Effective Date: April 1, 2019

REVISIONS

• Adoption Date: April 1, 2018
• Revision Date: April 1, 2019

GENERAL INFORMATION

I.  References:

1. These rules are consistent with the North Texas State Soccer Association Bylaws and Rules (reference:  NTSSA Chapter 4.8 Recreational Team Formation Rules) and Northern Mid-Cities Soccer League.

II. Definitions:

1. New Team: 1) Brand new coaches or 2) the head coach is not returning or the assistant coach is not becoming the head coach. Head coach & assistant coach must have been officially assigned in GotSoccer.

III. General Rules:

1.  Age group Commissioners are responsible for the development of the team rosters.  Commissioners will follow the process in accordance with the Recreational Team Formation Rules.

2.  Player’s names shall not be identified to the coach until the player is placed on the team and final rosters are given out at the coach’s meeting.

3.  Only the Head Coach may request their child to be rostered to the team that he/she is coaching.

4.  In the event there are not enough players in the player pool, GSSA may allow coaches to actively seek players of the proper age group within GSSA to be added to the player pool into “Open Draw” and:

• The player is not presently registered on an existing team.

• The player did not play for a returning recreational team during the previous season.

5.  Any recreational coach who knowingly and/or willingly drops a player from their roster, or advises that player not to play for their team, whether through direct contact or coercion shall be called before the Member Association discipline committee, and if found to be in violation of the offense, may be suspended from coaching.

6.  The following rule process listed below will be used to form any new recreational teams and returning teams needing players.

IV. Recreational Team Formation Rule Process:

1.       In order to form a team roster, each player must be completely registered and in the system.

2.       Players will be placed in priority based on registration timestamp and their player status (Returning Same Team, Open Draw, or New Player).

3.       Players who register after the registration close deadline are automatically placed in “Open Draw”. This includes wait list players.

4.       Returning players are automatically placed on their previous team if there are enough players to form that team.  If a season was skipped, placement on the prior team will depend on availability – “No Guarantees”.  A player can request to be placed on “Open Draw”.

5.       Players skipping more than one season are placed in the “Open Draw” pool.

6.       Players from the Open Draw pool are placed based on “Public School District Elementary Zone”:  Due to factors such as different numbers of players from each school, players from different schools may be placed on the same team. Additionally, to help make the team formation process unbiased and maintain fairness across all team rosters, there will be a degree of randomness and therefore a player may be on a different team than his/her neighbor, even if they are of the same age.  This team formation process promotes objectivity and allows a timely completion.

7.       Academy Players: playing in recreational teams:  Academy players may select to play recreational soccer only up to Under 10 age category with the following exceptions:  (Each team may have no more than four Academy players on their rosters; a former Academy player will be considered an “Academy Player” if they were still an active Academy player the previous season).

8.       Buddy Requests:  In order to promote soccer participation for young children, all Under 10 players and below may invite a friend (Buddy Request) from the same Member Association who has never registered in any Member Association to join his/her existing team with the following exceptions:  Player must be registered before the regular registration deadline and the team must have enough player slots).   However, there are “No Guarantees” for this request. 

• There are NO Buddy Requests for Under 11 and up age groups.
• Coaches are prohibited from guaranteeing roster spots.
• Buddy requests have higher likelihood of being granted if on a territorial basis around the nearest elementary school to their home or relative of family.
• Only one buddy may be requested.
• Linking requests between multiple player registrations WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. Buddy requests between two players may be considered.
• The parent or guardian will need to “accept” that the request MAY BE CONSIDERED during the initial registration only. Emails to the association after the registration process with notifications of buddy requests and team preference WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
• Abuse of the buddy request may result in placement denied or registration invalidated.

9.       Play up Requests:  If players are siblings they could play up for only a 2-year maximum.  The request will only be honored if there is space on the roster and it does not disrupt the team forming process.  This request would be considered automatically as long as it is a return player to the team and has registered before the regular registration deadline.  General play up request may be considered for only one age group if space in the age group. The request will be approved if returning to team, but may not if open draw to another team even if granted previously. A play up request IS NOT GUARANTEED to be approved.

10.   Play down Requests:  A player may request to play down in age group but must have the following:

• A letter of request from the parent or guardian.
• Must present a Doctor’s recommendation letter. 
• GSSA board approval. 
• NTSSA approval.

11.   Player Team (Roster) Assignments:  Once the rosters become final, players will not be changed to another team.  The only changes that will be made to the rosters are to add/drop players.  Adding players must follow the age commissioner’s team formation rule process.

12.   Request to be an Assistant Coach may be considered on an existing team up to two assists following the NMCSL limit of three volunteers on a side during games for U9 and above only.  There is a limit of 2 volunteers on a side during games for U8 and below. The placement of an Assistant Coach’s player will comply with the team’s existing territorial basis around the nearest elementary school to their home.

13.   A team not formed of players assigned as defined above is considered a select/competitive team and will need to request entry into the GSSA designated competitive program through the written request and decision by the GSSA Board.

14.   Changing player assignment to a team after teams are formed: 

• Conflicts with day or time of practice are not a cause to move player. Conflicts should be considered prior to registration not after player is contacted.
• Practice is not mandatory. Not attending practice does not impact minimum playing time (50% of the time present at the game).
  • GSSA offers free Monday night skills so the player can develop skills in this venue
• U4 and U5 use the Mini Jogo training and require no additional practices to be set up.

15. Teams shall be allowed the following maximum number of players on its roster at any given time during the seasonal year.

• Adult - maximum 25 players
• 16U through 19U - maximum 22 players
• 13U and 14 U- maximum 18 players
• 11U and 12U - maximum 16 players
• 9U and 10U - maximum 12 players
• 4U through 8U - recommend 6, maximum 8 players

16.   Registering once games have started:

• Players will only be added at the discretion and approval of the Age Group Commissioner, President, and First Vice President.
• No players will be added if all teams are at maximum.

17.   Registration with incorrect data provided by the parent / guardian during registration (ie: wrong birthdate, wrong gender, etc):

• GSSA will make every effort to correct player data but it is up to the parent and/or guardian to verify that the information they provided in the registration form is accurate.
• Once a data issue is identified, GSSA will do everything to place the player according to the above rules and policy to place the player on the appropriate team.
• Player placement depends on when the error is found and at what stage the Age Group Commissioner is in in the team formation process.
• The player may be placed on a returning team, a different team, unable to play, or any other solution the Age Group Commissioner determines. In the case, the player is unable to get roster on a team, the player with be withdrawn and a refund granted according to the refund policy.