Schedule/Reschedule Policy
Checking of Player Passes Policy
Red Card Policy
Schedule/Reschedule Policy
Prior to the season the League Commissioner will publish a draft schedule by a date approximately 1 month prior to the opening weekend. This draft will accommodate two requested “no play dates” for each team (in addition to the standard off dates such as Columbus Day) that can be for any reason ie. tournaments, school conflicts etc. Also, the draft will take into consideration special requests such as weighting games more towards either Saturdays or Sundays.
Once the draft has been published, the clubs have one week to review for errors and request changes.
The League Commissioner will accommodate as many requested changes as possible to the draft schedule and publish an updated “final schedule”.
Once the “final schedule” has been published the League Commissioner will reschedule games for three reasons:
1) Game conflicts with a State Cup match
2) Game is cancelled due to weather
3) Game conflicts with a graded academic requirement (“academic event”, not heavy homework) for a significant portion of the team.
These reschedules will be considered “official league reschedules” and will be scheduled and communicated by the League Commissioner through the league office. The team requesting a schedule change must notify the League Commissioner at least 7 days prior to the game for it to be considered. Both teams must make themselves available for the rescheduled match which will be fit into an available date during the season.
Teams wishing to make changes to the schedule for reasons outside of the above list may do so on their own provided
1) Their opponent agrees to the reschedule
2) They notify the League Commissioner promptly of the change
3) Referee availability and field availability are adequate
A team wishing to reschedule a match for a reason outside the sanctioned list of three “official league reschedules” should contact their opponent directly and negotiate a new play date. The opposing team however, is under no obligation to agree to a reschedule request for any reason outside of the three noted “official league reschedules”. If the game can not be rescheduled and is not played during the time indicated on the “final schedule”, the team not able to make the match as originally scheduled will be deemed to have forfeited. If both parties agree to a reschedule, the League Commissioner should be notified immediately of the schedule change.
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Checking of Player Passes Policy
Player passes are the means by which the league ensures that all players participating in league matches are officially registered players. Teams may only field players that are rostered to their team and have a player pass signed by a VYSA Registrar.
Player passes from both teams should be checked by the referee or Linesmen prior to the scheduled start of the match. Teams which cannot produce their player passes by the end of the match may be subject to forfeiture of the match. Player passes may be kept by the referee or assistant referees during the game. After the game, the passes will be returned to the coach or a team representative. If a referee fails to check player passes, it is the responsibility of both coaches to remind him of this SCSL requirement. If a referee refuses to check player passes, the teams should immediately report this to the league. A coach has the right to check an opposing teams player passes before or after the match.
A referee does not have the authority to forfeit matches for player pass issues. Only the match’s sanctioning body (the league) has the authority to declare a forfeit. In situations where passes are not present at the start of a match, referees are advised to play the match as normal. In their Official Match Report they are to note any and all circumstances including the absence of passes or the lodging of a protest by either team. The information is to be turned over to the league at the match’s conclusion so that it can make a determination on the status of the match. No coach, team manager, registrar, parent, player, spectator or club official is invested with the power to unilaterally declare a forfeit. That authority rests with the league and its Commissioner.
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Red Card Policy
All red cards issued in Skyline League play incur the following penalty:
1) The offending player or coach must leave the match in which the card is issued. Players can not be substituted in that match and the team of the offending player must play down a man for the remainder of the match.
2) The offending player or coach can not participate in the next league game. Their team however, may play with a full 11 in that game.
Additional notes - Players who receive a red card must attend the following league match and sit on the team bench in street clothes. This is true for both home and away games. This is required so that the suspension can be properly served by the player, observed by the opposing team and recorded by the referee.
Coaches who receive a red card must stay away from their team's following league game.
Two yellow cards equal a red card. There is no "soft" red. Two yellows issued in the same match to the same player are treated the same as a straight red card and incur the same penalty.
Red cards are to be reported to the League Commisioner each week with the weekend scores. It is the responsibility of both participating teams/clubs to report any red cards issued in their match to the League. The player's name, jersey # and the offence committed should be reported. The League Commissioner will then notify the offending team's next opponent of the pending suspension so they can ensure it is properly served.
Red cards are only relevant within the competion they are issued in. Red cards issued in tournaments do not carry over into league play. Red card suspensions issued in league play can not be served in tournaments. If a player receives a red card in their last league match prior to a tournament they may play in the tournament unencumbered by the suspension but must then serve the suspension in their next leauge match after the tournament. If a team wishes to suspend a player on their own from their tournament match it does not exonerate the player from also serving the suspension in their next league match. If a red card is issued to a player in the final game of a season, the suspension must be served in the first game of the following season.
The Skyline League does not track yellow cards. There is no point accumulation for yellow cards issued over the course of the season. Clubs do not need to report yellow cards, only reds. Clubs are expected to control the behavior of their teams and players through internal measures. The League may impose sanctions in cases where clubs fail to demonstrate proper internal controls.
If a red card is deemed serious enough, additional sanctions may be levied by the league. Clubs will be encouraged and given the chance to take action first themselves.
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