Champ Series Soccer Playbook

Welcome to the 2024 NIRSA National Soccer Championships

Important Information

Mandatory Team Check-In

Mandatory check-in is on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, 2001 North Kenney Fort Blvd., Round Rock, Texas. Only one person from each team needs to check in their team (Coach or Team Captain preferred). If you cannot make team check-in on Wednesday contact [email protected] by Wednesday, Nov. 13 to make alternate arrangements to check-in prior to your first match on Thursday. Teams will have a $140 late check-in fee if they don’t check in on Wednesday night or make prior arrangements for late check-in.

The following will be collected before but are required to be verified at team check-in:

  • Completed Player Certification form (Enrollment Verification) – MUST be original copy!
  • Cell number for team representative who is onsite.
  • Verify the roster including light & dark jersey numbers.
  • Local lodging and travel information for the team.

Player Certification Form

When your roster is complete on Event Connect EMAIL Lauren Carlson [email protected] to receive your player certification form. 

Each team captain should have received this form by email from Lauren Carlson; if you have not received it by November 1 (Open Div) & November 8 (Champ Div), contact [email protected] to get the form.

This form is an important step in registration and must be signed by all players, sport club rep, and college/university registrar to verify current enrollment. When you get your Player Certification form back from the registrar, please take a photo and upload to this 2024 NIRSA National Soccer Championships Player Certification and Roster Forms by Monday Nov. 18 at 11:59 pm. Bring the original with you to Check-in.

Roster Additions

Will be allowed until 11:55 pm Pacific Time on Friday, Nov. 8th (without a charge). November 11th is the last day to make any roster changes.

If you need to add players after November 8th, send an email to [email protected] with the player’s name and email. She will let you know when the player can be added to Event Connect. Once forms are approved, a Player Enrollment Verification Form will be emailed to the team rep for the added player. Additions to your roster will be $10 per player due at the time of team check-in (cash or card accepted). Dropped players will be handled during team check-in.

Coaches & Captains Meeting

There will NOT be a team rep meeting this year. After reading this newsletter and the Rules of Play if you have additional questions, please contact Tournament Director Nicole Jackson, Co-Directors of Competition Chris McAlpine and Laurel Hanna, or Director of Officials Abby Van Note. The directors will also be at team check-in to answer any questions.

Practice Fields

The fields will be available for practice from 2:00 – 7:00 pm (2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM, 5 PM, & 6 PM time slots) on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Starting Nov. 1, you can fill out this form: https://forms.gle/21mZkfgUwF2dCDUa7 to reserve a field. The fields will be first come, first served.

Team Uniforms

Be sure that the numbers on all players’ uniforms are consistent with the numbers submitted on the team registration form, particularly in switching from light to dark uniforms. All teams are required to have matching light and dark uniforms, with no duplicated numbers. All jersey numbers must be permanently attached to the jersey. All substitutes must wear a colored jersey/vest that distinguishes them from the other field players.

Round Rock Road Closure

Please note that various portions of Old Settler’s Park and Harrell Parkway will be under construction and inaccessible for vehicular traffic beginning in the fall of 2024 and running through early 2027.

While the exact portions of the park and roadway that are under construction will vary throughout this overall schedule, please note that the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex will remain open and fully accessible via North Kenney Fort Blvd at all times. Access to North Kenney Fort Blvd will also remain fully accessible via Old Settler’s Blvd to the north and Highway 79 to the south.

For our events and reservations that utilize the Old Settler’s Park soccer fields in addition to the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex: Please access Old Settler’s Park soccer fields by turning onto Harrell Parkway off Highway 79.

Tournament Schedule & Results

Tournament Schedule

Series Live will have a videocast on November 13 with a schedule reveal on the NIRSA Championship Series YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3S9IKrPyg-AiBd7OOniozw.

The tournament schedule will be posted online by November 14. Any changes to that schedule will be updated and available online. The games start at 8:00 am on Thursday morning with pool play. Teams will play two (2) matches on Thursday and at least one match on Friday. The top qualifiers in each pool (varies depending on the division) will advance to playoffs on Friday, and winners will advance to semi-finals and finals on Saturday. Men’s and Women’s Open finals will begin at 1:00 pm on Saturday, with the Women’s Championship final at 3:00 pm and the Men’s Championship final at 5:00 pm.

Tournament Results

Daily results of the championships will be viewed on various platforms

  1. National Website: http://play.nirsa.net/soccer/national-championship/
  2. Tournament Platform: Event Connect: https://app.eventconnect.io/events/33801/schedule?nav=hidden
  3. . You can also follow along via @NIRSAchamp #NIRSAsoccer for Twitter (X) and Instagram fans.

The Men’s and Women’s National Championship games will be live streamed on the NIRSA Championship Series YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3S9IKrPyg-AiBd7OOniozw

Awards

All 1st and 2nd place teams will receive awards as well as the All-Tournament Teams and MVPs for each division. A Team Sportsmanship plaque will be awarded to both the men’s and women’s teams.

  • Women’s Championship – immediately following the Women’s Championship match
  • Men’s Championship – immediately following the Men’s Championship match
  • Women’s Open – half time of the Women’s Championship match
  • Men’s Open – half time of the Men’s Championship match

Each division winner will be able to design their own free set of jerseys with our sponsor Paladin! After competition of each final (Open and Champ) Paladin and NIRSA will relay details on how to obtain the free set of jerseys. If the winning teams are unable to or are already in a contract with another apparel provider for jerseys, Paladin can offer to create a warmup tee or a championship shirt.

Team and Player Experience

Tournament T-Shirts

Long-sleeved dri-fit t-shirts, and dri-fit short sleeved t-shirts with tournament design for $22, hoodies with tournament design for $35 will be sold on-site throughout the championships. We also will have more generic soccer cotton t-shirts for $22 and a generic NIRSA Championship Series crewneck sweatshirt for $35. Two for $40 will apply to the short sleeve and long sleeve shirts only.

Spectator Admission Fee

Please inform family and friends coming to Round Rock that we will have an admission fee for all spectators; Adults: $10 per day or $25 for the weekend. Seniors (60+) $10 per day or $15 for the weekend. Kids 12 and under are free. Pre-sales will occur this year, a link will be shared with all teams/players on Nov. 1 and will close on Nov. 15. We encourage pre-sales to be picked up at team check-in on Nov. 20.

Please note that there will be limited seating available at the fields. Spectators should be prepared to bring their own seating or sit/stand on the grass.

Juggling Contest

The fun contest returns! Challenge your skills on Friday nearest the tournament desk to see how many times you can juggle a soccer ball. Open to all rostered players.

Exam Proctor

NIRSA has been providing a proctor for the student-athletes to take exams during NIRSA National Sport Championships for the past 15 years. Nicole Jackson, Director of National Sport Programs for NIRSA and John McNeal, Student Conduct Investigator at University of Alabama, will oversee the exam proctoring this year. Feel free to pass along this email – [email protected] – to professors so Nicole or John can get the pertinent information to administer the exams.

Concessions

Concessions will be sold on-site for the duration of the tournament. In addition, there are several restaurants within a few miles of the complex. Water coolers will be available on each field. Bring your own water bottle, as no cups will be provided. Teams are encouraged to bring their own water to the venue.

NIRSA Tournament Rules & Policies

Photo ID Required

Each player is required to show their school or government-issued photo ID before EACH game.  A player is permitted to use a College/University ID, Driver’s license/State ID, or passport. No photographs of IDs will be accepted. No ID no play.

Inclement Weather

Please note that the tournament format, number of games, and game length may change due to a team not showing up or circumstances beyond our control (weather). There are NO back-up fields. Under extreme weather conditions, the tournament could be cancelled.

Tournament Withdrawal

Directors are aware that plans can change, so please inform us immediately if you are unable to attend. Teams that canceled after November 5 will receive a 1-year sanction (not allowed in the 2025 NIRSA National Soccer Championships). Teams that do NOT show up for scheduled games in Round Rock will receive a 2-year sanction (not allowed in the 2025 & 2026 NIRSA National Soccer Championships).  

Rules

The tournament will use modified NCAA rules, you can download from the National webpage: National Soccer Championships Rules of Play. The tournament will use SELECT Numero Ten Soccer Ball.

Referees

Referees for the Championships are endorsed by NISOA (National Intercollegiate Soccer Official’s Association) and ECSR (Elite College Soccer Referees). Expect quality officiating throughout all the games from referees around the country.

Sporting Behavior

We wholeheartedly embrace the position that, for positive sporting behavior to prevail, coaches, student-athletes, and fans must display respect, fairness, civility, honesty, and responsibility before, during, and after all athletic contests. The NIRSA Championship Series is committed to holding tournaments in a safe and inclusive environment free from bullying. Offensive language including profanity and/or derogatory remarks of any kind directed at officials, event staff, student-athletes, coaches, or team representatives will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the competition site.

Code of Conduct

Please remind all players they signed a Code of Conduct. Remember you represent your school. Respect the quiet hours at the hotel and practice positive sporting behavior on the field.

Additional Tournament Details

Teams are responsible for their own transportation to and from the hotels/airports/fields. Plan your departure time from your hotel accordingly considering morning traffic/parking issues.

We encourage teams to stay within the city of Round Rock to avoid mishaps with traffic.

This year, teams can book their hotel at Kalahari Resort & Convention via this link: https://book.passkey.com/e/50907814

Your Content Goes Here

We will be using grass and turf fields (Women’s Championship teams will play the first 3 rounds on turf, Open teams will have assorted games on turf and grass) at two locations. The Round Rock Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, 2001 North Kenney Fort Blvd., Round Rock has ten fields (5 turf & 5 grass), and Old Settlers Park, 901 Harrell Parkway, Round Rock, about ½ mile away has 5 grass fields. The Tournament Desk will be at Round Rock Multi-Purpose Sports Complex between fields 4 & 7.

FAQ’s

There will be athletic trainers available on site during the tournament (no trainers during practice time). Players must bring their own pre-wrap and tape for preventative taping.

The Men’s and Women’s Championship Division games will be live streamed. Additional games may be live streamed, more details to come.

Regional & National Stakeholders

Regional Coordinators

Region I: Kristen Sullivan, Shane Conti & Jeff Gontarek
Region II: Laura Shively
Region III: Keith Woolems & Bailey Kenney
Region IV: Mario Rios & Abbie Cunningham
Region V: Brittany Close and Joe Rademacher
Region VI Madi Luney and Alex Sanchez

National’s Recognition

National Directors of Competition: Chris McAlpine, Laurel Hanna & Max Miller
Soccer Work Team Chairs: Jessica Cuadra and Alex Pendar
Host: The City of Round Rock and the Multipurpose Complex
Sponsors: NIRSA National Championships Series and Select Sport America, the Official Ball sponsor for the 2024 National Soccer Championship

Page intro copy.

Subhead

Body copy.