Dear Coach:

Welcome to Northern Colorado Soccer Club and thank you for your involvement. We have put together an information packet that is intended to answer any questions you may have and also provide you with resources to ensure another successful season.

The main priorities are the players in our club and to keep soccer a positive, fun experience for all. All coaches should strive to develop player character, skill, ability, discipline, respect and promote competition without conflict. Remember, the true value of sports participation has very little to do with wins and losses.

The club promotes and expects the highest standard of conduct for players, parents, spectators and coaches. As the coach, you set the example and serve as a role model for your players, their parents and spectators. Please review the “Standards of Conduct” for coaches, players, parents and spectators and please hold your players accountable.

ROSTERS

The roster you have received is made up of players who have officially
registered with the club. You may recruit other players to fill your roster if necessary, but they must officially register with club due to liability insurance reasons. For certain tournament play, rosters may be “frozen”, but otherwise players may be added or removed at anytime, but please notify the club as soon as possible of any roster change. Coach’s input will be allowed but ultimately the Directors of Coaching and Teams will determine team rosters. For competitive teams, the emphasis will be appropriate level of play for players. For recreational and intermediate/developmental teams the emphasis will be placed on parity. For all teams, the main priority will be participation and team rosters may be adjusted accordingly such that no player is denied an opportunity to participate. Please contact the Director of Coaching or see the Soccer Club Policies for Team Formation and Player Selections if you have others questions concerning your roster. 

TEAM MEETING

All coaches should have a team meeting with players and their parents before the first game. This allows every one to meet each other and the practice schedule can be discussed.  It is also your opportunity to share your coaching philosophy, discuss standards of conduct and share your expectations for players and their parents. Volunteers can be recruited for: team manager, assistant coaches, flags/nets etc. It is suggested that you take 15 minutes to have all watch the U.S. Youth Soccer Association DVD on “Positive Parenting in Youth Soccer”. Copies of these are available in the office.

An important and often overlooked message to convey to parents is how you wish to have them approach you with concerns. A 24 hour rule is often very useful which is: If a parent is upset about playing time, disciplinary action, coaching style etc., they should wait at least 24 hours to discuss it with you and never discuss any concern in front of the players or after a game. Often e-mail or a telephone call is best in these situations.
     

PRACTICES

You can decide on the times and locations for your practices within certain guidelines. Generally, the City of Greeley and others assign fields to the club and coaches request specific fields usually based on times and location. Fields are assigned on a first come first serve basis. You may also independently obtain permission from a school, church, private enterprise etc., but an insurance waiver will need to filled out and these may be obtained at the office. There may be other groups practicing on any given field and we encourage you to cooperate with them.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE PRACTICE UNTIL ALL YOUR PLAYERS HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR AND YOU ARE CERTAIN THEY HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO GET HOME.

GAMES

Game schedules require a lot of advanced planning and therefore no deviation or changes in the official schedule will be allowed without prior approval of the soccer office. Have your team arrive early enough to allow for adequate warm up and check in.  If you are the first game, be sure to allow enough time for net and flag set up, if it is your responsibility. If you are the last game of the day, be sure to take down the nets and flags, if it is your responsibility.  SEE NETS/FLAGS SCHEDULE.

The first team listed on the schedule is the home team, provides the game ball and wears dark with the visiting team wearing white. Your team should bring both sets of uniforms including socks, since the officials have the final say on who wears what color.

Game schedules for Hotshots and Intermediate/Developmental Leagues are posted on www.northerncoloradosoccer.org and for the Competitive League on www.coyouthsoccer.org .

It is each team’s responsibility to clean up after themselves after each game.

PLAYER PARTICIPATION

For Recreational and Intermediate/Developmental teams, it is the responsibility of the coach to ensure that every team member plays at least half the game. Exceptions may be made for injuries, illnesses or for disciplinary reasons.

Please remember that players and their families have commitments other than soccer and these may take precedence over soccer, so please try to be understanding and not penalize players for situations beyond their control.

Many athletes will be participating in other sports during the soccer season and our club welcomes athletic diversity and feels that it prevents “burnout”. Additionally, it is not our place to mandate which sport a player should choose because when pressured, they may not choose soccer. Reasonable accommodations should be made for these multi-sport athletes. It is also at the competitive coach’s discretion as to the amount of playing time these multi-sport athletes will receive at the competitive level.     

PLAYER SAFETY

Player safety and well-being should always be the highest priority for a coach. Please be sure that your players are dressed appropriately for the weather conditions and that their hydration status is maintained during practices and games. If in doubt about continued play following  an injury, then be conservative and defer to the parents and their     
physician.

Lightning has been shown to be able to strike miles away from a storm as a “bolt from the blue”. NCSC has adopted the NCAA Guidelines to Lightning Safety as our official policy and it may be viewed at http://www.ncaa.org/library/sport_sciences/sports_med_book .
The flash-to-bang method is the easiest and most convenient way to estimate how far away lightning is. To use this method, count the seconds from the time the lightning is sighted to when the clap of thunder is heard. Divide this number by 5 to get the distance in miles from you. Ex: If 15 seconds passes from the time of the flash to thunder then the lightning is 3 miles away. National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) recommends that when the monitor obtains a flash-to-bang count of 30 seconds or 6 miles, then everyone should have left the athletic site. A good rule is that “If you can hear it, clear it and if you see it, flee it”. The safest place during lightning is in a structure with 4 walls or a hard top vehicle with the windows rolled up (do not touch the sides of the vehicle). If no structure is available, then find a thick grove of smaller trees surrounded by taller ones or a dry ditch. Squat with only the balls of your feet touching the ground, wrap your arms around your knees and lower your head.

RISK MANAGEMENT

NCSC is required to participate in the Colorado Youth Soccer Risk Management Program. All coaches and assistant coaches must submit disclosure forms and these will be submitted to CYS for processing. CYS policy and procedure will be followed and may be reviewed at www.coyouthsoccer.org under Risk Management.

Coaches should always minimize their risk of an accusation from a player and a good personal policy is to always have 3rd party observer or a chaperone present if the potential exists for an accusation. This is particularly important, but not limited to, male coaches of female teams and in these circumstances chaperones should preferably be female adults.

GAME CANCELLATIONS

Northern Colorado Soccer Club contracts with the City of Greeley to use their fields during our seasons. The City owns these fields and therefore may determine that conditions are not suitable for use thereby forcing us to cancel our games. Check our website www.northerncoloradosoccerclub.org for cancellations or call the office for a prerecorded message. The team manager should have the responsibility of notifying others members of the team of an away cancellation. Competitive games will be rescheduled at a time that is mutually convenient for both teams and this should be arranged between the coaches. Recreational and Intermediate/Developmental games typically will not be rescheduled by the office. Coaches may reschedule a cancelled game amongst themselves during a practice or another time. Coaches must call the office to ensure availability of fields and referees for any rescheduled games.

RESOURCES

Northern Colorado Soccer Club has an extensive library of books, videos and video tapes. These may be checked out for a two week period.

Coaching seminars are offered on a regular basis and see Coaching Seminars on the web site for lectures topics and times.

Web sites that offer coaches resources, drills, forums, club links and tips can be found at: www.joesoccer.com, www.soccercoaching.net, www.and-again.com, www.coloradosoccernet.com. The official Colorado State Youth Soccer Association site is at www.csysa.org and the official U.S. Youth Soccer site is at www.usysa.com.

STIPEND ALLOWANCE

A modest stipend allowance is available to all Intermediate/Developmental and Competitive Coaches. This stipend is based on licensure and experience. Payment is made at the end of the year and is based on four criteria: attendance of at least 60% of the coaches meetings, turning in player evaluation forms, nominating players for the Ken Humphries Award (Competitive only) and turning in your equipment. The Club holds the right to deny payment for any failure to meet these criteria.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

Every effort will be made by the club to educate players, parents, spectators and coaches to standards of conduct set forth below. Be sure to discuss these with parents and players at your first team meetings. Any concerning variances from these standards should reported to the office for potential enforcement of the Northern Colorado Soccer Club Disciplinary Rules and Policy: Misconduct Procedures. This Policy may be reviewed under Resources. This policy is adapted from the CSYSA Policy and sanctions may include those assessed by the CSYSA, in addition to, those by our own club. Sanctions by our club may include:

• Additional suspension from games for players, parents or spectators
• Suspension of spectators from attendance within 100 yards of a game for a specified number of games.
• Dropping the Club affiliation with player, coach, parent or spectator.
• Probation of a coach, player, parent or spectator.

Serious misconduct is usually required in order enact these sanctions. The structured disciplinary policies as well as the fair appeals process are outlined in our policy.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR PLAYERS

• I will not address remarks to opposing players, referees, coaches or spectators. This doesn’t apply to genuine remarks of friendship, apology or acknowledgment of excellent play.
• I will not retaliate when fouled or ever engage in play with the intent to harm the opposition or a team mate.
• I will avoid comments or gestures that express disagreement with a referees call although I may ask for an explanation if I don’t understand. I will never argue with a referee’s decision.
• I will play against my opponents and not worry over calls made by the referee since these may distract me.
• I will control my temper at all times and will never use profanity during practice or games.
• I will convey a positive attitude towards my opponents and team mates and never belittle them.
• I will listen and be attentive when the coach is talking and ask ask questions if I don’t understand.
• I will inform the coach when I’m hurt or am limited by physical or mental stress.

STANDARD OF CONDUCT FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS OR SPECTATORS

• I will not address remarks to opposing players, referees, coaches or other spectators. This doesn’t apply to genuine remarks of friendship, apology or acknowledgement of excellent play.
  
• I will avoid negative comments or gestures towards referees, opposing players or spectators, coaches, other team members or my own child.
  
• I will place the emotional and physical well being of my child ahead of my own desire to win.
  
• I will give consistent support to coaches and managers whether winning or losing and let them to do the coaching.
  
• I will remain in the spectator area at games.
  
• I will wait 24 hours to confront a coach about concerns and never do this after a game and/or in front of my child or team mates.
  
• I will maximize praise and minimize criticism with my child.
  
• I will inform the coach when my child will be late for or miss a practice or game.

STANDARD OF CONDUCT OF COACHES

• I will place the emotional and physical well-being of my players ahead of my own desire to win.
  
• I will treat each member of my team as individuals, value all players equally and coach talented and less talented players with equal vigor.
  
• I will lead by example in demonstrating fair play, respect and sportsmanship to all my players, referees, parents and spectators.
  
• I will coach clean, skillful and honest soccer. 
  
• I will not address remarks to opposing players, referees, coaches or other spectators. This doesn’t include genuine remarks of friendship, apology or acknowledgement of excellent play.
  
• I will treat the referees with respect, avoid degrading remarks and use the appropriate channels if complaints are necessary.
  
• I will do my best to provide a safe and appropriate environment for for my players during any NCSC sponsored event.
  
• Other than on game days, after 24 hours, and practice times, in front other players, I will listen to feedback from parents and players.
  
• I will inform the NCSC Office if questions, concerns or issues arise that I am unable or uncomfortable addressing. I will treat confidential matters as such.