Guidelines For New Soccer Teams


Salina Soccer Club

GUIDELINES FOR NEW SOCCER TEAMS

Introduction

The Salina Soccer Club’s goal is to provide opportunities for youth players to participate in organized, competitive soccer. This guide provides advice for new teams who are interested in joining the Salina Soccer Club. Please consult the SSC website for additional information and a list of contacts. If you have questions about forming a team, we would like to help you. Feel free to contact any board member, and especially the Directors of Coaching. If you have questions about forms, please contact the SSC Registrar.

SSC website: www.salinasoccerclub.com

SSC phone number: 823-8108

Kansas Youth Soccer Association website: www.ksysa.org

We are affiliated with the KYSA. Their website is the primary place to get forms. It is also a good resource for policy and procedure information, coaching information, and links to leagues and tournaments. (Links to these pages are also available directly from the SSC website.)

Leagues

Most Salina Soccer Club teams play in the Mid-Kansas United Soccer League at the Salina Soccer Complex.  Teams from all over central and south-central Kansas compete in this competitive league.    Teams have 2 options: A “Home Only” options which means your team will  play all of their league games in Salina, or a “Home/Away” option, which means your team plays 4 games in Salina and 4 games in  Manhattan (Wildcat League)  .  The excitement of this choice comes in knowing your team will be able to play a wider variety of teams and open your team up for more competitive opportunities.
There are also leagues in Manhattan, Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City to choose from.  All leagues offer at least 8 games per season.

Tournaments

Go to the tournaments section of the SSC website for a listing and contacts for all tournaments. The most popular tournaments are: Governor’s Cup in Topeka in May and October, Hutchinson in April, and TRYSA in Emporia in April/May and October.

Team Size, Age Groups,

You’ll need enough players for a team. You can gather your own players, and/or you can add members via the SSC Player Evaluations held each June. You are not allowed to approach players on other club teams except during the free agency period – See the SSC website's faq for additional explanation and the ksysa.org for complete details.

See the league and tournament websites for information about number of players on the field and maximum roster size for your age group. Age group example: The U-11 age group means that all players must be Under 11 years of age, and cannot turn 11 prior to August 1st. Most U-11 players will be in the 5th grade in school. See SSC website's faq for additional explanation.

Team Coaches and Managers

Most teams will have a head coach, assistant coach, and a team manager who handles all the paperwork, player cards, uniforms, money, etc.

You can get your own coach, or the SSC can help find one for you. Many teams start with parent coaches for the first years, then add a more experienced coach when play becomes more advanced. Our club has been blessed with many excellent KWU players who coach our youth teams for a nominal fee. The Salina Soccer Club has established a student Coach Mentor program to help defray the cost of coaching expenses.

All coaches are encouraged to improve via the many resources that are available. The Salina Soccer Club has a library of video’s & DVD’s that can be checked out. See all of the websites mentioned above, as well as the public library. Our club offers coach’s clinic locally at least once each year; additional clinics are available around the state.

The head coach of each new team will be interviewed briefly by the SSC Directors of Coaching. This is also necessary anytime you change head coaches.

Costs

Typical costs are $75 to 130 per player each season, depending on number of tournaments, uniforms, etc. This includes league fees of about $350 per team, tournament costs of ~$450 each, $30-$75 for uniforms every couple of years, player cards, and coaching fees of ~$500 if appropriate.

Are We a Recreation or Competitive Team?

Your team will need to be designated as either a “recreational” team or a “competitive” team. The distinction is not critical to most new teams, since most leagues and tournaments only have one division. An exception is the Governor’s Cup Tournament, which has separate divisions. Your team can be a recreational team if it was assigned to you by the SSC or if you brought your team over from the Y or Salina Parks & Rec program (i.e., it was assigned to you by the Y or the SP&R). If you have a Rec team, then you must accept player assignments from the SSC unless your roster is full. If you picked your team members or held Player Evaluations, then it must be a Competitive team, unless you accepted everyone who attended the Player Evaluations.

Uniforms

When buying new uniforms the following requirements apply:
a. SSC color purple (Adidas Collegiate Purple)
b. Display the SSC Logo (Bear Promotions, Shirts by Francis and Sports Connection have logo)
c. Style and vendor is teams choice

New Team Origanization Suggestions

Besides your teams coach, the most important component for your team will be a parent team manager. Having one person who helps keep everyone informed via phone call or e-mail, makes sure league and tournament deadlines are met and handles the monetary duties for your team has proved to be the most vital keys in a well organized team.

To ensure the safety of our youth, KSYSA requires a background check on every adult who is carded on your team ( i.e. coach, assistant coach & manager). All coaches and manager of your team will need to complete a KSYSA volunteer disclosure via KSYSA website. Go to www.ksysa.org, Risk Management link, then click on Disclosure. Once completed, submit the report. E-mail a copy of your confirmation number to the club Registrar.

Have a team parent meeting by early August to discuss uniforms, league and tournaments. This meeting is the best time to collect the money necessary for your season. The coach/manager can also determine which player’s families may need to apply for a Salina Soccer Club Scholarship for financial assistance.

Make a team notebook that will have all of your team’s paperwork. Always keep the KSYSA team roster, player Registration/Medical Release, copy of player’s birth certificate and player cards in the notebook. The coach or team manager should have this notebook at every league game and tournament.

Checklist for New Teams

  1. Determine your age group and number of players.
  2. Check your players’ ages.
  3. Get uniforms ordered early.
  4. Coaches/Managers complete KSYSA volunteer disclosure via ksysa.org
  5. Choose a league and register by the deadline.
  6. Choose tournament(s) and register by the deadline.
  7. You will need to give these items to the SSC Registrar for each player and coach:
    1. Registration/Medical Release Form (signed by a parent and notarized)
    2. Copy of Birth Certificate
    3. Registration fee (Currently $35/year)
  8. You will receive these items from the Registrar:
    1. Certified Roster
    2. Player ID Card for each player, coach and team manager.
  9. Get a small picture of each player Tip: Take a digital camera to practice. You can usually get everyone’s picture at one time). Attach the picture to the Player Card. Have each player sign their Player Card. Laminate the cards.
  10. Things to take to each tournament:
    1. Copies of your Roster
    2. Player Cards
    3. Registration/Medical Release Forms (signed and notarized)
    4. Copy of player birth certificates (Tip: Always keep a copy of your player’s birth certificate in your team notebook. Believe it or not, someone might try to dispute the age of your players).
Revised 06/14/2007