Coventry Soccer Travel Policies

Program Goals

·         Find or create opportunities for interested OJR school district players to advance.

·         Offer two levels of player/parent commitment (Travel program and intramural program) at every age where sufficient interest exists.

·         Choose qualified coaches who are an example of the organization, integrity, and fairness of the Coventry travel program.

·         Promote club loyalty and support across all age groups.

·         Control player out of pocket cost to levels that encourage maximum participation.

Gender & Age

Players are limited by their gender only to the extent that male players may not play on a team that is registered in an all female division in a league. Players are limited by their age to the extent that the EPYSA age cutoff dates establishes their playing age and they may not play on a team in a age group younger than their EPYSA age, and must be at least eight years old by July 31st of the year they start to play travel soccer.  If a player younger than the minimum age requirement wants to tryout for the U-9 team, a formal request (e-mail or letter) needs to be made to the officers.  Upon officer’s approval, the player may attend the tryouts and compete for a spot on a team.  The player must be evaluated by the Travel Coordinator as well as the coach running the tryouts.

Team Initiation & Coach Selection

Coventry Soccer will make a decision, based on input from the travel team coaches, the Travel Coordinator, as well as preliminary tryout registrations, on what teams (age group, gender, and how many) it will attempt to field for each season by April.  When interest in starting a team is evident and the officers of the club agree, the travel teams coordinator and interested parties will be charged with selecting an interested candidate to be the coach for presentation at the next scheduled club meeting.  The same procedure will apply when a coach is removed from or leaves their team.  Preference for head coaching positions is given based on experience, intramural or travel coaching within our club, and state licenses.  All coaches are required to have a coaching license by the start of their second season.  In order to continue coaching each year all coaches (head coaches) must submit a request (via the travel player registration form) to the officers to continue coaching.  The travel team coordinator, an alternate travel team coordinator, and each team’s coach will be appointed by the officers of the club each year.

In order to be considered for coaching a travel team you must be a resident of Owen J. Roberts School District.  CSA is considered a feeder program for the High school and would like to keep conflicts of interest for the coach to a minimum.  If for some reason there is no coach available who lives within the school district, a coach outside the district can apply to coach pending officer approval.

A parent’s poll will be conducted at the end of each season asking for feedback on each player’s experience for the season.  The purpose of this is to make sure that the parents have a chance to voice concerns.

Any issues during the season must first be brought to the attention of the Travel Coordinator.  Parents and coaches are expected to interact and make an attempt at solving issues before contacting the Travel Coordinator.

Tryouts

All players must tryout each year (April - June) and the coach must keep records of the tryout information (including all players seen during tryouts, when they tried out, player evaluations or ratings, etc.).  There are to be no “reserved” players nor positions held aside on any travel team during tryouts - all roster positions are tried out for each year, and all primary players selected to any roster must participate in and be evaluated during at least one tryout session.  A player can only play for one primary team each year, and needs to attend only one tryout to be eligible to be accepted. 

(Note - the travel team coaches and coordinator should schedule tryouts in such a way that players who desire to “play up” are given a reasonable opportunity to attend a tryout for the older team before the tryout for their natural age team occurs.) 

Players must be notified of their status prior to the end of registration for the fall season intramural teams.  Advertisement for tryouts is required.  When two (or more) teams are planned at the same age/gender, tryouts should occur at the same time, date, and location. 

If a team, after completion of the scheduled tryouts, does not have at least 13 eligible players (10 for U9-U12) the coach will have the opportunity to set up additional tryouts (within 2 weeks of final scheduled tryout).  If after the additional tryout, the team does not have at least 13(10) eligible players, (including eligible and interested players not selected on younger teams) the team will not be formed for that season.

No team, coach, player, or any other person may approach a registered travel team player to leave his or her team for another.

The Travel Coordinator AND younger team coaches must be notified of players who are “playing up” BEFORE the players are notified of their selection to the teams.  It is the responsibility of the travel team coaches and travel coordinator to ensure and promote the ongoing viability of all the travel teams.  The Travel Coordinator must verify that any team which may be losing formerly rostered players due to those players attempting to “play up” will still have sufficient interested players to field a team.  If the number of players who are “playing up” to an older age group is sufficient to effectively eliminate their “natural age” team’s ability to field a team (at least 13 bona fide eligible players), then the travel team coaches and travel team coordinator should meet and determine if it is more appropriate to have the player(s) involved in “playing up” participate with their natural age team.  In such a case, the players who are “playing up” should not be notified of their placement until the travel team coordinator and coaches have made such a determination.  The overriding consideration should be biased toward providing the best travel team experience for all of the Coventry Soccer travel team players.  The fact that a formerly rostered player has chosen to “play up” can not be allowed to be the reason that a whole team is not fielded.  In the event that the decision is to not form a team at the natural age level, the officers of Coventry Soccer should be notified as soon as practical and in no case later than the deadline for intramural registration.

Rosters

• Team Size - The team's roster size is at the discretion of the team's coach. Roster size must always comply with league requirements.
• U9-U12 - Maximum roster size is 14.
• U13-U14 - Maximum roster size is 18.
• U15-U18 - Maximum roster size is 22. Only 18 players can wear a uniform on game day. This larger size accommodates problems which might arise from scheduling conflicts with high school programs or other sports.
• Players selected for a team cannot be dropped during the season without cause. Roster drops and additions must be presented to the Travel Coordinator prior to the event.
• The primary team Head Coach has final approval authority for releasing players to secondary teams or to guest play.
• Under no circumstances is an uncarded player allowed to play in a fall travel regular season game.
• Under no circumstances is a carded travel player allowed to play on an intramural team as long as they are participating in travel during the same season.  If the travel player’s team is not fielding a team in the spring, they are allowed to sign up for and play in the spring age appropriate intramural program.

Team Equipment

·        Each team will be supplied with necessary equipment to run a practice.

• New teams will receive the following equipment:
• 6 practice balls and 2 game balls in a mesh ball bag (Size 4 for U9-U12 and Size 5 for U13 and up).
• Set of PUGG goals.  Our fields get a lot of wear and tear around the goals.  In order to stay away from the goal mouths as much as possible, use these goals for smaller sided games.
• Pinnies: ~ 10 yellow pinnies will be supplied.
• Cones:  ~15 cones will be supplied
• Existing teams will receive the following equipment:
• 1 new game ball
• U13 teams will receive 6 practice balls and 2 game balls (size 5)

Team Finances

• Registration fees are established by the CSA officers.
• The coach or team manager collects all necessary paperwork and enters the information on the appropriate database (EPYSA or US Club). Team members can give the coach their registration form and payment.  Players must register online for the tryouts.  All CSA travel fees are due by July 31 and are collected by the Travel Coordinator.
• Fees paid out to leagues are disbursed by the Treasurer.
• The team manager should present a team's Seasonal Cost sheet to all players' parents prior to the beginning of each season (Fall, Winter, Spring).  A draft of the fall season cost sheet should be available at the tryouts.
• Periodic financial updates should be made available to parents throughout each season.
• Each team will have its own CSA checking account. When the team is newly formed, the Treasurer establishes the checking account with $100 and assists the team manager or team treasurer in organizing the account. Each year the checking account rolls to the next year as long as the team is in existence.
• If a team does not form in a particular year, the team's checking account is turned back to the Treasurer who will dissolve the account. The account must have a balance of at least $100.
• The team manager or team treasurer is responsible for maintaining the account and paying all associated fees. Statements are released to the Treasurer and can be picked up at General Meetings.
• Funds in an account belong to the team (except the $100). The funds stay with the team year-to-year irregardless of coach and player changes.

Sponsorship & Fund Raising

Teams or individuals may not seek sponsorship nor imply Coventry Soccer’s sponsorship in fund raising activities.  Teams may engage in fund raising as long as the activity involves selling materials or food or soliciting of donations.  Donations of money or materials by businesses to individual teams must be approved by the officers before they can be accepted.  At no time should there be any risk or liability to the club.  All funds must be deposited in the club treasury or maintained in a team bank account.

UNIFORM

• CSA has a contract with adidas to buy primarily adidas apparrel/ uniforms/equipment
• Each Travel year we will require teams to purchase club-approved uniforms.  The uniform is on a three year cycle and must be replaced every 3rd year.
• Club-specific training uniforms are available for purchase at the discretion of the team coach

Team Names

• Each team is authorized and encouraged to select their own team name.
• Prior to using the chosen name, the team must present their request to the Travel coordinator for approval.
• The name must be unique in that age group across gender.
• The name must be considered appropriate and cannot include any references to alcohol, tobacco, or anything rude or lewd.
• Team names are posted on the website.

Playing Time Policy

No minimum percentage is established.  Except for disciplinary reasons, every player must play in every game (including tournaments).  It is the coach’s responsibility to manage the team to exceed this requirement such that will be no need for Coventry Soccer to establish a minimum percentage.

If a player is consistently getting less than 50% playing time, a discussion with that player/parents should occur explaining playing time expectations in the future.

• Recommended playing time is as follows.
• At U9 –U11 the recommended playing time for each player should be least 50%.  No player should play goalie for an entire game.
• At age U12, the level of play becomes more competitive. The amount of playing time per player is determined by the coaches, but the club recommends the coaches strive for every player to get significant time.
• Players should be given the opportunity to play different positions.  Player development should be of greater value than winning/losing.  A good coach will give players the opportunity to try new things without hurting the team’s chances of winning.

Patches

• Teams can purchase patches from the club.
• Patches are typically traded with other teams for their patches during tournaments.
• The Travel Coordinator and/or delegates are responsible for keeping an inventory, collecting the fees, and dispensing the patches to the teams.
• The Travel Coordinator and delegates turn over funds received to the Treasurer.
• Payment of patches is required prior to dispensing them to a team.
• The cost of patches is borne by the team.

Field Use and Care

• Coaches will work with the Field Coordinator and field game schedule to plan and schedule the use of CSA fields.
• A practice schedule will be set up with dates, times, and locations.
• Teams, who would like to schedule a scrimmage or practice on CSA fields at a different day or time than their slotted time, must get approval from the Field Coordinator.
• Each team's Head Coach is expected to get volunteers from their team to help set up, maintain, and ensure the safety of the fields where they play. This work is coordinated with the Field Coordinator.
• The preference for deciding field use priority is by the age and level of the team.
• No team is allowed to practice without receiving prior permission from the Field Coordinator.

League Play

• CSA participates in several leagues.
• The Travel Coordinator and league delegates are responsible for attending the league meetings and getting the necessary information to the officers of CSA and the coaches/team managers.
• Each team is expected to follow the rules and guidelines of the league in which they play.
• If a coach desires to play in another league, he/she may apply to do so with CSA Officer approval.

Tournaments

• Teams may choose the tournaments in which they want to participate.
• The cost of a tournament must be collected and agreed to by each player before payment to the tournament.
• A tournament not committed to prior to the beginning of each season is to be considered optional for each player.
• Guest players - Teams may include guest players from within the club when participating in tournaments.  The following restrictions apply:
• One or more rostered players are not attending the tournament
• The coach of the guest player’s team is contacted to determine any conflicts and to gain concurrence.

• Guest players are aware of the financial obligation (if any).
• Guest players from outside the club are permitted only after contacting the available and appropriate players/coaches from within Coventry Soccer.
• Each tournament may have different guest player rules. Make sure all tournament specific rules are followed.

Indoor Soccer

• Teams may choose to play in indoor leagues and/or tournaments.
• These events are optional for travel players and fees must be agreed upon prior to payment.

Select and ODP Teams and Tryouts

• Coaches are encouraged to make their players aware of league select and ODP programs, and to inform them of the tryouts.
• A player who is selected to one of these programs is required to fulfill that obligation before that of their club team except as it may conflict with the club team's involvement in state cup play.

Code of Ethics

• Each coach, assistant coach, player, and parent must receive, sign, return, and abide by the Code of Ethics agreements.
• The Code of Ethics agreement is signed and handed in during the yearly registration process.
• The Code of Ethics forms signed by each coach are retained by the respective league delegate.
• The Code of Ethics forms signed by each player and each parent are retained by the Head Coach.
• Failure to sign or comply with the Code of Ethics can lead to disciplinary actions.
• The Code of Ethics forms are available from the website.

Disciplinary Action

• Any disciplinary actions assessed to a player, parent, or coach within the club will be voted on and executed ONLY by the CSA Officers.
• Any issues that arise involving a player(s), parent(s) or coach(es) must be attempted to be addressed before involving the Travel Coordinator.
• Any coach, player, or parent having issues must contact the Travel Coordinator regarding any incident they feel warrants disciplinary actions.
• The CSA Officers will be informed of such incidents.

GAME DAY PREPARATION:

Coaches should have a copy of the league rules for the league in which your team is playing.  They need to be familiar with these rules.  Pay particular attention to where the league requires the parent and teams to reside during a game.

Sometime prior to your game contact the opposing coach/manager confirming the game time, field location, field directions and jersey colors.

Items needed (ref will ask to see):

Player/Coach Passes (coaches pass may be held during the game by the ref)

Lineup sheet (roster or lineup sheet depending on league)

½ the ref money

Items you should have that the referee may not ask for:

Copy of stamped roster

Medical release forms for all players

Contact info for opposing coach (email & phone #’s)

Contact Info for CSA officers (Travel Coordinator, League delegate and Field Assignor)

Team Pictures

Each year when the intramural pictures are being setup, each travel coach may choose to have team/individual pictures scheduled.  It is each team’s responsibility to contact the picture coordinator and setup the arrangements

INCLEMENT WEATHER (Coventry Soccer Policy):

Only the Travel Coordinator or Field assignor can officially cancel games.

      If you want to recommend canceling a game(s) call Travel Coordinator/League Delegate/Field Assignor

Reasons for canceling games:

1.      safety(either lightning or unplayable field conditions)

2.      maintaining field integrity will be part of the decision

Just because it is raining does not mean games will be cancelled