State Cup FAQ

Yes. The following restrictions apply to the areas around fields:

• Only rostered players and four (4) credentialed adults are allowed on the team-side sideline.
• The team is required to stay within the designated team area and may not impede the referee area.
• Non-credentialed individuals cannot be on the team side of the field.
• Parents and spectators need to remain on the spectator side of the field.
• Teams cannot warm up or watch games from the areas behind the goals.

Yes. Referees are expected to constantly be learning, reflecting, and improving every time they step on the pitch. In addition:

• Qualified referees are selected and invited to attend. The SYRA or their designated assignor assigns referees to each State Cup game based on division, age group, and referee combined experience.
• There will be mentoring involved during State Cup after each match. Continued education allows referees to excel in their duties, advance, and learn the game at the next level.
• Some Alaska referees may be evaluated to attain a higher referee grade.

• Coaches are responsible for their players’ and their parents’ behavior/actions. Positive sportsmanship is encouraged.
• Game times are set. Be prepared, arrive on time, and promptly produce player/coach member passes to avoid a forfeit.
• No coaching allowed from the spectator side. If this occurs, AYSA may remove the spectator.
• Police your area after each game. The sidelines should be clean when you leave the field.
• Remind your parents that they should not participate in derogatory comments to referees, players, officials, or other parents. Any violator shall be immediately removed from the Event by Alaska Youth Soccer officials.
• Please remind parents to be patient while waiting for scores.
• Please have fun!

It may take up to 2 hours for standings to be posted on the AYSA website. Please do not have a coach, manager, or parent tell AYSA the score. Scores will only be accepted from officials.

Only the coach may inform the Alaska Youth Soccer officials at tournament headquarters that the score may be wrong. This will be verified with game head referee and changes will be made if applicable.

Yes.

The schedule posted on the AYSA website is set. If a game changes, AYSA will contact the team manager or coach prior to the game and an email to teams will be sent.

• A player ejected from a match may continue to sit in the technical/bench area unless removed by the referee for continued inappropriate behavior once they have been sent to the bench. Players must remove their game jersey for the remainder of the match.
• Refer to the State Cup rules for details on red/yellow cards.
• Player passes can be picked up from tournament headquarters after the required sit-out period.

The tournament headquarters will be located in a designated building near the center of the complex.

• Game day officials have the final say on clearing cast protectors. NCAA-approved covers should be acceptable.
• Players may not play with casts that extend to above the elbow and inhibit the player’s ability to move the arm.
• No restrictions on color of cast protector.
• Any supportive orthopedic device must be padded to the satisfaction of the referee administrator.
• The team manager must have a medical release from the player’s doctor allowing the player to participate.

Players and coaches will be awarded individual medals. Team pictures will be taken by Alaska Youth Soccer officials, with parent opportunities. The Alaska All-State Teams will be announced the following week on the Alaska Youth Soccer tournament webpage.

A transfer is defined as the process by which a player changes club affiliation, moving from one club and re-registering to a team within a different club within the same seasonal year. US Youth Soccer and Alaska Youth Soccer seasonal year runs from September 1 through August 31st.

State Cup Transfers

Competitive players must be properly registered under the current Alaska seasonal year and living in Alaska prior to the July State Cup application deadline. Players who transfer from one participating club team to another participating club team after the July State Cup application deadline will be ineligible for participation in the current seasonal year Alaska State Cup. Requirements are outlined in the Transfers for State Cup Policy.

From May until the State Cup final roster freeze date, players may transfer from a club team not participating in State Cup to a club team that is participating. Transfer fees apply and the maximum number of allowed transfers is four (4). The Temporary Release and Transfer form will only be accepted starting after the July State Cup application deadline.

Roster Freeze Deadline

The team accepting a player from a non-participating team for State Cup will only be allowed four (4) temporary transfer approvals for their State Cup roster. No additions or transfers will be accepted or considered after the State Cup final roster freeze date, no exceptions.

In the event a team disbands from State Cup before the final roster freeze date, players from the team may request a transfer to a State Cup bound team on an individual basis. Requests must go through the AYSA office and will be reviewed by the State Cup Committee. Transfer fees will apply.

Recreational Players

Recreational players may be added to a State Cup roster with no additional AYSA paperwork required. The players must be properly registered with AYSA and rostered with AYSA in accordance with the rules of US Youth Soccer (Policy on Players and Playing Rules, 201 and 209). No out-of-state players or guest players can be rostered to a State Cup team.

Team and Player Eligibility

All teams must be Alaska-based and Alaska residents to be eligible to participate. Players, coaches, and teams are to be registered under the AYSA umbrella during the current seasonal year (September 1 – August 31). Prior to participation in the Alaska State Cup, each team and its players are subject to the following:

• Teams and players must be properly registered with AYSA in accordance with the rules of US Youth Soccer (Policy on Players and Playing Rules, 201 and 209) and AYSA.
• Teams and players must maintain a valid team roster and current seasonal year US Youth Soccer player and coach member passes.
• Players may only play for one team entered in a State Cup (in any state/region) during a seasonal year.
• Players must be currently living in Alaska and registered for play as a member of AYSA.
• Players are to be properly registered and/or transferred to the team. No guest players allowed. (See the Transfers for State Cup Policy)
• Players MUST be properly registered as a member of AYSA by the designated date.
• No out of state players may be rostered to AYSA teams. Split custody in between different states situations must be discussed with the State office prior to the eligibility placement deadline.
• Teams and players must be in good standing with AYSA and their respective leagues, and be in compliance with, and have not violated, any of the bylaws and policies of US Youth Soccer and the AYSA.
• Teams must be registered and compete in a four-team Alaska-approved sanctioned league during the current Summer seasonal year to be eligible.
• The team must demonstrate continuity of rosters between the league during the current seasonal year and National Championships competitions by maintaining a minimum of nine (9) players that are common to the rosters of all competitions.
• Teams who have geographic constraints will be eligible to qualify for participation during the current seasonal year by registering and competing in an Alaska-approved sanctioned qualifying state league. The team must demonstrate continuity of rosters between the state league during the current seasonal year and National Championships competitions by maintaining a minimum of six (6) players that are common to the rosters of all competitions. Any exceptions to this must be granted by the Alaska State Cup Committee.
• The Alaska State Cup Committee shall determine whether participation in any amateur adult league shall qualify a youth team for participation under the Team Qualification-Amateur Leagues policy.

Adult Clearance

Coaches, managers, and chaperones must have current US Youth Soccer adult member passes approved by AYSA. Adults listed on the team roster and who will be chaperoning must clear the background check, complete the Safe Sport Certification, and have read the AYSA Code of Conduct. (See the Adult Verification Policy)