TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

The Canton Soccer Club invites your team to participate in our 28th ANNUAL CANTON CUP TOURNAMENT.    Our event is sanctioned by the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association, an affiliate of USYSA.  Our past tournaments were great successes attended by Canadian, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan area teams.  We had over 570 teams at last year’s event.  The Tournament Director is John Vaughn, who can be reached by email at TD@cantoncup.net.  The soccer club office email is office@cantonsoccerclub.com – if you need to talk directly to someone, please email either contacts above and provide a phone number and the best time you can be reached.  You will normally be contacted back within 24 hours.

The Tournament has multiple skill level brackets at each age level. Brackets range from recreational to elite. This year as in past tournaments US CLUB SOCCER teams and SUPER “Y” teams are also allowed as part of our MSYSA sanctioning.

Tournament Dates
May 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2010 (Monday, May 31st is our rain date). Only local teams will play on Friday night.    

Tournament Entry fees

Age/Div      Format     Recreational      Select/Premier      Invitational
U8-U10         6v6              $425                    $475
U11-U12       8v8              $450                    $500
U13-U14     11v11            $475                    $525
U15-U19     11v11            $475                    $525                    $625

The entry fee is $US.  The entry fee is non-refundable after acceptance into the tournament.  This fee is payable to “Canton Cup” by Check or Money Order or by paying on line with a credit or debit card (MasterCard or Visa are accepted).  Those teams not accepted will have the entry fee sent back to them on or about May 31st, 2010.

Tournament Format



* If enough teams apply to create an appropriate bracket(s)    ** May include U18 and U19.
NOTE:  Divisions will be single age groups, maximum eight teams per division, where possible.

Please Note:

• Elite/Premier/Select teams will only be accepted in the age groups indicated above or may “play up” if they wish and the Tournament Committee agrees.  Elite/Premier/Select teams are those teams formed by tryout/invitation or any sort of skill assessment.

• Teams will be allowed a maximum 22 player roster for U16 and above but only 18 can be listed for any given game.  For U13, U14 and U15 a maximum 18 player roster is allowed.    U11 & U12 teams have a maximum roster of 14 while U9 & U10 teams have a maximum roster size of 11.  A maximum of five (5) guest players may be added to the roster provided that proper documentation is also supplied for each of the guest players.  No Premier/Select player may be a guest on a recreation team.   Players can be registered only on a single team for the tournament. The Tournament roster including guest players cannot exceed the maximum as stated above.

• Pass cards will be required for all age groups and divisions in select/premier and Invitational play.  Recreational teams are not required pass cards.

• Proper Documentation for a guest player – Proper guest player paperwork is required for each guest player on the team.  A pass card and an approved guest player document from your associated governing body is required.  Tournament only pass cards are accepted as compliance to both.

• All participating teams must be league registered and affiliated with their respective state, regional, provincial or national soccer association.

• Each Michigan team must comply with MSYSA Risk Management Rules.

• State approved USYSA Application for Travel Permission forms must be presented at the Friday evening registration for all out-of-state teams.  All teams must have in their possession at registration and at all games a signed medical release form for each player.  Failure to have either form will be cause for your team not to participate in the Tournament.

• Each team will be scheduled a minimum of three (3) games.

Canton Cup Celtic Invitational
This year, we are having the inaugural Celtic Invitational tournament concurrently with the Canton Cup.  The invitational is for top level Elite teams and is truly by invitation only.  You can not apply directly for the Celtic Invitational.  If you feel that you have a team that qualifies and wants to participate in the Invitational or would like more information, please contact Pete Alexander at Pete@cantonsoccerclub.com.

Awards and Souvenirs

• Awards will be given to each player for 1st and 2nd place finishes in U13 and above.  U8, U9, U10, U11, & U12 teams are not eligible for individual trophies, but each player will receive a participation award. Teams will receive a Team Cup for first and second place in each division.

• Each player will receive a tournament bag tag or patch.  All teams will receive a Tournament ball as part of the entrance fee.

• Souvenir Tournament T-shirts will be available on a pre-order basis and at the main tournament locations.

Red Cards and Yellow Cards
All yellow cards will be reported to your league. Any Player, Coach, Assistant Coach, Manager, etc… who has received a red card during the tournament and does not sit out the required number of games during the tournament must sit out the required number of games starting with his/her next league game.

Tournament Rules
Tournament rules are available on line at www.cantoncup.net.  They will be emailed to you upon acceptance.   

Insurance
MSYSA Insurance does not apply to Non-MSYSA/USYSA players. If you are not a MSYSA team, check with your state association or sanctioning body to make sure your players are covered by insurance.

Refunds
Once your team has been accepted there are no refunds under any circumstance including cancellation of the tournament.

Cancellations
In the event a team cancels from participating in the tournament prior to the start of the tournament, the Canton Cup Committee will work diligently at finding a suitable replacement. If none can be found, the Committee will try to find a team a year younger or older to play an exhibition game. Any such exhibition game will be treated as a 3-0 win for the affected team. If no team can be found, the affected team will get a 3-0 forfeit win. No refunds can be made for a team affected by a cancellation.  In the event tournament play is postponed, games shortened or the tournament cancelled due to severe weather or an act of God no refunds will be given. The Committee reserves the right to decide the outcome of games within its discretion.

Accommodations
Hotel reservations must be handled with Traveling Teams.  Please see the website for a link to their site with approved hotels.  Traveling Teams is here to provide assistance for you and has blocked off rooms at all area hotels and negotiated reasonable rates.

STEPS YOU MUST TAKE TO APPLY
1.    Fill out the on line registration in its entirety.  Please follow the instructions.
2.    Please pay on line or mail in the appropriate fee after registration.  Registration is not complete until payment has been received.
3.    Any registration received after April 20, 2010 will automatically be put on a wait list.
4.    You will be emailed back a note that will confirm that we have received your application (This does not mean you have been accepted into the Tournament!).
5.    On or about April 27, 2010 you will be sent an email of acceptance (with further instructions) or a letter of denial.
6.    On or about April 27, 2010 preliminary brackets will be posted for your review.  You will need to email the Tournament Director with any concerns.   You will have approximately one week to provide comments.
7.    Around May 15, 2010 the game field maps and schedules will available on line.  Schedules are considered final at this time.

On line application can be found at www.cantoncup.net beginning at the end of November, 2009.

Tournament Communication

• The Tournament will use website postings as the primary method for communication with all teams.  Email will also be used periodically including notice of acceptance.  It is very important for you to provide an email during your registration process that is checked regularly.  Once accepted, you should check the Tournament website on a daily basis.

• The tournament website will be used to post schedules results and any bulletins required.  Daily pictures and results will post real time during tournament action.

Construction Alerts
We will post to the website any critical construction alerts which may be in place during tournament weekend.  In addition the Tournament Website will post updated information.  

The Canton Area

• The Canton Community is located in the State of Michigan, on the far western edge of Wayne County. Canton is approximately 20 miles east of Ann Arbor, 35 miles west of Detroit and 50 miles north of Toledo, Ohio. The township of Canton is one of the fastest growing communities in the state today. Please visit the Greater Canton Area website at www.canton-mi.org.

• Canton offers many amenities to support your team and to make your visit very pleasant as you participate in the tournament.  The Michigan Avenue (US 12) and Ford Road Corridors offer an excellent variety restaurants and “things to do” during the evening or between games.

• The Canton Township parks have been accredited by NRPA and are rated “best in nation”.

Canton Cup Activities

• The Canton Cup prides itself, while being a competitive tournament for all teams (including elite and recreation levels) we are also considered very “family friendly”.  Tournament sites offer playground and room to run for younger siblings, pets are welcomed (local township leash laws must be observed), and our Tournament HQ site at Independence Park will once again offer the Inflatable amusement attractions where for one set price – the little ones can play all weekend.  A wide variety of food vendors will participate at each location as well as souvenirs and other soccer related items will be for sale.

• We are pleased that the Michigan Bucks will once again be returning to the Canton Cup for a professional soccer match on Saturday afternoon at Independence Park.  This will be a US Open Qualifier with Opponent TBD.

• In addition, the Tournament committee is working diligently to provide activities for Friday and Saturday night for all parents and players.  Stay tuned for additional new and exiting activities.