How Teams Were Formed The Schedule

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1 Welcome to Coaching You are now an integral part of the Eden Prairie Soccer Association (EPSA) and one of the fastest growing youth sports in America. The Eden Prairie Soccer Association relies heavily on volunteer help, and we thank you for your time and effort to help make this program successful. As a coach, you are the lifeblood of the soccer program -- no amount of planning or scheduling can replace the vital function served by the men and women who give up some of their time to coach kids. We hope that you have as much fun coaching soccer as your kids will have while playing it. How Teams Were Formed About one week before the season starts, you will receive a preliminary roster for your team in an from your Divisional Commissioner. This will have player and parent information including phone number and addresses. This is preliminary because the Association allows late registration through the day before the season starts, so it is possible you will receive follow up s or phone calls adding or taking away players. It is still your responsibility to contact each player as soon as you know they are on your team and relay important information about the day, time and field number for your first practice session. See more in the Tips for a New Coach section of the Coaches Manual. The Commissioner is given the objective of arriving at as much balance as possible so that most of the games are fun for all teams and all players. Players are assigned to teams in this approximate order: Children of the coaches for a team. Children of the team manager. Seasons of experience (some kids may have played before) Self Assessed Skill Level (as indicated by their parents during registration) Sex (some divisions are coed) and weight and height (large differences can be a factor). Finally, friend requests for a player to be on same team as another player. As a coach, your challenge is to work with the talent you were assigned and help them improve as soccer players. A large program might form several "flights" of teams to help equitably balance teams. For example, a coed program usually gets more boys than girls. The Association may choose to separate a boys-only flight from a coed flight. The Schedule All Divisions play twice a week for eight weeks. (We lose at least one day in the holiday weekend. Consequently, all divisions have fourteen or fifteen events in the season.) The first three or four sessions are generally reserved for practices and games usually start the third week. The Eden Prairie Soccer Association encourages a high game-to-practice ratio, but some practices may be scheduled during the season. Each Division meets for the same length of time for both games and practices. For your specific Division s days and time, please check the Association web site ( or consult with your Divisional Commissioner. Note that division days and times may be different from Spring to Fall and are subject to change from year to year. On game nights, the first 20 to 30 minutes are for warm-ups and a few team drills before the game starts. During the Fall season, this time may be shortened to ensure a full game gets completed before it gets dark.

2 The Equipment Each team receives a coaches bag at the coaches meeting. The coaches bag includes a team ball, ball pump and extra pump needles, practice cones, a set of pinnies, goalie jersey and goalie gloves, ice packs and bandages. Please see your Commissioner if you are missing anything from your bag, if anything is damaged, or if you need to replenish ice packs or bandages. Coaches' Meeting All new and veteran coaches are required to attend one of the Coach Meetings held approximately a week before each season starts. At the Coach Meeting, you will: Meet your commissioner and co-coach (although he or she may attend the other meeting). Pick up your Coach Bag (if not already picked up by your co-coach). A Divisional Handbook with Rules, Suggested Practice Drills, Games and Rotation Tables. Learn about the various Coach Training opportunities available to all coaches. Attend the required Risk Management Program and Coach Orientation (required regardless how many seasons you have coached). Coach Training Many of our volunteer coaches have never played soccer before or possibly never coached a team before. That s okay! The Eden Prairie Soccer Association offers several training sessions to help new coaches or coaches who need to brush up on the rules of soccer or coaching drills, skills and games. New Coach Information Session This is a REQUIRED one hour meeting for all NEW COACHES. If you have never coached in the Eden Prairie Soccer Association, you must attend this session. Even if you have coached soccer before, but not in our Association, you are required to attend one of two sessions offered each season. Check the Calendar on the Association web site for days and times when these sessions are offered. New Coach Clinic This is optional for any coach, but highly recommended for a coach new to the game of soccer. At this three hour clinic, we will cover the following topics: 1. The Game of Soccer, positions and other individuals on the soccer field 2. The Rules of Soccer 3. New Coach Planning 4. Divisional Related Skills, Drills and Games (although done in a classroom setting) On-Field Coach Training: Drills, Skills and Games This is held on the field (or inside if weather does not cooperate). At this training session, you ll have to bring a soccer ball and wear tennis shoes or cleats because we ll be showing you many of the skills, drills and games you ll want to use in your own practices. Coach Mentor Coach Mentors are provided at the request of a coach for our A and B divisions. A Coach Mentor will guide you and your team through the first couple of practices and teach you and your team some fun drills and skills appropriate for those in the A and B divisions. In addition, you will have access to contact your Coach Mentor for other coaching tips throughout the season. Coach Mentors are often seasoned coaches or experienced high school soccer players. Coach Mentors are offered on a first come, first served basis. You will learn more about our Coach Mentoring program at Coach Meetings.

3 All About EPSA The Eden Prairie Soccer Association (EPSA) is an all-volunteer organization that administers the non-competitive (intramural) soccer program for children who live or go to school in Eden Prairie. The Board of Directors is comprised of the Officers of the Association; Directors of Referees, Registration, Coaching, Purchasing, Awards, Fields, Equipment, Pictures and Division Commissioners. A current list of the Board of Directors and their positions can be found on the Association web site at All parents of registered players are Members of the Association and are free to attend any meeting of the Board of Directors. Each year, Members vote on the Officers of the Association. The Board of Directors meets once a month throughout the year and meeting dates and times can be found on the Association web site. The City of Eden Prairie provides and maintains the soccer fields for Association use. Most of our games are played at Flying Cloud Fields sports complex, but some games may be scheduled at other fields scattered throughout the city. The City also sets the rules for use of the fields and determines when the season may start. The City maintains the large goal frames that some programs use and splits the maintenance cost with the Association. The Association owns and maintains all other equipment including the goal nets, the small goal frames used for Divisions A through C, the coach bags and coach equipment and storage facilities for equipment during the off season. The Board of Directors is comprised of unpaid volunteers. In most cases, we are the parents of the kids who play or have played soccer in the Association. We operate under the motto, Volunteers meet the nicest people! If we don t get enough volunteer help for any of our programs, we may have to reduce the number of teams we can support or make teams larger than ideal size due to an insufficient number of coaches. For this reason, we are extremely grateful you have volunteered to be a coach. Other Soccer Organizations Eden Prairie Soccer Club Eden Prairie is fortunate to have two soccer organizations for our children. The Eden Prairie Soccer Club (EPSC) is the travel soccer program. Travel soccer is more competitive and teams are formed on the basis of skill via try-outs. EPSC play against other travel teams from other communities in the southwest metropolitan area, but may also travel to tournaments out of the area or state in some instances. Our Association focuses on learning through playing games, while the Soccer Club focuses on soccer skill development through practice and then execution during less frequent games. Both organizations work together to help children foster a love for the game of soccer. Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) The Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) oversees youth soccer in the state. While the MYSA has expanded from their traditional support of youth competitive soccer (like the EPSC) to include youth recreational programs like the EPSA, the Association is currently not a member of the MYSA. The Association reviews its relationship with MYSA on a periodic basis.

4 EPSA Soccer Seasons The EPSA operates two eight-week seasons. The Spring season begins in late April or early May and runs through June. The Fall season begins in the middle of August and runs through the middle of October. Each season over 1,000 kids participate in soccer through the Eden Prairie Soccer Association. Each season has an early bird registration period, a regular registration period and a late registration period that allows participants to register almost up to the day before the season starts. Higher, late registration fees are designed to incentivize Members to register early as late registrants cause significant administrative headaches as we try to balance teams and attempt to give everyone the opportunity to play soccer that wants to play. Player Fees Parents/Players pay a fee to participate in the EPSA. The EPSA does not require players, coaches or parents to engage in any fund raising activities. Player fees cover all expenses including the following: Player jersey and socks Lettering of name on jerseys Pictures Referees End of Season Awards and Coach Gifts Insurance and risk management Equipment (purchase, repair, field repair and storage) Coach shirts and printing of coach training materials Advertising, copies and mailings Web site hosting and maintenance On-line registration system (League One ) Coach training sessions and meeting room fees Miscellaneous expenses Divisions The EPSA provides a soccer environment for children from pre-kindergarten through highschool. Divisions are segregated primarily by age and sex, although some divisions are co-ed. The Pre-K division is co-ed because the players are generally on an equal skill level and are of similar size and weight. The F Division for 7 th and 8 th graders and the G Division for high school kids are also co-ed due to the fact that separate boy and girl divisions for those age groups wouldn t have enough interest for enough teams. Division Spring Team Players Ball Fall Grade Program Grade Size per side Size Session Time A Pre-K K Coed 7 or 8 5 #3 75 minutes B K 1 st Boys & Girls 7 or 8 5 #3 80 minutes C 1 st & 2 nd 2 nd & 3 rd Boys & Girls 9 or 10 7 #3 90 minutes D 3 rd & 4 th 4 th & 5 th Boys & Girls Up to 13 9 #4 90 minutes E 5 th & 6 th 6 th & 7 th Boys & Girls Up to 11 8 #4 100 minutes F 7 th & 8 th 8 th & 9 th Coed Up to 10 7 #5 110 minutes G 9 th 12 th 10 th 12 th Coed Up to #5 120 minutes

5 While these divisions are sorted by grade, the EPSA assigns children to a program by age. A child who is older than other kids in his grade (for example, a child who was started late) will discover that they are playing with kids in the next older grade. Not that a player stays in the same division for both the Spring and Fall seasons or any given year even though they graduate to the next higher grade in between. In some cases, children can request to be moved up or down a Division due to a friend request. The Registrar and Commissioners for both Divisions must agree to this request. Divisions also play on different sized fields and with some modified rules to accommodate safety, skill level and endurance of players. Division Field Size Periods Time/Period Goalkeeper Offsides A 30 x 50 yards Quarters 6 minutes No No B 30 x 50 yards Quarters 8 minutes No No C 30 x 50 yards Quarters 10 minutes Yes Flagrant D 50 x 70 yards Halves 25 minutes Yes Yes E 50 x 70 yards Halves 30 minutes Yes Yes F 50 x 70 yards Halves 35 minutes Yes Yes G 70 x 100 yards Halves 40 minutes Yes Yes The EPSA does not keep standings or statistics. While the referees report the score, these reports are only used to identify problems or to report on-field incidents. Equipment Each player must have his or her own ball, must wear shin guards at all practices and games and have socks that cover the shin guard entirely. Soccer socks are provided, although some players may wish to use their own soccer socks. They should also bring a full water bottle every night, even if it s cold outside. It is preferred players wear black shorts to ensure the team has a uniform appearance. During colder games or practices, sweatpants and sweatshirts are allowed, but the players jersey must be on the outside layer and visible. Each player is supplied with a jersey in a distinctive color. Included in the registration fee is the ability for players to have their name or a nickname applied to their jersey. Jersey s with names applied are generally handed out by the Team Manager by the third practice session. Safety and First Aid The safety of the player is of prime importance. For this reason: Shin guards must be worn and must be covered by socks. Players may not wear jewelry, watches, bracelets, wrist bands, rings, necklaces, hard barrettes, hard head bands or earrings during practices or games. Earrings that cannot be removed for some reason must be covered by tape or a bandage during games or practices. Lightning, with or without rain, is sufficient cause to cancel at any point in the game Referees will enforce dangerous play and unsportsmanlike conduct. An injury on the field is cause for immediate stoppage of play by the referee. If an injury requires medical attention, the Coach is authorized to call 911 if the parent or designated adult is not available to make the call or transport the player to a medical facility.

6 Team and Individual Pictures Included with a Member s registration fee is a team and individual picture of the player. One week to ten days before Picture Day, the Picture Director will hand out the picture schedule to the Team Managers. If it rains, the photographers may choose to shoot indoors. If we shoot indoors, players must wear tennis shoes and not soccer cleats. Three to four weeks after the pictures are taken; the Picture Director will give the photo packages to the Team Managers for distribution to the players. Rain-Outs and Cancellations Except in the case of severe weather, soccer is played in all conditions. Fortunately for the kids, they re running around and staying warm. For the parents, however, it can be frustrating to find out if a game or practice session is on or cancelled. Coaches are NOT ALLOWED to cancel games or practice sessions. Only the City of Eden Prairie and the President or Vice-President of the EPSA can cancel games prior to their start. The City of Eden Prairie will only cancel activities on the fields if there is risk of damaging the fields or if there is a safety issue on the fields. While a game is in play, the EPSA practices the One and Done rule when it comes to thunder storms. If thunder is heard or lightning is seen, the Referee, Referee Supervisors, Referee Coordinator, Referee Director or a Division Commissioner will immediately cancel games or practices that are in session or about to begin. When a game or practice session is cancelled, all parents are strongly encouraged to take their children home. The EPSA has a Rain-Out and Cancellation Policy that can be found in Chapter 2. This describes the policies and procedures the Association and the City of Eden Prairie follow with regards to weather related cancellations. Parent Supervision and Child Left Behind Policy The EPSA has a policy requiring parents or a designated adult be present during every game or practice session in Divisions A through D. In Divisions E through G, parents can drop off their child or authorize the child to coordinate their own transportation (walk, bike, hitch a ride with another player s parents/guardian or in the G division, drive themselves to the game). Please read the EPSA s policy found in Chapter 2 regarding parental supervision at all games and practices and our policy about parents who are late in picking up children. The EPSA recognizes some parents have children in multiple divisions, sometimes at the same time. This makes it difficult to pick up or be at every game or practice. As a coach, parents should notify you if they need to leave to another field or run an errand and you should have their contact information available if you need to reach them for any reason. First Aid Supplies, Lost & Found & Concession Stand The EPSA shares a shed at Flying Cloud Fields with several other sports organizations. In the center section of the shed, the EPSA has extra first aid supplies and also maintains a lost and

7 found. If you need additional coaches equipment (pinnies, cones, goalie gloves), please contact your Commissioner. If you find a ball, shoes, water bottle or other equipment of value, please bring it to the shed and place it in the Lost and Found box during any EPSA game or practice session. If you or your child has lost something, check the Lost and Found box often as it sometimes takes several weeks for items to make it to the Lost and Found box. In addition, the shed has a concession stand currently operated by local Boy Scout Troops as a fund raising project. If you have any questions or concerns about the concession stand, please contact the Boy Scouts or the EPSA President. Shoes and Shins Program The Eden Prairie Soccer Association has a program to collect used soccer cleats and shin guards and offer them to players whose parents may not be able to afford new cleats and shin guards or simply have children growing faster than they can keep up. As a coach, we want to encourage parents to donate used cleats and shin guards to this program as well as let them know who to contact if they wish to receive a pair of cleats and/or shin guards. You will receive further information on this program at Coach Meetings. Awards and Trophies The EPSA will give each player a participation award at the end of the season. The EPSA does not provide (and strongly discourages) awards based on standings in the league, on individual skills, or awards that are to be given out singly to players because of ability. Coaches are free to give additional awards or gifts at their own expense, however, all players must receive equal gifts or awards. Awards that have any religious, political or cultural significance are not allowed. Problems During the course of the season, you may hear a few complaints, encounter an unruly coach, parent or player or have other concerns. You don t have to face these issues on your own. The EPSA has years of experience in addressing any issues that come up. In all cases, any concerns that you have should be brought to the attention of your Divisional Commissioner, the Referee Director, the Coaching Director or the President of the Association. Contact information for all of these individuals is on the web site under About Us/Our Board. In addition, you should have received numerous s from your Commissioner and the Coaching Director prior to and during the season. Please keep those contacts handy should you need to address any problems. Notes: