McLean Youth Soccer /
Travel Coach Policies and Procedures
2017 /

Table of Contents

Calendar2

Overview3

Human Resources3

Curriculum3

Structure3

Gear3

Communications4

Schedules4

Practices5

Games / Tournaments5

Tryouts 5

MYS Programs6

Monday Night6

Travel Team Training6

GK Training6

International Program6

Ballmasters and Camps6

Team Volunteers 7

Rosters and Player Movement7

Policies 7

Field Use / Player Safety / Weather Guidelines7

Resources8

Professional Development8

TIMELINE / CALENDAR / CHECKLIST

May:

  • Travel Team Tryouts / Team Information Forms Due

June:

  • Players register / commit
  • Coaches select team volunteers
  • AGDs provide list of recommended tournaments / Coaches select preseason tournaments
  • Coaches provide teams with full season plans

July:

  • summer training / kickarounds / camps
  • team volunteers: league rosters, tournament applications, budgets / team fees
  • Fall field requests due

August:

  • MPS Preseason camp (3rd week in August) / Preseason tournament(s)
  • Preseason Coach meeting

September:

  • League play / State Cup for U15 - U19

October:

  • League play / State Cup for U15 - U19
  • Columbus Day Tournaments
  • winter field requests due
  • winter plans due to AGD

November:

  • League play continues / Post season tournaments

December:

  • winter training / some leagues (ECNL, CCL) / U15 - U19 Showcases / futsal
  • Player Evaluations Due
  • Ballmasters
  • Spring Plans due to AGD

January / February:

  • winter training / league continues / futsal
  • spring field requests due
  • College Panel Discussion

March:

  • Preseason tournament(s)
  • Preseason Coach meeting

April:

  • league play / State Cup U12 - U14 / Spring Break Camp

May:

  • league play / State Cup U12 - U14

OVERVIEW

HUMAN RESOURCES

  • Employment contracts offered by Executive Director.
  • Paperwork and payroll - questions should be directed to
  • Coaching outside the club - the leadership encourages coaches to not coach other teams outside MYS. If a coach chooses to have other commitments outside MYS, the MYS teams must take priority in the event of any conflict in scheduling of games or practices.
  • Coaching own children - coaches who would like to coach a team on which their child plays should contact the technical leadership for written approval.
  • Coaches should be aware that there may be other required training involved, including Concussion Education, PCA, etc.

CLUB STRUCTURE

  • AGDs - the Age Group Director is your direct report - they will provide guidance and mentorship throughout the year.
  • TD / DOS - the Technical Director / Director of Soccer are responsible for all technical aspects of the club.
  • Lead Coaches - in the U9 / U10 age groups, there are lead coaches who are typically the Green / White team coaches and have oversight over the Gold / Silver team coaches. Teams may be assigned a dedicated assistant coach.

MYS CURRICULUM

  • The TD and DOS will provide updated MYS Curriculum information to all coaches at seasonal meetings and by email.

GEAR / DRESS CODE

  • MYS provides coaches basic gear (training shirt, shorts, warm ups) for all coaches. Coaches are expected to wear MYS gear to all practices and games. If you have questions about the gear, please contact the Director of Operations.

COMMUNICATIONS

Communications are critical and the key to successful and smooth operations. All coaches are expected to attend to any communications from the club, the technical leadership or operations. If a communication requires a response or action, coaches are expected to do so in a timely manner. All coaches should access their email at least once every two days.

  • Team Communications - Coaches should work with their team volunteers to communicate with the team at least on a weekly basis.
  • Club Communications Portal - All teams are required to use the Bonzi Team portal to communicate with the team. In this way, communications are centralized, and the main database is kept current and relevant.
  • Player Evaluations - Coaches are required to complete Player Evaluations at least once a year as directed by Technical Leadership.

SCHEDULES - OVERVIEW

MYS Travel Coaches coach year-round with breaks in the winter and summer as determined by your league schedule.

  • Practice Schedules - Travel team practice at least twice a week during the fall (mid-August - mid-November) and spring (March - early June). Most older teams will continue regular practices during the winter (see "Games" below)
  • Game Schedules - Game schedules depends on the league in which your team participates. Typically there are 8-10 games in the fall and spring. Older teams (U15 - U19) may have games in the winter instead of the spring due to Virginia high school conflicts.
  • Winter / Summer Practices and Activities - winter and summer practice schedules should be reviewed with AGDs prior to finalizing. Participation in futsal training or leagues may be added, and should be approved by AGD. If a team participates in a futsal league, the team should be coached by a member of the MYS coaching staff - not by a parent.
  • Team Tryouts - MYS travel tryouts are held in May and early June. These are held by the club and not by individual teams. Coaches should be prepared to participate in any session to which they have been assigned. This is a busy time for the staff, and coaches should be prepared to contribute.
  • Tournament Participation - Coaches should review recommended list of tournaments as provided by AGDs, and provide AGDs with proposed list of tournaments prior to applying for them.
  • Other MYS programs - (i.e. Ballmasters, Camps, MYS Tournaments) - MYS has a number of programs for its members. Coaches will be asked to support them to varying degrees throughout the year. U9 - U12 teams are required to participate in the MYS Tournament (typically held in March). Coaches may be asked to communicate with their teams about the various programs as applicable to the team.
  • Additional League Participation - The club fees cover two seasons of league participation. Teams interested in participating in additional leagues should contact their AGD to confirm approval in writing. Teams will be responsible for all associated costs of the additional league, including, but not limited to, league fees, referee fees, and administrative costs. Please contact the Director of Operations for details and game field assignments.

PRACTICES

  • Practice schedules are determined by the technical leadership. Coaches are responsible for attending all team practices. Coaches should arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the session. If a coach is unable to attend a session, they should identify another qualified coach within the club to cover the session and notify the team (either directly or through the team manager). In case of an urgent issue, the coach should notify the AGD and TD of a last minute change, and notify the team manager if the session needs to be canceled. (In the event a manager is absent, please contact the Director of Operations who can send a communication to the team).

GAMES / TOURNAMENTS

  • Rosters (league rules, State Cup, guest play, Club pass) - Coach are responsible for knowing their league rules regarding rosters and passes. These are updated regularly, and any questions should be directed to the Director of Operations. Teams have had to forfeit games when rules were not followed, so please ask questions and ensure that your team is in compliance.
  • Conflicts / Game Coverage - Coaches should regularly check their game schedules. Coaches who identify a conflict with their game schedule should do the following:
  • Work to identify a fellow staff member to cover the game
  • Notify the AGD
  • Complete the Game Conflict Form
  • Communicate with the team regarding the conflict, who is covering, etc.
  • Communicate with the covering coach about rosters, subs, etc.
  • Last Minute Game Coverage - If there is a last minute, emergency (within 24 hours) conflict which arises, the coach must immediately work to find coverage. Furthermore, the coach is responsible for calling the AGD, TD, DOS or DOO until you speak with someone directly.
  • Rules and Discipline - Coaches are required to report all red cards (players or staff) via the R&D form found on the Coach Resource Page. Furthermore, the coach should be aware of any league-specific or tournament-specific rules regarding yellow card accumulation or other disciplinary actions.
  • Injury Report - Coaches should complete the Injury Report form for any player injured during a game or practice. This form can be found on the Coach Resource Page.
  • Reimbursement / Travel Expense Report - Coaches should review the club Reimbursement policy and utilize the report forms on the Coach Resource Page to file a request for reimbursement with their team.
  • Game Report - After each game, coaches should complete the game report form to summarize the results of the game. Each season, the TD / DOS will provide a Game Report form which coaches should use.

TRYOUTS

  • Coaches will be assigned to tryout sessions that will include their current team, their upcoming team assignment, and perhaps additional sessions where they will act as evaluators.
  • Coaches will share information about their team with the incoming team staff.
  • Throughout the process, coaches will follow specific procedures as outlined by the technical leadership prior to the event, including dress code, assignments, behavior, expected attendance at meetings to review participants, notification, etc.

MCLEAN YOUTH SOCCER PROGRAMS

  • Monday Skills Training (MPS): Held on Mondays, MPS Training is included in the club fees for the teams listed below. Coaches may be invited to help coach at these sessions.
  • U9 -12 Boys and Girls - all teams
  • U13 - U19 Girls - ECNL and Green teams only
  • U13 - U19 Boys - Green and White teams only
  • Travel Team Training: For teams whose club fees do not include the once a week Monday Night Training (see list above under Travel Team Details/Player Expectations), the McLean Youth Soccer technical leadership offers OPTIONAL Travel Training for the fall season. This training is in addition to your team's regularly scheduled practices and must be paid for separately of team registration for a fee of $150/player.
  • GK Training: Under the leadership of GK Director, John Szaro, and his staff of GK coaches, MYS offers a GK training program for all travel GKs U11 and older. Schedules and information are provided directly to the GKs each season. Coaches will be asked to provide information about their GKs to be included in this program.
  • International Program: Utilizing long-standing, quality professional tour companies MYS will be sending teams abroad beginning in the Spring and Summer of 2017.
  • Winter Ballmasters: McLean Youth Soccer offers top-notch winter training programs tailored specifically for the soccer player who wants to develop their skills in the offseason. Coaches interested in helping with Ballmasters should contact the Program Director. Coaches may be contacted by the Program Director to encourage the inclusion of the Ballmasters program in your winter programming.
  • Camps: MYS offers a Spring Break Camp. During the summer weeks, MYS offers a variety of summer camps, including: Specialty Camps, Celtic FC camp, ECNL camp and Coerver camps. Coaches interested in helping with these camps should contact the Program Director.

TEAM VOLUNTEERS

  • Assembling a positive and reliable group of team volunteers is critical. All coaches must select a team manager, treasurer and registrar within 2 weeks of team formation. Details and job descriptions can be found on the MYS Team Resources page. Coaches should complete the TEAM VOLUNTEER FORM (provided after tryouts) to ensure that all team volunteers receive communications from club. Any changes to team volunteer line-up or questions should be directed to the Director of Operations.
  • Coaches are responsible for helping to set the team budget with the team manager and team treasurer. All MYS teams will now utilize team accounts set up as part of the MYS Club Bank Account. Team Volunteers who have questions about setting up a team account or creating a team budget should contact the Director of Operations for guidelines and examples.

ROSTERS and PLAYER MOVEMENT

  • Each league will require a team to have an official team roster, and each player on the roster will need to have a league-specific player pass. All coaches must also have a league-specific pass. Coaches are responsible to ensure that the team is in compliance with all league rules, including information about player releases, transfers, guest players and club pass players. Questions should be directed to the MYS Registrar.

POLICIES

All coaches must review and comply with the club's policies listed below. Coaches should review regularly, and ask their AGDs for further clarification as needed. Updates and additions to policies will be distributed by email to all staff, and coaches will be responsible for reviewing and adhering to all policies. The following policies can be found on the Coach Resource Page.

  • Concussion
  • Substance Abuse
  • Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
  • Social Media
  • Training - private / individual
  • Field use

FIELD USE / PLAYER SAFETY / WEATHER GUIDELINES

  • Coaches are responsible for following the field use and player safety guidelines as outlined at
  • Cold Weather Guidelines: If the temp (including with windchill) is below 27, teams should not practice. If it is close to that, coaches are encouraged to keep the players moving and also cut the training time down.
  • Heat Stroke and Hot Weather Guidelines: When the heat index reaches 105, teams should cancel their sessions. As temperatures rise, coaches are encouraged to increase water breaks and time in the shade. As necessary, training sessions should be shortened.
  • Lightning/Thunder - If lightning is seen or thunder is heard, IMMEDIATELY move kids off field to shelter (i.e building or cars - not under trees or in parking lots). Do not return until 30 minutes after last lightning seen or thunder heard.

RESOURCES

MYS has a number of ancillary resources available to the technical staff and members. Coaches should be aware of these resources and use them as needed. Details can be found on the Coach Resource pages. Further questions or recommendations should be directed to Director of Operations.

  • Injury Prevention
  • Baseline / ACL Testing
  • Fundraising

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • MYS provides Education Reimbursement to its coaches. Details can be found in the MYS Education Reimbursement policy on the Coach Resource page.

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