Arlington Soccer Association Travel Soccer Parent Manual 2013/2014 Arlington Soccer Association 5210 Wilson Blvd Arlington, VA 22205 703-527-0157 (phone) 703-527-0158 (fax) www.arlingtonsoccer.com Click on Section Heading to be taken directly to that page Table of Contents PHILOSOPHY ................................................................................................................................................... 4 HIERARCHY OF YOUTH SOCCER .................................................................................................................. 5 ARLINGTON SOCCER ASSOCIATON (ASA) ................................................................................................... 5 ASA SOCCER STAFF ....................................................................................................................................... 6 TRAVEL COMMITTEE ...................................................................................................................................... 7 VIRGINIA YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION (VYSA) ....................................................................................... 7 Medical Insurance .......................................................................................................................................... 7 “ KIDSAFE” Forms and Background Checks .................................................................................................. 7 SOCCER LEAGUES ......................................................................................................................................... 8 TRYOUTS, TEAM FORMATION & TEAM MOVEMENT .................................................................................... 9 Soccer Seasonal Year ................................................................................................................................... 9 Age Groups.................................................................................................................................................... 9 ASA Travel Soccer Playing Up Policy ............................................................................................................ 9 Tryouts ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Team Naming Convention .............................................................................................................................. 9 Roster Sizes .................................................................................................................................................. 9 TRAVEL COACHES ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Coach Selection ........................................................................................................................................... 10 Coach Rotation ............................................................................................................................................ 10 PRACTICES & GAMES ................................................................................................................................... 10 What to Bring to Practice/Games ................................................................................................................. 11 Injured Players at Practices and Games ...................................................................................................... 11 Playing Time ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Club Pass and Movement of Players for Games .......................................................................................... 11 TOURNAMENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Guest playing with other ASA Teams or with other Clubs ............................................................................ 12 VYSA State Cup Tournament ...................................................................................................................... 12 TEAM MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................................... 13 COMMUNICATION ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Team Communication .................................................................................................................................. 13 Club Communication .................................................................................................................................... 14 Coach Questions/Concerns ...................................................................................................................... 14 Other Questions/Concerns ....................................................................................................................... 14 Communication with Local Travel Leagues (CCL, NCSL, ODSL, WAGS) and VYSA ................................... 14 ROSTERING A PLAYER - PAPERWORK ....................................................................................................... 15 ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 2 CLUB FEES .................................................................................................................................................... 17 ASA Travel Soccer Club Fees 2013-2014 .................................................................................................... 18 Recurring Payments..................................................................................................................................... 18 Late Fees ..................................................................................................................................................... 18 Refund Policy ............................................................................................................................................... 18 FINANCIAL AID ............................................................................................................................................... 19 UNIFORMS ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Travel Team Uniform Kit Fall 2013-Spring 2015........................................................................................... 20 Optional Uniform Items Fall 2013-Spring 2015 ............................................................................................. 21 Goalkeeper Uniforms ................................................................................................................................... 21 Uniform Numbering ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Spirit Wear ................................................................................................................................................... 21 LOST AND FOUND ......................................................................................................................................... 22 PLAYER SAFETY POLICIES .......................................................................................................................... 22 Parent Presence Policy ................................................................................................................................ 22 Transportation Policy ................................................................................................................................... 22 Check in/Check Out Policy ........................................................................................................................... 22 Buddy System During Breaks ...................................................................................................................... 22 Medical Release Policy ................................................................................................................................ 22 Background Check Policy ............................................................................................................................ 22 Goal Movement Policy ................................................................................................................................. 22 Injury Information Policy ............................................................................................................................... 22 SPRING AND SUMMER CAMPS .................................................................................................................... 23 TRAVEL CLINICS ........................................................................................................................................... 23 APPENDIX A TEAM PARENT COORDINATOR DUTIES ........................................................................... 24 APPENDIX B ACRONYMS COMMON IN SOCCER.................................................................................... 26 APPENDIX C WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVEL SOCCER ON THE ASA WEBSITE ..... 27 ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 3 PHILOSOPHY Travel Soccer Mission Statement Arlington Travel Soccer is a player-focused program that develops each player to their highest potential by focusing on three pillars of development: technical skills, club pride, and love of the game . Age Group In order to ensure long term viability of the ASA Travel Program, our goal is to have an appropriate number of players participating in a competitive youth soccer training environment that promotes excellence and sportsmanship from an early age, and that also provides the players the opportunity to develop at their own pace. In order to accomplish this goal, we will have player pools consisting of 4 boys teams and 4 girls teams in the U9 through the U12 age groups. During this phase, the program places an emphasis on individual technical training and overall player development. Having a large and technically proficient player pool at the U9 through U12 age group provide the club with an adequate pool of players to successfully compete at all levels when program tiering begins at U13. The club will utilize a balanced approach of continuously developing our current ASA player pool as well as allowing players from outside the club to compete for spots on ASA teams. Age Groups Number of Teams Focus U9 through U12 4 Boys Teams 4 Girls Teams Developmental U13 through U14 Tier 1 Tier 2 1 Boys and 1Girls Team 2-3 Boys and 2-3 Girls Teams Competitive Stage of Development U15 through U18 Tier 1 Tier 2 1 Boys and 1 Girls Team 2 Boys and 2 Girls Teams Advanced Competitive Stage of Development Note: Actual team counts may vary due to size of player pool & player ability ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 4 HIERARCHY OF YOUTH SOCCER Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) is the US Youth Soccer governing body in the state of Virginia for youth soccer players ARLINGTON SOCCER ASSOCIATON (ASA) Founded in 1970, the Arlington Soccer Association (ASA) is a volunteer-based nonprofit soccer organization whose mission is to provide quality soccer programs to meet the needs of people of all abilities, backgrounds and financial means, and advocates for the advancement of soccer in Arlington and surrounding communities. ASA Structure: Twelve recreational (house) clubs, the teen recreational program, the developmental program and the travel program make up the ASA. ATS Governance: The ASA is governed by a nine-person elected Board of Directors. Travel program policy decisions are made by the Travel Committee and the ASA Board. Operating decisions are made by the Executive Director of ASA and ASA staff. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 5 ASA TRAVEL SOCCER STAFF ASA Travel Soccer Staff Directory Frank Demarco Assistant Director of Coaching frankdemarco@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-599-5233 Works with DOTC Alex Pinto U15-U19 Girls Age Group Director alexpinto@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-901-3304 Oversees U15-U19 Boys Travel Coaching Staff Mo Tayari Youth Director (U9-12) mo@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-200-8068 Oversees U9-U12 Travel coaching staff Jennifer Kosko Travel Administrator jenniferkosko@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-244-7280 Oversees Travel Uniforms, Travel Financial Aid and Travel Team Player Rostering Jawed Sanie Director of Player Development, U13-14 Age Group Director jsanie@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-801-8810 Oversees Travel Camps/Clinics & U13U14 Travel Coaching staff Justin Wilt Executive Director justinwilt@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-527-0157 German Peri Director of Travel Coaching (DOTC) gperi@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-346-0495 Oversees all travel coaches, Club liaison to Club Champions League (CCL) Lizzy Stell Assistant Travel Director lizzy@arlingtonsoccer.com 703-241-0309 Oversees Travel Tryouts, Travel Field Scheduling Nicci Wright U15-U19 Girls Age Group Director nicciwright@arlingtonsoccer.com 703 -851-2006 Oversees U15-U19 Girls Travel Coaching Staff ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 6 TRAVEL COMMITTEE ASA Travel Committee members are current parents of travel soccer players in the club. The Travel Committee is responsible for (among other tasks and duties): Ensuring that the business of the Travel Program is conducted in accordance with established rules, guidelines, and policies of the ASA and ATSP. Maintaining current and establishing new rules, policies, and guidelines for the effective management and operations of the Travel Program. Responding to Travel Program Team Manager or Travel Program Parent inquiries on an as needed basis. The current Travel Committee members are: Chairman: Paul Bobeczko, paulbobeczko@gmail.com Vice Chairman: Noah Simon, Noah_Simon@verizon.net U9-U12 Commissioner: Noah Simon, noah_simon@verizon.net U13-U14 Commissioner: Amy Westhoff, amywesthoff@hotmail.com U15-U19 Boys Commissioner: Sean Hamilton, scgf.hamilton@verizon.net U15-U19 Girls Commissioner: TBD Secretary: Mia Petree, mpetree@juno.com Finance Sub-Committee Chair: Ramiro Crespo, crespo.ramiro@gmail.com Member at Large: Ben Smuthkochorn, bunchas@verizon.net Non-Voting Members CCL Club Reps: Stephanie Mendes, stephsoccer07@gmail.com NCSL Club Rep: Maureen Dalbec, mdalbec@gmail.com ODSL Club Rep: Alisann Fatemi, alisannf@yahoo.com WAGS Club Reps: Errin Matechak, ematechak@yahoo.com Special Sub-Committee Chair: George Shirley, geoshirley@hotmail.com The Travel Committee meets the Third Wednesday of each month (check the ASA Online Calendar for exact dates). The Agenda for the next meeting will also be published when available (usually one week prior to the next Board meeting). The ASA Travel Committee will be publishing approved Meeting Minutes on the club website HERE. Elections for open Travel Committee positions are held at the August Program Council Meeting. Club travel parents are encouraged to consider volunteering to work on the Travel Committee. Additional Details about the Travel Committee can be found in the Travel Program Charter (Rev. April 2012) HERE. VIRGINIA YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION (VYSA) The Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) is a non-profit, charitable corporation devoted to promoting youth soccer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia. VYSA has over 140,500 registered players. ASA is a member of VYSA. Membership in VYSA also brings with it membership in the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) and US Youth Soccer’s Region 1 (Virginia-Maine). Complete information about VYSA can be found on their website http://www.vysa.com. Medical Insurance Players registered with ASA and rostered on an ASA travel soccer team are covered by insurance via VYSA. The medical insurance is a supplement to the medical insurance that the player or his/her family may have through other sources or is primary insurance if a player’s family does not have health insurance. The insurance also covers any adult aides, such as additional assistant coach(es), manager(s) who are listed on the official team roster. Information on the insurance program may be found on VYSA’s website. “ KIDSAFE” Forms and Background Checks US Youth Soccer has adopted the KIDSAFE program in order to exclude from participation in its activities all persons who have been convicted of felonies, crimes of violence or crimes against children. Background checks are required by VYSA for all personnel (team volunteers, employees, coaches and administrators) working in VYSA clubs and league. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 7 SOCCER LEAGUES Arlington Travel Soccer teams participate in the following leagues: Club Champions League (CCL) CCL provides play for boys and girls team ages U9 to U19. The CCL requires that member clubs commit to placing their top competitive teams, in each age group, into the league. The 15 member clubs of CCL are: Annandale, Arlington, Beach FC, Braddock Road, DC Stoddert, Fredericksburg Area Soccer Association (FASA), FC Frederick, FC Richmond, Freestate, Loudoun Soccer, Prince William Soccer Inc. (PWSI), Roanoke Star, Soccer Organization of CharlottesvilleAlbemarle (SOCA), Southwestern Youth Association (SYA) and Virginia Legacy National Capital Soccer League (NCSL) www.ncsl-soccer.com NCSL provides play for boys’ teams ages U9 to U19. Participating clubs range from Baltimore and Frederick to Loudon County and Stafford. NCSL fields up to 60 teams per age group divided into six divisions (and maintains a waiting list for additional teams). Old Dominion Soccer League (ODSL) www.odsl.org ODSL provides play for boys and girls ages U9 to U19. ODSL plays in northern Virginia, as far out as Stafford, Culpepper and Winchester. Region 1 Leagues (US Youth Soccer) www.region1.com US Youth Soccer Region I covers the northeastern United States. The states that comprise Region 1 are pictures in the logo on the right Colonial League This League is intended for teams below the level of the Region I Premier League: teams not accepted into the Premier League and teams able to play at the level of their state cup Finalists, semi-Finalists, and quarter-Finalists. Premier League Region 1 Premier league is open only to those teams within the 15 State Associations of Region 1. The Region 1 Premier League is for the top sixteen teams throughout the Region in the U13 to U18 age groups for both girls and boys. The competition is designed to allow the very best teams in Region I to play each other in a league format. With only sixteen positions available in any age group throughout the Region, entry into the league is competitive. Washington Area Girls League (WAGS) www.wagsl.com The WAGS league provides play for girls’ teams ages U9 to U19. Participating clubs range from Baltimore and Frederick to Loudon County and Stafford. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 8 TRYOUTS, TEAM FORMATION & TEAM MOVEMENT Soccer Seasonal Year The tem soccer “seasonal year” means September 1 to August 31; the term “season” means from the first official league game date each season to the last official rain make-up date. Age Groups Age groups for NCSL, WAGS, ODSL, CCL, State Cup, tournament play, and other U.S. Youth Soccer-sanctioned events are based on an August 1 - July 31 year. A player’s age on August 1 determines his or her playing age for the “seasonal” year. Note: ODSL does not allow players to play until they are at least eight years of age. US Youth Soccer does not permit players to play “down” on a younger team. ASA Travel Soccer Playing Up Policy No player will be allowed to try out for an older age group, or be selected for a team in an older age group, unless either: The player attends school in the school grade most closely aligned with the soccer age group, i.e., U9 – 3rd grade, U10 – 4th grade, U11 – 5th grade, an so on. The Club’s technical staff determines that the player’s soccer development needs are not being met within their own age group, and the player receives the expressed permission of the Director of Travel Coaching or the Age Group Director. Note #1: For a player to tryout in an older age group, that player must also attend at least one tryout session in their natural age group. Note #2: Because the mission of ATS is player development and competitive soccer, the club strongly encourages players to play in the age group that affords them the best opportunity to play on a top level team. When the Club’s technical staff believes that a player currently playing in an older age group would be better served by moving to their natural age group, the player’s coach and the Director of Travel Coaching/Age Group Director will encourage the player and the family to do so. Tryouts The Club will organize and schedule age group tryouts in May for new U9 teams and late May and/or June to for all other age groups. Tryout information is posted on the Tryout page of the club website by late April each year. Team Naming Convention Each year when new U9 teams are formed the players will select a name for the age group, such as “Samba” or “Eagles”. Then within the age group the teams are given colors by the Director of Travel Coaching. The colors are: “Red”, “White”, “Blue” or “Black”. These colors designate the level of the team. Thus ASA travel teams within an age group have the same name but a different color; i.e. U12G Samba White, U12G Samba Blue. Roster Sizes Please consult league rules to determine maximum roster sizes. Roster sizes vary by leagues and within leagues by age groups. Please keep in mind while US Youth Soccer, VYSA and leagues might allow a maximum of “X” players on a roster, your Age Group Director might keep the roster maximum size at a lower number. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 9 TRAVEL COACHES Coach Selection The travel soccer club employs a licensed, professional coaching staff which is under the supervision of the club’s Director of Travel Coaching (DOTC). All coaches are hired and paid by the ASA. The coaches work for the club and are placed on teams to benefit the development of each player. A complete list of the travel program’s coaching staff, and credentials, is available on the ATS website. Coach Rotation The coaching staff is evaluated each year by the DOCs and the Age Group Directors (AGDs) and may be rotated among the teams for maximum player development benefits. PRACTICES & GAMES Each ASA Travel Soccer player is expected to attend every practice and every game. Travel Soccer is a team activity and all members of the team need to be present to be working together towards common goals. Players are expected to arrive at the pre-appointed time for practices and games and be completely dressed and ready to warm up. This is usually 10-15 minutes before a practice starts and at least 45 minutes prior to game time unless otherwise directed by the team manager/coach. Practice is one of the most basic ingredients of our program. We demand from our Coaches a significant time commitment and it comes as no surprise that we should expect our players to be willing to make the very same commitment. While we realize that our players may have other activities or interests, we also strongly believe it is crucial that players attend every training session (and every game) unless they simply cannot for a valid reason. As such, the older the player, the stricter the Coach will be with absences from mandatory training sessions and/or other team activities. This is why we communicate to families as early as possible about the upcoming training sessions, games, tournaments and other team related activities. We realize that on occasion it may be necessary to miss a practice or a game. Players can be excused from a game or practice, with prior notification, for any of the following reasons: Academic reasons Major event in a non-athletic activity, for example, school field trip, play, concert or recital, or major scout event Religious observance or event. Illness or injury Family Emergencies Once in a lifetime events (weddings, funerals) The following are never approved reasons for missing a practice or game: Player does not wish to play or practice that day Parents do not wish to transport, or arrange for transportation, for the player If the player cannot attend a game or practice, the parents or players should contact the manager or coach as soon as they know of the conflict. If the player’s parents are not able to transport the player to a practice or game, the player’s parents should make arrangements with another player’s parents to give their player a ride. Practices begin in August prior to the fall season and in February/March prior to the spring season and continue through the last week of each season. The team will practice 2-3 times per week, generally on weekday afternoons or evenings. Teams of the same gender and age group will practice together to the extent possible While parents are welcome to attend practice, they should stay off the field and should not participate unless called upon by the coach. Parents may have informal conversations with the coach before or after practice as long as it does not interfere with the coach’s work. In addition to practices, the team may schedule scrimmages with other teams to prepare for regular season games or tournaments. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 10 What to Bring to Practice/Games At every practice and game, players should: Show up at the assigned time and be ready to respect and listen to the coach(es) Bring a water bottle Bring their own soccer ball (U9 thru U12 play with size 4; U13 & up play with size 5) Bring the player’s team backpack/sackpack or their own bag to hold needed supplies Wear shin guards (Shin guards are REQUIRED to be worn for all practices and games), socks over the shin guards and soccer footwear Be appropriately dressed for the weather conditions. Bring the alternate uniform (games only) Injured Players at Practices and Games All injured players are encouraged to attend every training session and game. Every team activity is an opportunity to learn and thus injured players are encouraged to attend. Since every child and injury is different, the Coach and parents should discuss if the injury is such that the player should be excused from team activity. Playing Time The travel program of ASA is a competitive soccer program and the amount of playing time in a match (game) is not guaranteed. Coaches will determine playing time based on a number of factors including the player’s ability and work ethic, the level of the competition, the opposing team’s strengths and weaknesses, and the match situation. As a Club focused on player development, we believe match play is an important component of that development and we encourage all of our coaches to find opportunities for all players to contribute to the team and develop their skills in match play. Just as playing time can be earned it can also be lost. The following are examples of situations that will result in a loss of playing time (in addition to other disciplinary actions). Being late to or absent from practices and games Failure to appear at practice or games without prior notification Being disruptive during the coaching process Being disrespectful to coaches or other players Not being in good standing with the club (fees not paid, etc). ASA operates within a pay to play policy. If club dues are past due then a player’s pass will be pulled a player will not be able to practice or play with the team till fees are current. Club Pass and Movement of Players for Games The main objective of the club pass system is to allow coaches to move players freely within their own club based on specific team needs and in the interest of player development. Rules for using club pass players vary by league, state cup and tournament rules. Sometimes they even vary within an age group. CONSULT YOUR TEAM’S LEAGUE RULES for specifics. For teams that are eligible to use Club Passes the process is that coaches of the “lending” and “receiving” team communicate with the player/parent and team managers no later than Thursday night prior to a weekend game. This allows players/parents to plan accordingly and allows team managers to work among themselves to move the player’s pass and medical release to the receiving team for the weekend (and then afterwards returned to the lending team). ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 11 TOURNAMENTS ASA expects that all teams will play in tournaments during the soccer seasonal year. The major tournaments in Virginia and Maryland take place on Labor Day, Columbus Day and Memorial Day HOLIDAY weekends and on non-holiday weekends in August (before the fall season) and March (before the spring season). Generally, tournaments are held on a Saturday (two games) and Sunday (one game). If the team does well, it may play in a second game (the championship) later on Sunday. In some cases, in tournaments that occur on a three day holiday weekend, there may be two games on Saturday, two games on Sunday and a championship game on Monday. Guest playing with other ASA Teams or with other Clubs The correct procedure is for the borrowing coach to contact the player’s coach of record (before contacting the player) to obtain permission to invite the player to come to the tournament and to arrange to borrow the player’s player pass. Once permission is granted the player will need to secure their US Youth Soccer player pass and medical release form from their current team. Please note: ASA travel teams are registered with VYSA as US Youth Soccer teams (not US Club Soccer teams). A reminder that ASA is a member of the Club Champions League (CCL). Thus the following CCL rules apply to ALL ASA travel players, even if they do not play on an ASA travel team who plays in the CCL league. From CCL Rules III. A.5. Out of League Play (including, but not limited to indoor, tournaments, training, Super Y, guest players) a. A player from a CCL club team may not participate in out-of-league play with another CCL club team if the player’s CCL club has a scheduled commitment unless both Directors waive this restriction. b. An invitation to participate in such an event with another team in a CCL club must be initiated by the Director of the guest team club with the Director of the player’s team club. The Director of the player’s team club may submit approval of out-of-league play in writing to the Director of the guest team club. c. A player from a CCL club team who participates in out-of-league play with another club team without the written approval of his/her Director is ineligible to play for another CCL club team in league play for the fall season of the next seasonal year unless the player has moved to the geographical area of the new club and beyond reasonable travel distance of the old club AND both Directors agree to waive the restriction. Players wanting to guest play with an out of state travel team must complete an Interstate Permission Form, which requires both State Associations to approve before the player may play. VYSA State Cup Tournament The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series is the country's most prestigious national youth soccer tournament, providing approximately 185,000 players on over 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer State Associations the opportunity to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. VYSA State Cup, is the playoff that determines the Virginia state champion in each age group. Ages U12 through U14 and U19 play in the Spring; ages U15 through U18 play in the Fall. ATS Travel Technical staff will determine which ASA travel teams should compete in State Cup (typically Tier 1 teams). Most State cup play is on Saturdays except for the finals weekend. Top Seeded teams have home field advantage (although games might not be played on home fields per state cup rules). When applying for State cup play teams must agree to travel anyway in the state of Virginia to play their State Cup game. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 12 TEAM MANAGEMENT Travel teams are responsible for the organization and management of their team (while following and operating within club, league, state and US Youth Soccer policies and procedures). Think of your travel team as a business organization that has established goals and philosophies, a defined budget and parents/players who work to handle the financial, operational and organizational needs of the team (business). Every parent/family on a team must participate in the running of the team. There are team duties that are small and large, complex and simple, one time and recurring. Specific duties can be handled by one person or shared among two or more parents. The club has created a “how-to” for most team parent coordinator jobs. These “Guides to . . . “ are posted on the club website on the Team Management page. A complete list of team parent coordinators and their duties is listed in Appendix A. At each team’s “Beginning of the Year Travel Parent Meeting”, typically held the end of June, the team will decide who will continue on or take over as team manager as well as other team parent coordinator jobs. COMMUNICATION With over 8,000 total soccer families in the club each year the club communicates exclusively via email. In addition to specific correspondence sent from ASA Staff during the year there is another additional method the club utilizes to communicate, that of a club electronic newsletter titled “OFF THE POST”. OFF THE POST contains timely information on current club news, events and special offers from our club sponsors. Be sure and not “OPT OUT” from receiving this very important newsletter. Team Communication As much as possible, all team administrative issues and problems should be brought to the manager for action and resolution. Communications about individual player performance, playing time or other player related issues should be directed to the coach. Your coach will indicate the best method and time to contact him/her. TIP: Typically as the coach is leaving the field after the game is NOT the time to try and discuss questions and concerns with the coach. It is the perfect time to say, “Great Game” and “Thanks Coach”. Team Contact List Team Managers will maintain a team contact list with home, work, cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses of parents and players on the team. Be sure and notify your team manager if your contact information changes during the year. Team Hotline Each team will be given access to a team hotline service. The hotline service is called ONE CALL NOW. Your coach and team manager will be able to record a voice message and send this message out to all team families. Team Website Each team will maintain a team website. Teams can post team contact information, practice/game schedules, team news or last minute schedule changes on their team website. Girls Team Websites are posted HERE Boys Team Websites are posted HERE ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 13 Club Communication In order to get quality and timely communication in the event that you, your player or a member has a technical or administrative issue or concern, we ask that players/parents follow the process noted below: Coach Questions/Concerns Serious problems or concerns with the coach, regarding any inappropriate or abusive behavior, lack of responsibility regarding attendance at games and practices, or inability to perform as specified in the coaching contract MUST be communicated to the team’s manager. The team manager will pass this information on to the team’s Age Group Director (AGD). Other Questions/Concerns First Step: Ask the Coach (technical issues) and/or the Team Manager (administrative issues). Often this is the fastest way to get issues taken care off. Note - If the coach in question is also the Age Group Director (AGD) for the group, contact the coach directly, first, then contact the DOTC if need be about your concern. First Level of Escalation: Next, if you need to go further, contact the Age Group Director (AGD) for your age group. Youth Director (U9-U12): Mo Tayari, mo@arlingtonsoccer.com U13-14 Age Group Director: Jawed Sanie, jsanie@arlingtonsoccer.com U15-19 Boys Age Group Director: Alex Pinto, alexpinto@arlingtonsoccer.com U15-19 Girls Age Group Director: Nicci Wright, nicciwright@arlingtonsoccer.com Second Level of Escalation: Additionally, you may contact the appropriate Age Group Commissioner (AGC) to help provide a voice. The AGCs are members of the Travel Committee, and they are here to help facilitate communication between players and parents and the Travel technical staff. The AGCs are: U9-U12 Commissioner: Noah Simon, noah_simon@verizon.net U13-U14Commissioner: Amy Westhoff, amywesthoff@hotmail.com U15-U19 Boys Commissioner: Sean Hamilton, scgf.hamilton@verizon.net U15-U19 Girls Commissioner: TBD Third Level of Escalation: Assistant Director of Coaching (ADOC), Frank De Marco, frankdemarco@arlingtonsoccer.com. If your issue is not satisfactorily dealt with using the previous options, please contact the ADOC and explain the issue and the previous attempts at resolution. Fourth Level of Escalation: If none of the previous steps yields a result, contact the Director of Travel Coaching (DOTC) directly (but please try the other steps first!) - German Peri - gperi@arlingtonsoccer.com. Fifth Level of Escalation: If all else fails, contact ASA’s Executive Director, Justin Wilt, justinwilt@arlingtonsoccer.com. Please help ASA staff serve you better by adhering to this process. We are confident that your questions will be more swiftly answered, and to your greater satisfaction, if the process listed above is followed. Communication with Local Travel Leagues (CCL, NCSL, ODSL, WAGS) and VYSA Absolutely all league communication must go to your team manager who will contact your Club League Representatives. Travel Parents MAY NOT contact their league directly. Absolutely all communication with VYSA must go to the ASA Travel Soccer Administrator, not directly from an individual travel manager or travel parent. THIS ARE ABSOLUTE RULES set by the leagues and VYSA. Breaking this will result in your communication being ignored by the leagues and VYSA and worse undermining the club’s standing with the leagues and VYSA. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 14 ROSTERING A PLAYER - PAPERWORK Team Managers will work with their Team Registrar and determine who will collect the paperwork listed below to roster a player. Paperwork will be turned into your team at your first team meeting or by July 15, 2013. Codes of Conduct Parents and players must Read and Sign the ASA Club Codes of Conduct. Club Codes of Conduct are posted on the club website HERE. Each league has different Codes of Conduct that also must be signed by players and parents. See below for further information: CCL Teams – the league does not have a code of conduct that needs to be signed NCSL Codes of Conduct can be found on their website HERE WAGS Codes of Conduct can be found on their website HERE ODSL Teams - your team will have you read and sign an ODSL code of conduct they provide Club Commitment Form All travel player and their parents must read and sign that they understand and agree to the club’s travel soccer obligations for the year. These signed forms are turned into the club when the team submits their roster to be approved. Club Commitment forms are available in both English and Spanish on the Travel Soccer Forms Page of the club website HERE. NEW in Fall 2013 ASA Concussion Information and Waiver All travel player and their parents must read and complete this waiver before the start of the season to be permitted to participate in ASA activities. These signed forms are turned into the club when the team submits their roster to be approved. The ASA Concussion Information and Waiver forms are available in both English and Spanish on the Travel Soccer Forms Page of the club website HERE. Medical Releases Parents need to complete a Medical Release Form for their player. Medical Releases do not need to be notarized for local league play but might need to be for tournament play. The Medical release form can be found on the club website HERE. Photo for player pass A small (1” x 1”), current, full-face picture of the player is placed on the player pass. VYSA now requires digital images (,jpg files) be used. Your team registrar will collect the digital photo files (or take digital head shots of the players). The photo can be cropped as only a clear head shot is needed. Proof of Birth/Age Documentation A player carded with a VYSA travel team during the 2012-2013 will not need to present their US Youth Soccer Player Pass as the documentation for proof of age for the 2013-2014 year. Proof of age is now being saved in the VYSA database. If the player is a NEW travel soccer player (playing travel soccer for the first time) or did not play travel soccer last seasonal year (Fall 2012-Spring 2013) then the player will need to (According to US Youth Soccer Rule 204) submit one of the following as proof of age in order to be added to a team’s roster. Parents may scan the document and email the file to their team registrar, or present the team registrar with a hard copy. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 15 Proof of Birth/Age Documentation (continued) NEW in FALL 2013 (PHOTOCOPIES OF ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS WILL NOW BE ACCEPTED): Birth Certificate (Government Certified Copy or “Credit Card birth certificate” issued by the same government agency). Birth certificates in foreign languages need to be translated and then have the translated copy notarized (notaries can be found at most banks). Turn in the original foreign birth certificate and also a notarized translated copy to your team registrar. Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card (DD Form 1173) issued by the uniformed services of the United States, Passport, (may be expired) Birth Registration issued by an appropriate government agency or board of health records, Alien Registration Card issued by the United States Government, Certificate issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service attesting to age, Current Driver’s License, (or Learner’s Permit) Unexpired federal, state, or local government identification card if documentation of date of birth is required) (i.e., “walker” ID) Certification of a United States citizen born abroad issued by the appropriate government agency Hospital, baptismal, or religious certificates will not be accepted Was Your Player Born Outside the United States? If your player is NEW to Travel Soccer and was born or lived outside the United States please notify your team manager and team registrar as soon as your player accepts a spot on the team. These situations may require additional paperwork and necessitate clearance from VYSA or FIFA, which can take up to 6-8 weeks. Rostering Reminders A player may be rostered to only one VYSA travel team at a time. ASA permits players to play on both a travel team and an ASA Recreational/Teen team, but restricts the number of travel players on each ASA RecreationlTeen team. Players may NOT play on both a travel team and in the ASA Developmental League. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 16 CLUB FEES The Arlington Travel Soccer Program Fee for the 2013-2014 year includes: Coaching Compensation -The ASA makes it a priority to select and retain the finest coaching staff in the area. All payments to your team coach, and assistant coach, will be made by the ASA. Continued Coaching Education - ASA makes continuing education a priority for all Travel Program coaches. ASA reimburses 50% of the cost for all USSF or NSCAA coaching education courses passed by current ASA coaches Player Development Programs - supplemental player development programs, offered during the season, such as functional training and goalkeeper training. Programs differ depending on the player’s age and tier placement Off Season Playing Program - team training, age group training, player clinics and other training opportunities, offered by the club during the off-season months. Programs differ depending on the player’s age and tier placement. VYSA, USYSA and USSF Fees - registration, insurance and other benefits with the Virginia Youth Soccer Association, the United States Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation. League Membership and Fees - Fees for team participation in each team’s primary league Referee Fees – Fees for team participation in each team’s primary league Staff Compensation - The ASA employs a qualified, professional staff to direct and oversee all aspects of the travel soccer program. All or a portion of these salaries are paid from the player fees. Club Administration Costs - website, on-line registration, office supplies, equipment, etc. Risk Management and Background Checks - security checks performed on all ASA coaches, team managers and team registrars. The Arlington Travel Soccer Program Fee does not include the following listed items. These items are typically covered in a separate Team Fee which varies by team. Team Fees for the year can range from $200-$800 depending on the activities of the individual team. Tournaments - teams will pay all costs associated with playing in tournaments. ASIST Tournament - All Arlington teams selected to play in the tournament will NOT be charged an entrance fee. However, all Arlington teams are expected to provide field management services for the age group in which they play. US Youth Soccer National Championship Series - teams playing VYSA State Cup, Regionals and/or Nationals will pay all costs. Coaches Expenses - Travel and accommodation expenses for coaches are paid for by the team. Winter indoor league fees/ Futsal league fees - the player/club fee does not include winter indoor leagues or futsal league fees. Club patches - Club patches, traditionally given out at tournament are paid for by the team STAR referee expenses - ASA does not reimburse a team for STAR referee program expenses Other Team Expenses - Game Balls, Team Equipment (first aid supplies, etc) are paid for by the team. Fees paid by families directly include: ASA Travel Soccer Uniform - One uniform kit per player which includes 2 jerseys, 2 pairs of shorts and two pairs of socks. The Travel uniform kit is used for a two year period, Fall 2013-Spring 2015. Additional OPTIONAL Gear - teams or players will pay for additional or optional gear. This includes optional backpacks, warm ups and/or practice tee shirts. Tier 1 Training Sessions - For Tier 2 teams U13 and older, players may buy into Tier 1 training sessions each season. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 17 ASA Travel Soccer Club Fees 2013-2014 Payment Date #1 Payment Date #2 Payment Date #3 Payment Date #4 Payment Date #5 TOTAL Player Fee July 1 Sept 1 Oct 1 Nov 1 Feb 1 U9 –U12 $1625 $425 $300 $300 $300 $300 U13-U14 Tier 1 Red Teams $1700 $500 $300 $300 $300 $300 U13-U14 Tier 2* White, Blue & Black Teams $1600 $400 $300 $300 $300 $300 U15-U18 Tier 1 Red Teams $1720 $520 $300 $300 $300 $300 U15-U18 Tier 2* White, Blue & Black Teams $1600 $400 $300 $300 $300 $300 Age Group Description of Age Groups U9-U12: Players within each age group and gender will train together in an environment that emphasizes player development vs. team placement. Players will have two group practices per week and five weekly group skills sessions per season. U13-U14 Tier 1: This program will include the Red teams in each age group. These teams will have two team training sessions per week, additional Tier 1 skills training sessions (5 per season), and some required winter training. Players are expected to have a very high level of commitment as a result of the additional training, tournaments, and travel requirements. U13-U14 Tier 2: This program will include the White, Blue, and Black teams in each age group. Teams will have two training sessions per week. In addition, players within this program will be eligible to attend the U13-U14 Tier 1 skills training sessions for an additional fee. U15-U18 Tier 1: This program will include the Red teams in each age group. These teams will have two team training sessions per week, additional Tier 1 skills training sessions (6 in the fall season), college programming, and some required winter training. Players are expected to have a very high level of commitment as a result of the additional training, tournaments, and travel requirements. U15-U18 Tier 2: This program will include the White, Blue, and Black teams in each age group. Teams will have two training sessions per week. In addition, players within this program will be eligible to attend the U15-U18 Tier 1 skills training sessions for an additional fee. Recurring Payments When registering your player for travel soccer you may request the option to sign up for the recurring club fees payment program. This means that with your permission ASA will automatically charge your credit card the 1st of the month for any travel soccer club fees that are due at that time. You will receive a reminder seven (7) days prior to the 1st of the month that this charge will occur. You may sign up for recurring billing during the initial registration by selecting the Recurring Payment by Credit Card option as the payment method and then checking the appropriate boxes. The subsequent payments will then be charged according to the payment schedule. If you wish to cancel the recurring payments at any time, please contact the ASA Finance Manager, Diane Oden, at any time allowing 7 to 10 days for the cancellation to take effect. As a reminder, if you cancel your credit card or a new card is issued with a different expiration date you will need to notify the ASA Finance Manager to update your account information. Late Fees A $25 late fee will be assessed for any club fee payment received past the due date and cannot be refunded. For the July 1 payment – no late fee will be charged until July 15. Refund Policy The travel soccer refund policy is located on the Travel Soccer Policies page of the club website. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 18 FINANCIAL AID The Arlington Soccer Association (ASA) will offer financial aid for ASA Travel Soccer Club Fees, to the extent possible, to financially challenged youth and their families. It is our goal that financial hardship or low income shall not keep qualified players off of Arlington fields. Financial Aid determinations will be made once a year in concert with tryouts and determination of the next season’s roster. The aid provided will cover the entire soccer seasonal year. The maximum amount of financial aid a player may receive is $1000-$1120 (depending on their team’s tier), thus the player would owe $600 in club fees. Financial aid players have the following payment plan: Initial payment due by July 16th and seven equal additional payments of due on September 1st, October 1st, November 1st, December 1st, January 1, February 1st and March 1st. $100 of club fees paid by players awarded financial aid will be turned over to their team to assist in paying team fees. Payments from the club to cover financial aid player’s team fees will be made twice a year, once in the fall and once in the winter. The remaining team fees are the responsibility of the player’s family. Applicants will be required to fill out an application form which must be signed by the player’s parent or guardian. The required Financial Aid Request Form is available in both English and Spanish on the ATS website. Families are encouraged to apply for financial aid in May and no later than June 28th, prior to the conclusion of Tryouts. Applicants will be required to provide proof of income by supplying one of the following documents. o Approval Document for Free Lunch Program or Reduced Lunch Program o Approval Document for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program o Approval Document for Women Infant and Children (WIC) program o Approval Document for Food Stamps program o Most recent Federal Tax Form 1040, with W2s and 1099s. ASA uses the US Government Federal Poverty Guidelines for decisions on awarding Financial Aid. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Food and Nutrition Service, Child Nutrition Programs; Income Eligibility Guidelines, Effective July 1 2013 – June 30, 2014 o o o o 130% of Poverty Level 185% of Poverty Level Qualifies for Free Meal Program Qualifies for Reduced Meal Program Household Size 100% Federal Poverty Guidelines 1 $11,490 $14,937 2 15,510 20,163 3 19,530 4 23,550 5 250% of Poverty Level 300% of Poverty Level $21,257 $28,725 $34,470 28,694 38,775 46,530 25,389 36,131 48,825 58,590 30,615 43,568 58,875 70,650 27,570 35,841 51,005 68,925 82,710 6 31,590 41,067 58,442 78,975 94,770 7 35,610 46,293 65,879 89,025 106,830 8 39,630 51,519 73,316 99,075 118,890 For each additional person, add $4,020 $5,226 $7,437 $10,050 $12,060 st 1 priority for Awarding Financial Aid: Those players receiving free lunch benefits (or family income at 130% of poverty level or below) nd 2 priority for Awarding Financial Aid: Those players receiving reduced lunch benefits (or family income at 185% of poverty level or below) rd 3 priority: Those families at 250% of poverty level. If financial aid money is still available to award the club will consider Financial Aid Awards in this category. Financial Aid awards may only be partial awards. th 4 priority: Those families at 300% of poverty level. If financial aid money is still available to award the club will consider Financial Aid Awards in this category. Financial aid Awards in this category will only be partial awards. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 19 Please keep in mind the amount of Financial Aid money that can be awarded each year is limited and will, more than likely, run out during the initial months of a soccer seasonal year (June – August). Being awarded financial aid one year does not guarantee financial aid will be awarded in subsequent years. Financial aid is only available to cover ASA’s travel soccer player club fee and one uniform kit. Financial Aid provided by the club DOES NOT cover team fees and expenses (i.e. tournament fees, coach/player travel expenses or other expenses budgeted by the team), optional uniform pieces and/or camps/clinics run by the club. Approval for ATS financial aid does not guarantee a right to continued participation. Applicants must re-apply each season. ASA’s financial aid program is funded by profits from the ASIST tournament and not from club fees. UNIFORMS Arlington Soccer Association strives to project a professional image. The club uniform plays an integral part in the forging of club identity and in building both a sense of community and of pride in the organization. This can only be accomplished if all ASA travel teams wear the designated club uniform so that no matter what the age group, no matter what the occasion, the team can be readily identified as representing the Arlington Soccer Association This underscores the fact that we are a single club that exists to support and encourage its members Uniform Reminders ASA in contracted with Adidas to provide travel soccer apparel. Thus, all Arlington Travel Soccer players and coaching staff must wear Adidas gear on game day. Exception: Players may wear footwear, shin guards, and compression/under tops/shorts from a different vendor. The official ASA uniform supplier is Eurosport (soccer.com). All travel teams must obtain uniforms through Eurosport, and do so in accordance with the ASA / Eurosport Agreement. Team Uniform Coordinators will set up on-line team rosters in the Eurosport ordering system and families will purchase their uniforms online via a credit card. Uniforms, and other purchased items, are shipped directly to the family. Families that are Eurosport “Goal Club” members will receive Goal Club points for their uniform kit purchase. The club does not make any money on Uniform Kit sales. ASA negotiated the best possible pricing for our members, and the cost savings are passed on to our member families. There is no mark-up, rebate, or kick-back that ASA will receive from uniform kit sales. ASA, as a Goal Club Member with Eurosport, will receive Goal Club points from uniform sales. Any family that is also a Goal Club Member will also receive the same Goal Club points as the Club. Travel Team Uniform Kit Fall 2013-Spring 2015 Effective August 2013 the official ASA travel team uniform kit is the following Adidas uniform. All travel teams must wear this uniform at all times (all league and tournament matches, etc. – anytime that the team is playing under the club affiliation): Home jersey, Adidas MLS Match , royal blue/white Home shorts, Adidas MLS Match, royal blue/white Home socks, Adidas Copa Zone, royal blue w/white Away jersey, Adidas MLS Match, white/white Away shorts, Adidas MLS Match, white/white Away socks, Adidas Copa Zone, white w/royal blue Cost of a complete uniform kit is approximately $120 Adult sizes/$110 Youth Sizes Click HERE to see a visual of the travel soccer uniform kit ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 20 Optional Uniform Items Fall 2013-Spring 2015 Optional club and player equipment and apparel will be available thru the Club Uniform Agreements and teams are encouraged to also procure these items (i.e.warm-ups and bags for teams/players). Items such as those listed below will be available to all players through the special ASA club uniform link to Eurosport. The following items are not required by the club but individual teams might decide to require these items for their players. Check with your coach on specifics. Warm-up top and pants Required style: Adidas Tiro 13 Training jacket in Royal blue and Tiro 13 training pant in Black Backpack Required style - Estadio II Team Backpack in Royal Blue OR for younger teams Estadio Team SMALL Backpack in Black OR the Adidas Royal Blue Alliance Sack pack Goalkeeper Jersey Adidas Revigo Jersey in Green/Black. Club encourages all ASA goalkeepers to wear the selected jersey whenever possible but it is not required Club Training T-Shirt 100% cotton Grey T-shirt with ARLINGTON Chest logo OR Grey Estro 12 Jersey with ARLINGTON chest logo Click HERE to see a visual of the travel soccer optional uniform items. Goalkeeper Uniforms Keeper Jerseys Goalkeepers are encouraged to order a complete ASA travel uniform kit but it is not required. In addition Keepers may order an “Arlington” Keeper jersey or wear one of their own keeper jersey’s (Adidas brands only for games). For the younger teams that do not have a dedicated goalkeeper, the team should purchase one or two goalkeeper jerseys (two are recommended) that can be used by any player playing keeper. These goalkeeper jerseys can be purchased by the team (from their team account). For older teams with a dedicated goalkeeper, each goalkeeper may want to purchase their own goalkeeper jersey. Team Managers and Team Uniform Coordinators will consult with their coach to determine how your team will handle goalkeeper jerseys. Customized ARLINGTON Keeper Jerseys are ordered through the online Eurosport ordering system. Your team uniform coordinator will have complete details on how to order. Keeper Shorts/Gloves Goalkeepers may wear their club uniform shorts or if they purchase Goalkeeper padded shorts or pants they must be an Adidas brand (or if another brand no logos may be showing on the outside of the shorts/pants). Gloves (and footwear) are considered personal items and any brand may be worn. Uniform Numbering Only single or double digit numbers are allowed. Jersey numbers for players within an age group (either boys or girls) should not be duplicated. Each player in the age group should have their own unique number. Team managers and team uniform coordinators within an age group will work together to ensure jersey numbers in an age group are not duplicated. This allows for players to play with other ASA travel teams for league games (where allowed), to guest play in tournaments with other ASA teams or to transfer to another team in the age group without encountering jersey number conflicts. Spirit Wear The Eurosport Arlington Soccer Uniform web pages have other ASA customized products such as rain jackets, sweatshirts, long sleeve t-shirts, etc. that are not included in the required uniform kit. These are optional items. Families also earn Goal Club Points with each purchase if a Goal Club Member. The ASA Travel Spirit Wear Store can be accessed via a link posted on the club website. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 21 LOST AND FOUND Please make sure your player’s gear is marked with some form of contact information such as last name/email/phone number. Every year the club receives many FOUND items from balls to full warm-ups that are never claimed. What these items have in common is they are not marked and the club, or those who found the items, cannot contact the owner. To report lost or found items at soccer fields in Arlington: Contact the ASA’s Executive Director by email, justinwilt@arlingtonsoccer.com, or telephone at 703-527-0157 Describe item, date, time, field name, game, teams, and any other information Provide your name, phone and/or email address PLAYER SAFETY POLICIES Below is an abbreviated description of items contained in the ASA Player Safety Policies. The document (in English and Spanish) is located on the club website under the Travel Policies and Form page. Parent Presence Policy ASA expects all teams to put together a Parent Volunteer schedule at the beginning of each season. The Parent Volunteer will remain on the sideline or in an area adjacent to where the practice or event is being conducted. Transportation Policy Staff (which includes coaches) are not to give players rides to or from ASA Events. Check in/Check Out Policy ASA requires that specific check-in and check-out processes are implemented for every ASA activity. Coaches, team managers and team parents should work together to develop workable processes. Buddy System During Breaks A Buddy System should be used for bathroom breaks. At no time should a coach or an assistant coach accompany an individual player to bathroom facilities. Medical Release Policy Copies of Medical Releases must be at all practices/game. In case of any emergency when the parents are not present, the medical release may be presented as proof of authorization to provide emergency medical and/or transportation services for the players listed. Background Check Policy VYSA requires all ASA Staff, volunteer coaches and other team volunteers (team manager, team register) to undergo background checks (“Kidsafe” checks). Goal Movement Policy ASA players should not move soccer goals. Players should not be asked to help adults move goals. Injury Information Policy Parents or guardians of ASA players must inform in writing the player’s coach if the player is injured (beyond minor injuries like scrapes or bruises) during any ASA game, practice, or other event. Parent must notify the coach when the injured player has been medically cleared to resume participating in the ASA activity and whether there are any restrictions on such participation. In the event of serious injuries (to include breaks/fractures, muscle/ligament/cartilage tears (including partial tears), head injuries (including concussions), anything requiring surgery, or any illness that requires doctor’s release to play), a note from the doctor must be presented to the coach (by the player’s parent) specifically clearing that player’s return to action. The note must be the result of a post recovery review by the doctor. NEW in FALL 2013 Due to the serious nature of any head injury/concussion, medical clearance from a doctor/neurological specialist who is properly trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating these injuries is required for return to play. An exception to this is for high school athletes who have been cleared to return to play by their high school’s athletic trainer. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 22 SPRING AND SUMMER CAMPS ASA offers spring break and summer camps for travel players. Camp topics include Shooting Camps, Footskill Training, Airball Control, Crossing & Finishing and Preseason preparation work including ViPRfit Conditioning. Camps are offered both in the morning and evening. In addition ASA offers a residential (overnight) camp for travel players in July. Complete information about these camps can be found on the “Travel Camps & Clinics” link on the club website. TRAVEL CLINICS Travel Skills Clinics are held on Monday evenings during the Fall and Spring season. U9-U12 players will have five weekly Monday evening skills clinics each season included in the player’s travel program fee. Tier 1(U13-U14) teams will have five weekly Monday evening skills clinics each season included in the player’s travel program fee. Tier 2 (U13-14) players are eligible to attend the clinics for an additional fee. Tier 1 (U15-U19) teams will have six Monday evening skills clinics in the fall (none in the spring) included in the player’s travel program fee. Tier 2 (U15-U19) players are eligible to attend the clinics for an additional fee. Specialized Keeper clinics will be held on Monday evenings during both fall and spring seasons. Complete information about these clinics can be found on the “Travel Camps & Clinics” link on the club website. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 23 APPENDIX A TEAM PARENT COORDINATOR DUTIES The club has created a “how-to” for most team parent coordinator jobs. These “Guides to . . . “are posted on the club website on the Team Management page. A red asterisk after a title (*) indicates a required position. Each team must have a team parent fill this position. TEAM MANAGER* The team manager is the main contact for all relevant team information. Their role is to provide timely, comprehensive communication from the Club Staff, Technical Coaching staff and/or league. This communication includes “where to go,” “when to be there,” and “what to bring” – for all games, practices and other events. In addition to the role of communicator, the team manager maintains the team’s paperwork and oversees the other parent team coordinators. Arlington Spring Invitational Soccer Tournament (ASIST) Coordinator (for those teams playing in the ASIST)* Attends ASIST planning meetings. Organizes team families to cover tournament jobs such as field marshal, concessions and trash. Field Coordinator* Coordinates set up/take down of nets and flags. If needed checks to see (home) fields are lined day prior to game. Teams must set up nets and flags for all week night and Saturday games. Equipment Coordinator* Purchases team equipment (and requests reimbursement from team account). Stores, or finds someone on the team to store, the equipment the coach does not keep: balls, ball bags, cones, medical kit (keep it well stocked), bench and shade awnings. Your team does not need all of this; it is a fairly inclusive list. Assembles and brings to games the team equipment bag (list of suggested items posted on the Team Management Page of the Club Website). Some teams break down this job and have different parents responsible for first aid kit, ice, etc. Fundraising Coordinator* In conjunction with team families creates team philosophy regarding fundraising, including expectations for families participation in fundraisers. Organize any fundraising activities approved by the team. Photographer Takes team photos (group, individual and action shots). With parent approval photos are used for team and club website along with articles sent to the media. Publicity Coordinator Write and submit short articles about team socials, fundraising, tournament or league championships for the ASA website or local media. Publicity Coordinator’s should be aware of the club’s Personal Information Online Policy (which also applies to print media). Registrar* Register team with VYSA. Creates rosters in VYSA database. Uploads players head shots for player passes. Prints rosters, player passes and other paperwork needed to roster a team or submit roster changes. Coordinates with ASA Travel Administrator and VYSA club assigned registrar to secure approval for team rosters. Computer knowledge necessary. VYSA will train to input and output data from their club database. Need printer/scanner or printing/scanner access. Soccer in College Team Coordinator (for High School Age teams with players looking to play in college) Works with ASA staff to promote Soccer in College Nights, NCAA compliance talks and other Soccer in College events. Produces or oversees the production of the team’s College Brochure. Works with team in producing player resumes and passes on information and articles about college sports recruiting. Social Coordinator Plan beginning and/or end of year team parties, special events or outings. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 24 STARS (Step-in Assistant Referees) (if required by league rules*) STARS must have current FIFA level 12 or better certification, or have completed the STAR courses given by the leagues. STARS should be parents able to physically perform the Assistant Ref function, along with having enough knowledge of the game to successfully complete the ref courses, and be willing to be present at and perform as a STAR if needed at both home and away games. The leagues sponsor STAR courses before each season, lasting approximately 8 hours. The teams receive payment for services of their STARS, and this generally goes into the team budget to help pay for STAR training courses, STAR uniforms, and other team expenses, instead of being paid back to the STARS themselves, figuring other team roles listed above are unpaid, and thus payment for this team function should benefit the team as a whole. Tournament Coordinator* Team Parent Tournament Coordinators file timely applications for selected tournaments, showcases and State Cup play. Attends, or designates another parent to attend, tournament registration session (usually night before tournament begins) but sometimes handled on-line. Coordinate transportation, arrange hotel accommodations, and plan any group meals or other activities for out-of-town tournaments. Keep team tournament and league record histories for use in future tournament applications. If needed, orders ASA patches from ASA to distribute at tournaments. Teams often assign two parents to tournament chores, dividing the hotel/meal responsibilities from tournament registration/paperwork. Treasurer* Works with manager and coach on team budget based on the yearly plan set by the technical staff. Shares and explains team budget to team families. Collects payments to cover team expenses and deposits into team account. Request expense reimbursement for any payments made for covered expenses. Keeps track of how much is in their team account and reconcile with ASA. Assist families with financial aid applications as needed. Tryout Coordinator* Works with club to establish yearly tryout procedures. Organizes and staffs one-site registration for tryouts (typically only 1-2 tryout shifts are required). Runs tryout reports for coaches prior to tryout. Team Sportsmanship Liaison (TSL) (if required by league rules*) Responsibility for monitoring and providing guidance to parents and other spectators at games regarding appropriate behavior. Likely to attend most if not all games. Any problems regarding behavior of the opponents’ spectators are addressed between the TSL for one team speaking to the TSL for the other team, not by direct confrontations between non-TSL parents. Uniform Coordinator* Team Parent Uniform Coordinator oversees the team uniform ordering process. Set up team roster for online uniform ordering system. Confirms all team players have ordered required uniform items. Orders extra team Uniform kit(s) and keeper jersey (optional) and works with age group to determine non-conflicting jersey numbers (and keeps this jersey number list on file). Submits and distributes uniform kit orders for team players who are awarded financial aid. Some basic computer experience needed to set up roster online and check orders. Webmaster* Updates (or creates if team is new) team site on ASA website. Only minimal team information is required but many teams add their practice schedule, tournament information and other important details to their sites. In addition some team operate an independent team website (linked to ASA’s site). Computer experience (but not programming experience) needed to set up/edit team website. Webmasters should be aware of the club’s Personal Information Online Policy (which also applies to print media). Exception: College bound players can post Player Profiles on their team’s page. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 25 APPENDIX B ADOC AGC AGD ATS ATSP DOPD DOTC ICW PK R&D STAR TD TSL ACRONYMS COMMON IN SOCCER Assistant Director of Coaching Age Group Commissioner Age Group Director Arlington Travel Soccer, governing body for travel soccer in Arlington Arlington Travel Soccer Program Director of Player Development Director of Travel Coaching International Clearance Waiver Penalty Kick Rules and Discipline Special Team Assistant Referees Technical Director Team Sportsmanship Liaison ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 26 APPENDIX C WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVEL SOCCER ON THE ASA WEBSITE The ASA Club website can be found at www.arlingtonsoccer.com. Travel Soccer Information is located under the “Travel Soccer” menu item. ASA 2013-2014 Travel Soccer Parent Manual Page 27
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