Tournament rules

1. General

South Jersey Free Kick is hosted by Deptford Soccer Association (DSA) at the Cattell Complex, 1002 Cattell Road, Wenonah, NJ 08090, on one weekend in June 2027.

• The tournament is sanctioned by NJ Youth Soccer.
• The Tournament Committee decides all matters about the tournament, and its decisions are final. Referee decisions on the field are final.
• DSA, the Tournament Committee and NJ Youth Soccer are not responsible for injuries, accidents or any team expenses, including travel and hotels, if the tournament is cancelled in whole or in part.

Age groups follow NJ Youth Soccer guidance, based on calendar year of birth. Final brackets depend on entries. The Tournament Committee may combine age groups or, with a team's agreement, place it one year up or down.

2. Free entry and the deposit

There is no entry fee. Each team pays a refundable deposit of $100–$150 at registration to hold its spot. The final amount and the withdrawal deadline are posted with registration.

Refunds go back to the original payment method after the tournament.

3. Rosters and check-in

Rosters and player passes must be submitted and approved before the tournament, and kept at the field for every game. Medical release forms must be available on request.

• Guests count toward the maximum roster.
• A player may play for only one team in the tournament.
• Every rostered player with a valid pass may play in every game unless suspended.
• Out-of-state teams need a permission-to-travel form if their state association requires one.
• Check-in times and location are sent to every team before the tournament.

4. Game format

Every team plays three group games, and each group winner plays one final. Each game gets a one-hour slot.

• Half time is 5 minutes. Every game ends at least 5 minutes before the next game on that field is due to start.
• No time is added for injuries or substitutions. Time is added only to take a penalty kick awarded at the end of a half.
• Substitutions are unlimited, at the referee's discretion, under South Jersey Soccer League rules.
• 7v7 games use the build-out line under South Jersey Soccer League rules.
• No coin toss. The away team kicks off the first half; the home team picks which goal to defend and kicks off the second half.
• The team listed first on the schedule is home. It supplies a game ball if none is provided, and changes jerseys or wears pinnies if colors clash.
• A team has a 5-minute grace period after the scheduled kick-off. A team that cannot field the minimum number of players by then forfeits, recorded as a 2–0 loss.

5. Standings, tie-breakers and finals

Group games can end in a tie. Each group's winner is decided by points, and the two group winners in a bracket meet in the final.

No bonus points for goals or shutouts, and yellow cards cost nothing. A forfeit counts as a 2–0 win for the other team.

Tie-breakers for group winner

Applied in order until the tie is broken:

1. Head-to-head result between the tied teams.
2. Goal difference, capped at 3 a game.
3. Goals scored, capped at 3 a game.
4. Fewest goals allowed, capped at 3 a game.
5. Most wins.
6. Most shutouts.
7. Kicks from the penalty mark, at a time and field set by the Tournament Committee.

In a three-way tie, head-to-head is used only if one team beat both others. Once the tie is down to two teams, start again at step 1.

Finals

A final tied after regulation goes straight to kicks from the penalty mark: five kickers each, then one round at a time until one team leads. There is no overtime, so the next game can start on time.

Awards

Medals go to every player on the winning and runner-up team in each bracket. A team that forfeits any game cannot win an award, and that place is left empty.

6. Referees, conduct and discipline

Referee decisions are final, and protests are not accepted. The Tournament Director settles any other dispute.

• A player, coach or team official sent off (red card) sits out the rest of that game and the team's next tournament game. The team plays short for the rest of the game.
• Two yellow cards in one game equal a red card.
• A red card for physical assault, including after a half ends, removes that person for the rest of the tournament and may disqualify the team.
• Coaches are responsible for their players, bench and spectators. The referee may caution the head coach for spectators' abusive behavior.
• A coach may be cautioned for wasting time with substitutions in the last 10 minutes, or for not bringing the team onto the field when called.
• After abuse of officials, players or coaches, player passes are sent to NJ Youth Soccer (or the team's state association) with a written report instead of being returned.
• Teams and coaches take one side of the field and their spectators stay on the same side. No coaching within 18 yards of the goal line or from behind the goal.
• Sportsmanship: once a team leads by 5 goals, its coach should change the lineup to keep the game fair.

Equipment

Every player wears shin guards and a numbered jersey. No jewelry and no metal cleats. Hard casts or braces must be fully padded, and the referee decides whether any cast, brace or glasses are safe.

7. Weather, delays and cancellations

Teams report to their field as scheduled unless a Tournament Committee member tells them otherwise. A team that does not show forfeits.

• The Tournament Committee may move or reschedule games, shorten games, change brackets or cancel games because of weather or field conditions. The Tournament Director or site coordinator makes the final call on closing fields.
• Lightning: all play stops at the first thunder or lightning, and resumes 30 minutes after the last.
• Make-up slots: lit Fields 1 to 4 at 8 pm Saturday and the 4 pm hour on Sunday are held open for games moved by weather.

A stopped game can restart only if it can finish within its one-hour slot. DSA does not make up cancelled games beyond the open slots.

8. At the Cattell Complex

• Parking is $10 a car each day. It pays for the tournament, so teams don't have to. Follow the volunteers to overflow parking when the main lots fill.
• No pets on or near the fields. Service animals are welcome.
• No alcohol and no smoking or vaping on or near the fields. Breaking this rule can mean forfeited games and removal from the complex.
• Golf carts may be driven only by people 18 or older with a valid driver's license.
• Fundraising and selling, including team fundraisers and vendors, need written approval from the Tournament Committee first.
• Food: the DSA snack stand is between the two main parking lots.

Questions about the rules: freekick@deptfordsoccer.net