Participating School Guidelines
Attention:Principals, Athletic Directors, Coaches
Cheerleader Advisors
Band Directors
From:Jody Redman, Tournament Director
Congratulations on your Section Championship! Your team, school and community can be proud of the accomplishments of your student athletes and coaching staff. We look forward to your participation in the State Soccer Tournament at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
STATE TOURNAMENT PACKET
Following the completion of the Section Tournament, each Section Champion team will receive a State Tournament Packet from the Section Manager that includes the following:
- Bus parking passes for team and rooter buses – four (4) for each day of the tournament
- Envelope labeled "Principal" containing four (4) sets of game tickets and one (1) parking pass for each day of the tournament
- Envelope labeled "Athletic Director" containing one (1) personnel pass and parking pass
- Certificates for participants - 22-players, 2 student managers and 3 coaches
NOTE: If your school has cheerleaders in attendance at the State Tournament, Cheerleader (6) and Cheer Coach (1) certificates will be sent to your school after the conclusion of the tournament.
The following information can be found on the MSHSL web-site (
- Tournament Brackets (determined by seeding process described below)
- Revenue Sharing Plan
- Team Medals Order Form
- Athletic Rules and Policies Manual
- All-Tournament Award Information
- Media Policy
EachQuarterfinal Site Manager will contact the Athletic Director of participating schools to review the basic site information for the quarterfinal games they will host.
BEFORE THE STATE TOURNAMENT
The highest standards of sportsmanship are requested from each team participating in the state tournament. School officials are requested to review the "Responsibility for Spectator Conduct" which includes minimal behavior expectations for regular and post-season tournament competitions. This document also refers to Bylaw 409, dealing with Responsibility for participating teams, students and spectators. "School Officials shall be held responsible for the proper conduct of teams, team members, students and home spectators regardless of where the contest is being held." This document is included in this Participating School Guidelines.
- SEEDING PROCEDURE
The coaches of the teams who qualify for the state tournament will rank the 8 section teams to determine the top four (4) teams in each bracket. The opponents for the top four seeded teams will be determined by a lottery.
The home team (light jerseys)will be the highest seed and will be seated on bench on the flag end of the field. If neither team was seeded, the team in the top half of the bracket is the home team. It is recommended that athletes carry both uniforms to all games.
- TICKET SALES
The MSHSL is primarily responsible for the assignment and distribution of all tickets for Soccer State Tournament games. All seats are general admission. No in/out privileges except with DailyPass. Tickets at the site will go on sale one (1) hour prior to each session.
AdultsStudents
Quarterfinals $7.00 $5.00
Semifinals/ Finals $10.00 $7.00
Daily Pass $16.00 $12.00
- Official Squad for Tournament Play
The official squad is a maximum of twenty-two (22)players, three (3) coaches and two (2) student assistants, a total of twenty-seven (27).
Although your official squad may include less than 22 players (number who dress for games) schools may not include additional student assistants or coaches to the maximums listed above.
- METRODOME ADMISSION PROCEDURES
Participant Admission
All teams, cheerleaders, and bands are REQUIRED to enter the arena through Pass Gate B at all times. Pass Gate B is located at the northeast corner of the Metrodome near the intersection of 4th Street and 11th Avenue. Proceed to section 125/127 to meet the team host and be escorted to the field. The members of the official squad are invited to attend all tournament games even though their team might be eliminated in the quarterfinal or semifinal rounds. Complimentary admission will be provided at the pass gate with proper ID, and participant’s name on the tournament program roster.
Athletic Director Admission
Athletic Directors will be admitted through the Pass Gate B with a tournament personnel pass (included in the packet of information distributed to teams at the Section Tournament.) The tournament personnel pass will enable him/her access to the field and the football press box.
Cheerleader Admission
Cheerleaders in school-approved uniforms who are listed in the tournament program and 1 coach will be admitted free of charge through Pass Gate B. Proceed to section 125/127 to meet the team host and be escorted to the field.
School Band Admission
Band members in uniform will be admitted free of charge through Pass Gate B.
- PARKING and BusPasses
Bus passes are for the Metrodome Parking Lot near Gate C on 11th Avenue. Use the bus passes for your team and
rooter buses.
STATE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
- PRE-GAME PROCEDURES
40 minutes prior to the start of the first game, coaches and their team captains will meet with officials for the pre-game conference. 35 minutes prior to the start, the scoreboard operator will put 20 minutes on the official clock for warm up. When the time has elapsed, each team will go to their respective bench for the start of the team introductions. Immediately prior to warm-ups for the second game, officials will meet with coaches and their team captains for pre-game conference. Uniform inspection will take place visually as teams warm-up.
- TEAM INTRODUCTIONS
Each team member, beginning with the visiting team, will be introduced. Players will be announced in the numerical order of their game jersey. The first player will start out onto the field when the announcer says, "Now for the introduction of the High School Soccer Team". The players are to run onto the field as they are announced and line up at the top of the circle, facing the press box. After the players and managers have been introduced, the coaching staff will be introduced. They are to enter the field and stand in front of the team, facing the press box. The visiting team is to remain on the field until the home team has been introduced. The home team will be introduced in the same manner. Both teams shall remain on the field for the National Anthem. The game officials, who are to be located on the field at the centerline, will be introduced next. The National Anthem will be played, and then the game shall begin.
- UNIFORMS
Please review the uniform rule. All participants must be in compliance with the rule.
- All players must be completely LEGALLY dressed before entering the Metrodome floor.
- Players may NOT change on the sideline.
- Shinguards must meet National Federation Rules. Rule 4-1-1, ....shinguards which shall provide adequate and reasonable protection, be professionally manufactured, age- and size-appropriate, not altered to decrease protection, worn under the stockings, and are worn with the bottom edge no higher than 2 inches above the ankle. Shinguards must meet the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) specifications.
- DOUBLE HEADERS
It is conceivable that under some conditions, such as power failure, the first game of a doubleheader may be suspended with a winner determined and, if conditions change, the second game of the doubleheader may be played in its entirety. Every effort should be made to play each game in its entirety.
5.POLICY FOR SUSPENDED GAMES
a. Once the officials have arrived at the tournament site, they are solely responsible for determining when and if a game should be suspended. Officials have the authority to suspend a game for a period of 30 minutes to determine if play may resume.
b. If it is determined that play cannot be resumed at the end of the 30-minute suspension, and the first half of the game is completed, it shall be considered a complete game with a winner determined.
c. If the game is suspended before the completion of the first half, or if tied at the point of suspension, the game shall be rescheduled from the start.
6.TIE BREAKING PROCEDURE
a. Teams remain in the bench area for a 5-minute rest period.
b. The choice of ends will be determined by a toss of a coin with the visiting team captain making the call while it is in the air.
c. A 20-minute sudden death overtime period will be played. At the start of the period, the clock will be set at 10 minutes. When the horn sounds after 10 minutes, the teams will change ends. A kickoff shall initiate the play. (Teams will change ends after ten minutes of play. Teams do not go to bench; coaches do not talk to captain; play should be continued immediately.)
d. If a tie still exists, each coach selects five players, on or off the field (except those who were disqualified), to take penalty kicks. The referee designates which captain will call the coin toss. The team winning the coin toss has the choice of shooting first or second. The teams alternate kickers with the goalkeeper being any eligible team member. The team scoring on the greater number of kicks shall be the winner.
e. If the score is still tied, each coach will select five additional players and continue with the same procedure; except that beginning with the 6th kick, a winner will be declared if one team scores and the opponent fails to score on a turn. A different player shall take each kick, and not until 10 players of any team have attempted a kick, may a player of the same team have a second kick. When repeating the procedure, a winner will be declared if one team scores and the opponent fails to score.
f. If the score is still tied, follow the procedures in (5) above and repeat until a winner has been determined.
OTHER INFORMATION
1.EMERGENCY MEDICAL PROCEDURES FOR MSHSL TOURNAMENTS
The League staff plays an important role in support of the tournament physician and trainer. In most cases the physician and/or trainer will manage the injury without assistance from the tournament staff.
In the event of a serious injury, the following measures should be taken.
a. Examination of the Injured Athlete
Every effort should be made to give the physician/trainer and athlete privacy during the examination. If possible, the examination should take place in the training room or locker room away from the media and spectators. The Tournament Directors shall notify the parents and/or school representative (coach/assistant coach/administrator, etc.) and consult on an appropriate course of action to be followed in the care of the injured athlete.
b.Evacuation to a Hospital
Non-Life Threatening: In the event that it is necessary to evacuate the athlete to a hospital the parents should be consulted as to the hospital of choice and the method of transportation (ambulance or private vehicle). If the parents are not present, the athlete should be transported by ambulance and accompanied by a representative from that school.
Life Threatening: Evacuate the athlete to the nearest hospital emergency room by ambulance. Every effort should be made to contact and inform the parents and/or school representative of the action taken by the tournament medical team. The athlete should be accompanied by a parent or school representative (coach/assistant coach, administrator, etc.)
c.Return to Play:
An injured athlete must have a doctor's written approval to return to play. Tournament physicians may approve an athlete's return to play. When teams or individuals transfer care to their team or personal physician, the final decision regarding return to play will be that of the Minnesota State High School League Tournament Physician.
2.METRODOME POLICIES
Certain items ARE NOT ALLOWED in the arena. These items include: confetti, toilet paper rolls, liquid containers, mechanical air horns, whistles, bells, thundersticks, laser lights, balloons or any kind of artificial noisemakers. Ushers will confiscate these items at the gate.
a.The facility is NOT responsible for lost or stolen items. Please advise members not to leave items unattended.
b.Pop cans are not allowed in the arena.
- Banners are not allowed. Hand held signs are allowed if appropriate.
- The facility has the authority to prohibit any other items deemed to be a security risk.
3.CELL PHONES IN LOCKER ROOMS
Cells phones will not be permitted in locker rooms at state tournament sites for any MSHSL-sponsored competition. It is the responsibility of the school administration/activities director/coach to inform students about this restriction prior to the competition and to direct students to leave their cell phone outside any locker room facility.
4.INTERVIEWS
Board Policy for media interviews at Minnesota State High School League Tournaments: Team locker rooms will be closed to all media (print and electronic) for all Minnesota State High School League sponsored tournaments. Coaches and player(s) will be available for interviews in areas outside of their locker room.
5.PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATES
The Minnesota State High School League is extremely pleased to have provided you with Certificates of Participation. You should have received your team’s certificates from the Section Manager at the section game when you qualified to participate in the state tournament.
Please note that the certificates do not have names inscribed. Names may be added to the certificates by hand or a laser jet or ink jet printer may be used.
Extra certificates are not available so care should be taken in lettering procedures.
- SOUVENIR PROGRAM
Each member of the official squad shall receive a complimentary program from the quarterfinal site manager.
7.RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPECTATOR CONDUCT
In order to elevate standards of sportsmanship and encourage the growth of responsible citizenship among the students, member schools, fans and school personnel, the MSHSL held a Sportsmanship Summit and asked student participants to identify behavior expectations they felt should be in place at every school event.
These minimum behavior expectations provide a foundation upon which member schools, conferences, administrative regions and the League’s Board of Directors can build specific guidelines for activities under their control.
MSHSL Bylaw 409, RESPONSIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATING TEAMS, STUDENTS AND SPECTATORS, speaks to this issue, directly, and Bylaw 409-2 specifically states that, “School officials shall be held responsible for the proper conduct of teams, team members, students and home spectators regardless of where the contest is being held.”
In all MSHSL activities, each participating school shall designate a person or persons from that school to serve as crowd control supervisors or chaperones. MSHSL tournament staff may require school administrators to contact the tournament manager prior to the start of the tournament game so that they can be immediately contacted to respond to behavioral issues regarding their team members, students and/or spectators at the tournament site. Each supervisor or chaperone should be immediately identifiable to the students and to the tournament site ushers and other security personnel. This will help to coordinate crowd control between school supervisors and tournament site personnel.
MSHSL MINIMAL BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS FOR REGULAR AND POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT COMPETITIONS
- Respect the American flag and the National Anthem.
- Spectators must wear clothing that covers the entire torso. Those who do not comply or who wear clothing that is vulgar, obscene or that in some other way inappropriate, as determined by school/tournament personnel, will be removed from the arena/stadium if they do not cooperate with this behavior expectation.
- The use of appropriate language is expected at all times. Profanity, negative chants, booing, trash talk, name calling, personal attacks or other acts of disrespect are unacceptable and must be immediately addressed by school and/or tournament administrators.
- Respect the game/contest. Under no condition shall anyone other than the members of the official squad enter the playing surface. No one may interfere with the contest in any way.
- Hand held signs, which do not obstruct the view of others, will be permitted provided they are in good taste. Signs, message boards, “white” boards or other similar items contest/tournament officials deem to be in poor taste will be removed.
- Artificial noise makers (i.e. megaphones, cowbells, sirens, whistles, thunder sticks, and other similar items) are not allowed.
- Laser lights are strictly prohibited.
THANK YOU for supporting your student athletes and fine arts participants and for providing a positive environment in which educational activities are conducted.