NLSA 2009 Senior Men's AGM

Corner Brook is back and six teams have entered the 2009 Molson Challenge Cup provincial senior men’s soccer competition. Cup commissioner Gordon Dunphy predicts “an excellent season with close and exciting games that will promote soccer a great deal.”
St. Lawrence, Feildians, Mount Pearl and Holy Cross are back from last season and the Canada Games Club will participate on an exhibition basis making for “a good full schedule of games” according to Dunphy.
He explained that team registration has a May 20 deadline and the season opens June 20. Based on the Canadian Soccer Association rule, Dunphy said “if a player plays even one game for a club he’s tied to that club for the entire season. Canada Games players wishing to play with a Challenge Cup team after the completion of the Canada Games may do so by informing the NLSA in writing prior to the start of the 2009 season.”
“Any Games player failing to notify the NLSA will be deemed illegible to play during the Labor Day championship series,” Dunphy stressed. “To be eligible for the final weekend, a player must have dressed for 25% of his team’s games. “
He disclosed that provincial soccer will start to promote Challenge Cup competition this season by bringing Challenge Cup to Grand Falls-Windsor, Gander, Clarenville and Conception Bay South. Our Canada Games team could be showcased in these towns along with all four of our Challenge Cup Teams.
Plans call for a June 13 all-star game in St. Lawrence. It will open the soccer season with defending champions St. Lawrence facing a provincial all-star squad.
The season all-star team and individual awards winners will be chosen by a selection committee comprised of a representative from each club plus five members from the NLSA. All-stars and award winners must participate in a minimum of 70 percent of their team’s schedule to be considered an all-star or an individual award winner in 2009.
The Canada Games Players would not be eligible for either all-star selection or individual awards as they are playing on an exhibition basis only. However, Canada Games players are eligible to win the league’s scoring title.
Each game will have a total value of three points with a winning team earning three points. Each game ending in a tie will have each team awarded one point. During the final weekend, all play-off games that are tied will go to two fifteen minute extra time periods followed by penalties if the score remains tied.
The top four clubs advance to the Labor Day Weekend championship tournament
Dunphy explained that “to allow Corner Brook to re-enter the league the NLSA has agreed to assemble a schedule that will permit Corner Brook to play a reduced number of games. Each of Corner Brook’s away games will be worth six points per game, while all of their home games will be worth three points per game.”
“AUA Soccer uses a format comparable to the one the NLSA will adapt in 2009.”
“Based on a 20-game schedule, St. Lawrence, Holy Cross, Feildians, Mount Pearl and Canada Games play 20 games at three points per game for a total of a possible 60 points. Each club will play ten home games and ten away games.”
”Corner Brook will play St. Lawrence, Holy Cross, Feildians, Mount Pearl and Canada Games twice at home and once on the road. This means ten homes games worth three points each for 30 points and five away games worth six points each for 30 points for a possible 60-point total.”
Gate charges have been set at $3.00 per game with children under ten free. : Final Weekend games will cost $ 6.00 per game for adults with children under-ten free.
The card situation for 2009 regular season will be the same as in 2008. Four yellow cards will see a one-game suspension while seven card mean two games, ten cards mean three games) and 12 cards mean four games.. Dismissals, red cards, will see players/team staff suspended for: one game for one card, three games for two cards five games and a hearing with the NLSA discipline committee for three cards.
However there is change made to the cards in the provincial 2009 play-offs has two yellows or a red card in any one game drawing suspensions.