Liberty National Elite Fall Classic Rules of Play and Guidelines
2025 Liberty National Elite Fall Classic Rules of Play and Guidelines
The Liberty National Fall Elite Classic is committed to good sportsmanship, fair play, and player safety. We enforce a strict one-strike policy for misconduct. Victory Event Series and tournament staff reserve the right to remove any coach, player, or spectator at their discretion.
Roster & Eligibility
- All players must have a completed online waiver signed by a parent/guardian prior to participation.
- Players may only participate on one team for the duration of the event.
- A violation will result in a 3-minute non-releasable penalty, served by the in-home player. All players involved will be removed from the bench. The penalty remains for 3 minutes, regardless of how many players are involved.
- If a violation is discovered after the game, the final score will be recorded as a 7-0 forfeit.
- No player may compete below their graduation year.
Game Format & Rules of Play
Liberty National Elite Classic follows NFHS Rules, with the following modifications:
- Halves: Two (2) 20-minute running halves
- Halftime: 2-minute running clock
- Timeouts: Each team is allowed one (1) 45-second timeout per game
- No timeouts in the final 2 minutes of the game
- Timeouts may be shortened by officials if called with under 2:30 remaining
- No central horn; field officials keep game time
- Penalty Time: Time-and-a-half served; managed by the field coordinator.
- 4 personal fouls in one game leads to automatic disqualification.
- Penalty time stops during timeouts.
- Coaches from both teams are responsible for verifying and signing the score at the end of each game.
- Sideline Staff: Maximum of 4 coaches permitted per team.
Gameplay Modifications
- No shot clock
- Once a team gains possession in its defensive area, they have 20 seconds to clear the ball across the midfield line. The Over-and-Back rule is in effect once the 20 second count expires.
- In the last 2 minutes, if the score difference is 4 goals or fewer, officials will call ‘keep it in’.
- No Dives Allowed
- Each team is allowed one stick check per game. Stick checks are not permitted in the final 2:30 of regulation.
- If a requested stick check is deemed legal, you will lose your timeout. If you do not have a timeout the requesting team will serve a 30-second penalty.
- Excessively big hits and physical play constitute unnecessary roughness and will result in a 1-minute penalty.
Safety & Disqualification
- Coaches or Players who leave the bench during an altercation will be ejected from the tournament.
- Antagonistic behavior, including taunting or verbal abuse, may lead to suspension from the game or tournament.
- Any player who engages in a fight will be immediately ejected from the tournament.
- Officials and Tournament Directors have final authority on rules and discipline.
Sportsmanship & Conduct
- Only head coaches may communicate with officials, and must do so respectfully.
- Players ejected (excluding fights) are suspended for the following game.
- A second violation leads to permanent removal from the tournament and a 3-minute non-releasable penalty for the team.
- Head coaches are responsible for the conduct of their:
- Assistant coaches, Players and Parents / spectators
- Officials may issue an unsportsmanlike penalty to the head coach due to a parent’s actions.
- Leaving the bench during an altercation results in automatic ejection from the tournament.
- Officials and Tournament Directors have final authority on all rulings.
- If a spectator enters the field or behaves aggressively toward any participant or staff:
- The game will be immediately terminated.
- The spectator’s team will forfeit the game—no exceptions.