2008 FALL TOURNAMENT SEASON

APPLICATION PROCESS AND PAIRINGS

1. For tournament consideration, a team must apply for the tournament. Teams wishing to withdraw their application must notify the VPA Office, by fax, with the Principals signature, no later than 10:00 A.M. the day before the pairings. The Principals decision is final.
2. To apply for the VPA Tournament:

A completed application must be filed electronically, no phone scores accepted, as soon as your season is complete and no later than 10:00 A.M. the day prior to pairings . See dates below.

Exception: X Country (applications are on Lancer Timing)

3. In each of the soccer and field hockey divisions, teams will be seeded on a point index. Subjective judgment can and may be used where the point index appears unrealistic. All factors related to the sport will be taken into consideration in selecting the number of teams to participate in state play.
Only games at the varsity level with members of our Association or games with out-of-state schools that are members of their comparable state athletic association, will count in determining the point index. Games listed and no disposition noted in the VPA office will be considered a loss. IN PREPARING APPLICATION, THE ENTIRE SEASON’S VARSITY SCHEDULE MUST BE LISTED. Do not include club competition or J.V. contests.

The point Index can be found as follows: [ exception is football, see guide]

The points will be totaled and the total divided by the number of games played to find the point index.

The Activities Standards Committee has approved the following procedure for breaking ties:

A. The team with the best record against the other team[s], ie. head to head competition
B. The team with the best record against common opponents
C. The team with the best won - lost percentage
D. Strength of schedule based upon the judgment of the Committee.
E. Coin flip
F. A team shall retain the seed assigned by the committee for the entire tournament (March, 2002).

TOURNAMENT DETAILS

1. Officials for the finals will be chosen by the Executive Director, and his/her designee, of the VPA, a $5.00 premium will be paid to officials who work a State Final Game.

2. The date and times for tournament games will be assigned by the Vermont Principals' Association. Afternoon games played after the return to Eastern Standard Time MUST begin no later than 2 PM unless the field has lights.
3. Each school in the final game will is entitled to a maximum of seven complimentary admissions. These seven names will be listed on a school letterhead, signed by the Principal ,and presented at the gate.
4. At the playoffs, quarter-finals and semi-finals the higher seeded team will furnish the timekeeper, scorekeeper and four ball persons [for soccer]. The site of the games through the semi-finals will be at the field of the higher seeded team. Schools hosting tournament games below the finals level may charge an admission fee of no more than $4.00 for adults and $3.00 for students. The host school keeps the gate, if any, except in football, and pays the officials. In football the VPA pays for officials in the semis and finals, proceeds after host expenses are forwarded to the VPA. The financial Form is found in the Required Forms section.

The admission fee for the finals, also semi finals in football, will be $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for students.
5. At all semi-finals and finals in the tournament, an official of the school who is a member of the Vermont Principals' Association will be in attendance. This school official should be someone other than the coach. The Principal or designated representative of the host school shall make every effort to attend games. It is recommended there be at least one police officer at these games. Host school provides and pays the cost of these personnel up to the finals(for field hockey and soccer), and semi finals and finals in football.
6. At the state finals, a winner(s) and runner-up plaque will be awarded. Members of the two finalist teams will receive an individual medal.

VPA TOURNAMENT GUIDELINES

The following VPA sponsored tournament guidelines have been developed to help local site administrators in hosting a VPA tournament activity:
* No games may be played prior to the scheduled dates.
* Each activity committee establishes dates and times of all tournament games and they may only be changed with the approval of the VPA office.
* Officials will be assigned through the VPA office and/or assignor.
* The host school (usually the higher seeded team) shall be responsible for the following:
(a) proper site preparation
(b) paying the officials through the semi-finals, exception is football, in football semis and finals the admission fees are $3 & $6, the VPA pays for officials. Financial report is in the forms section on our home page..
(c) host schools may charge an admission fee ($3 student $4 adult) for other tournament events (not listed above) provided that the other school(s) receive advance notification.
(d) providing balls through the VPA administered tournaments. Rawlings is the official VPA ball for the championship games in Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Golf and Tennis. Penn Monto is the Field Hockey championship ball. It is recommended that the host schools use Rawlings / Penn Monto in the tournament games prior to the finals.
(e )shall provide a qualified adult scorer through the semi-finals (through the quarter-finals in basketball and ice hockey)
(f) responsible for crowd control:
(1) An administrator, or person designated by him/her, from the host school will be present to supervise the game, through the playoffs. This person should identify himself/herself to the officials.
(2) It is expected that at any state level activities, an administrator or designee from each school participating will be present at the game.
(3) If the site of the higher seeded team is not suitable for state tournament play, a neutral site or the lower seeded team's site shall be used, as specifically stated in the sport's guide.
(g) provide adequate medical/first aid services.
(h) Please call game results to the media:
Rutland Herald Sports - 1-800-498-4296
WNNE Channel 31- 295-3100
WCAX TV - 1-888-202-4870
Times Argus 1- 800 649- 0285
Burlington Free Press - 1-800-698-2255

VPA REGULATIONS AND BY LAWS
For the 2008 season, colored mouth guards will be mandatory for participation in soccer, field hockey, basketball, football, wrestling, lacrosse, and ice hockey.

The Vermont Principals’ Association will allow Sunday scheduling of VPA tournament play only under all the following circumstances:

* Weather conditions resulted in a postponed Saturday game.
* Both principals agree to such Sunday participation.
* Any game must be scheduled not to begin prior to 1 p.m.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DRUGS AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT ANY VPA SPONSORED ACTIVITY.

RAFFLES

50-50 raffles will be permitted for any tournament activity hosted at a school site. (ASC
May, 2001).

EJECTION OF PLAYER[S] AND COACH[ES]

A player or coach who is ejected from a game for the following infractions which are behavioral in nature shall be suspended from playing or coaching the next two contests : [one contest for football, skiing, and gymnastics ]
a. Unsportsmanlike conduct
b. Malicious contact, includes fighting
c. Taunting [immediate ejection]

The player[s] or coach[es] may not participate at any other school level in the sport they were ejected from during the suspension.

A player or coach who is ejected for a second time in a season shall be suspended for the rest of the season.

EJECTION OF PLAYER[S] AND COACH[ES]

If a varsity high school team receives more than two ejections or disqualifications (of athletes or coaches) during the course of a sports season, the coach, Athletic Director and/or Principal of the school must meet with the Activities Standards Committee before the school will be admitted to or allowed to continue in the VPA post-season tournament. This meeting will occur in all situations regardless of a team's standing in the regular season or tournament. The intent of this meeting is to discuss the situations that occurred and the steps being taken to address the situation. Failure to meet with this committee would result in the school/team being ineligible to participate in the VPA Tournament.
Note – this recommendation was approved by ASC on 5/4/04 and will be in effect for the 2006-2007 school year.

All other non-behavioral ejections shall carry the penalty assessed by the rules which govern that sport.

A full explanation of these rules is found in Article IV, Section I, General Rules [M] of the VPA Bylaws and Policies.

DAY OF REST FOR ATHLETES

Each student athlete must be provided one day of rest per calendar week.

DISCLAIMER

Every attempt will be made to develop tournament dates and sites well in advance, but with the understanding due to circumstances beyond the control of the Vermont Principals' Association, such tournament dates and sites may be subject to change and/or tournament games may be in conflict if a school has more than one team participating in post-season play.

Application for admission to a tournament is made with the understanding that if selected for a tournament, the team will participate in said tournament under the conditions as stated above.

The National Federation of State High School Associations and the Vermont Principals' Association promulgate voluntary rules of competition for athletic and non-athletic activities. These rules are drafted by committees consisting of school administrators, coaches and officials. The National Federation directs each of its rules committees to adopt rules that promote and preserve the sound tradition of its sport. There is an inherent risk of major or minor injury from participation in interscholastic athletics. Therefore, the National Federation and the Vermont Principals' Association makes no representation concerning the degree of safety or suitability of the rules for any particular contest, participant or facility. All parties conducting and participating in events within these rules must assess safety issues with respect to each contest, athletic, and facility and conduct their programs accordingly.