1. CMSL TOURNAMENT RULES AS OF 10/10/13
Post-Season Tournament
Overview
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Each season will end with a single-elimination tournament for the 3rd/4th grade (Div 1 and Div
2 separately) and the 5th/6th grade, held separately by age-group/gender division. The
tournament is open to all teams. There is no additional cost for this tournament.
Trophies/medals will be awarded to the winners and the runners-up.
Brackets will be determined based upon end-of-season division standings.
Brackets for the early rounds shall be determined based upon the number of teams, but will
be arranged such that there is great parity between the paired teams.
Brackets for the final 8 shall be 1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5.
Game Duration
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3rd/4th grades will play two 20 minutes halves. Should the score be tied after this regulation
time, two additional 5-minute halves will be played in their entirely. (See “Procedures to
determine the winner of a Tournament match” below)
5th/6th grades will play two 25 minutes halves. Should the score be tied after this regulation
time, two additional 5-minute halves will be played in their entirely. (See “Procedures to
determine the winner of a Tournament match” below)
All finals will be of normal, regular season duration; 2*25 minute halves for 3rd/4th grade; 2*30
minute halves for 5th/6th grade.
Mercy Rule Changes
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During tournament games, the Mercy Rule is enacted once there is a lead of five (5) goals,
whereby the losing team will be allowed to add one additional player, or if the losing team
does not have any more players to add, the winning team will remove one player. Unlike the
regular season, any further increase in the goal differential will not require any further player
additions or removals.
Other Rule Changes
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There are no other rule changes during a tournament. The same regular-season rules apply
with regard to playing time, substitutions, and goalkeeper rules.
Protests
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Tournament protests must be made in writing, no later than 1 hour of completion of the game.
A protest, if any, must be made only by the head coach of a team. The protest must be sent
by email to pmarmion@email.com, copied to the parish or school soccer director, and copied
to the director of the opposing team, all by email. Any ruling of a protest will be
communicated by the Soccer Director to the director of the parish or school that made the

2. protest. The soccer director must agree to the submission of the protest, if any is made, and
must do so no later than by one hour deadline.
Post-season tournament participation
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In order for a player to participate in the tournament, that player must have played in at least
3 of the 7 regular season games. The intent here is not to prevent a player from participating
who was perhaps injured for part of the season, but rather to address any player (or players)
who have other commitments during the regular season, but somehow manage to show up
just for the tournament.
Let the players who have committed themselves to their CMSL team all year be the ones to
take you through these final tournament games also. While winning may be nice, sitting on
the bench when it really matters does not feel good for that weaker player, or their parents.
Procedures to determine the winner of a Tournament match
(Adapted from FIFA rules)
The Golden Goal does not apply to CMSL soccer tournaments. Overtime and taking kicks
from the penalty mark are the only methods of determining the winning team where
competition rules require there to be a winning team after a match has been drawn.
Two (2) equal overtime periods will be played, each of 5 minutes. Any players may start the
first period. No substitutions are allowed during each of these two periods, except for
injury where a player is removed from the field.
Substitutions may occur between each period. Effectively, the beginning of overtime marks
the beginning of a brand new game, where all records of player playing time during regulation
time are reset. Minimum playing time rules during overtime shall not apply in the tournament.
If the score is still tied after these two periods, the winner will be determined via penalty kicks.
Kicks from the Penalty Mark (to decide the winning team after
regulation time)
Preparation
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When a team has a greater number of players than their opponents, the coach shall reduce
the number of players to equate with that of their opponents. The remaining players of that
reduced team, and all of the players of the opposing team, are now considered “eligible to
participate in the taking of penalty kicks.”
Only the eligible players and match officials are permitted to remain on the field of play when
kicks from the penalty mark are being taken
Procedure
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The referee chooses the goal at which the kicks will be taken
The referee tosses a coin for the captain of the home team to call.
The team whose captain wins the toss takes the first kick
The referee keeps a record of the kicks being taken
Subject to the conditions explained below, both teams take five kicks
The kicks are taken alternately by the teams

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If, after both teams have taken five kicks, both have scored the same number of goals, or
have not scored any goals, kicks continue to be taken in the same order until one team has
scored a goal more than the other from the same number of kicks
A goalkeeper who is injured while kicks are being taken from the penalty mark may be
replaced by either one of the eligible players or a player who was chosen not to participate in
the taking of penalty kicks. This player then becomes an “eligible player”
Each kick is taken by a different player and all eligible players must take a kick before any
player can take a second kick
An eligible player may change places with the goalkeeper at any time when kicks from the
penalty mark are being taken
All eligible players, except the player taking the kick and the two goalkeepers, must remain
within the centre circle
The goalkeeper who is the team-mate of the kicker must remain on the field of play, outside
the penalty area in which the kicks are being taken, on the goal line where it meets the
penalty area boundary line.