Revised 4/24/2014 EDISON UNITED SOCCER ASSOCIATION TRAVEL SOCCER HANDBOOK Taking the Next Step to Greatness
Edison United Soccer Club 1) EUSA CLUB PHILOSOPHY The goal of the EUSA Travel program is for coaches and parents to work together to develop a love for the game of soccer in our children by encouraging play that is skillful and fair and that takes place in an enjoyable sporting environment. Note that this goal does not include the word winning. All teams and players STRIVE to win; they try their very best! The goal should not be an undefeated season but a season in which the kids skill sets grow from competing against appropriate competition. Another goal is the complete return of your roster. The sad statistic, however, is that more than half of all players between ages 10 and 14 quit the game most of them because of age-inappropriate pressure to win by coaches and parents. Coaches should be role models for their players and parents. Please have a meeting with your players and parents early in the season and make sure all parents understand the league s philosophy. 2) COMMITMENT Coaches and Players are expected to attend all games and all practices. Parents should notify coaches in advance for expected absences. Persistent absences should be brought to the attention of the Travel Committee and may result in removal from the team and/or not be placed on the team in the following season. Playing time will not be used as a penalty. For EUSA notification by coaches of problem players/parents please notify the Travel VP by e-mail and mailing an "INCIDENT REPORT FORM" found on our EUSA web-site. EUSA does not provide refunds for failure to participate. Dedication Please have your child on time and ready for all team functions. Players are expected to arrive at least 10 minutes before training sessions and 45 minutes prior to games. Preparation and punctuality are important fundamentals that will contribute to both player development and character. Coaches must be notified in advance if a player will miss any team function through email and/or phone call. Failure to do so, can and will
result in lack of game playing time. In addition, players must personally inform the coach of their absence. 3) RE-SCHEDULING GAMES Read the Mid New Jersey Handbook. It explains all valid reasons to postpone/reschedule a game. Many game reschedules are done for invalid reasons! Please follow the official procedure as outlined in the handbook when rescheduling games. If you don t, you CANNOT claim a forfeit when the other team does not show and you will be on your own trying to find a new date/time for your game. All postponed games are to be played within two weeks of the original play date per MNJYSA rules. If your game was cancelled or postponed you MUST still report the status and specify the week letter, date and game that was postponed. If your home game is not played you must e-mail the EUSA league contact (currently Travel VP) (Rescheduling see contact information at bottom) ASAP with a new date and time, so they can process a field schedule change and contact the referee assignor! Check which dates and times are available on the EUSA calendar and SCHEDULES page before your contact the other coach! Home game schedules are final as of 8PM on the Wednesday evening before the game. We must submit the schedule to the assignor at that time. The assignor has indicated that we are liable for the cost of referees if a change is made after this deadline. DO NOT CALL ASKING FOR A CHANGE PAST 8PM WEDNESDAY! You will be told the game will be played as scheduled. If your opponent bails, call our league contact (Stefan Virizlay) immediately and forward your opponents e-mail. The league contact will be in contact with the opposing club s coach/contact and VP ASAP to explain to them we expect the opponent to show as scheduled and we will be seeking a forfeit if they do not. Your team will show at the field and the ref will be given the game card and paid. In the past, we have had too many folks bailing at the last minute. This is unacceptable. Everyone involved should have figured this out way before the week of the game. Look at the schedule closely and notify us of any conflicts weeks in advance. By Sunday night the week of the game (e.g. 9/12 for Sunday 9/19 game) the schedule can't be changed for EUSA home games and by Wednesday night 8pm (e.g. 9/15) MNJYSA league schedule is set and can't be change under any circumstances. This information is provided to all MNJYSA coaches - don't let them push you around. Games are schedule to maximize our chances to have REFEREE'S assigned by the league for our games. REFs hate giving up their Sundays for just one game. When coaches can't play a game in their assigned time slots, your fellow coaches get the short end of the stick. Earliest start time set by the league for Sunday games is 11:00am.
4) UNIFORMS Our home uniform is BLUE. The RED is away. Always bring both. Home team must change if there is a conflict. Note: The cost of uniforms is included in the registration fee. Uniforms will be provided by the club and will be identical for each of our teams. EUSA will buy a maximum of one set of uniforms per year per team. That being said, we are a non-profit. If a team can re-use their uniforms for a second year, there will be that much more money to spend on tournaments etc. 5) INCLEMENT WEATHER If you don t hear from us about a HOME game BEFORE Sunday morning at 10 AM, the game is on! Check your e-mails and the EUSA website! Contact the coach of your opponent about cancellation of away games. The referee may cancel the game at the field. If yours is the first scheduled game to be cancelled at the field you must still pay the referee (see below). Note that a game that is canceled in the second half due to inclement weather is considered a complete game by MNJYSA. 6) REFEREE FEES You must pay the referees the appropriate fees per your game cards. The check that you receive will cover (1) U9-U10 seven games with one referee and three with three referees, (2) U11-U19 - six games with one referee and four games with three referees. At the end of the season you must request reimbursement for out-of-pocket costs for referee fees in excess of the initial check amount. Submit a sheet showing the number of games played, number of referees, fees paid, and the difference from the amount of the check you were issued at the beginning of the season to the Travel VP. This must be submitted by coaches a week after your team s last game. We want to refund everyone by 12/1 and 7/1 of each year. If you fail to submit you'll have to wait much longer.
7) SCORE REPORTING VP of Travel, Stefan Virizlay, is responsible for entering the scores for all our teams and making corrections. Scores are to be reported by 8pm every Sunday night. Both home and away scores must be reported. Make it a habit of reporting your scores on Sunday so you do not forget. We should not have to chase a coach down to obtain score and # of referees. 8) TRAINERS Each team will be allowed (i.e. paid by EUSA) 2 hours of training per week for a total of 20 training hours per season. The only authorized trainers that may be utilized are from Cheshire Soccer or Valencia Soccer Academy. Do not ask for any exceptions. Each team is also allowed (i.e. paid by EUSA) 6 hours (6-1hour sessions) of speed and agility training per season. Ap2T is the only authorized speed & agility training group. Speed and agility training will be held at Spencer Rockman on Friday evenings. Schedules will be distributed two weeks before the beginning of the season. EUSA coaches are responsible for completing the Travel Team Training Invoice forms. EUSA will not pay for any sessions without a completed Travel Team Training Invoice signed by the coach. Without properly filled out Travel Team Training Invoice submitted by the coach to our Treasurer, your team will be responsible for payment. The last 30 minutes of each 90 minute practice should be used for coaches to work with their teams in preparation for game day. Coaches/managers should participate with and learn from the trainer. Players will be evaluated at the end of each season by the training staff. You must provide your trainer with at least 4 hours notice if you have an emergency / would like to re-schedule your training session. 9) GOAL KEEPER TRAINING GK training sessions will be provided by Cheshire Soccer for our all travel teams at Spencer Rockman. All teams will be notified of the start date and scheduled training sessions (5 dates). Time will be confirmed by email. U-11 and under may send 4 goalkeepers; U-12 and over may send 3 goalkeepers. 10) FIELDS FOR PRACTICES The following field may never be used for practices: Thomas Edison Park, Municipal Complex, and Washington School. All other elementary and middle school fields or town parks may be used under the following conditions:
Share the field equally with other teams (you do not need the whole field for a practice), Keep a safe distance from baseball fields, especially when adults are playing, If someone shows you that they have a permit to use the field and ask you to leave you MUST leave immediately! Clean up after yourselves: ask parents and players to pickup bottles, paper etc. Keep our fields and our town clean! COACHES WHOSE TEAMS CONSISTENTLY LEAVE DEBRIS BEHIND ON THE FIELDS OR FAIL TO RETURN NETS TO THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATION AFTER TRAINING OR GAMES WILL BE BANNED FROM USING OUR FIELDS. SPENCER ROCKMAN: Playing at Spencer Rockman is a privilege and not a right. We expect teams/trainers/coaches to adhere to the following guidelines to ensure that our fields are properly maintained and that everyone has the needed space for training. These guidelines are there to keep our facility safe, organized and run in a professional manner. All teams training at Spencer Rockman Soccer Complex will be in proper attire. This includes either their Red or Blue EUSA Training Shirts, shorts, EUSA warmups, shin guards & cleats. Coaches are expected to wear either Red or Blue Coaches shirts. If a player and/or team are not in proper attire during practice, they will be asked to leave. The goals located on the large sided field and small sided field ARE NOT TO BE MOVED. Teams ARE NOT TO PLAY in the goal areas on the designated small sided or large sided fields. This includes the small fields with goals designated for Micro Soccer. Work across the space. Given the large number of teams training at Spencer Rockman, the team training area is to be no larger than 40x40. DO NOT SET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. Use common sense and begin your markings outside the touchlines working inward to allow as many teams as possible to train. There are several free floating goals at Spencer Rockman. You may use one goal per team. Use the appropriate goal for your age group. Goals are to be brought back to their original location at the end of practice. Ensure all goals are properly anchored. The snack bar will be open during practice sessions. Each team is required to provide 1 parent volunteer during your training times to man the snack bar. This is mandatory. Our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you with your team s schedule. Any scheduled make-up games will take precedence over training. Please monitor the calendar for any game additions and locate additional training space for your team as necessary. There will be no full field practice scrimmages allowed. You must be approved and on the Spencer Rockman calendar in order to train at the field.
As coaches, you are responsible to ensure that your training area is left clean when you leave the field. Please discard all bottles & garbage in the proper receptacles. If you are training on Wednesdays, you are expected to bring the garbage cans & recycling to the curb for pickup. If you are training on Thursdays, you are expected to bring the garbage cans and recycling receptacles back to the clubhouse. 11) TOURNAMENT FEES Tournament fees will be covered on a case-by-case basis as determined by the EUSA board. Request for tournament fee coverage/reimbursement must be made in advance of registration for said tournament with the Travel VP (who will in turn discuss with the EUSA Board of Directors). EUSA will cover NJ State Cup fee for teams Flight 3 or better FOR ANY EUSA TEAM. Coaches should pay for the tournament and request reimbursement by mailing a copy of your cancelled check along with some confirmation from the tournament to the VP of Travel, who will compile a list of all requests and submitted to the treasurer on 9/30, 11/30, 4/30 and 6/30. Checks will go out a few weeks after each list is received. You may request patches for each tournament you enter. The league will provide, free of charge, up to 150 patches per year (Sep-Jun) for full-sided teams and 120 for smallsided teams. A maximum of 75 patches (60 for small-sided teams) may be requested for each tournament paid for by the club. Additional patches may be purchased for $0.75 each. One week s notice is required to obtain patches. 12) TRYOUTS Tryouts for U8-U16 teams for the following season will be held in May at Spencer Rockman. All must register online before try-outs. Attendance is mandatory for all players who wish to play travel in the fall of the next season. 13) PLAYER LOAN FOR TOURNAMENT PLAY If you would like a player from another EUSA team to be a guest player on your team for a tournament you MUST follow the following procedure: - Contact the Travel VP with the names of the players you would like to have as guest players, for which date(s) and the reason why. - After approval by the Travel VP, the Travel VP will contact the other coach. - If the other coach agrees than the coaches of both teams may discuss the details between themselves. Please note that U9 & U10 players are not allowed to play up on an older team except if they are of the same grade as the older team.
14) TRANSFERS All coaches, parents and players should be aware of the fact that the commitment to a travel team is for ONE FULL YEAR and includes both the fall and subsequent spring season. New Jersey Youth Soccer advises that approaching a carded player on another team in order to seek a transfer of that player is considered poaching and may be penalized by a fine and suspension. If a player wishes to leave your team (or join your team) after the Fall Season, that player must have a release form signed by the old coach. In order for EUSA players to be released to another club they must be paid in full for their entire team budgeted year. 15) SAGE = SET A GOOD EXAMPLE Positive Reinforcement Focus on the positive aspects of your child s play. By reinforcing a fun and enjoyable atmosphere, players will be encouraged to play at their highest level. Allow the coaches to critique areas that need improvement. Keep the attitude at home fun! Sideline Conduct Parents are to maintain a family oriented conduct on the sideline. Each family is to sit together on the same half of midfield and support the team. Parents should get to know one another and each player s siblings Parents will not shout instructions to players under any circumstance. Allow the players to figure out the game on their own. Maintain a level and positive atmosphere. Over exaggerated cheering or negativity drains the players. If you stay cool, so will the players. Do not engage in any confrontation. There will be zero tolerance for sideline conflict. Parents must not enter the coach s side of the field at any time during a match. Respect Parents are to respect one another, coaches, referees, club officials, and players at all times. Do not address the coach on game day. Any concerns or questions for the coach must be scheduled through email and will be conducted at the following week s practice. Always set an example with your conduct and how you address others
ALL COACHES and TRAINERS MUST PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK EACH JAN. Every team must have 2 parents attend a MNJYSA SAGE meeting at least once every season (Fall/Spring). It is the obligation of every coach to ensure attendance. MNJYSA has a new rule as of Spring 2012: any club that has even one team that does not attend a Sage meeting for the Fall or Spring will cause the entire club to not be eligible for flight playoffs. Remember your SAGE pledge. Remind your parents and players about their SAGE pledges. Please remind your parents that there will be an additional line on the parents side at least 5 feet from the field. All parents must stay behind this line! Each team must select a SAGE parent who will serve as passive reminders for the SAGE program during the game. This parent MUST wear a SAGE button as a visible reminder of the program. Each team must hold a team pre-season SAGE meeting and show the SAGE video if they have not seen it. Each team MUST display at least ONE SAGE SIGN at the field (home or away!). Each team must hold a pre-game SAGE meeting (1-2 min) directly before the start of each game. The coach MUST advise the referee that such a meeting is in progress. 16) PLAYING TIME As a club, our focus is on the development of players at their appropriate competitive levels. We are also cognizant that not all players on a team may share the same level of commitment to the game. There is no minimum guaranteed playing time for any player in travel. Travel soccer playing time is based on the team s needs as well as the individual s ability to competently display his/her abilities and is at the coach s discretion. A player s playing time may be limited based on the factors below and is up to the discretion of the coach: Effort Attitude/Respect Teamwork Practice Attendance Practice Performance Player s Physical State Discipline Ability Punctuality 17) YELLOW/RED CARDS If your players receive yellow or red cards during a game you MUST notify the Travel VP immediately within 24 hours of the game. Briefly describe the circumstances.
Coaches who receive RED CARDs will pay $100 fine along with a 3 game suspension from the league and EUSA will impose additional penalties up to and including a life time ban from coaching in EUSA. 18) INCIDENT REPORTING If an incident occurs at your game you MUST notify the Travel VP immediately within 24 hours of the incident. Fill out an incident report and have one or more witnesses fill out an incident report as well. Incidents include but are not limited to child or parent misbehavior before, during or after the game or practice as well as game injuries. Incident Report Forms can be downloaded from our website at: http://www.edisonunitedsoccer.com/euforms/forms.html Please note that EUSA supports an alcohol, cigarette and tobacco free environment for our players. Smoking at games and practices is not allowed. 19) COMMUNICATION During the season news and updates will be sent to you by email. Make sure you check your email regularly. Ensure that your registration profile has the proper email contact addresses. 20) BASIC PARENT COACHES/MANAGERS RESPONSIBILITIES Make sure players are having FUN & developing their soccer skills. Display appropriate sportsmanship AT ALL TIMES. This includes reminding your players to do so as well. ALL players are to play ALL positions, especially at the younger ages. It is the trainer and your responsibility to ensure that this happens. All teams should have a parent meeting before the start of each season. This meeting should outline the clubs philosophy/expectations as well as your/the trainers plans for the team. When possible include the trainer in these meetings. The meeting should also allow time for parents to discuss their thoughts/concerns. Communicate regularly with parents, players and trainers. This is especially important if your trainer is not part of your team s game day. Assist trainers with training sessions; if your trainer is your game day coach please let him take the lead on directing the play. (i.e. one voice) Safety of all players is paramount. ALL EUSA paperwork (i.e. carding, game cards, game day reports) are to be completed timely Scheduling summer/winter training with your team/trainer. Player evaluations. This meeting should include the parent coach, trainer, parents and player. Reviews should take no more than 5 min per player. This is MANDATORY. Parent coaches should have an equipment bag with: balls, keeper gloves, shirts, pinnies, ice packs & first aid kit. Make sure your trainer has a copy of the team roster with the correct contact information.
Assign a SAGE parent for EVERY game and when necessary, lines persons as well. 21) EQUIPMENT Please be sure to have the following with you whenever you are on the field with players: emergency contact info for all players medical release forms concussion training certificate (this is required by NJYS) first aid kits/ice packs Equipment: All parent coaches/managers will receive an equipment bag at the beginning of the fall season. Should you need anything throughout the season please contact Stephen Virizlay. Ball Sizes: U8: size 3 U9-U12: size 4 U13+: size 5 22) SNACK BAR VOLUNTEERS If you are playing at Spencer Rockman Soccer Complex, your team is expected to volunteer in the snack bar for 1.5 to 2 hours prior to your scheduled game. Failure to do so may result in your team NOT being scheduled to play or practice at Spencer Rockman. Last team of the day is responsible for cleaning and closing down the snack bar.
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION President Angie M. Tarighi Cell: (908) 217-4502 Email: eusa@edisonunitedsoccer.com VP Travel Stefan Virizlay Cell: (732) 850-2311 Email: stefan.virizlay@otis.com Executive VP & Treasurer Bob Nagele Phone: (732) 381-4234 cell (732) 491-7199 Email: banags@optonline.net Director of Training Alek Petreski Cell: (908) 227-1079 Email: soccerclubnews@gmail.com Volunteer Coordinator Jack Hearne Cell: (732) 850-5833 Email: jackhearne@msn.com SAGE coordinator Frank Brattole Email: frankbracciole@gmail.com Cheshire Soccer (trainer) contact: Darren Julian Cell: (908) 295-3519 Email: Darren@cheshiresoccer.com Valencia Soccer Academy (trainer) contact: Jason Montesinos Cell: (732) 754-1870 Email: valenciasoccercoach@gmail.com AP2T (trainer speed & agility) contact: Mike Olim Cell: (908) 405-5884 Email: mike@ap2t.net
EUSA website (with field directions) www.edisonunitedsoccer.com Mid New Jersey Youth Soccer Association Web site: www.mnjysa.org NJYSA State Site www.njyouthsoccer.com I HAVE READ THE EUSA TRAVEL RULES & REGULATIONS AND AGREE TO ABIDE BY THEM. (Sign name Player) (Print name Player) (Sign name Coach) (Print name Coach) (Sign name Parent) (Print name Parent) (Date)