AGE  AND  ELIGIBILITY

                        Under 10         Born on or after January 1, 1998       
                        Under-11         Born on or after January 1, 1997       
                        Under-12         Born on or after January 1, 1996       
                        Under-13         Born on or after January 1, 1995       
                        Under-14         Born on or after January 1, 1994       
                        Under-15         Born on or after January 1, 1993       
                        Under-16         Born on or after January 1, 1992       
                        Under-17         Born on or after January 1, 1991       
                        Under-18         Born on or after January 1, 1990       

The Tournament Organizing Committee reserves the right to accept or to refuse the entry application of any team for participation in the Tournament.  Depending upon the number of entries that are received for any particular age group or Division, the Organizing Committee may decide to combine age groups and/or categories to allow for the running of a competitive event.  The Organizing Committee may also place individual teams in appropriate age groups or competitive Divisions in order to offer a fair and competitive event.

TRAVEL  PERMITS,  INSURANCE  and  PROOF  OF  PLAYER /TEAM REGISTRATION

All teams must prove that they are registered with their District / Provincial / State soccer association and must play in an outdoor League.  In addition, all out-of-district teams (i.e. those teams whose players’ cards or passbooks do not have the individual player registration approval “stamp” or signature from the Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association (EODSA)) must produce a Travel Permit from their home soccer association which authorizes that team to compete in the Icebreaker and certifies that all players on that team are registered to participate in this Tournament's “class”(which is restricted to “North American Competitive Club teams” (NACC) only). 

In accordance with the requirements of the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA), validly certified player passports or cards will be the only proof of player registration that will be accepted.  Improperly-registered or unregistered players or teams will not be permitted to participate.  On Registration Night (i.e. the Thursday before the Tournament) all teams will also need to provide to a Tournament Official an Official Team Roster that shows the names and birthdates of all players who are members of that team as well as the team’s level-of-play (such as: Premier, Elite, Regional, Division 1, “AAA”, “AA”, “A” etc.) during the regular outdoor season.  In addition, an Official Team Roster for the regular outdoor team for each Guest Player, which roster shows the player’s name and birthdate and his or her regular outdoor team’s level-of-play will need to be shown and verified by Tournament Officials.  These Rosters will be returned, uncopied, to the teams that night by the Tournament Officials; but all teams are to keep these documents available should they be required during the competition.

Finally, teams must carry and supply proof of injury and liability insurance while participating in this event. 

LAWS  OF  THE  GAME

All games will be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game as published by FIFA or the Laws for Mini-Soccer, except as modified herein:

NUMBER  OF  PLAYERS PER  TEAM

Teams in the U-10 and U-11 age categories may register, dress and play as many as 16 (sixteen) players in the Tournament.  All older teams can register, dress and play a maximum of 18 (eighteen) players in the Tournament.  A player may be registered on only one team and, in order to comply with the Insurance Policy supplied by the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA), the team may not use any player whose name was not included on the competing team's Official Icebreaker Tournament Roster, and whose player card or passbook was not verified prior to the commencement of the competing team’s first game in the Tournament.  For purposes of clarity, a team’s “Official Icebreaker Tournament Roster” is that copy of the “Icebreaker Game Sheet” that is retained by the Tournament Organizing Committee upon completion of a team’s player registration process.  Changes can be made to the team’s Official Icebreaker Tournament Roster up to the start of that team’s first game.  All such changes must be verified and initialled by a Tournament Official. 

“GUEST”  PLAYERS

Each competing team will be permitted to register up to three (3) players who are duly registered members of any other team within the competing team's Club and up to three (3) players who are duly registered on another team from a Club other than that of the competing team.  All guest players, unless playing in an older age category than for which he or she is duly registered, must play within the level of play for which the player is duly registered with his or her league or soccer association.  For example, a player duly registered on a Regional team may not play on a Premier or Division 1 team playing in that player’s age group.  All guest players who are duly registered players from another Club must have a valid Temporary Registration Permit.  “Duly registered” means that the player is currently registered with his or her District, Provincial or State soccer association and has a valid player passbook or card.

Substitutions, with the consent of the Referee, may be made at the following times:

• on any goal kick
• on a team’s own throw-in (however, if the throwing team chooses to make a substitution, then the other team can make a substitution as well)
• after a goal has been scored
• at half time
• to replace an injured or bleeding player; and
• to replace a cautioned player
• on corner kicks (in Mini Soccer only)

A player who is bleeding must leave the field for treatment and will not be allowed to resume playing until after the Referee has verified that the area of the body (other than the inside of the nose or mouth) from which the player was bleeding has been properly covered and that the bleeding has stopped.  In the case of a nose-bleed or an internal mouth injury, it will be sufficient for the Referee to ascertain that the bleeding has stopped in order for the player to be allowed to re-enter the game.  No player will be permitted to play with blood on his or her shirt.

Substitutions will be unlimited in number - with the consent of the Referee.  Substitutions will not be permitted for a player who has been ejected from that game.

GAME ROSTERS

A Field Marshall will ensure that each team enters its line-up of participating players on the Tournament's Official Game Roster and will hand it to the Referee prior to the commencement of the game.  This Roster is to be signed by the team's Coach or Manager prior to the start of the game.

Prior to the commencement of a game in which any and all players who have to that point in time received two Yellow Cards in other games in this Tournament, are scheduled to play, the Field Marshall will identify those players to the Referee who is about to officiate that game.
The Game Roster will remain with the Referee from the start of the game and will be returned to the Field Marshall at the end of the game.  The Referee may choose to allow the Field Marshall to hold the team Game Rosters while play is under way.

The Referee will record goals scored and scorers in both regulation time and during any shoot-out, and indicate all cautions and ejections on the Game Roster.  The Referee will also describe and explain all Cautions and Ejections on the appropriate OSA Caution and Dismissal Forms.  The Referee will verify the correctness of the Game Roster and Final Score by signing the Game Rosters at the end of the match.  The Referee will also fill in and submit to the Field Marshall Special Incident Reports (SIR) as required.

CONDUCT

All Coaches, players, and spectators are expected to conduct themselves within the spirit and the letter of the Laws of the Game.  The Coach (as named on the Official Game Roster) will be required to sign an Icebreaker Code of Conduct Contract on behalf of all members of the team and that team’s supporters (parents, siblings etc.), and the Coach will be held responsible for the behaviour of all spectators or supporters in their team's party. 

Should a Coach or other Team Official be ordered to leave the game by the Referee, the Referee will fill in and submit a SIR regarding this ordered departure to the Field Marshall at the conclusion of the game.  All misconduct during the Tournament by players, Coaches and Team Officials will be dealt with and disciplined during the Tournament according to the OSA’s discipline rules and regulations.  The EODSA will be notified of any discipline that has not been fully served during the Tournament, for their further actions according to the OSA’s discipline rules and regulations.

As per the OSA’s Tournament Hosting Regulations, all Referee Reports for Yellow and Red cards, as well as all SIRs will be forwarded to the EODSA, irrespective of whether or not the prescribed discipline has been served in its entirety during the Tournament.

To the extent possible, both teams will have their "benches" on the same side of the field and all Coaches, players (including those not participating in the immediate game) and Team Officials are restricted to their side of the centre line.  A maximum of four (4) Team Officials (Coaches, Trainers, etc) will be permitted to be “on the bench”.  These persons will be designated by each team on the Icebreaker Official Bench Personnel Listing.

No spectators will be allowed behind the goal line, or on the side of the field that the teams occupy.

Alcoholic beverages, other intoxicants and artificial noise-making or amplifying devices are not permitted to be used at game sites.

DISCIPLINE

For the purpose of discipline, the Referee's authority commences once he or she is in the vicinity of the field and continues until he or she has left the vicinity of the field.  This time span includes the teams' warm-up and warm-down periods and the souvenir exchange/hand-shaking and the vicinity-exiting period.

All players, Team Officials and Coaches will be subject to the disciplinary rules of the Ontario Soccer Association.

Any player who is shown a Red Card (whether as a result of having been shown two Yellow Cards in a single game, or a direct showing of a Red Card) has the right to request a hearing - but such a request MUST be made within five minutes of the conclusion of the game during which the Red Card was shown.  If the request for a hearing is not made or is not made before the expiration of the above-described five minute time period, the matter will be referred to, reviewed and ruled upon by the Tournament Discipline Committee as to whether that player-in-question was or was not guilty of the offence described in the Referee’s Game Report (Game Rosters and OSA Discipline Report sheets) and if a finding of guilt is rendered, the player will be disciplined as per the OSA’s Published Rules regarding suspensions (see Appendix #1).  The Tournament Discipline Committee’s review and ruling will occur as soon as possible, but before the start of that player’s team’s next game in the Icebreaker.

A player who is shown a third or fifth or subsequent Yellow Card during this Tournament, will have the incident that resulted in the showing of that Yellow Card referred to, reviewed and ruled upon by the Tournament Discipline Committee as to whether that player-in-question was or was not guilty of the offence described in the Referee’s Game Report and if a finding of guilt is rendered, the player will be disciplined as per the OSA’s Published Rules regarding suspensions (see Appendix #1).  The Tournament Discipline Committee’s review and ruling will occur as soon as possible but before the commencement of that player’s team’s next game in the Icebreaker.

All players’, Coaches’ and Team Officials’ misconduct and the discipline meted out to him or to her at this Tournament will be reported back to the EODSA.  All disciplined individuals’ suspension or other penalty which was not fully served during the Tournament will be reported back to that person’s District or State soccer association.

Any discipline as stipulated by the OSA’s Published Rules regarding suspensions for which the entire suspension was not served during the Icebreaker will be noted in the Tournament’s Discipline Report to the EODSA and along with a history of the suspended player’s conduct during the Icebreaker, will be referred to the EODSA which will follow the OSA’s discipline rules and regulations.

Any player who was ejected for assault of a Referee or Referee’s Assistant will not be allowed to continue to play in the Icebreaker and the player’s actions will be reported to the EODSA.

PROTESTS

Protests will not be allowed on Referee judgment calls or on matters pertaining to Discipline.

However, protests on other matters must be filed in writing to the Field Marshall within one hour of the end of the game related to the protest (but before the start of the team’s next scheduled or possible game), and a cash deposit of $100.00 must accompany the protest.  This deposit will be refunded only if the protest is upheld.  All teams that are or may be affected by the protest will be contacted and allowed to make a representation of no longer than five minutes’ duration to the Tournament Discipline Committee.

A decision will be made by the Tournament Discipline Committee before the commencement of any of the affected teams’ next scheduled or possible game and the decision will be final and binding.  There will be no appeals.

TOURNAMENT  DISCIPLINE  COMMITTEE

The Tournament Discipline Committee will rule on all matters of protest or dispute other than those matters that relate to a Referee’s judgment call or those matters that will be forwarded to the EODSA by the Tournament Discipline Committee for their adjudication or forwarding to the OSA or to another soccer association for their action.

The Tournament Discipline Committee may consult or confer with any or all members of the Tournament Organizing Committee (including Field Marshals) for their assistance in interpreting any raised issue that applies to discipline.

FAILURE TO SHOW or INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF PLAYERS

1. Failure to Show
1. Failure of a team to appear at the scheduled field without valid reason within ten minutes after the scheduled kick-off time will result in a 2-0 score being awarded to the opposing team.  In such circumstances, the winning team will be awarded three (3) game points but no bonus points will be awarded for that game.  In addition, any bonus points which may have been awarded for any other game in which the forfeiting team may have played in this Tournament will be cancelled. 
   
   Should there be a valid reason for a team’s late arrival and should there be a sufficient time period available in that day’s schedule to play the game and should the team that otherwise would have received a forfeit win agree to play the game, the game may be re-scheduled by the Tournament Discipline Committee


2. Should both teams fail to appear at the scheduled field without valid reason within ten minutes after the scheduled kick-off time, neither team will be awarded points (see below) and both teams will be recorded as having lost the game, and the score will be recorded as 0-0. 
   
   Failure to appear, without valid reason, may result in the expulsion of the team or teams from the remainder of the Tournament.  No refund of the team’s entry fee, either in total or in part, will be made.
   
   Should there be a valid reason for both team’s late arrival and should there be a sufficient time period available in that day’s schedule to play the game, the game may be re-scheduled by the Tournament Discipline Committee.
   
   In the sets of circumstances (described in 1A) and 1B) above) where a re-scheduling of the game does not occur, and when appropriate, the Tournament Discipline Committee will have to decide, in the interest of fairness to all competitors, whether bonus points should be re-instated or credited and/or game results and/or goals for and against (or differential) should be included in the tie-breaking calculations; and if consultation is sought by the Committee on this issue, all affected teams will be allowed to make a representation to the Committee of no longer than five minutes duration.
   
   When a team fails to appear or is late, the Tournament Discipline Committee will be the sole judge as to the validity of the team’s reason for being late or for having failed to appear and will also be the sole decision maker as to whether the team should be expelled from the remainder of the Tournament.



2. Insufficient Number of Players
   
   
For the U-10 and U-11 age categories, the minimum number of players who are required to commence or to continue a game is five (5).  For all other age groups, the minimum number of players who are required in order to commence or to continue a game is seven (7). 


1. Should a team become unable to commence or to continue a game due to the fact that a sufficient number of its players has received Red or accumulated Yellow Cards, that team will be declared the loser of the current game and will be suspended from further participation in the Tournament.  The winning team will be awarded the win by a score of 2-0 or by the existing score at the time of suspension of the game if that score is more favourable to the winning team.


2. Should a team become unable to commence or to continue a game because it cannot “field” the minimum required number of players due to injuries or other absences (other than due to Yellow or Red Card showings), that team will be declared to have lost the current game by default.  If the game had not started, a score of 2-0 will be awarded to the winning team.  However, should the game have started, the winning score will either be 2-0 or the existing score at the time when the game was halted (whichever score is most favourable to the team that is being awarded the win), but the losing team will be allowed to continue in the Tournament (as long as this is not the losing team’s second loss after the “Ice Jam” round of games) if it can “field” the minimum required number of players in its future scheduled or assigned games.
   
   In these two sets of circumstances described in 2A) and 2B) above, and when appropriate, the Tournament Discipline Committee will have to decide, in the interest of fairness to all competitors, whether bonus points, game results and goals should be included in the tie-breaking calculations; and if consultation is sought by the Committee on this issue, all affected teams will be allowed to make a representation to the Committee of no longer than five minutes duration.


3. Should a team refuse to field a sufficient number of players to start or to continue a game, or should it withdraw its players from the field (even for a temporary period), that team will be declared to have lost the current game by default (even if the withdrawing or refusing team was leading at the time of the refusal or withdrawal).  If the game had not started, a score of 2-0 will be awarded to the winning team.  However, should the game have started, the winning score will either be 2-0 or the existing score at the time when the game was halted (whichever score is most favourable to the team that is being awarded the win).  The team that refused to field a sufficient number of players or that withdrew its players from the field will be expelled from further play in the Tournament. 
4. In the event that any team is expelled from the Tournament under any of the three items (A), B) or C)) in this section of rules, or withdraws (for whatever reason) from the Tournament, the Tournament Organizing Committee will consult with the Tournament Discipline Committee and may do one, all or none of the following:
   1. re-align the “Pools” within the age group(s) affected; and/or
   2. revise the schedule; and/or
   3. invoke any other decision to maintain the fairness and competitiveness of the competition.
5. In addition, the Referee will complete and submit a Special Incident Report (SIR) to the Field Marshall and the conduct of the offending team will be reported to the EODSA for their review and supplementary disciplinary action.

DURATION/NUMBER OF GAMES and BALL SIZE

POINTS SYSTEM

• winner of the game between the tied teams (including a shoot-out win),
• most wins in regulation time,
• most bonus points,
• most goals for in regulation time,
• fewest goals against in regulation time,
• fewest losses including shoot-out losses,
• most shut-outs for in regulation time,
• fewest shut-outs against in regulation time,
• fewest goals against in shoot-outs,
• most goals for in shoot-outs,
• a single coin-toss (a Tournament Official will arbitrarily decide which team predicts the toss outcome)

ELIMINATION

HOME  TEAM

1. If a game is abandoned (i.e. will not be completed) the Tournament Discipline Committee will rule on that game’s status, but every reasonable attempt must be made to complete all games in their entirety.  When 75% or more of a game has been played, and the Referee determines that play cannot safely continue due to weather and/or field and/or light conditions, that game will be abandoned (ended) and will be considered to have been completed and the score at that time will become the final regulation time score.


2. If a game is suspended and then re-started, the game will not be deemed to have been completed simply because 75% of the game time has been played.  Instead, play must continue as long as is safely possible - regardless of any single or multiple weather-caused or field-conditions-caused game suspensions, unless that game is declared by the Referee to be “unfinishable” due to inclement weather or light-loss. In the event that a game is suspended due to field conditions, the remainder of the game may be played later that same day or the following morning (if appropriate) on another field.  The Tournament President, in consultation with the convenor of the affected age group and any other persons that they may choose, will make the final decision as to the possible re-scheduling and re-location of the remainder of the suspended game.


3. If when a game is suspended it is less than 75% completed and it is later decided that it cannot be re-started, re-scheduled or re-located, the game will be declared as complete and the existing score will become the final regulation time score. 
4. In situations described in A), B) and C) above, occur, and should the final regulation time score be tied, all efforts will be made to conduct the shoot-out portion of the competition.  If necessary, the shoot-out will be re-scheduled and/or re-located.  If a shoot-out is impossible to hold, a single coin toss will be used to determine the winner of the game.  A Tournament Official will arbitrarily decide which team predicts the toss outcome.

CHECK-IN  SCHEDULE

TOURNAMENT  ORGANIZING  COMMITTEE

GENERAL

• Appendix #1
• Ontario Soccer Association
• Standard Penalties for Misconduct by a Player