Falc Fans We love Sports
Concessions:
Center Grove Soccer Club is an all-volunteer program, so everyone�s participation is a must. Each team is required to have three people fulfill at least one duty of concessions per season at the club. There is a sign-in sheet now that must be signed on your shift to show that your team was represented. If a team does not show up, then said team will not receive medallions or trophies at the end of the season. To help the volunteer parents out who do not have a baby-sitter, we do have a meeting room for the younger children to color or watch a movie while the concession duty is fulfilled, and OSHA regulations are met by keeping the young children out of the concession work area.
Conduct of Coaches:
The children are relying on you to teach them the game of soccer as well as good sportsmanship. Please do what you can to learn the game at the level you are coaching. There are free books and rules guidelines in the meeting room for first-time coaches. All coaches have to attend the clinic provided at the club to coach, even if you have coached before. Everyone in every job must go through recurrent training, and soccer is no exception. Head Coach Jimmy McDonald will run the clinic, and will provide useful knowledge as well as hands-on training for each division. There is a vast amount of information available at the library as well. Encourage the children on your team, and remember that recreation has a place for all children, including the ones who like to pick grass -- just smile and nod your head and remember that they are a part of your team, too, and deserve the chance to play soccer. Be aware that beginning at about the U8 level, the players need to start learning the concept of positional play -- offensive positions and defensive positions. Realize that this will be a new concept for many of them; show all the patience you can muster, for these are skills they will need as they continue to player soccer in following seasons. You may well have to teach the parents, too -- we're in the middle of a hotbed of basketball, and the rules and nuances of soccer are somewhat different from what they may be used to. If a parent doesn't understand why you're coaching a player to stay back on defense -- tell them! They're turning their children over to you so that you can turn them into soccer players and a soccer team. Help them learn the game, so that they may help the children learn the game, too! Support the referees with their calls. They may make mistakes, too -- but more often than not, they're correct. And remember the old baseball umpire's adage: It ain't nothin until I call it! -- the same is true for the soccer referee! Yelling at a referee or linesman will accomplish very little in the positive sense, and will often cause them to watch your team with a more critical eye. (Unfair, true but remember that the referees have feelings too.) If you feel a referee has done (or not done) something that they should have, see their supervisor or the Officer of the Day. Don't complain that the other team is stacked because no team is stacked in this program. Discourage rough play for the benefit of all children as well as potentially angry spectators.
Conduct of Parents:
This is a recreational program and it is for fun. Show good sportsmanship by cheering for the players for the benefit of the children. Sit on the side of the field away from the coaches and teams. A maximum of three coaches are allowed on the side of the field with their teams; not only is this a rule at every level of soccer, it helps the coaches do their job without interference from spectators. Be understanding that coaches are volunteers and are doing their personal best to teach your child the game. Help them out if there is a need, but don't yell at them or complain on the sidelines about them. In extreme circumstances, notify the Officer of the Day right away that there is a problem. Be aware that around the U8 age, coaches are beginning to teach the players about position play, both offensively and defensively. This can be a somewhat difficult concept for the players to understand -- up to this point, they've been playing chase the ball. (We've also heard it referred to as bumble ball or amoeba ball.) The skills that are being taught to them will be necessary as they get older and continue to play soccer. If time permits, take your players to more advanced level games, such as our travel teams or the high school. Often, seeing the older players in action will help the younger players learn what the coaches are trying to teach them. Another difficult task for the parents is to NOT yell instructions to the players; this is closely related to the previous point about positional play. Let the coaches coach. You should continue to yell encouragement -- good job! or attaboys and attagirls are welcome! But if your player is not doing what you think he or she should be -- it may be because they're doing what the coach told them to do! And if you don't understand what the coach is trying to teach -- ask him/her! (After the game, of course more often than not, the coach will be more than willing to take the time to explain what they're trying to teach in return for more understanding from the parents!) Referees are doing their personal best, too, and in many cases are children themselves. Please show them the same respect you would an adult referee. Accept the calls they make as they have gone through referee training and in most cases are soccer players themselves and know the game.
Conduct of Players:
Good sportsmanship is a must! No offensive language will be tolerated. No kicking other players on purpose is allowed. Act as mentors to new and upcoming soccer players. Listen to your referees and coaches.
Conduct of Referees:
Be courteous to everyone at all times. If parents are too close to the sidelines, ask them nicely to move back. Wear all appropriate referee attire. Talk with both coaches together before a game, especially if there are any concerns about a player(s) or situation. Move with the ball and make appropriate calls in the game. If time permits, tell the player why you made a particular call. You are in a unique position to teach the players about the game of soccer -- you call the infraction when it happens. Tell the players the ball was completely across the line or you bumped into him from behind. Don�t chew gum. Tell the coaches to tell the teams to call players down if they're running up the score. Let's make this a FUN game! Report all problems to your supervisor or the Officer of the Day immediately.
Non-players on the Fields:
No child that is not rostered is allowed on the fields during play, whether at a practice or a game, due to insurance reasons. Not only is the child who is not rostered not insured, but also the rest of the children on the field would not be insured at that time. Therefore if an injury would occur, the club would be personally liable. All registered players are insured through IYSA, and that includes coverage if injured while on the way to the soccer practice/game, as well as while at the practice/game and on the way home.
Pets at CGSC:
While we love pets, health concerns require us to not permit pets on the fields. Please -- leave your pets at home! Thank you!
Roster Size per Division:
The U5 and U6 Divisions will have a maximum of seven (7) players in the Fall and Spring season. Remember that we will put returning Fall players on the same teams in the Spring season. The U8 and U10, U12 and U16 Divisions will have a maximum of nine (9) players in both the Fall and the Spring. The U12 Division will have a maximum or eleven (11) players in both the Fall and the Spring. The U16 Division will have a maximum of fifteen (15) players in both the Fall and the Spring season.
Safety Note:
Please keep children off the goals at all times! The goals are very heavy, but are relatively easy to tip over, even when sandbags are on them. We don�t want any broken bodies should the goals fall on children of any age hanging on them. Thank you!
Uniform Rules:
All players must wear their shin guards under their socks for the safety of themselves and others should they come undone during the game. No baseball cleats are to be worn for soccer, but soccer cleats may be worn for baseball if a child plays both sports. The baseball cleats have a cleat piece in the point of the shoe and can really hurt a player when kicking during soccer.
Volunteer Rules:
Everyone must be willing to volunteer in order for this soccer program to run. There is so much more to volunteering around the club outside of concession duty each season. All grass must be cut, all fields put in before the season starts, and then the lines maintained throughout the season, as well as dragging goals out to fields and putting nets and signs on them. Don't just complain about the fields and their condition -- help out and maintain them! Or bring a trash bag (or even a plastic grocery bag) to practice and pick up trash from around the area. A dumpster sits on the northwest corner of the concession stand, for disposal of the collected trash. Remember -- every little bit you do helps to make our facility a better place for you and your children to enjoy!