AMERICANS SOCCER CLUB MANAGER HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 AMERICANS SOCCER CLUB MANAGER HANDBOOK MARCH 2017 i

2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION... 3 MANAGING REQUIREMENTS... 3 TEAMS... 3 Tryouts and Team Makeup... 3 Guest Playing... 4 Transfer Rules... 4 Financial Matters... 4 GETTING READY FOR THE SEASON... 5 GAME SCHEDULING... 6 TBS Games (NCSA)... 6 Scheduling TBS Games (NCSA)... 6 Field Closures... 6 Game Scheduling (Non-NCSA)... 7 FIELDS... 7 Lightning... 7 PRACTICES/WINTER OPPORTUNITIES... 8 Chaperones... 8 Winter Training... 8 Indoor Leagues and Tournaments... 8 GAME COACHING... 8 Pre-Game Management... 9 Playing Time... 9 Problems Post-Game Management MISCELLANEOUS Player Evaluations League Websites Fundraising and Sponsorships Other Sports PLAYER/PARENT DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS MANAGER DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS ii

3 INTRODUCTION (Because the majority of Americans Soccer Club (the Americans or the Club ) teams register to compete in the Northern Counties Soccer Association ( NCSA ), this handbook is written with NCSA league rules in mind. If your team is registered to compete in another league, please be mindful of and adhere to the appropriate rules for that league.) Excellence in team management, training and coaching are key to a successful club. This handbook is designed to assist you in your role as a parent manager. It is intended to present in clear detail both (1) what will be expected of you, and (2) what you can expect of the Club and the team and players you will be managing. If you have questions about any information contained in this handbook, it is your responsibility to present your questions to your age group coordinator. The Club expects and requires that its managers abide by the Club s rules, regulations and policies including those contained in this handbook and the Club s By-Laws at all times. As you have volunteered to serve as an Americans manager, please read the following pages carefully. The agreement covers the seasonal year that runs from August 1 through July 31. MANAGING REQUIREMENTS Any reference in this handbook to manager includes both managers and assistant managers. The relationship between the Club and its members, including managers, assistant managers, trainers, players and parents, is at-will. Thus, just as Club members are free to end the relationship at any time and for any reason, the Americans Soccer Club likewise reserves the right to terminate the relationship, with or without cause. Every Americans manager and assistant manager must submit information required by the Club to obtain an appropriate background check. Furthermore, every Club manager and assistant manager must meet the coaching requirements of any and all leagues in which their team is registered to compete. As a Club manager, you are required to familiarize yourself with the Player/Parent Agreement and be prepared to discuss it with your players and parents. Some topics not covered in this handbook are addressed in detail in the Player/Parent Agreement. Tryouts and Team Makeup TEAMS The Club will hold regular, formal tryouts each year in late April/early May. In the event that a Club team is in need of additional players, informal tryouts can be scheduled to take place during one or more of a Club team s practices, with prior Board approval. All players interested in trying out for a Club team, including existing players, must complete all required tryout forms prior to trying out for a Club team. The Board with the assistance of Club trainers selects teams. 3

4 Although the Club maintains loyalty to its four principal towns Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Saddle River and Upper Saddle River players residing in other towns are eligible to try out and play for Club teams. Absent extenuating circumstances, it is the Club s policy to have no more than 20% out-of-town players, in the aggregate, playing on Club teams. The Club s objective is to balance team competitiveness, residency rules and trying to place players on teams appropriate for their ability. In some cases this may result in out-of-town players being placed on an A team and in-town players being placed on a B team. Although all players are subject to being cut from a given Club team, the Board must approve any cuts of existing players. Guest Playing With respect to the use of guest players in the event that a Club team would otherwise have insufficient players, Club teams must follow the rules of any and all leagues in which they are registered to compete. Please note that NCSA rules provide that a guest player may only guest with a given team three times per season. A manager in need of a guest player from another Club team should request that the host team s trainer inquire of the other Club team s trainer as to the selection of an appropriate guest player, in consultation with the manager of the other Club team. When a manager of one Club team makes such an inquiry to a second Club team, the manager of the second Club team should facilitate the request for a guest player or guest players unless facilitating the request will have an adverse impact on the second Club team. Transfer Rules With respect to the transfer of players onto Club teams, Club teams must follow the rules of any and all leagues in which they are registered to compete. Financial Matters Each team is responsible for its own finances and must establish a bank account and appropriate accounting procedures. Teams may also utilize a parent-treasurer. Each team is expected to pay for all of its own expenses, including trainer fees. Although total fees per player vary, the Club has found that total fees per player are generally in the range of $1,500 per year. Included in this figure are fees associated with league registration, referees, insurance coverage, training equipment, league dues, tournament entry fees, professional training, etc. Each player will also be responsible for the cost of a uniform. Managers should collect one-half of the anticipated total fees from each player no later than August 15 th. Managers should collect the remainder of the anticipated total fees from each player no later than November 30 th. There will be no refunds made to players who leave a Club team midseason. A player s failure to make all required payments when due will result in the player not being issued a player card for the subsequent season until all required payments are made. 4

5 Managers are responsible for following the rules of any and all leagues in which their team is registered to compete. Thus, in the event that a breach of any league rules results in a fine being levied against the Club, the Club team at issue must reimburse the Club in the amount of the fine. Mandatory dues are payable to the Club as follows: For teams playing the full year: $295 per player (the Club collects this directly) plus one of the following NCSA full-sided teams: league registration fee of $405 for U15-U19, $455 for U13-U14 and $435 for U11-U12 NCSA small-sided teams: league registration fee of $355 for U9-U10 There will be additional fees associated with the rental of fields for winter training For teams playing only in the spring (high school teams): $200 per player (club collects this directly) plus one of the following NCSA full-sided teams: $455 league registration NCSA small-sided teams: $355 league registration For individual players joining a Club team midseason: $295 per player if joining any time during the fall season $200 per player if joining any time after the conclusion of the fall season Important note: Teams cannot opt out of indoor rental fees, but high school age teams may combine for cost-saving purposes. GETTING READY FOR THE SEASON Distribute a team contacts list to all parents and trainers. Ensure that all player medical forms and a fully-stocked medical kit are readily accessible during games and practices. Request parent volunteers for such tasks as setting up a chaperone list, coordinating halftime snacks, and/or submitting reports/information about the team for possible inclusion in The Town Journal (via to townjournal@northjersey.com). Consider tournaments and other events your team might be interested in participating in during the course of the year. The Club encourages all Club teams to participate in the Parsippany Columbus Day Tournament and the Manalapan Memorial Day Tournament. Communicate with your parents as far in advance as possible as to all scheduling items. Notify your parents of your team s game schedule as soon as it is posted (usually late- August for the fall season and mid-march for the spring season). Ask your parents to apprise you of any conflicts as soon as possible thereafter and share this information with your trainer. 5

6 Notify your parents of your team s practice schedule as soon as it is available. Ask your parents to apprise you of any conflicts in advance of practices and share this information with your trainer. Establish a mechanism to notify your parents and trainer of last-minute game or practice cancellations or changes. GAME SCHEDULING Read the pertinent NCSA rules at TBS Games (NCSA) Games that are designated as TBS (to be scheduled) prior to the start of the season must be scheduled (not necessarily played) within two weeks of the official start date of the season. A game that becomes TBS due to rainout or otherwise must be played within two weeks of the original date scheduled for the game. Scheduling TBS Games (NCSA) Note: Contact your opponent to find out if they have specific preferences, and then agree on several options that suit both teams. Per NCSA rules, the home team is responsible for initiating this process. Memorialize all efforts to schedule TBS games via so that there is a record of the efforts you make. Please note that NCSA officials may ask to review your communications in the event that there is a dispute between you and your opponent as to why a TBS game is not scheduled in a timely fashion. For home games, the procedure for booking fields through the Club is posted on the Club website. For homes games, following confirmation of field availability and securing an available field, confirm this with your opponent and ask them to confirm agreement. Once you have agreement with your opponent, notify the Club NCSA Representative, who will in turn submit a game change request through the Club website. Monitor the NCSA website to ensure that the change is submitted correctly. Creating gaps between games scheduled at a given field is not permitted as NCSA wants referees to officiate back-to-back games. Thus, the Club will not submit a game change that creates such a gap. Final requests must be submitted by Sunday evening to be effective the following weekend. Field Closures If a home field is formally condemned as unplayable due to inclement weather, you will be notified by the Club. Your opponent should advise you in the event that a field for an away game 6

7 is formally condemned. Otherwise, only the referee scheduled to officiate a given game can cancel the game. Accordingly, your team should report for all games as scheduled, even in the event of inclement weather, unless it is clear that the game has been postponed due to the field being condemned. If your team fails to report to a game that would otherwise be played despite inclement weather, your team may forfeit the game and be assessed a fine. When in doubt, be proactive to determine whether a field will be closed. If you have a home game that cannot be played because the field is condemned, the first team scheduled to play at a field that day must meet the referee at the scheduled field and pay $25 per assigned referee and tell the referee that the field is condemned and that no further games will be played there. If the game is not played, the home team coach must notify the Club NCSA representative, who will in turn inform the Games Chair(s) and the Division Commissioner within 24 hours. Game Scheduling (Non-NCSA) Home game dates must be submitted to the Club field coordinator immediately upon receipt from the league. The Club will then schedule games according to field and referee availability. Referees will be assigned by NCSA and must be paid according to NCSA rates. NCSA field closure rules apply to all non-ncsa games. NCSA fines and rescheduling rules apply to all non-ncsa games. FIELDS We are guests at all fields at which we play and therefore responsible for leaving those fields cleaner than we found them. Never change practice location after drop-offs take place. The Club will place flags at all fields. Turf field (St. Joseph and NHRHS) flags are kept at Brian Deane s house at 2 Deer Trail Road, Saddle River, NJ Pick up flags if yours is the first game and drop them off if yours is the last. Please do not allow any food or drink other than water on the field. Spectators are not permitted inside the fence. In addition to cleaning the player s area, direct your players to tidy up the stands and around the fence. Always have a bag with you to gather both teams garbage. During the spring, baseball, softball and lacrosse take precedence over soccer. Even if you were assigned a field for practice, do not confront the other coach. Instead, call Club officials to try and sort it out on your behalf. Regardless of the circumstances, the Club will not tolerate any confrontation involving our coaches. Lightning Referees have instructions to halt a game in case of lightning and only resume 30 minutes later. Follow these common sense rules during both games and practices: 7

8 Leave the field as quickly as possible following a lightning strike or the sound of thunder. Seek shelter in a car or building, never under a tree or on bleachers. Stay away from large metallic objects. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving shelter. Familiarize yourself with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s lightning safety guidance ( PRACTICES/WINTER OPPORTUNITIES You are required to adhere to the published practice schedule and obtain permission from the Club for any changes. Chaperones Chaperones are mandatory for all teams U11 and younger. Please have a parent or other adult guardian attend each practice as a chaperone. The chaperone should ensure that every player is picked up at the end of practice. Chaperones are optional for all teams U12 and older. Winter Training Included in the team fees is an amount allocated for indoor training space, which will be secured by the Club for each team. Indoor Leagues and Tournaments Although optional, all teams are encouraged to participate in indoor leagues and tournaments during the winter. Stronger teams are encouraged to consider playing up in the next older age group. Because the fields are all smaller, you will never play with a full complement of players. To avoid having too many substitutes, in which case individual playing time will be limited, let players sign up for fewer tournaments than you have entered. This way the players will have an opportunity to play an equal number of tournaments with adequate playing time at each. If your team chooses to participate in indoor leagues or tournaments, be mindful of registration dates and register as early as possible. If you have any questions about winter league and tournament options, please contact the appropriate age group coordinator. GAME COACHING Trainers are responsible for coaching games and all game coaching decisions, including player selections, game lineup, player positions, amount of playing time, etc. Managers are there to assist, if requested by the trainer. In the event a trainer fails to attend a game, and a backup trainer is not available to attend a game, the manager will assume all game coaching responsibilities ordinarily handled by the trainer. 8

9 Pre-Game Management Confirm game information (location and time of game and uniform colors to be worn by both teams) in advance with the opposing coach and double-check the NCSA website the morning of the game. Although last minutes changes are not common, schedule changes may occur as late as thirty minutes before a scheduled kickoff. Notify your parents about any changes in a timely fashion. Have the following mandatory items readily available: o Two copies of your team s watermarked US Club roster o All player and trainer/manager passcards o One copy of the NCSA Game Day Form, prepared on line through the NCSA website no more than 48 hours before the game. Ensure that the names of all players and trainers/managers are listed, including the names of any guest players. Remember to sign the form. o Referee fees (exact amount required) the home team must be prepared to pay the entire referee fee in the event the visiting team neglects to bring their share of the referee fee to the game. On your US Club roster, cross off the names of any players who will not play in the game. When the referee informs you that he will check your roster and player passes, hand out player passes to all players in attendance. Teach players to line up in alphabetical order. Ensure that any impermissible items such as jewelry are removed, that shirts are tucked in, that shoes are tied, and that any player who needs to use the bathroom does so well in advance of kickoff. Bring a first aid kit to every game. Consider utilizing a team backpack to hold your first aid kit, the required forms, gloves and a goalkeeper s jersey or pinnie to be worn by your goalkeeper, a game ball, etc. If playing at home, check the field in advance (condition of field, existence of lines and corner flags, nets properly secured to goals and goals either staked into field or anchored with appropriate weights). Ensure that you have an appropriate game ball. Players and trainers/managers of both teams must be on the same sideline, with parents of both teams on the opposite sideline. Coaches must stay within the coaches area, which is approximately a 20-yard linear area beginning at midfield. Tell your team where players are expected to be located when not on the field. Playing Time Except for younger players, there is no guaranteed amount of playing time and there are many factors that can affect the amount of playing time for a particular player. The policy of the Club is that playing time is earned and not given. Starting positions and playing time are both earned by coming to practice regularly and by working hard, competing and concentrating during practices and games. Should you have any questions or concerns about playing time issues, please discuss such issues with your team manager at the appropriate time. Please note that the Americans require that players on small-sided teams play at least one-third of each game, provided they are in good standing, i.e., that they have demonstrated an appropriate level of 9

10 commitment through their attendance at practices and games, that they exhibit good behavior and a positive attitude at practices and games, etc. Problems Missing referees: Wait 15 minutes after the scheduled kickoff time before attempting to arrange for/aging to a substitute referee with the opposing coach. The game will be rescheduled if you and your opponent cannot agree on a substitute. Please note that the league, not the Club, assigns referees. Post-Game Management Submit the game score to the league in a timely fashion (no more than four hours after the conclusion of a game for NCSA games) to avoid the assessment of a fine. The winning team (or the home team in the case of a tie) must submit the game score in accordance with league rules. The Club strongly encourages its managers to complete any referee evaluation forms made available by a given league as information provided in such forms is used by the various leagues to improve the overall quality of officiating by league referees. If you observe any significant issues with the field your team was assigned for a game (e.g., long grass, any tripping hazards, etc.), please report any such issues to the appropriate age group coordinator. Player Evaluations MISCELLANEOUS The Club requires its trainers to complete player evaluations of all players during the fall and spring seasons and to administer the evaluations to the players no later than the end of the respective seasons. Please ensure that your team s trainer completes and administers all player evaluations in a timely fashion. League Websites All youth soccer leagues have websites containing important information about such issues as league rules, policies, forms and schedules. Should you have questions about a particular league that remain unanswered after you visit the pertinent league website, please contact your age group coordinator for guidance. Fundraising and Sponsorships The Club is open to sponsorships and fundraising events. If you or any of your parents have experience in this regard and/or would like to volunteer, please contact a Board member. 10

11 Other Sports Players are expected to commit to the Americans Soccer Club as their first recreational activity priority during the fall season. The Club encourages members to participate in other sports, particularly outside the fall season. If a player has a scheduling conflict outside the fall season due to the player s participation in another sport, it is the Club s policy and practice to manage and resolve the issue in an equitable manner that respects the player s participation in multiple sports. See Player/Parent Agreement. PLAYER/PARENT DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS MANAGER DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS All managers, trainers, officials, parents and players are subject to the Club s By-Laws, the Player/Parent Agreement and this Manager Handbook. Violations may result in disciplinary action, including suspensions and expulsions. The suspensions of a manager for more than two (2) games or the expulsion of a manager will occur only after a hearing at which the manager has had a reasonable opportunity to oppose such action. Grounds for removal may include, but are not limited to, failure to abide by Club rules, regulations and policies including those contained in this handbook and the Club s By-Laws failure to attend manager meetings, and failure to comply with other requirements issued by the Club from time to time. The Club recognizes that everyone has issues to deal with from time to time and the Club will make every effort to work with its managers when non-soccer-related issues arise. However, after the Club has exhausted all reasonable efforts to resolve issues with a given manager, it will pursue disciplinary action as outlined below: 1) The Disciplinary Committee will discuss the pertinent issues directly and privately with the manager, with the assumption that the manager will address and resolve all such issues immediately. 2) If the issues persist, the Club may temporarily suspend the manager. If the situation warrants, the Disciplinary Committee may recommend to the Board of Directors that the manager be removed from the Club. 3) The manager recommended for removal from the Club may request to meet with the Board of Directors, whose decision with respect to a recommended expulsion will be final. 11