Committee shall furnish all teams with the proper forms and have them returned with the proper entry fees within the established deadline.

c)      Referees reports are to be returned to the Cups Committee, care of the NJSA. The Cups Committee shall collect the scores of the matches played on the day the games were played.

d)      The winning team, upon completion of match, shall report the results immediately to the Cups Committee. Failure to do so will result in a $20.00 fine.

e)      The Cups Committee shall administer players’ suspensions, if needed.

 

4305. FORM OF COMPETITION

 

  • The competition shall be a “knockout” (single loss elimination) competition.

 

4306. PRECEDENCE OF GAMES

 

a)      Original, replayed, or postponed games shall take precedence over all other games and competitions other than National Cups competitions. The Cups Chairman may order one (1) “closed date” for the first Round of the State Cups, thus prohibiting any NJSA affiliate to play any other game on that date.

b)      In the First Round of a Cup, whenever possible, no teams from the same League shall be paired against each other.

 

4307. FINALS

 

a)      All costs/income connected with the Finals of any cup shall be the responsibility of the NJSA.

b)      The Finals shall be played at a neutral site, chosen by the Cups Committee.

 

4308. FORFEITS AND FAILURE TO COMPETE

 

  • Any team intending to forfeit a game must inform the Cup Chairman of its intention to do so not less than seven (7) days prior to the game in writing. Failure to compete shall result in a fine of $100.00.

 

4309. FORFEITS-GENERAL

 

a)      A team using an ineligible player shall forfeit the game in which the player played, to the opposing team, and shall be expelled from the competition.

b)      A team shall also forfeit a game to the opposing team for failure to comply with the rules of the competition, or for just causes as determined by the Cups Committee (see rule 4321).

 

4310. GAMES’ SETTINGS

 

a)      Games must be played on the scheduled date set by the Cup Committee.

b)      The home team has the right to choose the site of the match unless otherwise determined by the Cups Committee.

c)      Changes to the game site must be made not later than four (4) days prior to the scheduled game, in writing to the Cup Chairman.

d)      The Cups Committee sets the game time for all games. By mutual agreement and with the approval of the Cups Committee, the two opposing teams may change the game time.

a)      Before the quarter-finals games, when the games are played on Sundays, no Cup game shall start before 9:30 AM or later than 5:00 PM.

 

4311. HOME TEAM DETERMINATION

 

a)      The team on the top of the bracket is considered drawn before the team in the bottom part of the bracket. No team shall be allowed to play more than two consecutive games at home.

b)      After the first round, where teams are designated if home or away, after pairing 2 teams for the next cup match, the home team shall be determined by checking the previous cup round in the following manner:

·        Case #1: Both teams had a bye

·        Solution: Home factor too first drawn

·        Case #2: Team A played home and Team B was bye

·        Solution: Home factor to B

·        Case #3: Team A played away and team B was bye

·        Solution: Home factor to A

·        Case #4: Team A played home and team B played away

·        Solution: Home factor to B

·        Case #5: Team A played away and team B played home

·        Solution: Home factor to A

·        Case #6: Both teams played away

·        Solution: Home factor too first drawn

·        Case #7: Both teams played home

·        Solution: Home factor too first drawn

 

4312. DETERMINATION OF BYES

 

  • In order to reduce the number of teams to 32 or 16, depending on the total number of entries, byes may have to be given. These byes shall be assigned according to the following priority order.

 

A)    Last season's Cup Champion

B)     Last season's Runner-ups

C)    Last season's 3rd and 4th place

D)    By blind draw

 

 

4313. TEAMS’ UNIFORMS

 

  1. Where the uniforms of the two competing teams are so similar as to create possible player identification problems on the field, as determined by the referee, the HOME team shall change their uniforms. Home team should make every effort to determine colors of visiting team prior to the game date.
  2. Goalkeepers must wear colors, which distinguish them from other players and game officials.
  3. Each player on a team must wear a different number.

 

4314. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

 

  1. Each player competing in these competitions must be duly qualified, according to the rules of the NJSA and must be properly registered with the NJSA, according to all NJSA player registration rules and policies.
  2. A player may not actually play for more than one competing team in the competition within the same cup. Properly registered players can be added to a competing team during the competition provided they have not played for another team within the same competition.
  3. Player(s) may be registered for any competing team up to the day prior to the quarterfinal date or as set by the Cups Committee. The Cups Committee shall have the power to investigate and determine the qualification of any player.
  4. A player under suspension from a State Cup is ineligible to participate in State Cup Competition until the suspension has been served.
  5. A player suspended from State Cup competition is ineligible to play in League competition if his/her team has been eliminated from State Cup competition, in which case the player’s pass and a recommendation of suspension from the Cup Committee will be sent to the league.
  6. A Fine of $25.00 shall be imposed on a team that received a red card during a State Cup Game. This payment must be received by the Cups Committee before such player is eligible to play in ANY competition (National cups, State cups or League games)
  7. All youth registered players competing in a NJSA State Cup game must be properly registered with the NJSA.

 

4315. PLAYER PASSES/IDENTIFICATION

 

  • All players participating in the NJSA State Cup must carry a properly validated NJSA identification card bearing their photograph, validated for the current season.
  • Each player pass MUST indicate the name of the team for which he is playing.
  • No guest players are allowed to play in a Cup Competition: a player must be properly registered for the team they play in the cup game.

 

4316. PLAYER LISTS/LINE-UP

 

A.     Each team, prior to the start of every game, shall present to the referee and the opposing team the official list of 18 players to be used for that match. No name may be added to that list once the game has started.

B.     Each team must use the official line-up sheet for the Cup Games (form can be downloaded from the website: http://www.matiota.com/New%20Jersey%20Cup/index.htm.

C.     Each team shall prepare TWO copies: the original copy is presented and given to the Game Referee, the second copy is given to the opposing team. These copies must be handed out BEFORE the game starts. No name can be added to those lists after the game starts.

D.     All participating players MUST sign the Game Line-up sheet. Players coming late to the game may sign the Official Line-up sheet up to the start of the second half. Once the second half is started, players showing up late will NOT be ELIGIBLE to play in that game.

E.      As soon as a discrepancy is found, the referee must be notified immediately and the offending team must be given the opportunity to withdraw the ineligible player from the game.

F.      Failure to use the official line-up sheet will result in a fine of $25.00.

 

4317. PLAYING RULES

 

  • In all games played in the competitions, the playing rules shall be the FIFA Laws of the Game in effect at the time of the game with the following modifications:

 

(a)    An unlimited number of substitutions shall be allowed during a game. The substitutions shall be made in accordance with the FIFA guidelines.

 

(b)   No more than eighteen (18) players may suit up and be used for a Cup game.

 

(c)    In the event the score is tied at the end of regulation periods, two (2) fifteen- (15) minutes overtime shall be played. In the event the score is still tied at the end of the 2 overtime periods, the winner shall be determined according to FIFA method of obtaining a result in “knockout” competitions in effect at the time of the entry deadline.

 

(d)   If, for any cause, a game is not completed, the Cups Committee shall determine the disposition of the game.

 

4318. GAME OFFICIALS AND FEES

 

(a)    The NJSA referee assignor, upon notification of the Cups Committee, shall select Game Officials.

(b)   Only Officials registered with the USSF shall be eligible to be selected as referee or assistant referee for games in these competitions.

(c)    Each game shall have three (3) Officials whenever possible: one as referee and two as assistant referees.

(d)   If only one referee shows up for the game, it must be played with only one referee.

(e)    The two competing teams for all games except for the Final shall divide the total cost of the officials equally.

(f)     The Cups Committee shall set officials’ fees according to NJSA guidelines.

(g)    A travel allowance of $25.00 shall be paid to the Referee and assistant referees if the field is found by the referee to be unsafe or unplayable. Traveling Fees will also be paid if for any reason an outside agency (Parks department, Board of Education, etc.) close down the field for reasons beyond the control of the home team and the Cups Committee was not notified with enough time to stop the referees to go into the field.

 

4319. PLAYERS DISCIPLINE

 

(a)    Automatic suspension shall be one (1) game, unless the Cups Committee, based on the referee’s report, increases the period of suspension.

(b)   Indoor games or exhibition games or tournament games shall not be considered official games for the purpose of crediting toward disciplinary suspensions.

(c)    A player that receives a red card during a cup game, must serve his/her suspension during the State Cup games, if his/her team advances in the State Cup, otherwise such suspension must be served during his/her regular League games.

(d)   The NJSA Arbiter shall handle any ejection involving physical and verbal assault toward a game official.

(e)    Suspensions shall be applicable during the current season/cup competitions.

 

4320. TEAM AND PLAYER BREACHES OF RULES

 

(a)    The Cup Committee shall have the power to disqualify and remove from further participation in the competition any team or player(s) of any competing team who may be proven guilty of any breach of the rules of the NJSA State Cup rules, of the NJSA, of the USASA, or of the USSF.

(b)   The Cup committee shall have the power to issue fines for breach of the rules and for misbehavior up to $1,000.00.

 

4321. PROTESTS

 

(a)    Any protest shall be referred to the Cups Chairman and the decision of the Cups Committee shall be final. The protest must be made in writing and must describe, in detail, the grounds for the protest.

(b)   The original signed protest and a protest fee of $250.00, of which $50.00 is non-refundable, shall be submitted to the Cups Committee within two (2) days of the match to which its relates, and must show evidence that a copy was forwarded to the opposing team by certified letter with return receipt requested. The protest fee shall be in the form of a certified check or money order, made payable to the NJSA.

(c)    The opposing team shall have two (2) days from the date the copy of the protest was forwarded to the Cups Committee to submit its statement, if any, to the Cups Committee.

(d)   No protest shall be accepted for the alleged use of an unqualified player, whose name appears on the game Line-up sheet copy received by the opposing team, or because it does not appear on such Line-up sheet, under Rule 4315, unless an objection in writing is lodged with the referee and the opposing team as soon as the discrepancy is found.

(e)    The Cups Committee shall determine the protest as quickly as possible, and may require further submission of evidence relating to the protest.

(f)     Notice of the Cups Committee decision shall be sent, by mail, to both teams competing in the game which was subject to protest.

(g)    Protests may be withdrawn in writing after it has been submitted, but withdrawal of protest shall result in the forfeit of the protest fee, which shall be retained by the NJSA.

(h)    The protest fee shall be retained if the protest is not sustained, or it shall be returned if the protest is sustained except $50.00. In all situations, if a team protesting is found to be right in its claim against another team, the $50.00 administration fee shall be attributed to the team at fault and refunded to the team protesting.

(i)      All Cup Committee decisions are final.

 

4322. SCHEDULING OF THE CUP GAMES

 

(a)    All the Cup games, prior to Quarter-Finals, must be played in the Fall Season and the games must be played on Sundays. Starting with the Quarter-Finals, the games will be played on week days, from Tuesday to Friday, under the lights and shall not start before 7:00 PM or no later of 9:00 PM.

(b)   Both teams can reach an agreement to play behind the above boundaries. Such agreement must be sent in writing to the Cups Chairman, five (5) days prior to the schedule day of the game. If the agreement calls for the game to be played on Saturday or Sunday, the Leagues of affiliation for both teams shall also be part of such agreement.

(c)    The Cups Committee will have the final say in regards to such agreements.

(d)   The Home team is the ultimate responsible for the playing field.

 

4323. CERTIFICATION OF THE MASTER ROSTERS

 

(a)    Before the quarter-final games are played, ALL remaining teams must provide to the NJSA Executive Secretary a Master Roster (also called Player Pool), with a maximum of 25 players, to be certified.

(b)   The Master Roster (or Player Poll) form can be found at: http://www.matiota.com/New%20Jersey%20Cup/index.htm under Downloads.

(c)     No team will be allowed to play into the quarter-final games if the Cups Chairman has not received, from the NJSA, the certified master roster.

(d)   If the games are not played by the date stipulated by the Cups Committee for lack of certified Master Rosters, the teams at fault shall forfeit their games in favor of the opposing team.

(e)    Once the certification is made by the NJSA, the Master Roster will be closed and NO NEW PLAYERS can be added for the remaining games of the competition for that season.

 

4324. MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR

 

(a)    Any matters not provided for in these State Cup rules shall be determined by the Cups Committee, and shall consider all other rules and regulations of the NJSA or USSF or FIFA, before making the decision, which shall be final.