Soccer Tournament 2008

From GRA

The Event

Overview

The NIST Guest Researcher Association is organizing its annual GRA Soccer Tournament. The tournament will be held on Friday, 13th June 2008 at the NIST Main Campus.

 Gathering for players will be at 1.00pm!  First game is at 1:30pm!

Place: Soccer field near Bldg. 226
Starting time : 1:30pm

The event is free and the main sponsor is COMSTAR Federal Credit Union bank. Free refreshment will be served to the players and prizes will be offered to the winner team.

All NIST staff and their families are invited to participate in this year’s GRA Soccer Tournament.

How to sign up?

Registration for the tournament is CLOSED (on June, 10th, 4pm) !!!
Number of teams was limited to the twelve (12) teams. Registration was on a first-apply, first-accepted basis.

However, we will consider other applications (if any) and your application may be accepted. That will depend on how many more teams are about to register by Friday.

Follow these steps

1. create a team 
2. fill out the application form (download here)
3. email the form to soccer@guestresearcher.org

If you don’t have a team and you want to play email us at soccer@guestresearcher.org and we will try to find a team for you.

So far, couple of our colleagues who couldn't find a team by themselfs showed interest to participate. We will assign them to the existing teams, or we will form one more team of those players. So, the call above is still active, but, however, we can't promise that you will play for sure.

Contacts

If you are interested to help us you are very welcome! We're also looking for volunteer referees for the games. If you have any question or suggestion about the tournament, don't hesitate to contact us! There are many ways to do so:

• get in touch with GRA directly,
• Soccer Tournament Committee: soccer@guestresearcher.org,
• post a message on the GRA forum.

Tournament Rules

The tournament rules are determined by the GRA Soccer Tournament Committee and can be changed by the GRA at any time before or during the tournament
Check our website for updates.

The Spirit of Friendly Competition

The purpose of this soccer tournament is to promote friendly competition. The spirit of the tournament is friendship and fun, and not physical dominance. Whatever is judged by a referee to be not fair play behavior, such as slide tackling, pushing, body checks, and "hard bumps off the ball" and other rough play will be considered fouls. At the referees' discretion, fouls will result in either a yellow card, where the offending player leaves the field for 2 minutes, or a red card, where the offending player leaves the field for the remainder of the match. For a red card, the player is reported and this may also result in a points deduction or disqualification for the entire team at the discretion of the GRA.

Things to bring to the Tournament

1.WHITE T-Shirt
2.BLACK or very dark T-Shirt

Rules

• The teams are composed of up to 8 Players, 6 on the field at one time, others for substitution. Teams can substitute at any time during a stoppage in play (dead ball) with the consent of the referee.

• The “goalie” cannot use hands or arms to stop the ball. The goalie is allowed to block the ball with hands or arms for self protection, but if the ball is stopped by hands or arms when it would have gone into the goal without the use of hands or arms, it shall be judged and counted as a goal by the referee.

• There are no penalty shots.

• There is no offside rule.

• A side-line throw-in may be done in the conventional way (i.e. both hands over the head) or using the foot (with the ball placed on the line).

• If there is a handball and the player did it intentionally or gains advantage, it will be called an indirect free kick for the other team. If it was unintentional and no advantage is gained, handball will not be called.

• For goal kicks, corner kicks, restarting the game after an injury timeout, restarting the game after a handball etc., the ball will be placed on the ground, the initiating player will be given a 3 meter buffer, and the initiating player will pass the ball to restart play. There are no direct free kicks.

• The tournament is divided into two stages. The first stage is the qualifying group stage, in which each team plays several games in an effort to qualify for the next stage. The second stage is the finals stage in which a single loss results in elimination.

• The qualifying group games are composed of matches where each team competes against the other teams once.

• The qualifying group games (as well as the semi-final games) will last 15 minutes. Two 7 minute halves with a 1 minute “halftime” to switch sides of the field. There will be a 5 minutes rest between each game.

• Following the qualifying group games, the four best teams enter the finals stage, beginning with the semi-finals. Team 1 plays team 4 and team 2 plays team 3. Ties are not allowed and a golden goal will determine the winner of games that are tied after regulation time.

• The winning two teams from the semi-finals will be selected for the final.

• Any of these qualification rules can be modified on the day of the event to accommodate the number of teams present on the day.

  The points calculation will be as follows. 
  For each qualifying game: 3 points are given to the winner, 
  1 point is given to each team for a tie, and zero is given to the defeated team
 
 
• Goal average will be used to select the qualified teams in case of a tie after the points calculation. 
  The final game will last 22 minutes (two 10 minute halves with a 2 minute half-time break). 
  In case of a tie at the end of regulation time, the golden goal rule will be used. 

 The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows: 

 1)	Greatest number of points obtained in all group matches
 2)	Goal difference in all group matches
 3)	Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
 
 If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as  
 follows:

 4)	Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
 5)	Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
 6)	Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
 7)	Drawing of lots by the Organizing Committee.

Sponsors & Prizes

Our Main Sponsor is Comstar Federal Credit Union Bank

We will provide prizes for the tournament winners!

Waiver, Release of Liability

At the day of tournament, before starting to play, it will be required from each player to read and sign the GRA Soccer Tournament Disclaimer
GRA Soccer Tournament Disclaimer

In the following, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is hereafter referred to as “NIST” and the Guest Researcher  
Association is hereafter referred to as “GRA”.

I understand that participation in sports activities is potentially hazardous and that sports and exercise activities involve 
a risk of injury and even death. I am voluntarily participating in the GRA Soccer Tournament. 
I hereby agree to expressly assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death, regardless of age, or medical condition. 
By participating in the GRA Soccer Tournament, I do hereby waive, release and forever discharge NIST and GRA officers, employees,
representatives, and all others from any and all responsibility or liability for injuries or damages incurred while participating.
I understand, too, that NIST and GRA are not responsible for articles lost or stolen during the event.

Team name:_____________________________
                                                                                            
I certify that I have read and understand all of the foregoing and by signing this release, I am legally bound to the provisions   
herein.


Name (print)    Signature:      Date:

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____________    ___________      ______

____________    ___________      ______

____________    ___________      ______

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Download here

Teams

The following is a complete list of teams and individual players registered for the tournament. As soon as you email an application form we will add your team to the list.

History - The 2007 GRA Soccer Tournament a Great Success

At 2007, GRA Soccer Tournament took place on June 8 at the soccer fields outside of building 226 on the NIST, Gaithersburg campus. The event was attended by nearly 100 participants (in 12 teams) and many enthusiastic spectators.

Although the day was a very hot one—with players consuming in excess of 200 liters of chilled water, soda and dozens of oranges and bananas provided by the GRA and Comstar Federal Credit Union—the enthusiasm, passion and good sportsmanship of players was undeterred by the scorching conditions, and a very spirited competition was enjoyed by all.

The tournament culminated in a thrilling final clash between teams ‘Armada’ and ‘4pm’. With both teams exhausted after a long, energetic, yet scoreless final battle, 4pm finally kicked the winning goal in extra time to see them take top honors.

The tournament was made possible by major sponsorship from Comstar Federal Credit Union, with Chipotle providing lunch prizes for the winning team. The wholehearted cooperation from the NIST Grounds staff and NIST Police is very much appreciated.

GRA thank to all the players and spectators who made the 2007 GRA Soccer Tournament an amazing success.

See the pictures now!!!!

Pictures