- Club Administration
- Team Administration
- Playing Time
- Parent /Player Commitment
- Grievances
- Club Fees
- Financial Assistance
- Fundraising
- Tournaments
- Indoor Sessions
- Tryouts
The Ela Soccer Club is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board meets each month, except December. The Directors are responsible for: developing and implementing general policies and procedures; recruiting, selecting, and evaluating coaches; supervising team selection; setting fees; and overseeing the general activities of the club. The Board oversees both the Travel program and the House program.
Each team will have three roles to be filled by adults: Head Coach, Parent Assistant Coach, and Team Manager
Head Coach
Each head coach will be a professional soccer trainer. The role of the Head Coach is:
- To train the team
- To coach during games
- To undertake player evaluations
- To hold two team meetings during the course of the year
- To address concerns from parents concerning their child
- To communicate with their team manager relative to schedules, tournaments, etc.
Head Coach Scheduling
Each Head Coach will be coaching more than one ESC team. Because of this, there will be schedule conflicts that prevent the Head Coach from making it to every game. While ESC is committed to ensuring that a professional trainer is in attendance at all games, it is recognized that there will be instances when this will not happen. In theses instances, the Parent Assistant Head coach will cover the game.
Parent Assistant Coach
The role of the Parent Assistant Coach is:
- To be a liaison between the head coach and the rest of the team
- To help maintain a positive and safe environment within the team and amongst the parents
- To provide support to the Head Coach when appropriate and in a way that reinforces the Head Coach teachings and goals
- To be available to cover for the Head Coach in case of scheduling conflicts
Each Parent Assistant Coach must hold a state “E” coaching license.
Team Manager
The role of the Team manager is:
- Handle all administrative duties for the team
- Create and maintain a communication system for the sharing of information amongst the team
- Ensure that all required volunteer activities are covered
- Be the first line of communication for team parents when a potential grievance is identified
- Ensure that a parent is in attendance at every practice
- Ensure that the team is in accordance with the expectations set forth by the club
Team Administrative Requirements
- Each team will ensure that they have a team manager
- Each team will ensure a field safety check is done prior to each practice and home game. Any safety concern that is identified must be brought immediately to the attention of the Director of Fields. These safety checks must be logged using the appropriate Club form and the log turned into the Club office at the end of each outdoor session.
- Each team will provide the appropriate number of volunteers for each Club activity when needed
- Each team is responsible for any fees or expenses related to participation in tournaments, etc. that are above the levels committed to by the Club.
- Each team is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate respect and good sportsmanship are displayed at all times by their parents, spectators and players.
- Each team is responsible for ensuring that at least one parent form the team is present at every team practice and game.
Ela Soccer Club does not have a policy on equal playing time for all players on a team. Playing time is determined by several factors including: attendance at practices and games; attitude at practices and games; and playing ability. However, Ela Soccer encourages all coaches to substitute so that all registered players have some playing time.
Parent/Player Agreement
Every parent and player will sign an appropriate code of conduct agreement upon accepting an invite to join the club. This agreement sets out expectations relative to behavior, sportsmanship, and conduct as a member of ESC. By signing the document, the parent/player agrees to honor this agreement. Violations of the agreement may result in sanctions imposed on the offending member. These sanctions may include, but are not limited to: reprimand; suspension from the team and club activities and facilities; and in extreme cases, expulsion from the club.
Player Supervision
All parents are responsible for the supervision of their children. For those situations where the parent can not be present, the parent must ensure that the child is supervised by another family attending the same event. No children should be left at an event unsupervised. Any situation where a child is at an event unsupervised must be immediately reported to the club office.
Recruiting Practices and Poaching
By accepting an invitation to join the Club, the player commits to playing in the Club for the entire soccer year. He or she may not be approached or solicited by a coach, team official, or parent to transfer to another soccer organization during that time. Any player or parent found to be actively recruiting Ela players to transfer to another soccer organization will be suspended for a minimum of one year and may be further disciplined by the Board of Directors. In instances where a parent is directly involved, and has more than one player in the Club, the suspension will be extended to include all other family members.
Sideline Behaviour
Parents are expected to maintain a positive sportsmanship approach towards all players, officials, coaches, and other families before, during, and after a game. In addition, it is important that parents avoid attempting to help coach players from the sideline. League rules require that coaches be located in the bench area during the course of a game. Teams that are deemed to be breaking this rule may be subjected to a penalty. By observing this rule, the parents also reduce potential confusion created when players receive instructions from multiple sources. Allowing the coaches to be the sole source of instruction during a game ensures that the potential for player confusion is reduced.
Non-Sanctioned Event Particpation
Ela Soccer Club is dedicated in providing a complete development program for each individual player. Therefore, as a rule, the club does not support player participation in non-Ela events, even if they do not conflict with the Player/Parent Agreement or the Policies and Procedures manual. Any player participation in a non-Ela event must be approved by the club.
All grievances and complaints should be resolved in accordance with Club, IYSA and USYSA rules, policies and procedures. If no clearly applicable rules, policies, or procedures exist, the Board of Directors will make the final determination.
Grievances or complaints about team matters should be directed to head coaches and, if possible, resolved at the team level. If the matter can not be resolved at the team level, the head coach should present the grievance or complaint to the Director of Coaches. All grievances or complaints given to the Director of Coaches will be reviewed with the appropriate Board Subcommittee. The Subcommittee has the authority to resolve the matter, make a recommendation to the Board, or refer the matter to the Board.
Grievances or complaints about player issues should be discussed with the team coach and, if possible, should be resolved at that level. If the matter can not be resolved with the coach, the coach should present the grievance or complaint to the Director of Trainers. The Director of Trainers will review the complaint with the Director of Coaches. The Director of Coaches has the authority to resolve the matter, make a recommendation to the appropriate subcommittee, or refer the matter to the appropriate subcommittee.
Fees for participation in the club cover the entire soccer year (fall, indoor, and spring). A player who accepts an invitation to play with the Club commits to pay the entire fee for the full soccer year. No refunds, partial or full, will be made to players who choose not to participate at any point after the commitment is made.
The Ela Soccer Club is committed to ensuring that no child shall be denied a roster spot based upon financial needs. To that end, ESC has established a financial assistance program to support needy families. The program allows for those families to perform additional volunteer duties over the course of the soccer year, in lieu of paying the club fees.
Applications for financial assistance must be received at the time of registration. All applicants for financial assistance will be required to provide proof of need. The amount of an individual award will be determined by the number of qualified applicants and the total amount of funds available.
The program is monitored to ensure that participating families perform the expected duties. Those families who sign up for the financial aid program but do not perform their required duties will lose their right to participate with the club and lose the opportunity to participate in the program going forward.
Ela Soccer Club will seek additional ways to raise funds to help defray the cost of the program, and is open to suggestions. Suggestions should be forwarded to the Board for review. No individual team shall fundraise without the approval of the Ela Board of Directors. In addition,no teams are allowed to seek donations from current Club vendors and marketing partners.
Policies and Fees
Each team is expected to participate in a minimum of two tournaments each soccer year. As part of the players’ fees, the club will help cover the expense of two tournament entry fees for each team during the course of the soccer year. Each team will receive a budget amount for this purpose. Any expenses incurred by the teams beyond this budget amount are the responsibility of the team.
Selection of the tournaments will be done by the team trainers and be based upon team development needs, variety of competition, cost, etc. For out of state tournaments, the team is responsible for covering the cost of the trainer’s accommodations and travel expenses. The teams are not responsible for trainers’ fees to work these tournaments. In situations where a trainer has multiple teams attending the same out of state tournament, each participating team will share in the trainer’s accommodation expenses. The trainer’s expenses are to be paid directly to the trainer.
Decisions to participate in additional tournaments are at the discretion of the individual teams. Entry fees, as well as trainers’ fees, accommodations, and travel expenses will be the sole responsibility of the participating team. The trainers’ expenses are to be paid directly to the trainer.
All tournament fees, including those for additional tournaments, must be processed through the club office. For additional tournaments, the club will not process or forward any payment unless the full amount of the payment has been provided by the requesting team at the time of the request.
In the event that a tournament is cancelled after the fee has been processed, any tournament refund received by the Club will be credited back to the participating team. This credit is to be used towards future tournaments. If, due to scheduling conflicts, the refunded team is not able to reschedule an additional tournament, the amount of the credit will be refunded to the team’s individual families at the end of the soccer year. This refund will only be for the amount of the credit received from the cancelled tournament and not include any other expenses incurred for the cancelled tournament. Every attempt will be made to make up a team’s training hours that are unused due to a cancelled tournament.
Fees Policy
As part of the players’ fees, the club will help cover the expense of one indoor winter league session for each team during the course of the soccer year. Each team will receive budget amount for this purpose. Any expenses incurred by the teams beyond this budget amount are the responsibility of the team. The club will not process or forward any payment for indoor sessions unless the full amount of the payment has been provided by the requesting team at the time of the request
Procedure
ESC will hold tryouts for every age level during the spring soccer season. These tryouts are designed to evaluate players and ensure that they are placed on the appropriate roster. Roster decisions will be made by the Head Coach, with input from the Director of Trainers. It should be noted that Ela players are continually evaluated during the course of the soccer season. This provides the opportunity to make roster adjustments during the course of the season where appropriate.
Age Appropriate
All players must tryout at the age appropriate level. Exceptions may be made for those players who, due to where their birthday falls on the calendar, could play either age appropriate or school grade appropriate. Any exception to the tryout policy must be approved by the Director of Trainers and reviewed by the Travel Board Subcommittee.
Team Assignments
Team assignments are made by the Head Coaches and the Director of trainers and are based upon skill level and capabilities. The club is committed to ensuring that the team assignment is either age appropriate or grade appropriate. However, the Club reserves the right to assign individual players to teams that are not age appropriate, but better fit with the player’s skill level and capabilities. The Club also reserves the right to assign players to teams to ensure that there are enough players to field a team at a particular age group, as long as the assignment does not negatively impact the player’s development. Any team assignment that is not age or grade appropriate must be approved by the Travel Board Subcommittee.
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