Because of the popularity of hosting outdoor tournaments and the limited number of calendar dates, referees and fields availabile, NYSWYSA has implemented a new Outdoor Tournament Hosting Policy. This policy goes into effect with the beginning of the 2001-2002 seasonal year (Sept 1, 2001). This policy is a new procedure and should be considered manditory reading if you plan to host an outdoor tournament in the coming seasonal year. Appropriate forms and check lists can be found in the Programs - Travel Soccer section of this website.

New York State West Youth Soccer Association Policy For Hosting Outdoor Tournaments or Festivals (Jamborees)
(Approved 08/26 01, Revised 09/13-01)

The Hosting Organization shall:

1. Submit its Hosting Application and all other required documents/forms and fees referred to below to the New York State West Youth Soccer Association (NYSWYSA) State Office no earlier than September 1 but before November 1 for tournaments and festivals to be held during the next calendar year.

2. Follow all rules/regulations and guidelines described in Part III of the US Youth Soccer (USYSA) Travel & Tournament Policy of March 1, 2001 and pay particular attention to sections 303 and 306 of this Policy. Any Organization found to have violated the USYSA or NYSWYSA hosting policies, will be subject to disciplinary penalties, which may include being denied permission to travel to and/or permission to host future tournaments or festivals.

3. Submit an Assignor Certification Form signed by a certified Assignor (or his/her designee) confirming the availability of a sufficient number of officials for the specified Tournament/Festival.

4. Submit a copy of the Tournament Rules, and as part of these rules you must:

a) Specify the number of fields that will be utilized, and their locations.

b) Have a clear and concise policy on the penalty for a coach or player receiving a red card. In particular, this policy shall contain a stipulation saying that any such penalty which cannot be fully served during the present tournament, must be completed during the next regularly scheduled league or tournament game (not to include any Snickers State Cup or Presidents Cup games).

5. Submit a letter from the Tournament Site Facility granting the Tournament Host use of their fields for the dates specified on the Host Application Form. This letter shall specify the numbers of fields and their locations. In the event the field situation is not yet certain at the time of the filing of the Hosting Application, the Hosting Organization may (in lieu of the above mentioned letter) include a statement indicating their expected number of fields and their locations. In this case the letter from the Tournament Site Facility shall be filed with the NYSWYSA office no later than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the Tournament/Festival. Failure to comply will be considered a violation of the NYSWYSA Hosting Policy (See #2 above).

6. Attach to the Hosting Application a $100 non-refundable Application Fee in the form of a club check made payable to NYSWYSA.

7. Submit a $100 Tournament Bond in the form of a club check made payable to NYSWYSA. (One check covering both the Application Fee and the Tournament Bond is acceptable.) This bond will be refunded upon the NY West State Office receiving a Post Tournament Report within thirty (30) days after the conclusion of the tournament/festival. For special tournaments/festivals approved by the NYSWYSA Director of Recreational Soccer, the Post Tournament Report shall be filed with the Director within ten (10) days after the conclusion of the tournament/festival. Failure to submit the Post Tournament Report within the required number of days shall result in forfeiture of the Bond.

Furthermore,
8. NYSWYSA is not required to accept or approve any Application to Host a Tournament/Festival submitted outside the established time period of between September 1 and November 1. Applications received after November 1 will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be processed within five (5) business days of receipt at the NYSWYSA State Office. They must be accompanied by the following late fees, which are in addition to the regular application and bond fees, (Note: There also may be additional late fees required by US Youth Soccer).

a) Sixty (60) or more days prior to the Tournament/Festival - $100.

b) Less than sixty (60) days prior to the Tournament/Festival - $200.

9. NYSWYSA will consider applications that do not satisfy all of the specifications listed in #s 1 8 above as incomplete. Incomplete applications (along with any fees submitted) will be returned within five (5) business days of receipt and considered as not having ever been submitted. The reason(s) for considering the application incomplete will be explained in an accompanying letter.

10. All U10 or younger age division play in tournaments must be advertised/marketed as festivals or jamborees. Format of play must be round robin with no game results recorded/posted. There shall be no awards based on win/loss records for these age divisions only participation awards for all players. Play in these age divisions shall be in accordance with established USYSA guidelines with the following additional specific requirements:

a) Effective on 1/1, 2003 the U9 and U10 age divisions must play no more than 7v7, including the goalkeeper, on a field with maximum dimensions of approximately 60 x 40 yards, with modified goals.

b) Effective on 1/1, 2003 the U11 age division must play 9v9, including the goalkeeper, on a field with maximum dimensions of approximately 85 x 60 yards, with full sized goals.

11. All Travel Permits for out-of-state participating teams shall be kept on file by the Hosting Organization for one (1) year after the Tournament/Festival and shall be made available to NYSWYSA upon request.

12. If the event to be hosted is cancelled, the Application Fee will be forfeited, and the Tournament Bond will be returned only if the cancellation is not the fault of the Hosting Organization.

13. Each Tournament Host Director or his/her designee must attend a mandatory Tournament/Festival Host Meeting at the NYSWYSA Soccer Fest in November. The exact date, time and location of this meeting will be announced in a special mailing and on our web site. Tournament/Festival approval may not be granted, and the Tournament Bond will be forfeited if a Tournament Host Director or official does not attend this meeting.

14. Applications received after September 1 but before November 1 will be processed as follows:

a) When there is only one application for a particular date in a district, the application shall be approved and processed within five (5) business days following the mandatory Tournament/Festival Host Meeting per the criteria outlined in sections 301(d), 302, and 304(d) and/or 305(d) in the US Youth Soccer Travel & Tournament Policy.

b) When two or more applications are for the same dates in a district, the applications shall be approved and processed within five (5) business days following the mandatory Tournament/Festival Host Meeting per the criteria outlined in sections 301(d), 302, and 304(d) and/or 305(d) in the US Youth Soccer Travel & Tournament Policy. This includes the provision that a certified Assignor (or his/her designee) signs the Assignor Certification Form for all applications.

c) When two or more applications are for the same dates in a district, and at least one Host Organizations Assignor Certification Form is not signed, the following process will be used in the order listed. (Note: In this case only will an unsigned Assignor Certification Form not automatically result in the application being rendered incomplete):

(1) All clubs requesting the same dates in a district will be contacted no later than
one (1) week prior to the Tournament/Festival Host Meeting and asked about the possibility of reducing the number of matches utilizing more than one (1) official.

(2) If there can be an agreement to reduce the number of referees required so that the certified Assignor (or his/her designee) determines there is a sufficient number of officials available and signs the Assignor Certification Form for all the applicants, all applications shall be approved per sections 301(d), 302, and 304(d) and/or 305(d) of the US Youth Soccer Travel & Tournament Policy.

(3) If the certified Assignor (or his/her designee) determines that there is an insufficient number of officials available and thus cannot sign the Assignor Certification Form for all of the applicants, a random draw will be held during the Tournament/Festival Host Meeting at the NY West Soccer Fest in November. The first club drawn shall have its application approved. Subsequent clubs drawn shall also have their applications approved until the supply of officials is exhausted.