SECTION FIVE YELLOW CARD POLICY (REVISED 2010)

1. Coaches are obligated to keep track of all cards a player receives during the season. This includes recording the name and number of the player, as well as the date and the opponent relative to each game in which a card was received. All yellow cards should be recorded on-line when completing on-line game reports. It is suggested that all coaches record all cards -- including those received by their opponents -- on game summary sheets submitted to league chairmen.

2. If a player/coach receives three yellow cards during the regular season, he is ineligible to participate in the next scheduled game (league or non-league). Following this if a player/coach receives two more yellow cards during the regular season, he is ineligible to participate in the next scheduled game (league or non-league). For each additional yellow card received, he is obligated to sit out an additional game. Players/coaches receiving yellow cards in their last regular season game that result in a game suspension (3-2-1) are ineligible in their first postseason game.

3. A player/coach receiving two yellow cards in a single game will not have two yellow cards counted towards his yellow card cumulative total. This occasion is considered a red card, and the player must sit the next scheduled game for the red card.

4. A player/coach who receives a second disqualification penalty in the same sport in the same season shall not participate in the next two regularly scheduled contests and Any player/coach who receives a third disqualification penalty in the same sport in the same season will not be allowed to participate for the rest of the season. If the third ejection takes place in the last contest of the season, the Section Athletic Council will assess the penalty carrying over into the next season of participation.(NYS Eligibility Standards)

5. When a player/coach receives a yellow card in a game, and then a red card in the same game, that yellow card will count towards his cumulative total. If this happens to be a yellow card that results in a game suspension, that player must then sit two consecutive games -- one for the red card and one for the yellow card. This could impact two postseason games, should the situation occur in a final regular season game.

6. Any player/coach who did not receive a yellow card resulting in a suspension in his last regular season game will have his yellow card total reset to zero for the postseason. A player who is ineligible for his first postseason game due to a yellow card suspension will also have his yellow card total reset to zero after he has served his one game suspension.

7. For Section V Tournament play, any player/coach who receives two yellow cards is ineligible to participate in his next postseason game, should his team advance. (This would include any Section Five Tournament games including the State Qualifier matches i.e. AAA vs. AA).

8. For the teams that qualify for the Western Regional’s vs. Section VI, the total of yellow cards per player is increased to three for the postseason. (i.e. a player competing in the Western Regional’s or Final Four must sit the match following his third yellow card in the postseason -- including those received in Sectional play) For each additional yellow card received, a player is obligated to sit out an additional game. A player who receives his second yellow card in his last Section Five game is still eligible for the Western Regional’s.

9. The coach of those players ineligible to participate in any games due to card infractions must inform his league chairman -- or the appropriate designated representative -- of his players' suspension.

10. The athletic director of a school with one or more suspended players must report the names of those players to the league chairman, the AD of the school's next opponent -- and to Gary Pollock of Section Five. (go to sectionvsoccer.org for contact information)

11. If an ineligible player/coach participates in a game despite his card violation, the school/team shall forfeit that game and the player/coach will also be ineligible to play in the next scheduled game.

12. When your season ends, all underclass players' yellow card totals are reset to zero. The yellow card policy does not affect any seniors participating in Senior Select Games.

*The NYS soccer postseason yellow card policy and our postseason yellow card policy are the same at the state level. Players who receive three yellow cards serve a one game suspension in their team’s next game.