VSSC Parent/Coaches Guide - Valley Stream Soccer Club

 Valley Stream Soccer Club Parent & Coach’s Guide to The Fall 2013 Season P.O. Box 143 www.ValleyStreamSoccerClub.com Valley Stream, NY 11580 vssclub@gmail.com Last Updated 3/23/2014 Table of Contents PROGRAMS VSSC OFFERS 3 INTRAMURAL (AGES 4 TO 9) HIGHER COMPETITION & PRETRAVEL (AGES 8 TO 9) TRAVEL PROGRAM (AGES 9 ½ TO 18) PREMIER 3 3 3 3 INTRAMURALS 4 GLASSES/EYE-­‐WARE: PROPER SOCCER ATTIRE/EQUIPMENT: 4 4 COACHING INTRAMURAL GAMES 5 KNOW THE FIELD THINGS TO REMEMBER COACHES ARE TEACHERS AVOID BLOWOUTS LAWS OF THE GAME GOAL KICKS SUBSTITUTIONS BACK-­‐PASS RULE OFFSIDES INJURIES 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 7 8 9 POLICIES OF THE CLUB 12 A B TRAVEL TEAM SYSTEM TRAVEL TEAM COACHES U10 GROUP U10 TRAVEL TEAMS U10 TRAVEL TEAM TRYOUTS PLAYING UP PLAYING DOWN ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY PURPOSE PARENTS & SPECTATORS PENALTIES (PARENTS & SPECTATORS) PLAYERS 12 12 12 12 12 13 14 14 14 14 15 Page 1
3/23/14 COACHES, ASSISTANT COACHES & TRAINERS PENALTIES (COACHES, ASSISTANT COACHES, TRAINERS) GAMES DISBANDED PRIOR TO THE CONCLUSION BY THE REFEREE: SUSPENSION, BANNING OF PLAYERS, PARENTS/SPECTATORS, COACHES, ASSISTANT COACHES OR TRAINERS 15 16 16 16 CONDUCT GUIDELINES AND BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS 17 COACHES PLAYERS PARENTS AND SPECTATORS FIELDS, PERMITS, AND INSURANCE COVERAGE PARENT’S FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO TEAMS AND TRAINING CLAIMING WHAT IS OWED TO YOU 17 17 17 17 18 18 Page 2
3/23/14 Programs VSSC Offers INTRAMURAL (Ages 4 to 9) The Valley Stream Soccer Club Intramural program is comprised of youth teams for boys and girls, ages 4 to 9 years old. Both the boys and girls programs are currently played on Saturdays at local Valley Stream Elementary School and Village fields. Make up games may be scheduled on a Sunday at the discretion of the program and based on the amount of play missed due to inclement weather. This program also offers the player free training provided by the Club Trainers on a designated weeknight. HIGHER COMPETITION & PRETRAVEL (Ages 8 to 9) The Club offers a Pre-­‐travel program to give players an introduction to the Travel program. Pre-­‐travel teams may compete in the JSS League (Just Say Soccer) or the NDP League (Nassau Development Program) depending on what the current board feels is best for the Club to take part in. Players are selected to compete on a higher level and they do not necessarily need to all come from one team. This program is for 8 to 9-­‐year-­‐old boys and girls who are chosen from the Intramural U-­‐8/U-­‐9 programs. These players play both Intramural and Pre-­‐travel games. Pre-­‐travel games can be scheduled on Saturday or Sunday and are played in Valley Stream or away against other Clubs. TRAVEL PROGRAM (Ages 9 ½ to 18) Players must try-­‐out and be selected to be placed on a Travel team. In order to give every player that wants to try-­‐out for the travel team, a chance to show his/ her skills to a person with an unbiased opinion, one to two try-­‐outs are held to field travel teams. Valley Stream Soccer Club Travel teams (U-­‐10 thru U-­‐19) play in the competitive Long Island Junior Soccer League. In addition to the fall and spring LIJSL seasons, VSSC teams can also compete in the league’s Waldbaum’s Challenge Competition as well as the USYSA Open State Cup and Easter New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) Challenge Cup competitions. Teams can also play in both indoor and outdoor tournaments throughout the year. INTERLEAGUE Our Inter-­‐League Intramural program is our alternative to our Travel program. Inter-­‐League play is for the older player not chosen for a Travel team or where the Club is unable to field a Travel team in a specific age group. These less competitive teams play against teams from other local youth soccer programs in Nassau County. These games can be played on both Saturdays and Sundays.(10-­‐14 years of age; Jr./ grades 4-­‐6 & Sr./ grades 6-­‐9) PREMIER If a Travel team is competitive enough, they may be classified as a Premier team that would then play in one of the Premier leagues, if accepted. These games are scheduled for play Saturday and Sunday and encompass playing teams as far south as Maryland or as far north as Massachusetts. The Premier teams are also involved in all Cup tournaments as the Travel teams, with the exception of the Waldbaum’s Cup. Page 3
3/23/14 Intramurals Our intramural program is comprised of children who play soccer recreationally and competitively. A child’s skill level in this program can vary greatly even within the same division and age group. Most kids start playing soccer in our intramural program because they believe it will be fun. They do it for recreation. They start playing and making friends. As they go from one season to the next, their skills will improve but the main driver that keeps them coming back is they enjoy playing with their teammates. As they develop, you will see that some kids will begin to outshine others. Some kids begin to exhibit a competitive edge/tendency that is different from most other kids on their team. These players may be looking for something more competitive. To fulfill this need we have devised the competitive programs previously mentioned. Whether your child is competitive or not, skillful or not, aggressive or not, do not push or force them into being someone they are not ready to be. You should encourage them to play well and praise them when they do. But do not associate “encouragement” with pushing them, yelling at them, or being angry at them on the sideline. This will only create a bad experience for them and turn them away from the game. Children do not all develop at the same pace and they have different interests that drive them to a level of competition. The important thing as a parent is to make sure your child is having fun. As long as they have fun, they will return to the game every season. And with every season, they will improve! At some point, you may notice that while they have fun playing with their friends and teammates, they are now looking for something more. They may be ready and looking for a higher level of competition. Again, all children do not develop at the same pace and they have different interests that drive them to a level of competition. Just worry about bringing them to practice and games, and let their developmental pace, with your encouragement and support, drive their level of competition. We’re not all meant to have kids on the US National Team and a great majority of us won’t. But if we can teach our kids to play soccer well, enjoy the game, and understand it well enough to turn them into fans that follow the game, then we have achieved something great! Glasses/eye-­‐ware: If your child wears corrective lenses it is very dangerous for them to be playing with regular glasses that are not sports goggles. Sports goggles and sports lenses are made to better withstand the impact they may receive during a game or physical activity. Regular glasses are more likely to break/shatter and can cause your child, or someone else, serious injury! If your child needs corrective lenses to play soccer or any sport, they must be sports goggles with a strap that keeps them on the child. Referees and coaches, with the safety of your child in mind, have been instructed not to allow your child to play in any games if they are not wearing the proper eye-­‐ware. Proper soccer attire/equipment: Every child needs to take the field wearing shinguards (under a pair of socks) and proper cleats. Earrings should not be worn. This is to limit your child's chances of getting hurt. We are still noticing cases where children come to play games with no shinguards and wearing crocs/slippers or sneakers. We need to ensure all of our kids are in proper soccer attire and equipment. As parents we are responsible to get our kids dressed, prepared and to the game early. As coaches we need to be responsible for our team and ensure our players are safe and ready to play. Referees and coaches, with the safety of your child in mind, have been instructed not to allow your child to play in any games if they are not wearing the proper equipment. If a child shows up late, it is up to the coach to make sure they are wearing the proper equipment before that child is subbed onto the field. Page 4
3/23/14 Coaching Intramural Games Know The Field Terminology you should be familiar with (field dimensions will vary among different age groups): Penalty Area (aka Penalty Box) Half Line (aka Midfield Line) Things To Remember Coaches Are Teachers We understand that our coaches are parent volunteers with various levels of knowledge and experience in the sport. And we are thankful for the time our volunteer coaches give to the club. To show this gratitude and support, the Club strives to provide its coaches with opportunities to improve themselves. By offering free coaching clinics, online material/videos, access to professional trainers, and assistance in attending coaching classes, we want to give our coaches every chance possible to improve themselves and give our players an enjoyable experience. A coach’s main focus is to make sure their players are enjoying soccer while developing their skills and growing as individuals. The Club does not keep track of standings or scores. At the end of the season, the team that finished last will get the same award, medal, or trophy and recognition as the team that finished first. The reason being that the focus should be on developing players, not winning a division. Page 5
3/23/14 Two years from now if someone looks at your players they will not know if you finished first in your division last year, or if you were undefeated last season. But they will see how your player plays. Do they have skills? Do they behave respectfully to the refs and opponents? Are they dirty players or do they respect the laws of the game? This is what coaches should be striving to develop. It does not matter if you lost every game last season as long as the kids enjoyed themselves, want to come back, and you saw an improvement in their abilities from when they started the season. Likewise it does not matter if you were undefeated and won the division if you did it with the same 4 strong players playing in their favored positions at the expense of developing all your players as a whole. Avoid Blowouts Coaches should also avoid blowing out opponents and winning by a 5+ goal differentials. We are not here to beat up on each other and prove who is better. Intramurals is a Farm program. The focus is on us working together to develop players and ourselves as coaches so when we go Travel we can represent our Club respectfully. We play for a united Club and compete against other towns. If you’re up by 3 goals try to do something to not only bring the other team back into the game but also develop your players. For example, you may consider some of the following: 1) Tell your players to play a possession game. Can they string 4 passes together before attacking the goal? If they lose possession they have to start the count again. This teaches players to get open, movement off the ball, and develops passing skills. (Make sure you practice this in your team practices first otherwise it will only frustrate your players and they will not really understand what they are trying to achieve on game day). 2) Move your players to positions where they may be weaker. Have a forward play defense or midfield and develop other aspects of their game. Place another player in goal and have your goalie play the field. This is intramurals. Players should see the game from all different positions and should develop all aspects of their game because the focus is on developing the player as a whole. 3) If your opponent gets a goal kick, pull your players back to your side of the field. Give the weaker team a chance to get possession and attack you while you focus on defensive skills. 4) Feel free to think of some other ideas to help get the other team back in the game while developing your team’s and players’ abilities. Only if all other options are exhausted and you’re still winning by a lot should you consider taking one of your players off of the field AND having your opponent add a player. While this is the easy solution to implement, it is not necessarily fair to the child that has to sit out. So this option should be used sparingly. Page 6
3/23/14 Laws of the Game Below are some laws of the game that novice coach volunteers are not familiar with. Goal Kicks A goal kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team, and a goal is not scored. Procedure for taking a goal kick: •
•
•
•
The ball is kicked from any point within the goal area by a player of the defending team Opponents remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play The kicker must not play the ball again until it has touched another player The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area Substitutions To replace a player with a substitute, the following conditions must be observed: •
•
•
the referee must be informed before any proposed substitution is made the substitute only enters the field of play after the player being replaced has left and after receiving a signal from the referee the substitute only enters the field of play at the halfway line and during a stoppage in the match Back-­‐Pass Rule An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a goalkeeper, inside his own penalty area, commits any of the following offences: •
•
•
touches the ball again with his hands after he has released it from his possession and before it has touched another player touches the ball with his hands after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a team-­‐mate touches the ball with his hands after he has received it directly from a throw-­‐in taken by a team-­‐mate Page 7
3/23/14 Offsides A player is in an offside position if: •
he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second-­‐last opponent •
A player is not in an offside position if: •
he is in his own half of the field of play or •
•
•
he is level with the second-­‐last opponent or Page 8
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he is level with the last two opponents •
A player in an offside position is only penalized if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by: •
•
•
interfering with play or interfering with an opponent or gaining an advantage by being in that position There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from: •
•
•
a goal kick a throw-­‐in a corner kick Injuries If a player is injured on the field during a scheduled practice, game, or club event, the coach needs to fill out the following form noted below and follow the appropriately mentioned steps: Page 9
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3/23/14 Policies of the Club A B Travel Team System It is the Clubs’ intent to see the best players in the Intramural Program and/or Club competes on the “A” team when
playing, with a “B” and “C” team being established for other players. Movement between these teams (up or down) is
encouraged to keep the “A” team as competitive as possible. However, the Board recognizes it cannot force (only
request) its players adhere to this rule and will not risk losing “good players” by forcing them to play for a team
against their wishes. In these cases the Board must approve that the player play where requesting.
Travel Team Coaches U10 Group Coaches for U-10 Travel teams coming out in September must be approved by the Board no later then the end of
February of that same year. The Coaches selected to coach cannot (unless approved by the Board) coach an
Intramural team during the Spring season leading up to his/her commencement as a Travel coach in the Fall
(September). It is viewed by the Club that the Coach will use this Spring season to view games in the Intramural
Division to scout the talent and help make his/her selections for his/her Fall Travel team.
U10 Travel Teams Only players that have been playing in our Intramural Program can be selected for these teams. Try-outs for players
playing for other Towns and Clubs can begin with the U-11 group.
U10 Travel Team Tryouts In order to give every player that wants to try-out for the Travel team, a chance to show his/her skills to a person
with an unbiased opinion, two to three tryouts for new U-10 Travel teams coming out of our Intramural Program will
be held in May prior to when the Spring Season ends. These try-outs are to be conducted by the Club’s Trainers (Or
comparable group). The Trainers will make their recommendations on players that tryout to the Travel Coordinator
and the Coach. (These recommendations are Club property and are in no way to be distributed to the general
populace). The Board will use this as a tool to help place the top players on the "A" team. The Travel Coach will have
the final decision on who plays on his/her team.
Playing up Some coaches may notice a child performs exceptionally well on their team and the child easily outperforms all other players. At that point, the coach and parents may feel the player’s best development chances are to have them play up an age division. Before such a move is considered, the coach should try to develop all aspects of the player. In intramurals no player should develop just one trait of their game. If a player is fast and is able to get possession of the ball from their opponent and scores goal on top of goal, this does not necessarily mean they are ready to play up. Page 12
3/23/14 Place them on defense for a while. Do they understand how to mark an opponent and be aware of where their opponents are? Are they able to defensively get possession of the ball and pass it to a teammate to start a counter attack (instead of just blindly booting it up the field and losing possession of the ball)? Try placing them as a midfielder and see if they can control the game. Can they get possession of the ball, maintain possession, and look up to pass the ball to a forward or any teammate? Can they make their team and teammates better by playing like this? Don’t limit your child’s development by saying “Well my child’s a forward they should not be playing defense. My child’s a goalie, why are they being placed in midfield?” In intramurals there are no positions. The goal is to develop your child as a whole. Develop all aspects of their game (passing, shooting, defending, marking, goalkeeping, combination plays, etc..) When a player shows an advanced level of capabilities in multiple aspects of their game, then they can be considered to play up. But don’t cheat them out of developing to their full potential. Also, remember that playing up does not necessarily mean your child is playing against better players. Even at the U7 and U8 level we get children that sign up to play soccer for the first time. So even at those levels you will have a mixture of good and bad players. Only difference is that a NEW older player that has not developed the skills of soccer may actually wind up hurting your younger child. Often, until technical skills are developed, a player will have to rely on their physical attributes to gain an advantage in competition. This can lead to your child being fouled or knocked off the ball easily. Keeping that in mind, the VSSC Policies and Procedures state the right for a player to “play up” is at the discretion of the Board. While there may be an exceptional player who has the physical, mental, and social ability to “play up”, the Board very rarely honors such requests, as moving a group of children outside of their intended age group weakens the travel program. However, a parent can always petition such a request to the Board. After the Board receives the petition a licensed trainer will assess the player during practices/ games and report the findings to the Board. If the request is granted the parent must sign a waiver and player will be moved up the following season. Playing down Parents and coaches should not use “playing down” as a method of introducing someone new to the game of soccer. Players should play in their age division. Every year the Club gets new players in all age divisions that have never played the game before. If a 7 year old has never kicked a soccer ball before, it does not mean they are going to be placed in Micros. They will be placed in their age division along with other kids (that may be experienced or even new) and they will play there. If a parent and coach feel a child is not physically capable of playing with kids in their age (maybe because the child is very small for their age) then the coach and parent should contact their commissioner and let the commissioner know of their request to have the child play down. But notice we are talking about "physical capability” and not "skill capability". Those are two very different abilities. If a child is lacking skill because they are new to the game, they will develop skills in their age appropriate division by our coaches and/or professional trainers. Page 13
3/23/14 Zero Tolerance Policy Purpose To help prevent physical assault and verbal abuse during sanctioned events the Valley Stream Soccer Club (VSSC), has adopted a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. This policy applies to all coaches, players, parents, spectators and other supporters and referees effective immediately. Abusive and obscene language, violent play/conduct, fighting and other behavior (including, but not limited to sarcasm, taunting, etc.) deemed detrimental to the game will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of the coaches to provide referee support and spectator control, and it is the responsibility of the VSSC to provide instructions to their coaches on how to implement sportsmanlike behavior. This policy applies before, during and after the sanctioned event at the soccer field and its immediate surrounding areas. Remember; the referee does not have to show a yellow card before showing a red card. Parents & Spectators No parent or spectator shall persistently address the referee or assistant referees at any time. This includes, but is not limited to: 1. Parents and spectators shall not dispute calls during or after the game. The call is made. It cannot be changed. Teach the kids that when calls don’t go their way, they need to rise above it and only worry about the next play. 2. Parents and spectators shall not make remarks to the referee(s) or advise the referee(s) to watch certain players or attend to rough play. 3. Parents and spectators shall never yell at the referee(s), including criticism, sarcasm, harassment, intimidation or feedback of any kind before, during or after the game. Teach your kids to respect authority and the rules of the game. Additionally, parents and spectators shall not make derogatory comments to players, spectators or coaches of either team. Penalties (Parents & Spectators) In the opinion of the referee, depending on the severity of the offense, the referee may take any of the following actions: 1. The referee may issue a verbal warning to the coach or parent of the offending party’s team, or show them a yellow card. 2. The referee may stop the game, show the offending person a second yellow card or first time red card, and instruct the coaches to direct the parent /spectator to leave the field. 3. The referee may abandon the game if the parent/spectator does not leave the field which will result in the offending team forfeiting the game and being assessed the appropriate fees and/or fines. The ultimate responsibility for the actions of the spectators resides with the team coach and spectator. Page 14
3/23/14 If a parent/spectator is ejected from the game, they must remove themselves immediately from the field/premise or the game can not continue. They will not be allowed to attend the next scheduled game for their team. The coach will also be suspended from attending the next scheduled game. The player of the offending parent/spectator will be required to serve a one game suspension by attending their next game and sitting on the bench for the whole game. Parents/spectators will be held accountable for their actions and may be subject to penalties and/or fines for grievous actions. A team, player or coach may be suspended from all future competitions until such time appropriate action has been taken with the parent/spectator to the satisfaction of the VSSC. Players The conduct of the players is governed by the Laws of the Game as stated by VSSC Guidelines and/or FIFA and USSF. The Laws themselves describe penalties associated with violating the Laws of the Game. Additional penalties for players who engage in misconduct may be established by the club. In severe cases of unsporting behavior and violent conduct players will be called into a hearing with either VSSC arbitration and or the VSSC supervisory committee with his/her coach and/or parents for further disciplinary action. A player called to a hearing that does not appear, will be suspended from play until such time of appearance. Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Trainers It is the responsibility of all coaches to maintain the highest standards of conduct for themselves, their players and supporters in all matches. Failure to do so undermines the referee’s authority and the integrity of the game resulting in a hostile environment for players, the referee(s), coaches, assistant coaches, trainers and parents/spectators. As role models for all of the participants and spectators, coaches participating in a VSSC, ENYYSA or USYSA sanctioned event are expected to be supportive of, and to acknowledge the effort, good play and sportsmanship on the part of ALL players from either team in a game. By example, coaches, assistant coaches and trainers are expected to show that although they are competing in a game, they have respect for their opponent, referees and spectators at all times. The Valley Stream Soccer Club will not tolerate negative behavior exhibited either by demonstrative actions and gestures, or by ill-­‐intentioned remarks, including those addressed toward the referees or members of an opposing team. Coaches exhibiting hostile, negative, sarcastic or otherwise ill-­‐intended behavior toward referees, opposing players or coaches will be subject to disciplinary action by the Valley Stream Soccer Club. Coaches shall not interact directly or indirectly with the coaches or players of the opposing team during the game in any manner that may be construed as negative, hostile or sarcastic either by way of demonstrative actions and gestures or by ill intentioned remarks. Coaches shall not offer dissent to any call made by the referee(s) at any time. Coaches are not to address the Referee(s) during the game except to: a. Respond to a referee who has initiated a conversation. b. Point out emergency or safety issues. c. Make substitutions. Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment or intimidation is allowed. NOTE: It is recommended that coaches or other team members do not engage in any Page 15
3/23/14 conversation with the referee(s) once the game has concluded. Penalties (Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Trainers) In the opinion of the referee, depending on the severity of the offense, the referee may take any of the following actions: a. The referee may issue a verbal warning to the offending coach, assistant coach or trainer. b. The referee may eject the offending coach, assistant coach or trainer. Once ejected, the individual will be required to leave the field immediately. c. The referee should abandon the game, if the coach, assistant coach or trainer does not leave the field or any immediate adjoining area after having been instructed to do so. Additional penalties associated with the ejection of a coach, assistant coach or trainer may be assessed by the VSSC board. These penalties may be no less stringent than sanctions and/or fines as may be imposed by VSSC following a review of the incident. All cases of alleged assault of a referee shall be reported to the VSSC board and commissioner of the division within 48 hours of the match. VSSC will also conduct a verification of the complaint and subsequent actions and may at their discretion impose additional penalties to the coach, assistant coach, trainer and or club. Games Disbanded Prior to the Conclusion by the Referee: When a game is disbanded by the referee prior to its conclusion due to unsporting behavior on the part of one or both teams, the VSSC will conduct an investigation and will issue a forfeit to either one or both teams and possibly from further competitions. In cases of extreme unsportsmanlike behavior, in the opinion of the VSSC, a team, player, coach, assistant coach or trainer may be banned from any further VSSC sanctioned events and competitions. Suspension, Banning of Players, Parents/Spectators, Coaches, Assistant Coaches or Trainers If a player, parent/spectator, coach, assistant coach or trainer is suspended/banned by VSSC he/she is not be allowed to participate or have any interaction with their team until they are reinstated. If a player, parent/spectator, coach, assistant coach or trainer is suspended they are suspended from all VSSC sanctioned events. If a player, parent/spectator, coach, assistant coach or trainer wishes to attend a tournament they may request a temporary pass in writing from either the player or coach arbitration committee. The arbitration committees reserve the right to refuse to issue a temporary pass for a tournament if the suspension has resulted from a grievous action or the issuance of a temporary pass could endanger the health, welfare and safety of those attending the tournament. Tournament games missed will not be considered as part of the suspension. VSSC as a youth organization reserves the right to suspend/ban any participant that endangers the health, welfare and safety of its membership. Page 16
3/23/14 Conduct Guidelines and Behavior Expectations Never allow your ego to interfere with good judgment and your responsibility as a club and team representative. Coaches -­‐ Respect the integrity and personality of the individual athlete. -­‐ Exemplify the highest moral character, behavior and leadership. Adhere to strong ethical and integrity standards. -­‐ Learn the rules of the game and teach them in letter and spirit. -­‐ Set a good example for players and spectators. Refrain from: -­‐Arguments in front of your team and parents. -­‐Gestures indicating a referee or opposing coach does not know what they are doing or talking about. -­‐Throwing objects in disgust. -­‐ Shake hands with opposing coaches and referees before and after each match. -­‐ Respect the integrity of the referee. By giving respect, you get respect. -­‐ Do not use profanity or other objectionable language. -­‐ Be responsible for your players and your sideline. -­‐ Make sportsmanship your first priority. Players -­‐ Learn the rules of the game. -­‐ Treat opposing players as you would want to be treated -­‐ Wish opponents good luck before the game and congratulate them in a courteous manner following victory or defeat. -­‐ Respect the judgment of the referee(s), treating them with respect even if you disagree with their judgment will only make a positive impression of you and your team. -­‐ Play for the fun of it. -­‐ Control your temper. Not only against the opposing team and referees, but with yourself and your teammates. -­‐ Do not use foul or inappropriate language at any time. Parents And Spectators -­‐ Always encourage your child to play by the rules. -­‐ Applaud good plays by either team. -­‐ Watch and enjoy the GAME! Let the players play, the coaches coach and the referees officiate. -­‐ Never ridicule or shout at your child or others for making a mistake or losing the game. Fields, Permits, and Insurance coverage VSSC coaches can only hold team events (including, but not limited to practices, training, and scrimmage games) on fields and during times the Club has been permitted to use those fields and with players that have been included on Page 17
3/23/14 their team roster. If the coach holds a team event on a field or location they have not been sanctioned to use by the Club and a child gets hurt, they may be personally liable. Coaches should reach out to their commissioners to find out what fields, locations, and times they can use for practice and other team events. Likewise, a coach’s team is comprised of players assigned to their team roster for that specific season. If a child attends a practice or team event, and they are not included on that season’s roster, they are not covered by the Club’s insurance. Coaches may be held personally liable for allowing a non-­‐rostered child to take part in a team practice, or other event, if that child gets hurt. Parent’s financial commitments to teams and training Parents, when you register your child for a season at the VSSC, you are committing that the child stays with the program and team assigned at least for that season. This is especially true when parents register their child to play on a travel team. Deciding to leave a team or the Club once the season has started, because things are not working out, or you are not happy with the coach, or anything else, does not exempt you from having to pay the registration fee. This will not get you a refund on your registration. This policy is especially applicable to cases where parents have agreed in advance for extra professional training. If a group of team parents have agreed to receive and pay for extra professional training, they are committed to making that payment. Your decision to do so is your commitment to the team and your child’s development. If after that point you decide you no longer want to take part in that extra professional training, this does not exempt you from having to make any payments to that training. Regardless of how many training classes you attended or did not make, you made a commitment to receive extra training for your child with your team. A trainer has been procured and prepaid for their time to train your child and team. You must see this commitment through and make any necessary payments required. Claiming What Is Owed To You The Club is prepared to honor and provide any items or paybacks it has agreed to with its members as long as
the member attempts to collect such items or paybacks before the start of a new season. So if you never picked up
your child’s medal/trophy, or never collected a uniform from your coach, or as a coach you never received
reimbursement for something, etc… please make every attempt to collect what is yours PRIOR to the start of a new
season. If you do not collect your items or payback during the season it is owed and prior to the start of a new
season you will automatically forfeit what is do to you. The Club cannot keep track of items and payback that are
owed to their members from years past.
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