Details about the tournament from Glenn Cooper

Attached is the U12 Girls Postseason Tournament Schedule. Here are some details about the tournament:

1) The U14 Boys is a 15-team league. 14 teams play games on the first tournament day, Saturday, October 28. The exception is: Dix 3 (Lucky Charms). This team is the highest seeded team and get a first day bye, playing their first game on Sunday, October 29.

2) Each team is scheduled to play 3 games in the tournament. Exceptions could be the teams receiving a bye on the first day; these teams play 3 games only if they advance to the championship game (game 21 of the tournament). If other teams reach the championship game, they will play 4 games in the tournament.

3) The schedule should be very clear about where and when you play your first game. If you play a game on Saturday, October 28, the result of the game (either a win or a loss) will determine where and when your next game is to be played. You should be able to determine this using the schedule and the result of your game.

4) Each game must be resolved with a win or loss (not a tie) in order to determine where and when the teams' next games are to be played. In addition, it is necessary to fit the games into 1 and 1/2 hour time slots. To make this happen, special rules have been adopted for the tournament. Here are the rules that have been communicated to the tournament's referee coordinators:

"Each field/game time slot allows for a 1 and 1/2 hour game. And, each game must have a Win or Loss. We can't have a Tie because we need to determine a winner and loser for the purpose of the following games. To fit games into the 1 and 1/2 hour slots with this requirement, the games are set up as follows:

-- Each half lasts 30 minutes. (Note: this is the common time for U12 games, but 5 minutes shorter each half for U14 games)

-- Five minutes between halves.

-- If the regulation game ends with a clear winner (i.e., no tie) then the game is over.

-- If there is a tie at the end of regulation, there should be a 2-3 minute break followed by 2 5-minute overtime periods. There should be enough time between the two overtime periods to allow the teams to switch sides.

-- If a goal is scored in either of the overtime periods, the game immediately ends with the scoring team the winner. Thus, if a goal is scored in the first overtime period, don't play the second overtime period.

-- If there is no scoring in the overtime, then on to the shootout.

-- In the shootout, each team nominates 5 players who were in the game at the end of the second overtime (goalie included). Players alternate taking penalty shots. If, following the 10 penalty shots (5 by each team), one team is ahead, then that team wins.

-- If, following the 10 penalty shots, there is still a tie, then each team nominates one other player, again from the group of players in the game at the end of the second overtime. The two players from each team takes a penalty shot. If exactly one scores, then that team wins. Otherwise, this step is repeated (i.e., one other player is nominated) until the game ultimately ends.

-- Please note that each team can use any player as its goalie in the shootout, provided the player was in the game at the end of the second overtime. The team is not required to use its regular game goal in the shootout"

5) Coaches should Email me the game scores following each game. Following the first weekend's games, an updated schedule for the second weekend will be distributed. The updated schedule won't change anything but will give the first weekend's scores and will show teams (so they don't have to figure out) where and when they play games on the second weekend.

6) The tournament's championship game is to be played on Sunday, November 5 at Hall Field at 2:00 PM. Trophies will be presented (by their coaches) to the champion and runner-up in the tournament only. Players on all other teams will get participation pins.

That's it for the two-weekend tournament. I hope everyone enjoys the games. You may wish to attend the championship game to see who wins.