Annandale United Football Club Player s Handbook 2017 2018 Season
Table of Contents Table of Contents... ii Welcome!... 3 Team Rules... 4 Core AUFC Philosophies... 5 Player Registration Checklist... 6 AUFC Players... 6 Uniforms... 7 League Information... 9 National Premier League (NPL)... 9 Player Development Program... 12 Club Training... 13 Standard Practice Etiquette... 14 Standard Game Etiquette... 14 Frequently Asked Questions... 16 What is travel soccer?... 16 How does travel soccer differ from the recreation soccer league? 16 When do travel soccer teams play their games?... 16 What is the player s time commitment?... 17 Can my child be cut from the team?... 17 Player Safety... 18 Injuries... 18 Nutrition... 18 Concussions... 18 Key Points of Contact... 20 Technical Director... 20 Boys Director of Coaching... 20 Girls Director of Coaching Girls... 21 Director of Player Development... 21 Appendix... 22
Welcome! This is your handbook to help your transition to Annandale United FC and ensure we have the best season ever! Congratulations & Welcome to Annandale United FC! You all are reading this because you have made the personal decision to commit yourself to learning, playing-hard and being the best soccer player you can be for the Annandale United FC! This handbook will answer many of your questions and provide guidance on administration, training and how our team will operate over the season. Remember, your coaches and trainers will give 100% effort in order for you to succeed as amateur soccer players. I challenge you as student athletes to give your teammates the best you have at all times, recognizing that you are now part of a competitive team where the needs of the team, as well as the player, is the guiding priority. Play for fun! Play for glory! Play for each other! Bo Amato Technical Director Annandale United FC 3
Team Rules 1) RESPECT I will treat my fellow players, opponents, technical staff and administrators with the same respect I deserve myself. a. I will never bully a team mate; they are my family on the field. b. I will play within the spirit of the game at all times. c. I will treat our opponents, regardless of the final score, as players who have sacrificed just like me. 2) PROFESSIONALISIM I am part of an elite competitive team. I recognize my individual actions impact not just me, but the overall success of the team. a. I will arrive on time and be prepared for all team activities. b. I will be attentive and execute everything I am challenged with at 150%. c. I will communicate my schedule and conflicts in advance to ensure the team has time to plan. d. I will wear the prescribed uniform, training kit and gear; they are symbols of my commitment. 3) ENJOYMENT I am here to have fun! I will not let short term challenges destroy my long term passion for the game. a. I will always remember that Soccer is a fun activity! b. I will not allow parents or spectators to distract me during matches or training activities. c. I will do my part to always ensure a positive environment. 4
Core AUFC Philosophies Excellence We will always be accountable for our actions and recognize that average is not acceptable. We will always try to work harder than our opponents. I will embrace my role as a US Youth Soccer player and recognize my commitment will propel me to the next level. Possession with purpose We will strive at all cost to own the ball, control the game and penetrate the final third. We will be masters in the art of providing great angles of support, passing to the proper foot, receiving away from pressure, playing simple, limiting touches, and everything else that makes it possible to keep possession of the ball. Defensively Committed We must all defend bravely, confidently, with commitment, high energy, and with a steel tough mindset. If I lose possession, I will take responsibility and give immediate chase to win it back. Stay Organized We will be disciplined in our system of play recognizing the success of the team is only as strong as the players who cooperate in it. High Work Rate We are elite athletes; we will not stop working hard for the entire match. Creative Attacking We will play fast, purposeful, free flowing, and creative attacking soccer. Sportsmanship We will support and believe in fair play and respect everyone; regardless of our opponent s behavior. 5
Player Registration Checklist AUFC Players Accept offer with AUFC on Club Website Return Player Profile sheet to Coach & Team Manager Send digital head shot to Coach & Team Manager Return Medical Release form to Coach & Team Manager Provide original proof-of-birth to Coach & Team Manager 6
Uniforms All AUFC soccer players must purchase required uniforms and gear. This includes all home, away, third kit, training gear and warm-ups. NOTE: Due to security concerns, no last names are authorized to be on the back of the jersey. Every player should wear the prescribed attire to all non-match activities and training sessions. Players should bring both HOME & AWAY kits to official league matches or tournaments in case there is a uniform color clash. NOTE: No jewelry or hair ornaments are permitted in games. 7
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League Information National Premier League (NPL) The NPL was created to elevate and change the competitive youth soccer landscape by extending developmental principles espoused by U.S. Soccer into more age groups and clubs, by linking competition with player development and identification platforms, and by providing meaningful weekly competition culminating in the NPL Finals. NPLs are independent regional leagues (i.e. Virginia Premier League), unified under one national competition platform, and based on a common technical framework designed to improve long-term player development. The NPL provides a platform: focused on long-term player development; for the country s top soccer clubs, allowing consistent, meaningful high-level games appropriately scheduled with higher training-to-game ratios; that allows players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors; that is designed and structured by the clubs, based on the needs of the clubs; and to provide an avenue for qualification for the NPL Finals. The NPL is an important component of US Club Soccer's 10-year vision to refine the landscape for competitive youth soccer. This vision recognizes that: Properly-structured youth soccer clubs are the vehicle through which player development occurs in the United States. Clubs should play in leagues that provide meaningful games, allow establishment of the proper training-to-game ratio, and eliminate calendar congestion. NPLs, as well as the best clubs, should be integrated in US Club Soccer's id2 National Identification and Development Program, include Player Development Programs (PDPs) in select local markets, and work closely with U.S. Soccer staff regarding player identification, and player and coach development. The NPL held its inaugural NPL Showcase in March 2014, which brought teams from NPLs across the country to one site for intra-league competition and player showcasing. The targeted destination for all NPL teams, and the culminating event each season, is the NPL Finals (formerly known as the NPL Champions Cup), where NPL national 9
champions are determined. The NPL Finals feature qualifiers in U-13 through U-18 boys and girls age groups from every NPL across the country in a true "champions league" competition. US Club Soccer and the National Premier Leagues (NPL) welcomed the Virginia NPL as a new member beginning in the 2014-15 season. The Virginia NPL features U-11 through U-18 boys and girls teams. Like the other 18 member leagues, the Virginia NPL provides an opportunity for its U-13 to U-18 age group winners to advance to the year-end NPL Finals, the targeted destination for all NPL teams, where NPL national champions are determined. Regularseason standings determine each age group s champion. Elite National Premier League (ENPL) US Club Soccer and the Elite Clubs National League are collaborating to create a new national competition and development platform for 14-U through 18/19-U boys beginning in August 2017. The Elite National Premier League (ENPL) will provide local and national regular-season competition, national showcase events and postseason playoff competition for top teams across the country. The ENPL will include both member Elite Clubs National League conferences (ECNL conferences) and member National Premier Leagues (NPLs), providing multiple entry paths into the competition. ENPL competition will include 14-U, 15-U, 16- U, 17-U and 19-U boys age groups, and will include participating teams from two independent qualification paths: (i) qualifying teams from designated National Premier Leagues across the country; and (ii) qualifying teams from ECNL club-based conferences across the country. These teams will come together to compete for the ENPL National Championship in a two-stage postseason event in 2018. By providing qualification paths for both team-based and club-based competitions, the ENPL will feature the best boys players in US Club Soccer. The regular season 10
competition within each NPL and Boys ECNL Conference are unique and independently structured; however, consistent technical and competitive standards will apply, and all teams will be focusing on the same postseason destination: the ENPL Playoffs. The inaugural ENPL Playoffs will be held in June 2018 in two locations East and West where teams will be seeded based on their regular season performance. Playoff winners will advance to the ENPL National Championships in early July 2018. No teams are guaranteed entry into the ENPL Playoffs. Whether qualifying through an NPL or an ECNL conference, all teams will earn their place into the ENPL Playoffs through a full season of regular league play. 11
Player Development Program US Club Soccer s National Premier Leagues (NPL) is not only designed to provide toplevel competition for participating clubs, they are also created to help improve the longterm player development environment for participating players and teams. Each NPL provides multiple avenues for players to be scouted and evaluated by U.S. Soccer National Staff and Technical Advisors and US Club Soccer id2 Program staff. This scouting process is operated through the id2 National Player Identification and Development Program and Player Development Programs (PDP), each of which is sanctioned as an Olympic Development Program approved by the United States Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation. Beyond this event-based objective scouting process, players can also be recommended for the id2 Program and PDP by participating coaches based on their performance in NPL competitions. US Club Soccer s id2 Program provides an opportunity for the country s elite youth soccer players to be identified and developed, while also being scouted for inclusion in U.S. Soccer s National Team programs. A comprehensive national scouting and recommendation program is used to form a player pool from which top players are invited to attend an id2 Program Training Camp. There is no cost to the player to be recommended or scouted for the id2 Program or PDP events. Centered on the NPL, PDPs are regionally-based identification and development programs conducted within the id2 Program. PDP invitations are based upon scouting within the hosting NPL, scouting of NPL clubs and other nearby clubs, as well as recommendations from Directors of Coaching. From this scouting and recommendation process, top players are invited to attend PDP events, which are one way for players to advance into an id2 Program Training Camp, as id2 Program scouts are on-site at all PDP events to scout players for potential inclusion. For more information on the id2 Program, click here. For more information on PDPs, click here. 12
Club Training All AUFC players, by virtue of selection to the program, have committed themselves to being the best players they can be and assuring that maximum effort will be spent on developing the necessary technical, mental, physical and tactical skills for effective play. Although players and parents often focus on match play and results, it is training and practice at home where true player development happens. Matches are a forum for demonstrating this growth because if you want it to all come together in a match, then what you do before the match is crucial! AUFC, under the direction of our Technical Director, has adopted and adheres to the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) guidelines for player development. Players will be constantly monitored, evaluated and given constructive feedback & instruction during training sessions, matches and tournaments on how to improve, develop and learn new techniques and skills. Formal player evaluations will be completed by your coaching staff at the end of every season in order to document specific player development and identify areas which should be focused on during the off-season period. NOTE: A full version of the player evaluation form and USSF Guidelines including specific focus areas is included in the appendix of this document. Remember there are no elite players in the world who accidently become great! You get out of training what you put into it! If you give your best, remain disciplined, attentive and dedicated, the payoff will be recognizable improvement and performance gains in matches. 13
As part of a competitive team, your actions both in practice and in-game will have demonstrable impact on the entire squad. Training sessions afford you the opportunity to improve your technical skills, fitness, teamwork and understanding of the game.. Training sessions will follow USSF guidelines for player development. Players can expect a warm-up period, small-sided activities focused on technical skills, small-sided activities to goal and scrimmages. Please communicate in advance, if you are unable to attend a scheduled training session to afford your coaching staff opportunities to plan appropriately sized activities. The schedule for our regular season training is located HERE on our website. Standard Practice Etiquette Arrive to practice on-time (15 minutes early) and be ready to play. This includes wearing all required training gear and kit. Notify coaches ahead of time if player will miss a practice, game, or scrimmage. Play as hard, or harder, in practice as you do in a game. 110% philosophy applies. Check the team website or email for any rainouts or changes, weather permitting. We will practice or play in most weather except lightning. Work on soccer skills, alone or in groups, while waiting for practice to start. Be mindful and respectful of coaches and other players. This includes paying attention to the instructions of the coaches. Players are expected to help clean up the practice area, leaving the field as we found it. Remember, you should come to training sessions with an alert mind to learn new things! The attitude to try new skills and techniques is very important to become your best. You will be challenged at training to push yourself by your coaches and your teammates. Take on that challenge and you ll find your game getting better and better. Standard Game Etiquette Arrive to games 30 minutes (or as directed) before start-time ready to play, including all required gear. Be prepared to focus on the activity at hand. Notify coaches ahead of time if player will miss a game, or scrimmage. Line-ups may need to be altered. Play hard, play safe, and have fun! 110% philosophy applies. 14
Play the position the coaches assign to you without complaint. Show respect for the decisions of the coaches in regard to team and player development. Bring both home and away jerseys to all games, tournaments, and scrimmages. Substitutions will occur during games according to the rules set forth by that league. Coaches and staff will determine playing time and substitution schedule. Players and parents will be respectful and mindful of other players, other parents, staff, and officials. Parents will be mindful not to coach their child from the sideline or interfere with the match or flow of the game. Parents instead are encouraged to cheer and support players with positive comments 15
Frequently Asked Questions What is travel soccer? AUFC Travel soccer provides a highly competitive training and playing environment for those players (and their families) that have the interest, athletic ability, soccer skills, commitment, and can meet the other demands placed upon them. Travel soccer is a sponsored division of Annandale Boys & Girls Club (ABGC), intended for the players that demonstrate both the interest and ability to play at a level in the top bracket of their age group; or demonstrate the potential to play at the top level of their age group. How does travel soccer differ from the recreation soccer league? Travel soccer travel teams are competitive. Therefore, making the roster, and staying on the roster, must be earned based on the team member s skills, commitment, potential, and developmental progress. In a recreational soccer league, all players are placed on a team roster regardless of playing ability and are guaranteed playing time. 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. During fall and spring seasons, most travel teams practice two-three times a week, and have the opportunity to participate in specialized cross team training. There is generally a game every weekend; and 2-4 tournaments per year, depending on the decisions made by the team, and on the team s competitive goals. Most travel team s practice 12 months a year winter and summer are often only once a week, but this is beyond the level expected by any recreational team. When do travel soccer teams play their games? Most travel games are held on Sundays but there are some Saturday games. It is not uncommon to play games on both a Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend, especially if there have been weather delays due to closed fields. Occasionally, there may be a game on a weeknight based on weather cancellations at the end of the season. The fall season runs from early September to mid-november. The spring season runs from the end of March or early April until early to mid-june. The winter season (usually two sessions) generally will involve participation on an indoor league with games played on a Saturday or Sunday depending on age group. Most teams also participate in tournaments. Tournaments consist of 3-4 games during a weekend. Generally tournaments are held several weeks before the season begins (i.e. in August and March), after the season (November and June), and during breaks in the season such as the Columbus Day and Memorial Day weekends. Tournaments may be local (i.e. the Washington DC metro area) or elsewhere in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, etc. Top flight teams may travel to prestigious tournaments such as those in Texas, California, Florida, and other locales. 16
What is the player s time commitment? Most travel teams operate throughout the calendar year, including outdoor league play in the fall and spring, indoor play in the winter and camp and tournament play at various times throughout the summer. While most AUFC travel teams, particularly younger teams, encourage their players to participate in other sports, travel teams also expect that team members will give preference to travel team games over conflicts with other sports. If your player is on one of the premier teams, this is absolutely true. Some of the lower Division teams may make an exception to this rule, but it is best to understand the expectations of the Coach and other players before accepting a position on a team. Can my child be cut from the team? Yes, coaches may frequently decide a player is no longer best positioned on a certain team. Skills develop at different paces in different players. The top players on the team this year may not be the best players next year. Additionally, a player s goals and interests may change. Some players burn out easily, especially at younger ages moving them to a less competitive environment for a season or two may help ensure they play soccer for many more years. 17
Player Safety Having a safe and injury free season is the number one goal of your coaches! No sport or athletic activity is worth causing serious injury or long term harm to a player. NOTE: It is critical that any chronic or seasonal medical conditions are identified to coaches prior to participating in strenuous activity. Injuries The season can be very demanding. Injures can happen and players should be honest with coaches and parents about being injured. If a player sustains an injury or is experiencing some discomfort, he should see the coach or their parent immediately. Please inform the coaches if before, during or after any practice or game activity if discomfort or pain is experienced by the player. Concussions as an example are a serious issue for youth soccer players! Constant, open and honest communication is critical to avoid injuries. Nutrition Taking care of one's health as a player is paramount. One of the ways the athlete can do this is to eat right and get enough rest. Players should make sure they have the proper amount of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates and proteins in their diet. They should stay away from energy drinks, candy, and other food high in sugar. IMPORTANT - Since players often eat lunch early in the day, they are very hungry by practice or game time. They should plan for this and bring a snack, such as a piece of fruit, mixed nuts, energy bar, etc so that they are properly fueled for an afternoon of activity. Too often, their performance will suffer because they have run out of fuel. All players are required to bring sufficient amounts of water to remain hydrated throughout practices and games. It is critical all players hydrate adequately at least 20 minutes before and after all activity! Concussions WHAT IS A CONCUSSION? A concussion is a temporary disruption of brain function caused by a sudden force transmitted to the head. We worry about concussions for a few reasons. The first is the rare chance that another blow to the head, even a mild one, while the brain is still vulnerable from the first injury could lead to severe brain swelling. Secondly, there is concern that multiple concussions could eventually add up to permanent problems with thinking and memory. Finally, even if they are short-lived, 18
concussion symptoms can interfere with learning and social interaction during a crucial period of development in a young person s life. To help recognize a concussion, Refer to the following signs & symptoms: An athlete should never return to play or even exercise while experiencing any concussion symptoms. In fact, anyone suspected of having suffered a concussion should not play again that same day even if symptoms clear up quickly. Remember the adage when in doubt, sit it out. An athlete with a concussion should be evaluated by a medical doctor who can rule out other serious problems and then guide the gradual return to sports. The road back requires several days and should always be taken even more slowly with kids because young, developing brains may be more vulnerable. A general plan consists of a period of physical and mental rest followed by a trial of aerobic exercise such as running then solo soccer drills. If each step is performed without any symptoms or problems with brain function, it s time to progressively reintroduce heading. 19
Key Points of Contact TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Bo Amato USSF B License Washington Post All Met Coach of the Year 2016, and 2010 Virginia HS Coach of the Year 2014 VYSA Coach of the Year 2010 State Champions 9 Regional Semi-finalists (twice) National League Champions 2011 (U18) High School State Championships with Langley HS (2015) and Saint Stephen's Saint Agnes School (2014) Former Youth Player, Tottenham Hotspur FC 1985-1986 Langley HS and Saint Stephen s Saint Agnes Varsity Coach Former ODP District, State Coach, Region, and DC United Coach Assisted in placing over 200 players into College Programs District Coach of the Year 5 Times Regional Coach of the Year Twice Pursuing UEFA B License bo_amato@annandaleunitedfc.org 703 932-3881 BOYS DIRECTOR OF COACHING Trevor Parker UEFA A License NSCAA National Diploma Former Assistant Technical Director, McLean Youth Soccer 10 years of continued success in McLean Youth Soccer with all boys age groups Former player with Tottenham Hotspur, Luton Town, Cambridge United etc Former DC United Y league Staff Coach Multiple State Cup Winner DC United Staff Coach trevor_parker@annandaleunitedfc.org 703.966.2195 20
GIRLS DIRECTOR OF COACHING GIRLS Scott Norberg USSF National "C" NSCAA National Diploma Coerver Youth Diploma USL Super-Y National Finals 12+ Years of Youth Coaching experience Paul IV High School Assistant Coach (Varsity) Opposition Scout for various High School and College Programs Appointed Annandale United FC Doc January 2017 ID2 PDP Coach Former Holy Child Soccer (NYC) & Great Falls Soccer (GFSC) scott_norberg@annandaleunitedfc.org 757.412.8836 DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Steve Lee USSF NSCAA Former Collegiate Player Teesside University Middlesbrough FC Youth Academy Centerville High School Varsity Coach Former DOC Loudoun Soccer Club Multiple State Cup Winning Coach DC United Staff Coach steve_lee@annandaleunitedfc.org 703.300.7596 21
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