SSFC Frenzy Cup Rules

1. Use of an improperly registered player will result in a forfeit of the game and 

may result in the ejection of the team from the tournament. Players may play on

only one team per age group. Use a UYSA Tournament Roster for your team in

order to register. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of players and parents

of their teams. UYSA’s Zero Tolerance Policy/Code of Conduct for Coaches and

Parents applies to this tournament.  Max of 2 guest players per team. 

2. There will be a maximum of five players and a minimum of three players on the

pitch at one time for 5v5 games and a minimum of 2 players for 4v4. Roster size

for all 7v7 teams is a maximum of 8 and a minimum of 4 players to begin the

tournament. Roster size for all 9v9 teams is a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 4

players to begin the tournament. Roster size for all 11v11 teams is a maximum of

10 and a minimum of 4 players to begin the tournament. Rosters are frozen at

check-in.

3. Equipment: Shin guards must be worn at all times. The referee must approve

medical equipment such as casts or braces. All field players must wear the same

color shirt and numbers are required. If two teams have similar colored shirts,

the HOME team must change to a different color. Goalkeepers must wear a shirt

of a different color from both teams.

4. Offside rules will not apply.

5. Slide tackling by field players to steal the ball is not allowed and will be

punished with an indirect free kick, unless there is a foul, which is a direct free

kick. (Sliding where no opponent is present is allowed.)

6. Teams must be ready to kick off at game time or forfeit the game. Forfeits will

be scored as a 5-0 win for the winning team. Teams will be given a 2-minute grace

period.

7. The kick-off may go in any direction.

8. Duration of play will be:

2016-2014 -Two 20 minute halves, with a 5 minute halftime

2013-2012 -Two 25 minute halves, with a 5 minute halftime

2011-2006 -Two 30 minute halves, with a 5 minute halftime 

OR the game shall end when a team reaches a 10-goal lead. Game length may be adjusted to

maintain the schedule or to compensate for bad weather. Games may be played

earlier or later to accommodate needed schedule changes.

9. In place of throw-ins will be kick-ins with the ball placed stationary on the

touchline. Kick-ins are indirect. Since the ball is supposed to start on the

touchline, it starts “in” and there is no such thing as a kick-in “not coming in.”

10. Corner Kicks are direct and are taken from on or behind the designated

positions.

11. Players may not initiate contact with the goalkeeper at any time. Infractions

will result in a yellow card.

12. Any time a Goal Kick is required, the goalkeeper will execute a Goal Clearance:

The ball is thrown anywhere by the goalkeeper, within four seconds, from any

point inside the penalty area. It may not be punted, kicked, dropkicked, or

dribbled out of the penalty area by the goalkeeper. The restart for that infraction

is to retake the goal clearance. After executing a goal clearance, if the goalkeeper

touches the ball again before it touches another player, that constitutes a two-

touch infringement. A goal may not be scored directly from a goal clearance.

13. During the run of play when the ball is in the hands of the goalkeeper, it may

be thrown anywhere or dropped and dribbled inside or outside the penalty area

but cannot be drop-kicked or punted. The ball must leave the goalkeeper’s

penalty area within four seconds. A goal may not be scored directly from a

thrown ball.

14. There are Direct Free Kicks and Indirect Free Kicks. Players on the defending

team must remain a minimum of 5 yards from the spot of the kick.

15. Penalty Kick: PKs will be taken from the top of the goalie box or 7 yards from

the goal.

16. Substitutions are unlimited and on the fly. The substitute must enter at the

halfway line and wait for the player being substituted to cross the touchline and

touch the substitutes hand before entering the pitch.

17. With the exception of a kick-in, kick off, or an indirect free kick, a shot on goal kicked

from anywhere on the pitch may score.

18. Sent-off (red carded) players and coaches may not play or coach the remainder of the current

game and the team’s next game. The team of a sent-off player may substitute for

the sent-off player. Players and coaches that are sent off in two games in one tournament will be

ejected from the tournament.

19. The game is over when time expires, irrespective of the flight of the ball or if

an attack on goal is in progress. Time may only be extended for the taking of a

penalty kick.

20. Scoring (in pool play) 3 points for a win; 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a

loss. The team winning the penalty shootout will receive 1 point. For example, if Team A won the match, and also won the shootout, Team A would receive 4 points for that match. If Team A won the match, but Team B won the shootout, Team A would be awarded 3 points, and Team B would be awarded 1 point. If A forfeit is scored as 5-0.

21. Tiebreakers: In pool play, ties will be broken by: 1) Head to head result

between tied teams, 2) Goal difference in pool play, 3) Fewest goals against in

pool play, 4) Most goals scored in pool play, 5) Team shootout with the entire

roster.

22. Tied Finals or Semifinals will, after a two-minute break, go directly to a 3-

minute golden goal period. If the score is still tied at the end of this period, the

winner will be decided by a shootout with the 5 players on the field at the end of

the golden goal period.

23. Protests are not allowed. Officials’ decisions are final regarding interpretation

of facts or rules. Any official has the right to remove any unruly player, coach or

spectator from the premises.

24.  Goalkeepers: In the Saratoga Springs Frenzy Cup, goalkeepers will be used in the 4v4 format. This is to promote goalkeeper development. Goalkeepers make 3 to 4 times as many saves in 5v5 than they do in 11v11. Additionally, the modern game of soccer is requiring goalkeepers to be more proficient with their feet due to the demonstrated benefits of building out of the back and possession style soccer. Our 4v4 and 5v5 formats will encourage the use of the goalkeepers' feet by not placing restrictions on dropping the ball to the keeper, as you see in 5v5 futsal rules. This will provide many reps for teams playing back to their keepers in a competitive game environment which in return help teams and coaches to have more confidence utilizing their keepers' feet in a full-sided game during their regular season.   

25. Official rosters will be required, but some leniency for special circumstances will be awarded, so long as birthdates have been verified by tournament staff. Please create four official rosters through affinity (or seek an exception with tournament staff) with players and jersey numbers by June 20, 2024, and email it to lori@saratogaspringsfc. You will receive a stamped roster after approval. Please bring four copies of the stamped roster to the tournament. 

26. If a team is down by five goals, that team may add an extra player that can remain on the field as long as the team is down by five goals. When the margin is four, the extra player will return to the sideline.  

27. Due to the nature of this tournament and sone coaches potentially having over 20 games, there are games that will overlap for coaches. Additionally, some coaches are also part of the tournament staff and are juggling multiple responsibilities. Furthermore, many teams are still being accepted into affinity and are waiting on assistant coach submissions. We have asked refs to provide latitude regarding having a licensed coach on the field for the entirety of each game. Forfeits will not be imposed on teams that are in this situation, so long as a licensed coach remains at the tournament site.

28. Only players that are on the field 60 seconds before. the game ends may participate in the PK shootout. Teams take turns to kick from the penalty mark, until each has taken five kicks. However, if one side has scored more goals than the other could possibly reach with all of its remaining kicks, the shoot-out immediately ends, regardless of the number of kicks remaining; this basis is called "best-of-five" kicks.