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Illinois State Cup Facts & Common Questions
This year, the Illinois Youth Soccer Association will be celebrating the 43rd Anniversary of the Illinois State Cup. The Illinois State Cup is the beginning stage of the most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Nearly 500 Illinois teams compete to determine the Illinois State Cup Champions in the boys and girls divisions in the Under-12 (U12) thru Under- 19 (U19) age divisions. Each of the 55 US Youth Soccer State Associations hosts an annual State Cup competition. The Illinois State Cup is one of the largest State Cup competitions in the United States.
How is the Illinois State Cup different than other tournaments that are also called State Cups?
Who advances to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Competition? The U-13 thru U-19 Illinois State Cup champions advance to compete in the U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championship. This competition brings together the State Cup champions from the 14 US Youth Soccer Midwest State Associations (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio North, Ohio South, South Dakota, and Wisconsin).
Who advances to the US Youth Soccer National Competition? The U-14 thru U-19 Champions of the US Youth Soccer Midwest Region advance to compete in the US Youth Soccer National Championship. This final tournament is the culmination of a year long series of competitions at the state and regional level. This championship showcases the future stars of US Soccer. The Midwest Regional Champions will compete for the national title against the regional champions from four US Youth Soccer regions. The regions are: Eastern Region (Region 1), Midwest Region (Region 2), Southern Region (Region 3), and Western Region (Region 4).
When did this tournament begin? The annual Illinois State Cup began in 1967 when representatives of less than eighty teams met in Springfield to crown their first Illinois State Cup Champions.
The Illinois Youth Soccer Association establishes and organizes the US Youth Soccer State Cup Championship tournament under the direction of US Youth Soccer. The Illinois State Cup Director in conjunction with the Illinois State Cup Committee under the direction of the Illinois Youth Soccer Association’s Board of Directors administers the Illinois State Cup. This tournament is open to any IYSA currently registered team comprised of properly registered and rostered youth players that participates in an IYSA only division of an affiliated Illinois Youth Soccer Association competitive league during the current soccer year. The team must be in good standing and in compliance with IYSA rules and requirements. You can find this information online at www.illinoisyouthsoccer.org on the Forms & Procedures page under Illinois Youth Soccer Policies and Procedures.
The Illinois State Cup will include competition in both Boys and Girls divisions in U-12 thru U-19 age groups.
The U-13 thru U-19 Illinois State Cup the format is a single elimination and played in the 11 v 11 format. See below for U-12 format. The U-12 Illinois State Cup format is 9 v 9. Teams will compete in a single elimination tournament until the round of 16. The final 16 teams will compete in a points-based group round-robin format. Group winners advance to semifinal and then championship play. If only 16 teams apply then we start with the round robin format. No! Yes in the U-12 age group; 7 guest players are allowed from within the team’s club.
No guest players are allowed in the U-13 to U-19 age groups. No! No! If a player has participated on another IYSA or US Youth Soccer state association's State Cup team during the seasonal year, that player is not eligible to participate in the Illinois State Cup. It is a players’ and teams’ responsibility to make sure the player is in compliance.
The team must be entered in the competition of the National State Association in which at least fifty percent of its players reside and are registered.
Teams can register for the Illinois State Cup by completing the online registration form and paying the non-refundable fee before the specified entry deadline.
Brackets will be announced at the Illinois Youth Soccer Expo. They will also be posted on the IYSA web site: http://www.illinoisyouthsoccer.org/
Can the State Cup roster be different than the league team roster? Only for the U-12 age group. The league roster and State Cup roster have to be identical in all other age groups.
A team's State Cup roster is frozen at the time of a team's first State Cup match. The completed official State Cup Roster and copy (not original) of the team's League Roster with add/drop forms must be in the possession of the IYSA office by the specified deadline. No player may play for a team in the Illinois State Cup or subsequent stages of the US Youth Soccer National Championship competition unless the player was listed on the team’s official League roster at the time the roster was frozen for State Cup play.
For U-14 and younger, unlimited substitutions are allowed. For U-15 and older, substitution may occur on any stoppage of play with the approval of the referee. During the U-15 and older matches, a maximum of seven (7) substitutions for each team shall be allowed in each game during each half of play and during overtime play. The substituted player may not re-enter the game during the same half of play. After leaving the game during overtime play, the substituted player may not re-enter the game.
If a game is tied at the end of regulation play overtime periods are to be played to determine a winner, with the exception of the U-12 round-robin play. Two (2) complete overtime periods will be played after the end of regulation play. If the game is still tied after the end of the two (2) overtime periods, FIFA “Kicks from the Penalty Mark” rules will apply in order to determine the winner. Only players on the field at the end of the overtime period are eligible to take "Kicks from the Penalty Mark."
No!
Yes!
All State Cup games are assigned and approved by the Illinois State Cup Director. With the exception of pre-approved Home Team Host games, State Cup games are scheduled at a common site.
As in any other tournament, teams must be prepared to play at the location and time scheduled. Due to the large number of participants, weather restrictions, high school and league seasons, and the regional tournament schedule, the Illinois State Cup time frame is very rigid.
No exception will be made for tournament play. State Cup takes precedence over league and tournament play.
Any request for a change must be submitted in writing to the IYSA office within 24 hours of the schedule being posted.
No, unless there are hazardous weather conditions or lightning. Cancellations are determined at the site. In compliance with the regional and national process, State Cup games are played in rain and even snow. At a common site, the State Cup directors or site administrator has the jurisdiction to cancel or postpone the game at the field due to lightning or hazardous weather conditions. After notifying the State Cup Director, the facility has the right to cancel or postpone games due to hazardous field conditions. At scattered or home-team based sites, the game referee has the jurisdiction to cancel or postpone the game at the field due to lightning or hazardous weather conditions.
The Rockford Sportscore 1 & 2 facilities have been rated as some of the top soccer facilities in the U.S. They have a sufficient number of quality regulation sized soccer fields at one site; their support services and facilities are outstanding; there is a large pool of qualified, experienced Chicago vicinity referees; and there are ample hotel accommodations in Rockford.
For hotel information contact the Rockford Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Total members of the coaching staff allowed in the Technical area are three (3). The coaching staff number, three (3), includes: the Head Coach, Assistant Coaches, Manager, Owner, Trainer, Medical Staff, etc… All members of the coaching staff must have a US Youth Coaching Membership Pass and the Pass must be submitted to the Center Referee before the start of the game.
As a coach you have a responsibility to have your team prepared to play. You also have the responsibility of being prepared in case you cannot attend one of the games. Be prepared by having an Assistant Coach ready. Schedule changes will not be made for the convenience of the coach. |
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