SUBJECT: 2018 State Soccer Tournament Information
Congratulations on qualifying for the 2018 Iowa Girls State Soccer Tournament. The following information should answer some questions you and your fans may have in preparing for this year’s tournament. Read the following carefully and share with your parents and fans.
QuikStats: QuikStats must be updated bynoon, Tuesday, June 5 for the state tournament program. Please be sure stats through your regional final match are posted in the QuikStats database. Also, please cross-check your QuikStats roster. The roster in QuikStats is the roster that will appear in the program. If there are number changes, spelling corrections, etc., PLEASE CONTACT JASON ESLINGER TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. These changes must be made prior to the Tuesday noon deadline.
Directions to the Cownie Soccer Complex: A Google map is available with turn-by-turn directions from your location to the Cownie Complex. Click here and at the top of map, type in your starting point and Google will list directions for you.
SPECTATOR ADMISSION: The spectator gate opens at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 7. Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 8 and 9:00 a.m. Saturday, June 9. All wristbandsare $10 each day. Children not yet in school will be admitted for free. If you leave the complex and plan to attend another match later in the day, you must be wearing your purchased wristband to be allowed back into the complex. If you leave the complex and return without your wristband, you will have to purchase another wristband to return to the complex.
GoFan online tickets will be available beginning Monday, June 4 for pre-sale. Additional ticket information will be provided to each school’s athletic director upon their team’s advancement to the State Soccer Tournament.
PLEASE NOTE: Spectators will NOT be allowed to bring the following items inside the Cownie Soccer Complex: Coolers & Thermoses, backpacks & large bags; outside food & drink and weapons of any kind. Be prepared to have items you bring into the park inspected.
Lawn chairs, strollers and umbrellas ARE permitted into the complex.
Teams may bring their own coolers to the park and must be brought in by the team when they check into the facility. Water will be available at each team bench. The expectation is that the cooler is specifically for team use only.
SPECTATOR PARKING: The Des Moines Parks & Recreation Department charges a $5 fee for parking each day. Be advised that if a spectator leaves the Cownie Soccer Complex and returns that same day, you will be charged an additional $5 to park. Cownie officials have asked that spectators NOT park on the grass medians. Please view the Cownie Soccer Complex map here. Cars parked on the grass medians will be ticketed.
TEAM BUS DROP-OFF AND PARKING: Team buses have designated parking areas west of Field 9 (Championship field). The following map can be downloaded here to show the drop off point and parking area for team buses. Please note the drop off point for team buses at the complex.
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL: The Des Moines Fire and Rescue Department will provide emergency personnel for players, officials and spectators. They will be located north of the concession stand. They will be on site 30 minutes prior to the start of the first match of the day.
TRAINERS: Trainers will be on site prior to the first game each day until the last game of each. Their tent will be located northeast of the concession stand.
ROYAL PUBLISHING: Royal Publishing out of Peoria, Ill., is licensed by the IGHSAU to sell “hometown” advertisements in the state tournament program. Your local businesses and booster clubs may be contacted by Royal Publishing about purchasing an ad in the State Soccer Program. Businesses and booster clubs are in no way obligated to purchase an ad for the program.
TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS: Please review the 2018 Soccer Manual, which includes rules and regulations for tournament play. Please remind your fans that signs,pom poms, banners, and artificial noisemakers are prohibited. Fans are not permitted on the playing fields at any time. Also, pets will not be allowed into the complex.
TEAM ADMISSION: Upon arriving at the tournament site, your team shall be admitted through the pass gate. You are limited to 28 people which shall include 22 players, coaches, managers, bus driver, etc. All school trainers must be included on the school’s travel party. Any additional personnel beyond the allotted 28 must purchase a ticket. Buses and vans should drop off team personnel at the pass gate.
WARM-UP AND PRE-GAME PROCEDURES: Each team must provide their own warm-up balls. We will be utilizing four fields during first round play at the state tournament. Fields 5 and 10 will be used for warm-up. Teams playing matches on fields 6 and 7 will warm up on field 5. Teams playing on fields 8 and 9 will warm-up on field 10.
The National Anthem will be presented prior to the first match each day. Team introductions will commence five minutes prior to the start of each match. After the National Anthem, schools should line up at the at the touch line in front of their bench. If there is no National Anthem, line up at the touch line after the time has expired for warm-ups. The international method of lining up for introductions will be used. Coaches are required to participate in introductions.
BENCH ASSIGNMENT: Both teams will occupy benches on the same side of the field during the state tournament. The home team (top seed) will occupy the bench to the right of the scorekeeper when facing the field. The visiting team (lower seed) will occupy the bench to the left of the scorekeeper when facing the field.
GAME ROSTER: You are permitted to change your roster of 22 players from match to match. The coach must enter the eligible game roster in the official scorebook located at each field prior to the match. Please have a member of the coaching staff check with the public address announcer upon your arrival to verify pronunciations and starting line-ups.
AWARD & ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS: Awards will be presented to non-advancing teams following each of the matches. Teams are expected to return to their team area immediately following handshakes so awards can be presented. The Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association will select the 11-member all-Tournament team based on play throughout the tournament. The all-Tournament team will be announced and presented on Field 9 immediately upon completion of the championship match in each class.
VIDEOTAPING: There is no designated space for teams or fans to videotape from. Paying spectators, including anyone filming for scouting purposes, are not restricted from videotaping as long as the video equipment is hand held. The use of tripods is prohibited. The tournament manager will not make special arrangements for seating or electrical hook-up for anyone wishing to videotape. Seating is limited in the press box and teams will be prohibited from taping in the press box.
CATCH DES MOINES: The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau will have representatives on-site by the concessions stand ready to answer any questions you may have in regards to directions, restaurants, things to do, etc. in the greater Des Moines area. Don’t hesitate to ask them for help. The Des Moines CVB website can viewed by clicking here.
SEMIFINALS STREAMED ON CISN: The Central Iowa Sports Network (CISN) intends to stream the state semifinals live on their website and on the IGHSAU website.
CHAMPIONSHIPS MATCHES ON IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION: We are proud to announce that this year’s championship matches will be broadcast and streamed live on Iowa Public Television. Links to the stream will be posted on the IGHSAU website.
FARM BUREAU SOUVENIR BALLS: Each team participating in this year’s state tournament will receive 24 souvenir soccer balls from Farm Bureau for players and coaches. These balls will be shipped directly via UPS to your school. Additional balls may be purchased by your school for $25 each by contacting Tom Florian ([email protected]) at the state office.
Please contact Lisa Brinkmeyer ([email protected]) with questions regarding the State Soccer Tournament.
Congratulations and good luck!
Lisa Brinkmeyer
Assistant Director/Soccer Administrator