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Congratulations on your selection for the Gulf Coast Soccer Club’s Black Hawks or Lady Hawks team. We welcome you and have confidence that you will be an outstanding representative of our association and club. Success in select soccer requires a commitment from the coaches, the players and the parents. It is important that you understand what is expected and agree to meet the time, financial and behavioral expectations of the club.
ROLE OF THE COACH AND TRAINER
- The Coach and Trainer will oversee all aspects of his/her respective team during the seasonal year.
- The coach and trainer will make all playing time decisions.
- Premier/Division I – no rules on minimum playing time
- SuperII/Division II – minimum 50% playing time per game – except for invitational tournaments or STYSA competitions where the team will be playing with other properly registered Division I teams. Please note that if a player displays a poor attitude, misses training or is late, this may be grounds for less than 50% playing time.
- The coach and trainer are responsible for the training session and game lineups.
- The coach and trainer are responsible to meet the goals of the Gulf Coast vision
- The coach and trainer are responsible for communicating with the manager of the team and disposition of any issues that may arise within the respective team (other than D&P issues).
- The coach and trainer are responsible for calling and presiding over team meetings.
ROLE OF THE PARENT
- The role of the parent is very simple. Be a parent, not a coach or referee.
- Support your son/daughter in a positive manner.
- Do not coach from the sideline during the games or trainings
- Be on time
- Once your son/daughter has joined the team’s training session, do not interfere until the coach/trainer dismisses the team from the training or game.
- Do not interfere with the center referee or assistant referees, the opposing team’s players/parents or staff, or any field marshal.
- Do not use foul or abusive language
- Parents sit on the opposite sideline/half from the team during games unless directed otherwise by the coach, team manager, referee or field marshal.
- Per published rules, parents must sit five feet back from the sideline and between their penalty area and teen feet from the half way line.
- No taunting of opposing team’s players, parent, coaches or spectators.
- Staff off the fields while the teams train or play
- Every GCSC family must contribute five volunteer hours. A buy out option is available for $75.00.
- Be responsible for your child at all GCSC games and functions including tournaments
- For training or coaching issues contact your respective coach first and then the Director of Coaches or Trainers.
- After training or a game is not the time to discuss issues or concerns. 24 hour rule is in effect. This will allow a 24 hour window before any communication is made between parent and coach to allow emotions to settle.
- Email or phone call or set up meeting with the coach/trainer.
- Please make note that GCSC will be very firm with our parent’s policy. If a situation deems necessary, GCSC will hold a D&P hearing with a committee to determine if a parent was in volition of the above “Role of the Parent’. If a parent is found in volition, suspensions may occur.
- Keep player registrations up to date with current home addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
- Maintain your financial commitment.
ROLE OF THE PLAYER
- All players will be required to attend all practice sessions, to arrive on time and be properly attired.
- All players will be required to attend and arrive 45 minutes prior to game kickoff of team warm-up
- Notify their respective coach if they will miss or be late for training session or game.
- Be prepared for all training sessions and games.
- Proper uniform for training and games
- Training - Black or White Gulf Coast Soccer Club T-shirt; Black Shorts; Black, Silver or White socks. This is to be worn to all training sessions and travel to and from games.
- Games – Club provided uniform
- Proper shoes and shin guards to all games and training sessions
- Soccer ball and water bottle to all games and training sessions
- Maintain and uphold the standards set forth by GCSC on and off the field of play
- Respect the coach, trainer, team manager, parents and all other Gulf Coast players and staff and the game day opposing team and referees.
- Do not use tobacco, alcohol or drugs
- Do not use profanity
- Do not act in a way that will negatively impact you, your family or Gulf Coast Soccer club.
- All players are to be on their best behavior while representing Gulf Coast Soccer Club during training, sessions, games, and tournaments. Players will be disciplined for poor conduct at any Gulf Coast Soccer Club event.
ROLE OF THE TEAM MANAGER:
- The team manager is the main contact for all relevant team information. The manager’s main source of communication is via email.
- The manager is responsible for team coordination of activities through direction of the team coach.
- Any soccer related issues including playing time and/or tournament scheduling should be directed to the team coach/trainer.
- Any financial related issues including club payments should be directed to the Gulf Coast Soccer Club Treasurer.
- Team Managers receive five volunteer hours.
- Team managers are not debt collectors. Note that failure to pay tournament fees, travel expenses, and misc. team expenses in a timely manner to the team manager or club, could result in disciplinary action. Please be prompt with the manager’s requests.
PLAYER TRAVEL POLICY:
- All players will be responsible to pay for their respective travel expenses in a timely manner whether to the team manager o the club. There are no travel expense scholarships.
- Failure to pay may lead to non-participation in an event
- It is mandatory that all players on a team will pay for the tournament entry fee, regardless of participation of the player.
- All players shall adhere to the GCSC Role of the Player rules when attending all tournaments.
- All curfew and hotel policies will apply to tournament and league travel.
- Players may be sent home if travel rules are not adhered to.
All players wishing to guest play with another team or club must first contact their respective coach/trainer for approval.
FUNDRAISING POLICY¨
- All GCSC teams are encouraged to raise funds for their particular team to cover the costs of travel, team parties, and whatever else their respective team may like to utilize the funds for in order to lower team expenses.
- All fundraising events must be submitted in writing to the GCSC President for approval.
PAYMENT AND FEES POLICY
- Gulf Coast Soccer Club has established a payment scheduled as defined for all levels of play.
- The first payment of $95.00 (non-refundable/non-transferable) is required upon signing of commitment paperwork. Placement on the roster is not completed until the Commitment paperwork and the $95.00 fee are received by the club.
- Payments are made directly to the club. Monthly statements will be mailed. Checks should be made payable to Gulf Coast Soccer Club and may be mailed or turned into the team manager who will issue you a receipt.
- Monthly fees are considered late if not received in the office by the 25th of each month and a $5.00 late fee will be added to your account, if previous arrangements have not been made.
- Checks returned for insufficient funds will be charged a $15.00 fee.
- No fee payment or parts thereof will be refunding or forgiving because of player injuries, absences, withdrawals, or early release from a team. The only exceptions to this policy would be if the player provides documented proof of an injury that prevents them from playing for a full season or due to a parents job relocation and they complete the STYSA Player Release form.
- Refunds will not be processed once rosters are frozen.
GULF COAST SOCCER CLUB PLAY UP POLICY
“PLAY UP” DEFINED
When players play in an older age group they are commonly referred to as “playing up” a level. The term “play up”, as used in the body of this policy, refers to any underage player playing in an age group other than the age group in which he or she is eligible to play according to birth date.
STYSA AND CBYSA LIMITATIONS APPLY
This policy neither replaces nor attempts to amend the requirements of STYSA or CBYSA pertaining to players playing outside of their true age group. All limitations and prohibitions placed on player and team eligibility promulgated by STYSA in its Administrative Handbook or by CBYSA in its Constitution, By Laws and Playing Rules remain in full force and effect. This policy clarifies the limitations the Club places on players who wish to play outside of their true age group in order to continue and to build upon the success of our competitive/select teams. For example, STYSA rules and CBYSA rules strictly prohibit players from playing down an age group. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to alter this prohibition.
GENERAL RULE
Gulf Coast Soccer Club strongly discourages the practice of players “playing up” in older age groups. Routinely permitting players or their parents to choose which teams they will play on or which coaches/trainers they will play for will retard the development of our players, will dilute the pool of available players within certain age groups, and will ultimately undermine our mission of forming the best possible teams at each age level. Consequently, the Club will limit the number of players permitted to “play up” in any age level.
EXCEPTIONS
The Club recognizes that some players have exceptional ability or advanced skills, and that the development of exceptional individual players may require that exceptions be made to the General Rule. Further, certain circumstances may exist in the social development of children that also require the Club to consider exceptions to the General Rule. Nevertheless, the granting of exceptions to the General Rule must truly involve exceptional circumstances and will not be routinely issued.
Coaches/trainers may make no more than 4 (four) requests for exceptions to the General Rule in each seasonal year, as the seasonal year is defined in STYSA’s Administrative Handbook. All requests to “play up” must be made in writing by the coach/trainer of the team seeking an exception to the General Rule. No requests to “play up” will be considered if made independently by a player or player’s parent.
Some of the circumstances that warrant consideration of exceptions to the General Rule are as follows:
1) A coach/trainer identifies an exceptional player who requires the challenge of playing with and against more advanced players;
A coach or trainer who identifies an exceptional player or a player with advanced skills who will benefit from “playing up” must make a written request to the Director of Coaches or the Director of Trainers for an exception to the General Rule for that player. The procedures for making the request, as set forth in this policy below, must be followed by the requesting coach/trainer.
2) Players can be permitted to play within their peer group regardless of birth date;
Players who have advanced in school beyond their age group may request to “play up” with other players in their school class.
Example: A player’s birth date qualifies her to play at U14. However, she is an incoming freshman in high school. This player can be considered for a spot on a U15 team as an exception to the General Rule.
The coach or trainer of the U15 team who wishes to roster this underage player must make a request in conformity with the procedures set forth herein. A request for a player to “play up” under this exception counts against the allotment of 4.
3) Existing core teams should not be disrupted due to issues of age group eligibility;
Where an existing core team has underage players on its roster, the Club will permit such underage players to continue to “play up,” but only for that team.
Example 1: An existing U14 team seeks to move to Gulf Coast Soccer Club from another league. The existing roster contains 4 (or more) U13 players. Upon the request of the coach/trainer, those players will be permitted to “play up” with their existing team. A request for a player to “play up” under this exception in this situation counts against the allotment of 4. Therefore, if the coach requests exceptions for all of the underage players on the existing roster, that team will have used all of its allotment of 4 “play ups” for the seasonal year.
Example 2: A U11 team is formed at Gulf Coast with 4 underage players, which is the maximum permitted by STYSA and CBYSA. When that team advances to U12, those four underage players will be permitted to continue as underage players with that team. The coach/trainer must renew the requested exceptions. The request for those players to “play up” under this exception counts against the allotment of 4. Therefore, that team will be unable to request any additional “play ups” for the remainder of the seasonal year.
4) Where no competitive/select team exists within the Club in a certain age group, the Club will permit requested exceptions to the General Rule.
Every effort will be made to complete a roster of true age players in each age group. However, if the Club is unsuccessful in forming a team at a certain age group but a sufficient number of players exist to form a team which combines age groups, a team will be formed.
Example: A roster is comprised of 8 U13 players and 8 U14 players. Under STYSA rules that team will play in a U14 age bracket. The 8 U13 players will be permitted to “play up” upon the request of the coach/trainer. However, if the coach/trainer seeks to add more underage players to the roster in the next seasonal year, the Club will again make every effort to form a true age level team.
The team in this example would not constitute an “existing core team” as described in exception 3 above because it had been formed due to the necessity of combining age groups. This team could seek specific approval of the Board to continue as a mixed age group team upon the written request of the coach/trainer. If the Board approved such a request, the coach would also need to request that the underage players receive exceptions from the General Rule, which would exhaust the allotment of exceptions to the General Rule for this team.
EXCEPTIONS DO NOT CARRY OVER FROM SEASONAL YEAR TO SEASONAL YEAR. There are no “automatic” exemptions from the General Rule. Each requested exception must be made in writing and must be renewed annually. If a coach/trainer does not renew a request for a “play up” it is presumed that the coach/trainer does not recommend that the player continue to play outside of their age group.
THE ALLOTMENT OF “PLAY UPS” IS NOT CUMULATIVE.
There shall be no “stacking” of underage players on a team.
Example: A U15 team submits a roster with the maximum number of underage players (4) to play in the seasonal year beginning on August 1, 2007. When the coach/trainer submits a roster for that team to begin playing as a U16 team for the next seasonal year beginning on August 1, 2008, the coach/trainer cannot request more than 4 “play ups” on that roster.
In other words, the U16 team in this example cannot request up to 8 underage players, claiming the 4 existing “play ups” plus 4 to be added to an existing team.
PROCEDURE TO REQUEST THAT A PLAYER “PLAY UP”
A coach/trainer who wishes to request an exception to the General Rule must make such a request in writing to either the Director of Trainers or the Director of Coaches. The Director of Trainers and the Director of Coaches, after reviewing the request, will make a joint recommendation to the Board of Directors regarding each request. The Directors’ recommendation, either approving the request or denying it, shall constitute the decision of the Board of Directors unless a member of the Board shall object to that recommendation in writing. In the event an objection to the recommendation is presented, that recommendation shall be voted upon by the Board. A simple majority vote of the Board of Directors will be required to either accept or amend the Directors’ recommendation.
NOTIFICATION OF AFFECTED TEAMS
The Board of Directors shall notify a coach/trainer requesting an exception to the General Rule of its decision regarding that request within 7 days of that request being submitted to the Director of Trainers or the Director of Coaches. If a request for an exception is granted, the coach/trainer of any team within the Club which is affected by the decision will also be notified, in writing, of the Board’s decision. A complete list of underage players who have been approved to play up will be maintained by the Secretary of the Board and will be available for inspection by any coach/trainer of any team in the Club. All requests to review the master list must be made in writing to the President of the Board of Directors. In this way each member team within the Club can confirm that the policy has been followed at each age level.
CONCLUSION
Please remember that each team formed at Gulf Coast Soccer Club is an equal member of our Club. Each coach/trainer assumes the responsibility of assisting in the development of each player on the team, as well as assisting in the development of the team as a unit. This responsibility extends to assisting the Board of Directors in building a strong and healthy Club at all age levels. In order to achieve this goal we must afford each team the opportunity to select the best players available within its age group. The strength of the Club’s competitive/select program depends upon our ability to field high quality teams in each age group. Strict adherence to this policy will help us to ensure that each team has the best opportunity to succeed within its age group.
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