Pat Summitt, legendary Tennessee coach, who won more games than anyone in college basketball history once said: “ Most people get excited about games, but I’ve got to be excited about practice, because that’s my classroom.”
Pat was a coach who understood the value of teaching and modelling good habits – a value close to Discovery’s heart. Our pledge is to help make 100 million people 20% more active by 2025, and we know that in order to foster players who perform at their best in games, children need the right guidance and support off the field too – especially when it comes to their health.
At Discovery, we understand that lifestyle behaviours – our daily habits over time, such as what we eat, how we deal with stress, how much we move and sleep – all add up to make us healthier or unhealthier later on in life.
Exercise significantly lowers the risk of chronic illness such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. It’s also been shown that engaging in sports helps prevent pathological and risky behaviours, especially in children and teens.
Coaches also play a critical role in helping children balance group and individual demands, practise self-control and discipline, cope with victory and defeat, and foster good sportsmanship and camaraderie.
For us as caregivers, parents, teachers and coaches, the question becomes, where do we start in creating an environment that encourages our children to be healthier adults in the future?
Remember Pat Summitt’s words and start with your ‘classroom.’ It’s our combined responsibility to make sure that our schools, communities and training facilities are conducive to healthy living, that they’re clean, organised and safe, and that they promote physical activity and mental wellbeing. The way we approach healthy eating and exercise as a team, and the policies and programmes schools implement to encourage healthy habits, can be highly effective in helping children adopt the behaviours that will do them good in future.
So, as the eleventh Discovery Knockout Cup tournament begins, we wish you and your teams well. We trust your practice sessions and games this season will develop better fitness in your players and inspire in them a lifelong love of sports.
Rules and Laws of the Discovery Knock-Out Cup 2020
Boys’ Knockout: M Makara – Montrose Primary
Girls’ Knockout: A Schultze – Linksfield Primary
Convenor: D Shead – dshead@keps.co.za
All games must be played on the dates listed in the diary. No exceptions will be allowed.
All Discovery Knockout Cup games (boys and girls) must be played in the 11-a-side format. Only the A-teams may participate in this competition.
- Rounds 1, 2 and 3 will be played at schools.
- No match may start later than 14:45 in rounds 1, 2 and 3.
- Quarter-finals and semi-finals will be played at a neutral venue that will be communicated.
- Finals will be played at a neutral venue, depending on availability, but will be communicated.
- In round 1, the first schools listed will host the U9, U11 and U12 matches. The other school will host the U10, U13 and U14 games.
- In all the rounds, if a mutually acceptable arrangement cannot be found, M Makara will determine the venue for both boys’ and girls’ games.
For 2020 the age groups are as follows:
- U9 born in 2011
- U10 born in 2010
- U11 born in 2009
- U12 born in 2008
- U13 born in 2007
- U14 born in 2006
The visiting school has the right to nominate the referee under condition that the visiting school has a SAFA-qualified referee. If the visiting school does not have a SAFA-qualified referee, then the host school may nominate the referee on condition that they have a SAFA-qualified staff member or coach.
If neither school has a SAFA-qualified staff member or coach, then the visiting school may nominate the referee. This issue must be resolved when fixtures are confirmed in the week prior to the fixture.
HOCKEY-STYLE REFEREEING IS NOT PERMITTED IN THIS COMPETITION.
In the event of a dispute regarding the playing conditions (i.e. fields), photographic evidence must be submitted to the cup coordinator.
- Boys U9, U10, U11: 20 minutes each way
- Boys U12, U13, U14: 25 minutes each way
- Girls U9: 15 minutes each way
- Girls U10: 15 minutes each way
- Girls U11: 15 minutes each way
- Girls U14: 20 minutes each way
No Discovery KO fixture may start later than 14:45
Extra time
If there is no result after the stipulated time has been played, the following procedure will apply:
- 2 X 10-minute periods of extra time will be played.
- If there is still no result, the team that has been awarded the most number of corners over the duration of the game (and extra time) will be declared the winners. It is imperative that the referee keep a record of the corners awarded from the start of the game.
- If there is still no result the game will be decided by a coin toss. This will be done by the coaches.
At the end of full time and extra time in the final and both teams have a equal number of goals and corners, the trophy will be shared.
- Once a player has participated in an age group fixture he is then cup-tied to that age group and that school.
- A player listed in the team list or return will be regarded as having participated in the cup game.
- In the event of a player changing schools, his/her case must be presented to Exco for a ruling on his/her eligibility.
- All Discovery knock-out games are gender-specific.
- Only primary-school pupils up to and including grade 7’s are eligible. No high-school pupils may participate.
The JPSFA will host all registrations and team documentation.
All players must be registered by uploading all compulsory documents as indicated on the website.
Coaches or teachers will be trained in the process of uploading these documents to the website.
On match days, the coaches will be able to verify players by visiting the website on their mobile devices.
More information and procedures will be posted on the JPSFA website.
Team returns
The official team return is available on the JPSFA website. This is the only form that may be submitted.
The completed team return must reach the respective Knockout Cup organiser by 14:00 on the day after the game.
If a team return is not available or it is incomplete at quarter- and semi-finals stage, please note the following:
- The relevant Discovery Knockout Cup coordinator will award the game to the non-offending team.
- The offending team and coach will have this explained to them before the game is played.
- The game will be played as a friendly.
CATEGORY ONE OFFENCES:
Schools that have entered the Discovery Knock Out may be found guilty if they:
- Fail to fulfil fixtures
- Fail to fulfil fixtures on the specified date
- Provide incorrect team returns
- Provide incomplete team returns
- Fail to start the game before 14:45 for rounds 1,2 and 3
- Fail to submit results on or before the specified date
CATEGORY TWO OFFENCES:
Schools that have entered the Discovery Knock Out may be found guilty if they:
- Use overage players
- Use non-registered players or match officials
- Display abusive behaviour towards referees, players, coaches or parents
- Use high-school players i.e. grade 8 players
- Include non-eligible players i.e. Cup-tied players; players who have played for another school and a Knock-Out Cup team unless permission to play has been granted by Exco. N.B. players are deemed to be cup-tied if they are listed on the official team return
Category One offences:
The offending team will be excluded from the rest of the current year’s competition.
The school will pay a fine of R1 000 to the Association. The Association will use this fine to assist schools with the cost of travel or catering if the fixture is cancelled.
Failure to pay this fine will result in the school being withdrawn from all JPSFA activities.
Category Two offences:
Relevant coaches, Head of Sport and a member of the SMT will be required to attend a Disciplinary hearing. The hearing will provide the school with an opportunity to present their case and the JPSFA committee to hear from others, in order that an informed and appropriate sanction may be applied.
Failure to adhere to the sanctions will result in the school being withdrawn from all JPSFA activities!
