Coaches

The following information is taken from MAYSA's Manager Cheat Sheet and other resources:

Game Day

The home team contacts the opposing team a few days before a game to confirm date, time, field and team colors.  If the colors are similar, the home team wears alternate jerseys.

What should a coach have on game day?

  1. An ‘WYSA Official roster' with jersey numbers listed (from club). Official roster should be a photo roster for teams playing in upper Tiers. Have a printed roster for the referee, not an electronic version.
  2. Current Risk Management passes for all Team Staff in all Tiers. Passes are required for all adults on the team-side at a game. Be prepared to show your coach pass.
  3. Referee fees as applicable, payable by home team.

On game day the Home team must provide:

  • Alternative jerseys if necessary
  • Properly inflated game ball (game ball sizes: U6-U8=size 3, U9-U12=size 4, U13+ = size 5)
  • Referee fees: For MAYSA league games, all ref fees are paid by home team (fees below)
  • Fees are due to referee before start of game

Player Registrations/Transfers

All players must be registered with the club before participating. Contact our Registrar with any questions regarding adding players.

Players are registered for the entire playing year, 8/1 to 7/31. Some transfers are permitted between Fall & Spring. Contact the club Registrar for more information about transfers between clubs.

Competitive players transferring between different clubs must Submit a WYSA transfer form on www.wiyouthsoccer.com.

Referee Information

MAYSA League Fees (home team pays full fee):

  • U9-U10: $22/$16/$16
  • U11-U12: $34/$24/$24
  • U13-U14: $46/$34/$34
  • U15-U16: $58/$42/$42
  • U17+: $68/$48/$48

One envelope per Official works best. Home team pays the referee in cash, not venmo or check.

Please contact your club referee coordinator for any questions on referee assigning.

Questions? Contact Linda: lhuttenhoff@maysa.org

Game Cancelations

MAYSA does not cancel games due to weather. Only at their Reddan Soccer Park facility do they make this decision.

Coaches should make a determination as to whether recent or current field conditions warrant cancelation of a game in sufficient time prior to the match to notify opponent and referees, giving consideration to the travel time of the opponent. If a decision is made to cancel, the home team must notify whomever assigns referees for their games (MAYSA or Club assignors) at least 2 hours prior to the match to allow the assignor time to notify the referee(s). See the list of referee assignors on https://www.maysa.org/page/show/2357912-assignments-and-fees under the link "List of Assignors for MAYSA District Clubs".

Even if the match is held, the referee reserves the right to cancel a game at the field due to weather or field conditions. Once the game has started, the decision to stop play rests solely with the referee. If the game is called prior to half time, the game is to be re-played in its entirety. If the game is called at halftime or any point thereafter, the game is considered a complete game and the final score stands.

Scores

The home team is responsible for reporting scores and is encouraged to "phone-in" the score shortly after match completion. Away team is welcome to do it too, perhaps if it hasn't been reported within a couple days.

You can phone-in the scores or enter them via a website portal. Know your game number (from schedule) before entering.

Go to http://maysa.demosphere.com/PhoneItIn/

  1. Enter Pin # (9030)
  2. Enter the game # (from schedule)
  3. Check that the correct game is displayed, then confirm.
  4. Enter the score for each team, then confirm.

Every age group should report scores, to assist with aligning teams in the most competitive division appropriate for them. Some scores/standings may not be published online.

Player Pass Cards and WYSA Official Photo Rosters

USYS Player Pass Cards are required for USYS National League teams. Some tournaments (especially out of state) may also require player passes for other teams. Player pass cards should be laminated, and must include photos. Please refer to tournament rules/requirements well ahead of time to determine if player passes are required.

WYSA State League and MAYSA League, Tier 1 & Tier 2 no longer require player cards. Teams in these leagues must have an official WYSA district authorized photo roster. For these teams, every player must have birthdate verified by MAYSA and have a photo uploaded for the roster.

MAYSA Tier 3 & 4 and 9U/10U Rec leagues require an official WYSA club/district authorized roster, but do not require age verification or photos for these teams.

USYS National league teams receive cards automatically. If any other teams/players require a player pass for a tournament or other competition, please contact the club to have us request cards from MAYSA. Do this as soon as you know you need the passes as MAYSA cannot guarantee an immediate turnaround.

Coach/Manager Pass

All team staff must have a Risk Management Pass through Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association (WYSA) and SafeSport certificate to be on the team side during games. As of Fall 2018, this requirement extends to all team staff designated on the official team roster (including coaches, managers, and assistants), and all adults associated with teams and players in a club. Information on these requirements can be found at: www.wiyouthsoccer.com/member-services/risk-management/ or contact you club for more information.

Every coach should also have the level of certificate or license appropriate for the team he/she coaches. The certificates/licenses indicate a level of training. Please see www.wiyouthsoccer.com for requirements and current class offerings. (Under ‘Coaching’)

Club Pass Policy

The club pass is designated as an intra club pass. Club passing allows players within the same club to be used on other age-appropriate teams during league games and tournament play. All players club passing to a competitive game must have a copy of their WYSA district authorized official photo roster to present at the game. Players passing onto a USYS national league team must have a USYS player pass provided by MAYSA.

For the complete text on this policy (updated Aug 2013) please visit the WYSA website under Policies. Club passing is generally permitted in most tournaments —please contact the tournament for more information.

Rosters

Max roster size:

  • U6-U8: 12
  • U9-U10: 14
  • U11-U12: 16
  • U13-U18: 22 (only 18 may ‘suit up’ on game day)

Each team must provide the referee with an approved WYSA ‘Official Roster’ with jersey #s written in.

Teams receive a roster from their club at the beginning of the season. Contact the club’s Registrar if you need a roster at any time.

Be sure to make plenty of copies for the season and give the ref a copy each game!!

Field Information

A field coordinator has been designated by each soccer club. The field coordinator maintains the schedule for the club fields. The field coordinator may also limit games or practices on the field if it is deemed unsafe or unplayable.

Games take precedence over practices. Fields cannot be reserved for practices or scrimmages.—first come, first served.

General Tournament Information

If your team is planning to play in one or more tournaments during the season, be sure to plan ahead and organize your materials to make registering and check-in at the event a smooth, easy process.

For a listing of upcoming MAYSA tournaments see: www.maysa.org

In general, you will need to have the following items with you at check-in for an event (be sure to check the specific requests from any event you plan to attend):

  • Approved WYSA official roster
  • Player passes (if required by Tournament)
  • Liability waivers/medical release forms
  • Permission to travel form from WYSA (if out-of-state tourney)
  • Emergency contact for manager/coach during the event
  • Guest player form (if using guest players from other clubs - available through WYSA)

Schedule Changes

Once the schedules are final, there are very few times that games should be rescheduled. See the MAYSA website for details (under League Rules and Game Day Rules):

  • Field conditions (by City or Club field coordinators)
  • On field weather (by Referee)
  • State Cup conflicts

If rescheduling, home and away coaches, field coordinator, and referee assignor (MAYSA or Club) must be involved. MAYSA should be notified of all reschedules (usually by the Club Field Coordinator at the end of the rescheduling process.)

Positive Coaching & Spectating

As we seek to develop referees and set a good example for young people let us review the following:

MAYSA Code of Conduct

Players, parents, spectators and coaches all must be aware of the Code of Conduct, especially the No Tolerance Rule regarding referee abuse. If there are concerns about referee performance, that is okay but coaches need to work with parents to use the process outlined below. Referees are a unique commodity and there are never enough of them.

Other related items:

Recommendations for Sideline Behavior for Coaches and Spectators - MAYSA highly encourages that coaches and parents review these recommendations.  We would like to add that bringing dogs to games is generally discouraged (many public parks prohibit them anyway). Everything in here basically falls into the category of common sense. Coaches, you are responsible for the behavior of your players and parents.

If video is your thing, here is an excellent one (in two parts) produced by Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association. 

All coaches, managers, parents and spectators should be aware that there will be multi-game and/or multi-week suspensions and/or fines for persistent badgering of referees, harassing them at half time or post game, asking for their name or badge number, following them to the parking lots or generally violating common sense.

Referee Feedback Process

Feedback of any kind must be via the team coach (never the parent or spectator) and in writing via the link at www.masru.org or click here - they're the local referee governing body. Parents or spectators unaware of this policy & process will be directed back to the club and team coach. 

Feedback about referees is okay and MAYSA does review and follow up. But it must be in writing from the team's coach via this link. The match number is how they cross reference to identify the assigned referees.

Other than to say "thank you for your work" and/or retrieve player pass cards, avoid confronting the referee during or after the match. Doing so may be considered threatening behavior and contrary to the zero tolerance policy and could very well earn you a suspension. This isn't allowed in any league or sport anywhere.

Asking the referee(s) for badge number or name will be considered threatening and definitely lead to  suspension.

Understand that the referee does not have an obligation to explain a call or no-call.  
Talking negatively about the referee(s) even if you insist you're not talking to the referees is still considered dissent and the referee has the authority to issue a card for this behavior. 

Also see MAYSA's Fair & Reasonable Expectations Between Soccer Coaches and Referees and Recommendations and Guidelines for Sideline Behavior.

Mercy Rule

Familiarize yourself with MAYSA's Mercy Rule regarding lopsided games.

If your team is on the "giving" side of a lopsided game, consider not over-celebrating more goals and/or working on possession, putting players in more challenging positions, etc. so as to not run up the score unecesarily.

Rules Adaptations for U10 Play

If you coach a U10 team, see Rules Adaptations Specific to Under 9 and Under 10 Play.

Substitutions During the Game

Make substitutions of players at the half way line, wait for referee to wave them in.

After-Game Handshake

After the game a handshake or at least acknowledging/waving to the opposing team is a great show of sportsmanship.

In Summary

Coaches coach, players play, spectators cheer, referees officiate!

The following information is taken from the Watertown Soccer Club's Policies and Procedures:

Qualifications

Each competitive team shall have a head coach who will be submitted to the Board by the Director of Coaching for approval. To qualify for a position as a competitive coach, a candidate must:

  • Submit a coaching application to the WSC Director of Coaching no later than May 15th.
  • Be at least twenty‐one (21) years of age.
  • Have expressed a commitment to devote the time required to coach a team for a full seasonal year; approximately three to six hours of training per week, league games and tournaments.
  • Agree to follow the philosophy, policies and procedures of the Watertown Soccer Club.
  • Be familiar with the laws of the game and abide by them.
  • Be committed to improving the basic skills of the players as well as his/her knowledge and skills of the game.
  • Demonstrate a temperament toward others that is cooperative, understanding, and tolerant, especially under adverse conditions.
  • Have demonstrated an attitude of positive sportsmanship throughout his/her coaching career.

Each competitive coach shall have the option to appoint an assistant coach who shall be approved by the Director of Coaching. To qualify for a position as an assistant coach, a candidate must:

  • Meet the coaching requirements mandated by WSC (listed above)
  • Assist at team practices and games
  • Direct team activities in the absence of the head coach

The WSC may waive particular requirements of those set forth above only if special circumstances prevail and with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Coaches must have a valid risk management card, otherwise the individual will be removed by the
Board. All WSC coaches and assistant coaches must have a signed coaching agreement on file with the Club and abide by the conditions of that agreement. Failure of any coach to abide by the signed agreement may result in suspension or termination of that coach from WSC. Coaching assignments are issued on a one‐year basis (fall and spring season). There shall be no limit to the number of years that a coach may participate in the WSC program, so long as s/he continues to uphold the ideals and the philosophy of the WSC program and to meet the basic selection of qualifications. At the end of the spring season, it shall be the responsibility of the Director of Coaching to complete an assessment of each coach and submit this report to the WSC Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

The coach agrees to participate in at least two training sessions per week and be present at the league or tournament games involving their team. When a conflict arises, the coach will work with their team and club to arrive at an appropriate solution.

The coach will make a good faith effort to attend all coaches’ meetings, seminars, clinics and tryouts, which are established by the team and/or the club. It is the obligation of the coach to advise the team and/or club if an event cannot be attended.

Training sessions will be run in a positive, structured, professional manner, stressing soccer skills and tactics. The coach shall not address a player in a manner that could be considered inappropriate (demeaning discourse, use of vulgarity and/or yell or shout at a player in a manner unbecoming of a coach‐player relationship).

The coach is responsible for the actions of the assistant coaches, parents and team players, prior to, during and after each game, practice and club event. Coach agrees to uphold the Coaches Code of Conduct, as outlined below.

Coach shall ensure that all team players, parents read understand and sign the WSC Player and Parent Agreement. Furthermore, coach shall uphold and enforce the conditions and standards stipulated with the agreements. The signed agreements will be held by the Club electronically.

The coach is required to meet minimum standards established by WYSA. See chart below:

Coaches are required to continue to educate themselves via classes, research and/or obtaining a higher coaching license. The Director of Coaching may address and/or question a coach on how they have developed themselves in the last year; this conversation will take a pivotal role in recommending the coach to the Board of Directors the following year. WSC will reimburse the Coach any fees in receiving a higher coaching license,
assuming it is needed for the level the Coach is coaching. Coaches may receive the current registration fee at the end of the soccer season (July). In order to receive the fee, the Coach must do the following:

  • Meet with the Director of Coaching to review the year after the spring season.
  • Prove that the Coach continues to educate him or herself in the game of soccer, through research and/or obtaining a higher license.
  • Follow and support WSC policies and procedures.
  • Has no outstanding tournament/league fees owed to the Club.
  • The Board has final approval of all Coaches that receive the registration fee.

The Coach will report any unique incidents involving players, parents, and coaches of the team to the WSC Director of Coaching and/or President with 24 hours of the incident. The coach understands that a player will not be rostered to a team until the player has paid the clubs dues, or has been approved through scholarship.

Coaches are expected to conduct a survey of their coaching performance The Board recommends the survey be performed by an independent party. A survey will be conducted after the Spring season. Results will be shared with the Director of Coaching, Coach and the Board. (The Director of Coaching will be evaluated by the President at the end of the Spring Season and the review will be shared with the Board.)

Code of Conduct

Coaches are expected to be role models who project the spirit of the sport on and off the field. They are responsible for fairly applying the WSC, MAYSA and WYSA policies.

No coach shall use profanity or make derogatory remarks or gestures to a referee, parent official, player, parent, or spectator. A coach may never strike, shake, push, or otherwise physically assault any individual. Any coach found in violation of this provision will be immediately suspended, dismissed from the WSC club and the
appropriate authorities may be brought in to investigate the situation.

The Coaches Code is as follows:

  • Enthusiastically support, practice “everyone plays”, and positive coaching philosophies.
  • Be reasonable in your demands on the young players’ time, energy, enthusiasm and their performance on the soccer field.
  • Impress on your players that they must abide by the Laws of the Game at all times.
  • Develop team respect for the ability of opponents, and for the judgment of referees and opposing coaches.
  • Ensure that your players’ soccer experience is one of fun and enjoyment. Players should never be yelled at or ridiculed for any reason.
  • Set a good example and be generous with your praise when it is deserved. Children need a coach they can respect.
  • Do not publicly question referee’s judgment and never their honesty.
  • Enlist the support of your team’s parents in your efforts to instill the proper attitudes and values in the players, coaches are responsible for the conduct of their sideline.
  • Check equipment you use. It should meet safety standards and be appropriate for the age and ability of your players. Bring all safety issues concerning fields to the attention to the appropriate authority.
  • Follow the advices of a physician when determining when an injured child is ready to play again.
  • Select/carry a roster size consistent with MAYSA and WYSA policies.
  • Be a positive role model. Defuse, rather than inflate problems.
  • Respond to all Board correspondence within 48 hours.

WSC adopted a ZERO TOLERANCE response toward any coach or parent verbally abusing a referee before, during, or after a game. Specifically, referees have been instructed to take the following action:

  1. If possible, first warn the coach.
  2. Dismiss the coach from the game. WSC Coaches will be disciplined per WSC guidelines in the Coaches Code of Conduct.
  3. If the problem is larger than one or two people, especially if the problem involves both teams, then the referee is to terminate the match, leave, and report the issue in Game officials (referee software).
  4. Any coach that does not conform to the guidelines above, and/or exhibits ANY abusive behavior toward a player, parent, referee, coach, spectator, club official or any individual in or around a WSC activity. Misconduct will be treated as follows:
    1. First offense will result in a warning letter to the Coach
    2. Second offense will result in a ten day suspension. The ten days will make up ten regularly scheduled practices and/or games.
    3. Third offense will result in a lifetime ban. Per review from the Board, the Coach may be reinstated after a period of 24 months.
  5. The use of any controlled substances or alcoholic beverage at or in the vicinity of any WSC game related function is strictly prohibited.

Coaches understand that failing to uphold all guidelines and stipulations in their entirety as documented above may result in disciplinary actions against them, which could result in dismissal from WSC.

Complaint Procedure

If a Board Member, Coach or Member (Individual) has a reasonable cause to believe a Coach failed to abide by Coaches in the Coaches Code of Conduct; then that individual shall wait 24 hours after the incident. The individual shall attempt to discuss the incident with the Coach.

If the Individual did not resolve the issue with the Coach; then the individual has the right to contact a Board Member. The Board member shall bring the issue to the next Board Members meeting. If the complaint is time sensitive; then a special Board Meeting shall be conducted to find resolution prior to the regularly scheduled monthly board meeting. The Coach being accused shall be afforded an opportunity to explain the alleged
failure to Coaches Conduct in a closed‐door Board Meeting. The accuser of the Coach shall be afforded an opportunity to explain the accusation in a closed‐door Board Meeting. If, after hearing the member’s response and after making further investigation as warranted by the circumstances, the governing board or committee determines the member has failed to abide by Coaches Conduct, it shall take appropriate disciplinary and corrective action per guidelines listed above in the Coaches Code of Conduct.

Termination or Dismissal

The dismissal of any coach during the season, for just cause, may be made only by a majority vote of the WSC Board of Directors.

In the event a coach is removed from a team prior to the end of the season, the Director of Coaching shall recommend a replacement candidate to the WSC Board of Directors in an expedient manner in order to minimize the impact that the situation may have on a team.

In the event the Director of Coaching is removed from a team prior to the end of the season, the WSC Board of Directors shall recommend a replacement candidate in an expedient manner in order to minimize the impact that the situation may have on a team.