GIAA Competition Rulebook

How to Read This Rulebook. It is intentionally written to be clear for coaches and players of all experience levels. Any attempt to circumvent this ruleset, the spirit of the rules, or general competitive integrity, even if not covered directly here, is addressed in Section 5: Player Conduct.

New to the platform? The Match Week Guide walks through one week from match assignment to score report, and the FAQ answers the questions coaches ask most. For anything else, select Get Help at the bottom of the left navigation on the League Platform.

Introduction

This rulebook is the official and comprehensive set of rules, policies, and procedures governing all League play for the GIAA Esports League 2026-27 season. It brings general competition rules, game-specific rules, and player conduct expectations together into a single authoritative document.

1. League Overview

1.1 League Operator

The GIAA Esports League is a scholastic esports league for Georgia independent schools, operated under the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) and the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) in partnership with USAEL & Rally Cry. There is no separate membership fee for esports: any GIAA or GISA member school may participate.

1.2 League Platform

The League is hosted on the official GIAA League Platform, powered by Rally Cry. All registration, scheduling, match communication, and score reporting happen on this platform. The flow is: register, get your weekly match assignment, play, report.

1.3 League Schedule

The GIAA Esports League runs a single season from October through January, with the State Championship in February. A season has three phases: an optional Preseason, a 10-week Regular Season played as a modified round robin, and the State Championship. Each game title is played on a set day and time each week (see Section 4: Game Rules), and the full calendar is published before the season begins.

2026-27 Season Calendar

All dates and times are Eastern Time.

1.4 League Eligibility

The League is open to all GIAA and GISA member schools that have completed the GIAA registration process. Students in grades 8 through 12 are eligible to compete, in line with GIAA eligibility rules. For team-based games, all players on a team must attend the same school unless GIAA leadership grants a multi-school exception.

1.4.1 Teams per School

A school may enter as many teams as it can field in each game title, provided every entry has its own full roster. A student may only be on one entry's roster per game title, but may compete in more than one title. Where a school enters more than one team in the same title, League Officials schedule those teams against each other early in the regular season where possible.

1.4.2 Students Under 13

The League Platform requires players to be at least 13 years old to create an account. A coach may, with parent permission, use the Managed Member feature to roster younger students and manage their matches on the students' behalf.

1.5 Definition of Terms

2. League Format

2.1 Preseason (Optional)

Before the regular season, teams may play up to one week of optional preseason matches to test equipment, game connections, and the match-day flow. Preseason results are not recorded and do not affect standings.

A preseason match is the best way to confirm everything works before games count. All teams are strongly encouraged to participate, to work through technical issues and lower the chance of forfeits during the regular season.

Practice is not limited to the preseason week. The Scrims tab on any competition page lets teams schedule practice matches against other registered teams all season; see the Scrim Finder Guide.

2.2 Regular Season

The regular season runs for ten weeks as a modified round robin. Once registration closes, League Officials generate each title's full schedule: every team is scheduled against every other team in that title, and because the schedule spans ten weeks, teams in a smaller field meet more than once. Each week, teams play up to one match in each competition they have entered, at the title's default match day and time (see Section 4: Game Rules).

Matches are pre-scheduled rather than queued. There is nothing to join each week: a team's opponent for the week is on the competition's Bracket tab and in each coach's platform inbox (see Section 3.2: Match Assignment). Where a school enters more than one team in the same title, those teams are scheduled against each other early in the season where possible.

Standings rank teams by win-loss record. A bye adds a win to the record (see Section 3.3: Byes), and teams with the same record are ordered by the tiebreakers in Section 2.5: Tiebreakers.

2.3 State Championship Qualification

There are no online playoff rounds. After the regular season, the top eight teams in each title's standings advance to the State Championship (see Section 2.4), where they are seeded into a single-elimination bracket played on site. If eight or fewer teams are eligible in a title, every eligible team advances.

State Championship Eligibility: teams with missing results and/or forfeits in three or more regular-season matches are not eligible for the State Championship. They may finish the regular season but will not be seeded into the bracket.

2.4 State Championship

The State Championship is an all-day, in-person event held in Winter, location to be determined. The qualifying teams in each title play out the bracket on site, from quarterfinals through the final, and the final match in each title is played on the main stage and streamed live. Each title's championship format is listed in Section 4: Game Rules. Full event details, including arrival times and the day's schedule, are published to qualifying teams after the regular season ends.

2.5 Tiebreakers

If two or more teams have the same win-loss record, they are ranked by the steps below, in order. Any teams still tied after a step move to the next step.

1. Match Performance: number of match wins. A bye counts as a match win.

2. Head-to-Head Record: when two teams are tied and have played each other, the winner of that match ranks higher.

3. Match Points: points earned for match wins and ties over the season.

4. Strength of Schedule: the combined match wins of every opponent a team has played.

3. League Rules

3.1 Registration Process

To be eligible to play, every coach must:

1. Create an account on the GIAA League Platform.

2. Create a team, invite students, make sure every player has linked the game account the competition requires, and register for at least one competition. For team-based games, the entry's roster must meet that competition's minimum player requirement.

3. Check the competition's Bracket tab each week for the match assignment.

Step-by-step help: the Coach Registration Guide covers creating your account and joining your school. The Team Creation Guide covers building a team and registering it for a competition. The Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts, including entering handles for Managed Members.

3.2 Match Assignment

League Officials generate every team's regular-season schedule after registration closes on Friday 10/16/26 at 12:00 PM ET, and post the full schedule on each competition's Bracket tab before Week 1. Matches are pre-scheduled rather than queued: there is no queue to join, and a team is assigned a match every week it is scheduled. Match assignments are posted on the League Platform and sent to each coach's platform inbox. Each title has a default match day and time listed in Section 4: Game Rules.

A scheduled match must be played and reported by the end of the day on Sunday of its match week (see Section 3.5: Match Rescheduling). A match that is not played and reported by then is recorded as a forfeit for the team responsible (see Section 3.6.5: Forfeits).

How the round robin schedule works: Tournament Formats Guide, Round Robin. Where to find your match and what happens next: Match Week Guide, Find Your Match.

3.3 Byes

If a title has an odd number of teams, one team has a bye each week on the published schedule. A bye is recorded as a match win in the standings and does not count against State Championship eligibility. League Officials may also assign byes when scheduling requires it.

3.4 School Closures & Holidays

If school is not in session on a scheduled match day due to a state-wide holiday or similar closure, that title's default match time moves to the following day at the same time.

If an individual school is not in session due to a local closure, that school follows Section 3.5: Match Rescheduling to find a new match time. Coaches should communicate closures to League Officials as early as possible.

3.5 Match Rescheduling

Both coaches may agree to move a match. In the Reschedule section of the match page, select Propose New Times and offer up to three new times. The other team selects Review Times and accepts one, declines them all, or counters with times of its own. Once a time is accepted, the match moves and both teams are notified. An offer expires after 48 hours, or when its last offered time starts if that is sooner. A rescheduled match must still be played by the end of the day on Sunday of that week. If the match page has no Reschedule section, or the match can no longer be moved because match check-in has opened, select Flag Admin, choose General Support, and enter the new time in the details. If the coaches cannot agree, the match stays at its original time.

3.6 Match Day Process

3.6.1 Check-In & Communication

Both teams should be present in Match Chat and ready by the default match time. A coach or approved team captain from each team must establish communication in Match Chat at the start of the match; if a captain does so, the coach is expected to be available on request.

If a team has not joined the lobby or replied in Match Chat 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, the opposing coach selects Flag Admin on the match page and chooses Opponent Unresponsive. A league admin reviews the report and records the forfeit. If that team asks for a grace period in Match Chat, the opposing coach waits up to 30 minutes before flagging. Teams do not report a score for a match that was not played.

3.6.2 Lobby Creation

Both teams use Match Chat to agree on who hosts the lobby. If they can't agree, the host defaults to the team marked Home on the Match page (the left side). The host creates the lobby using the game-specific settings in Section 4: Game Rules.

3.6.3 Match Play

Once both teams are in the lobby, each confirms in Match Chat that the settings are correct and that they're ready. After both confirm, the host starts the match.

3.6.4 Score Reporting

When the match is complete, the winning team reports the result on the Match page with Report Scores (step by step: Match Week Guide, Report the Score). For Rocket League, enter each team's goals for every game, not just the winner. The other team then has 24 hours to accept or dispute the result; a report that is not answered within 24 hours is accepted automatically. If there is a dispute, use Flag Admin on the Match page to request a League Official before leaving.

3.6.5 Forfeits

All forfeits are final unless subject to GIAA discretion. A forfeit may be applied for a no-show, an inability to field enough players, a conduct ruling, ineligible players, missing results, or lack of communication. A match won by forfeit or bye is recorded at the minimum score needed to win (for example, 2–0 for a best-of-three). A team that cannot play may forfeit its own match on the Match page with Forfeit Match (coach or Team Captain) instead of no-showing.

3.7 Substitutions

In team-based games, substitutions are allowed between games (or maps/sets) as long as the opposing team is notified and the substitute is on the entry's roster. Once a Game of Record is established, no substitutions may be made until that game is complete.

3.8 Stoppage of Play

General pause and disconnect handling is below. Because each game handles pauses differently, always defer to the title-specific rules in Section 4: Game Rules.

3.8.1 Player Disconnections

If a player disconnects in a game that supports pausing, the match may be paused per that title's rules. Players should keep screenshots as proof of when a disconnect happened. Both teams must confirm readiness in Match Chat before play resumes.

3.8.2 Voluntary / Directed Pauses

Pausing without permission is treated as unfair play and may draw a penalty. League Officials may direct a pause at any time. Pauses expected to last longer than 10 minutes should be approved by a League Official.

3.9 Spectating

Team members not actively playing (a coach or substitute) may spectate unless the other team requests otherwise. For streams or broadcasts, both coaches must agree in Match Chat before the match and honor any request to remove spectators between games. Some titles do not allow in-game spectators due to latency (noted in Section 4).

3.10 Active Coaching

Coaching is permitted before a match and between games, sets, or maps. Once a game is live (at or after the Game of Record), coaches and non-participating team members may not direct players or communicate strategy until that game ends. Coaches may always assist with technical issues, pauses, and communication with League Officials. Any title-specific coaching limits are noted in Section 4.

3.11 Coach Responsibilities

Coaches are the primary point of contact for their team and are responsible for their players' readiness, conduct, and results reporting throughout the season: rostering eligible players (per Section 1.4), checking each week's match assignment, being present in Match Chat at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start, coordinating lobbies, substitutions and pauses with the opposing coach, coaching only between games (per Section 3.10: Active Coaching), and making sure results are reported and verified within the 24-hour review window.

The full pre-match, match-day and post-match checklist is in the Match Week Guide, Coach Responsibilities. Before the season, the IT & Networking Guide covers network, firewall and anti-cheat requirements, and the Game Handles Guide covers linking game accounts.

3.12 Network Connection

A wired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended for every title. It matters most for Nintendo Switch titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, where one player's wireless connection causes lag for everyone in the lobby.

If a team's connection causes lag that makes a match unplayable, the opposing coach should report it with Flag Admin. League Officials may place that team on hold, with no match assignments, until it can play on a wired connection that does not disrupt the match for both teams. Setup help for wired Switch play is in the IT & Networking Guide.

4. Game Rules

Each title below lists its match format, platform, team size, lobby settings, Game of Record and tiebreaker in one table, followed by pick/ban, disconnection handling, and title-specific rules. Titles are listed in match-day order. All match times are Eastern Time.

Rules Overview

4.1 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Team Solos

Default Match Time: Tuesday 4:00pm ET

Format & Settings

Pick / Ban & Selection

Team Draft runs this section on the League Platform. Both teams ready up on the Match page (Ready Up opens 30 minutes before the match time), confirm a lineup of three players, then pick players, characters and stages turn by turn in the Team Draft panel and report each game there. Coaches, Team Captains and any Draft Captains a coach names act for the team, and the player in a set always acts for their own set. Lineups lock when Set 1 starts, so Section 3.7: Substitutions does not apply to this title. If both teams agree, Match Options can reset the current game or switch the match to manual reporting in Match Chat. Step by step: the Team Draft Guide.

• Set Players: Set 1 player choices are blind. From Set 2 on, the team that won the previous set names its player first and the other team counterpicks. Each of a team's three players plays one of Sets 1-3. Any lineup player may play Set 4; the Set 5 player must not have played Set 4.

• Game 1: both players pick characters blind. Then, from the Starter stages, Home strikes 1, Away strikes 2, and Home picks one of the two stages left.

• Game 2 Onward: the winner of the previous game picks their character first and the loser counterpicks. Then, from the Starter and Counterpick stages, the winner strikes 2 and the loser picks from the rest. The winner may also strike, for free, any stage the loser has already won on in that set; a free strike left unused keeps that stage pickable.

Omega and Battlefield stage variations are not allowed. DLC stages can only be picked if a team in the match owns them.

Disconnections

If a player disconnects, the lobby closes; the player must explain in Match Chat within 10 minutes or risk losing the set. If they return in time, recreate the game with the same fighters, stage, and stock count (damage % is not reset) and continue.

Additional Rules

• Mii Fighters: default costumes and a Guest Mii; the player enters the four-digit move set code (each digit 1, 2 or 3, for example 1231) when picking the Mii in Team Draft.

• Spectating: not available. Switch titles are excluded from in-game spectating due to latency.

4.2 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Team Races

Default Match Time: Wednesday 4:00pm ET

Format & Settings

Track Selection

Every player must choose Random. If a player doesn't and their track is chosen, that team loses 15 points from the game (additive per violation). Submit screenshots to officials.

Disconnections

Keep a screenshot after every race (Switch capture button). If the host disconnects, the lobby is remade and teams finish the remaining races, then add the screenshot points to the new lobby's points. If a player disconnects, they rejoin at the start of the next track; points earned before the disconnect only count with screenshot proof.

Additional Rules

• Karts & Characters: players may change character/kart between races (press Y in the lobby) and may use smart steering and auto-accelerate.

• Glitching: using in-game glitches to gain an advantage results in a game loss and possible further penalty (screenshot or video proof required).

• DLC: Booster Course Pass tracks may appear if any player owns them; the DLC is recommended but not required.

• Spectating: not allowed, due to latency.

4.3 Rocket League

Default Match Time: Thursday 4:00pm ET

Format & Settings

Disconnections

By default players cannot pause an in-progress game. Play continues through a disconnect, and the disconnected player may attempt to rejoin mid-game. If they cannot rejoin during the game, the team has 5 minutes before the next game to return the player to the lobby or replace them with a substitute; a substitute may not replace them mid-game. Otherwise the match proceeds to the next game with the players present. If a full team disconnects, they have 5 minutes to return or forfeit that game.

Additional Rules

• Controllers: players may use a controller or mouse & keyboard.

• Content Updates: any cars or items disabled by the publisher are not allowed; matches run on the current patch.

5. Player Conduct

5.1 Code of Conduct

Players must compete to the best of their ability at all times and follow the USAEL Code of Conduct:

• Respect: treat all players, organizers, and spectators with respect.

• Integrity: play honestly and follow the rules of the game.

• Graciousness: be humble in victory and courteous in defeat.

• Language: use appropriate, respectful language at all times.

• Anti-Bullying: zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, or discrimination of any kind.

• Feedback: keep feedback constructive; avoid toxic comments.

Any form of cheating or foul play by any team member will not be tolerated. All members are prohibited from influencing a match so its outcome is decided by anything other than the competitive merits of the teams.

5.2 Standards of Competition

Players may never cheat or seek an unfair advantage. Unfair play includes, but is not limited to:

• Exploiting bugs or glitches

• Collusion or match manipulation

• Hacking or third-party cheat software

• Ringing: playing under another person's identity, or fielding ineligible players

• Intentional disconnection

A team member found violating these standards will be issued a loss for that game and may face additional penalties at the discretion of League Officials, up to and including disqualification from the League.

5.3 Spirit of the Rules

These rules exist to ensure fair play, integrity, and a positive experience for everyone. They are not just a checklist: they embody the spirit of competition, sportsmanship, and respect. Participants are expected to follow both the letter and the intent of the rules. Exploiting loopholes, manipulating gameplay, or unsportsmanlike conduct is a violation of the spirit of the rules.

5.4 Organizer Discretion

Interpreting and enforcing these rules, including any situation not explicitly covered, is at the sole discretion of League Officials. They may act in the best interests of the competition, its participants, and fair play. These decisions are final and binding, cannot be appealed, and may include penalties up to and including disqualification from the League.

5.5 Player Responsibility

By participating, you acknowledge that League Officials have the authority to interpret the rules and take any action necessary to maintain the integrity and spirit of the competition.

6. Policies & Administration

6.1 Amendments

GIAA and any event partners reserve the right to update, revise, or modify these rules when appropriate. Major changes are recorded in the Change Log below, and it is every coach's and player's responsibility to review the current rulebook. The version shown at the top of this page always matches the most recent Change Log entry.

6.2 Change Log