BC Soccer Central 5 District Boys

Please read the following pages as they are designed to avoid confusion and prevent problems. The following important information is contained in this guide:

· Player Registration.
· League Co-ordination and Operation
· Rules of Play
· Discipline
· Protests and Appeals

General Information
The 5 District Interlock League consists of a 5 person Board which governs all players and teams in the Fraser Valley, Alouette, Delta, Surrey, and Westminster Districts in Under 14 to Under 18 at two levels of play, Bronze and Red. Bronze level teams compete in the most competitive level of play. The District Board reserves the right to withdraw league privileges from teams whose performance has proven them misplaced in this structure.

This league operates under the constitution of the BC Soccer Association, and applies each year to the BCSA for permission to operate. In co-operation with member Districts and Clubs this league’s general task is to co-ordinate and govern Boys Soccer in Bronze and Red league play. Each District is represented equally on the 5 District Board. Additional officers may be appointed as required.

All communication with the District Board representatives should be through your Club Coordinator or Executive. Coaches are not to contact the District Board representatives directly.
5 District consists of the following clubs:

Player Registration
All players must be registered on BCSA player/team registration forms in order to play. These forms can be obtained through your club coordinator or District Registrar and should be carefully completed. Players are grouped as per the BCSA age categories using calendar years as cut-off, i.e. Under a given age until midnight December 31st during the year of play. Under 14, Under 15, Under 16, Under 17, Under 18.

New Players
All new players being registered for their first season must submit proof of age. Proof of age must be by:

Team Size
There must be a minimum of eleven (11) players registered with the District by August 1st or the team does not exist. There is a maximum of eighteen (18) players who can be registered with the team including a maximum of three (3) players who may transfer to the team after October 1st. If you exceed that limit, one player must be removed from your team before another can be added. The removal of a player is by letter to the District Registrar.

Transfers
A registered player wishing to leave one affiliated team to join another in the same season must first complete and submit an application to transfer form issued by the BCSA. These forms are available from your club registrar. When properly completed, and after District approval has been obtained, the application to transfer form and the transfer fee of $10.00 shall be forwarded by the team obtaining the player, to BCSA who may authorize the transfer and notify the registrar. A player must wait a period of seven (7) days before taking part in any game with the team to which the player is being transferred. The seven-day period commences from the date the application for transfer is filed with BCSA, or from the date of mailing. No transfer will be permitted after January 15th 2004 of the current season. For full details see BCSA constitution Rule # 4.

Out of District players must receive written permission from the chairman (or designate) of the resident District and non-resident District. Any team caught playing with a non-registered out of District player will forfeit those games. The Districts agree that their programs exist to serve the needs of their resident youth players.

Team Registration Deadlines
Deadline for registration is August 15th for Bronze and Red. A team name, coach’s name and phone number, field and field time must be included on the District registration forms. Clubs will be fined $100 for any registered team that withdraws from league play. Late registered teams will not be guaranteed play in the league and will be accommodated only if no disruption to the schedule will occur, and will be solely at the discretion of the 5 District Board. An additional $150 fine will be charged, if mid season rescheduling has to be done due to team withdrawal.

League Operation
The league schedule is prepared by the District Scheduler and covers all regular league play throughout the season. Teams in the U14–U16 division will be playing Saturdays, and U17–U18 playing Sundays.

Rules of Play
The District plays under the guidelines established by BCSA. Any item in this guide is subject to the operating rules of that body.

q Duration of Play;
o Under 18 equal halves of 45 minutes
o Under 17 equal halves of 45 minutes
o Under 16 equal halves of 40 minutes
o Under 15 equal halves of 40 minutes
o Under 14 equal halves of 35 minutes

Home Team
The home team must contact the visiting team no later than Thursday evening to confirm the game time, location and team colours. Should this not happen the visiting team should contact the home team. Home team must line the field to the satisfaction of the referee. Wherever possible a technical line should be added to control the spectators, this technical line should be no less than six (6) feet from the sideline and be such that it is distinguishable from the regular line, i.e. dashed or broken at regular intervals.

Please be careful to use sports field whiting or other non-toxic material for the purpose of line marking. The home team must provide nets and corner flags standing a minimum of 5 feet above the ground for all divisions. Bicycle type flags are not permitted, as there have been cases of severe injury to players. In the event of colour clash (both teams in same colour strip) the HOME team must change to avoid confusion.

Referees
The Home Club supplies the Referees (and assistant referees U17-U18). If the referee has not arrived 30 minutes after the scheduled start time and both teams agree to play the game, the home team will referee the first half and the visiting team the second half, unless it is agreed one person will referee the whole game. Team lists should be signed and exchanged and the score will stand as if the referee was present. If the teams do not agree to play the game, the same procedures will apply to rescheduling as apply to games from field closures. Failure of a District to provide a registered referee for a scheduled game may result in the district being fined the amount of fifty dollars ($50).

Linesmen
Failure of a District to provide two (2) lines per game U17–U18 may result in the offending District being fined the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25) for each line missing.

Player Identification
Team list are required for every game for all teams in League or Cup Play. Player’s names and numbers should be printed clearly and given as they appear on the BCSA registration form. By October 1st all teams in U18-U14 Bronze and Red, must have District photo I.D. for all matches. This includes photo I.D. for all team officials. These cards are the property of the District and are to be given to the referee before the game starts. These photo I.D. cards are not proof of player registration with BCSA. Should there be a red card offence, that person’s photo I.D. card will be retained by the referee and sent to the Discipline Board along with the referee’s report.

Validating I.D. Cards
Don’t jut run out and laminate these cards. They must be stamped and/or initialed, then laminated by your District Registrar every year. Only then are they valid I.D. cards. Any attempt to "forge" I.D. cards will bring serious disciplinary charges against team officials.

Lost cards
Will be replaced at the expense of the team. Please ensure that you get your cards back from the referee at the end of each game. Remember that you are not entitled to the card of the player who has been ejected from the game.

Player Eligibility
Only players with valid ID cards in the referees possession are considered eligible to play in the game. If a team is unable to supply valid ID cards because of hold-ups in discipline returns or lost cards, a photocopy will be accepted (one game only). Coaches are responsible for replacing lost cards and/or discipline misplacements. If a team is unable to supply ID cards for the minimum team of seven (7) players, the game may be forfeited and the opposing team awarded the points. If neither team can provide enough cards the game will be a double forfeiture and no points will be awarded. Teams may make a challenge concerning ineligible players at half time or at any corner kick, and the referee will witness.

Sideline Regulations
Coaching is not allowed on the goal ends of the field. Substitute players must be kept behind the technical line of the sideline when present, away from the end line goal areas. After the start of a game team officials are not to enter the field of play for any reason until the referee motions you on. When permission has been given only one team official may enter the pitch.

Substitutions
Unlimited substitutions are permitted for all League and District Cup games. Substitutions may be made at stoppage of play at the referee’s discretion. "Fair play dictates you substitute while the ball is in your possession".

League Standings
Scores for league and cup games should be reported by both coaches, win or lose, to your teams assigned coordinator. The coordinator will forward the scores to the District Statistician for inclusion in the official league statistics. The final standings will be based on the number of games played, points will be awarded as follows: 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw. Teams should also report to the coordinator any game that was cancelled due to field conditions or abandoned by the referee.

The Club Coordinator must report all games scores to the statistician no later than Monday night for entry to the Web pages that week. In the event one coach fails to phone in the score, the reported score will be entered in the statistics as true. If later events show the score to be false it will be necessary to contact the District Board to have the standings changed. The statistician will not change the standings without 5 District Board approvals. Where possible, balanced schedules will be used to determine league champions.

Cup Play
In the 5 District League, each division works its way to the 5 District Cup. All playoff games take precedent over league games, but it is important to make up these games to maintain your league standings. Awards will be presented to both Champions and Runners-up in Round Robin play.

No Shows
Games are to start promptly at the scheduled time subject only to the discretion of the referee.
Should either team not be at the field by the scheduled time, the referee will allow a fifteen-minute grace period. If the team does not show at that time, the referee will call the game and submit a report to the District.

A total of seven (7) registered players are required to begin a game. Less than seven players is forfeiture. Under no circumstances are teams to use unregistered players. A $100 fine will be issued for not playing a regular scheduled league game without forty-eight (48) hours written notification to your 5 District Representative.

Grass or turf fields are preferred over gravel or sand fields. If the away team is notified that the home team has had their game moved to a gravel or sand field, the away team can arrange for the game to be played on a grass or turf field. The home team must be notified by noon on Friday that the game has been moved to a grass or turf field. The assignment and payment of referees is the responsibility of the team who supplied the field.

Field Closures and Cancellations
Please do not make private arrangements to change times, venues or dates of scheduled games. Referee schedules are based on league schedules and player insurance may be jeopardized.

Clubs are responsible to inform coaches and the referee scheduler of field closures, and home coaches are responsible for notifying opposing coaches. Field closures will not be consistent throughout the Lower Mainland area. Various municipalities may close grass fields while others are left open.

League games that are postponed will be rescheduled soon as possible by the home team offering two alternate dates to the visiting team. If it is not possible to offer two dates within two weeks due to lack of field availability, then the games maybe rescheduled by the last day for makeup games. Failure to do so will mean that there will be a shortfall in your total number of games played by the end of season, and will affect the standings. Visiting teams offered two alternate dates must accept one and play the game, or forfeit. This forfeit will be reviewed by the District Board prior to points being awarded and may be appealed by the visiting coach.

During Cup Play if poor weather causes field closures, games may have to move to all weather surfaces or be rescheduled by the District during evenings or on Sundays. District representatives will organize this scheduling with the clubs. Coaches will be informed through their club coordinator. Cup games must be played when scheduled or may be forfeited. The referee is responsible for making the final decision on the playability of the field.

Abandonment
Games that have been cancelled or abandoned by the referee due to rough play, spectator interference or other reasons will be reviewed by the 5 District Board. This process may award points to either team, the game maybe shown as a double forfeiture, with no points awarded, or the game will be rescheduled. The 5 District Representative will inform teams of the results of protests and appeals. Team officials are responsible for the behavior of their own fans. If requested by the referee to control the behavior of a sideline fan, team officials could be reported for failing to give best efforts towards complying with the request. See Discipline Document.

All players, coaches, and managers taking part in the 5 District League are subject to the control of the 5 District Board. Individual Districts, at the discretion of the 5 District Board, may investigate all of the following.

All players, coaches or managers who have received a red card must attend a discipline hearing. All red cards carry an automatic one game suspension. This one game is served automatically by sitting out the very next League or Cup game after the game in which the red card was issued. There are no exceptions to this procedure.

Yellow cards have the same automatic provision. Anyone with a total of three yellow in one season must sit out a game immediately after the game in which the third yellow card was issued.
It is the responsibility of the player’s coach to ensure that the suspension is carried out. The District may verify this.

Note:
Games cancelled because of weather or stoppages in the schedule do not count as a game suspension completed. Also, players under suspension are not eligible to play in tournament games until they have sat out their required League or Cup suspension.

All red cards require attendance at a disciplinary hearing. Failure to attend when called may result in an indefinite suspension. The Discipline Board at the hearing decides what additional penalty will be imposed on the person who was given the red card by the referee. This group can suspend a player within the guidelines established by the Canadian Soccer Association, and the B.C. Soccer Association from one additional game up to a lifetime ban. To appeal a decision made by the District Discipline Board please follow the procedure laid out by BCSA.

Please note that an appeal of a decision rendered by a District Board must be submitted within 4 days from the day such a decision is received.

Protests and Appeals
A team may protest any scheduled game. The referee must be notified at the game. All protests must be submitted in writing, signed by the affiliated team coach or manager, and submitted in triplicate within 48 hours of the date of the match to which it relates, to the 5 District Secretary. A cheque for $75 made payable to "5 District Youth Soccer" must accompany the protest.

A protest will only be considered on the grounds of interpretation of the F.I.F.A Laws of the game, on the eligibility of players, or on breaches of Competition Rules and Regulations.

Any protest relating to the ground, goal posts or other equipment (nets, balls, corner flags, etc.) shall not be considered unless notice has been given to the referee before the game starts. If the problem cannot be solved without delaying the game, protests must still be made in writing, and to be considered must be properly submitted. No protest will be considered if in the opinion of the referee, the objection lodged did not seriously affect the outcome of the game.

The Protest Procedure
After forwarding a copy of the protest to the other team involved (within 48 hours of lodging the protest) the 5 District Board will ask the other team’s officials for a written report. The referee will also supply a written report to the 5 District Board. The Board’s decision will be conveyed in writing to both teams.

All appeals of the 5 District Board must be made to the BCSA Appeals Committee within 4 days of the rendering of the decision. The format of the appeal (written, 3 copies etc.) is the same as a protest, except that you are appealing the decision itself and must include a copy of the decision made by the 5 District Board. The 5 District Board will forward all information they used directly to BCSA. A cheque payable to BC Soccer Association for the $250 appeal fee, must accompany the appeal for it to be considered. After the 5 District Board’s decision, you have ten (10) working days to appeal to BC Soccer Association.

Fees are always returned if your appeal is upheld, and generally forfeited if your appeal is denied. This applies to both 5 District and BCSA appeals. Further appeal is possible, ask the BCSA to provide details if you wish to appeal their decision.

Discipline Contacts
It is the responsibility of the team officials to phone the contact person to determine whether the red card report has been received and to confirm the meeting date.

Discipline Contacts
Alouette	Andrew Tolchard			604-465-5080
Delta	Angelo Marchetto			604-535-3444 Fax 604-535-3482
Fraser Valley	Terry Klassen			604-824-5516 Fax 604-824-5594
Surrey Metro	Greg Mitchell No relation to Roy
Westminster	Randy Radonich			Ph/Fax 604-936-1642
Five District Board
Alouette		Glen Campbell	604-465-9572
Delta		Vince Tomkulak	778-881-2342
Fraser Valley		Bill Ede	604-856-8294 fax 604-856-8295
Surrey Metro		Lenn Erichsen	604 951-3267
Westminster		George Riddell	604 525-4572

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	5 District Boys Guidelines	.