RULES AND POLICIES (Amended 05/15/12)
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of the Mill Valley Soccer Club (“MVSC”) recreational program is to allow children to learn and enjoy the sport of soccer in a nurturing environment. With the help of volunteer parent coaches, our aim is to provide children with a positive experience playing soccer, and to instill values of sportsmanship, responsibility, teamwork, and respect while honoring the game.
Registration
On-Time Registration
Registration is usually conducted from April 1 - April 30, with a deadline advertised for the end of on-time registration. Registration is conducted on-line. MVSC forms teams and playing divisions by school grades (rather than by age), to facilitate a more flexible policy toward friendship requests. MVSC reserves the right to place children in a higher or lower grade group based on an individual’s age or situation.
Late Registration.
While late registrations are accepted, MVSC can offer no assurance that late registrants will be placed on a team. Priority in late registration shall first go to players who moved to Mill Valley after the close of the on-time registration period. All late registration applications will be recorded on a waiting list by the Club Registrar and be taken on a first-come, first-served basis as approved by the Age Group Commissioner (“AGC”). When circumstances allow, new teams will be formed with late registrants IF a volunteer coach steps forth from those families. All late registrations, except for families that move into the area after the registration period, will be subject to a non-refundable late fee of $50. All fees will be refunded if MVSC is unable to place a child on a team.
Registration of Kindergarten (U-6)
Players entering the Kindergerten division can be in preschool or entering Kindergarten, but must be elligible for registration into kindergarten for the Mill Valley public schools in the year for which they are registering to play. Given that many Kindergarten families do not hear about soccer until the start of the school year, late registration shall be allowed for this age group only for as long as is feasible with regard to league scheduling, with no late fee being assessed.
Refund Policy
- Refund request before July 31 Full Refund, less a $30 administrative fee
- Refund request August 1 - August 30 50% of registration fees, no refund on late fees
- Refund request after September 1 no refunds will be given
- No refunds will be offered at anytime if a child is removed due to concerns about team placement.
Team Formation
The Age Group Commissioners (“AGCs”) are responsible for team formation.
Kindergarten - 1st Grade (U6 - U7)
Teams are formed by the AGC with a strong emphasis on school-based teams, but with strong efforts made so that no single team be comprised of players exclusively from one school. A premium is placed on friendship requests.
2st - 3rd Grade (U8 – U9)
Teams are formed by the AGC. The AGC shall endeavor to create teams with balanced skill levels, based on coaching evaluations and team standings from the prior season. They shall consider a minimum of one friendship request, and will otherwise take into account conflicts listed by the parent on the registration form prior to team formation. School-based teams will be supported, with no single team comprised of players exclusively from one school.
4th - High School (U10 – U19)
Team formation process is conducted by Draft, as directed by the AGC. Specific draft procedures will be agreed upon by the Director of Recreational Soccer (“DOR”) and the AGC. The AGC will conduct a final review of all the teams at the conclusion of the draft and reserves the right to alter team(s) if, in the AGC’s opinion, there is an imbalance, lack of adequate diversity by school, or other significant problem resulting from the draft. Upon final release of rosters by the AGC, the teams will be set and team assignments cannot be changed except as provided elsewhere in these Rules. Any vacancy on a team shall be filled from the waiting list maintained by the Club Registrar, in coordination with the AGC.
Friendship Requests
MVSC allows parents to make a friendship request (not a coach request) on the player registration form in the "Special Request" field. This information will be provided during team formation so that the AGC and/or coaches can take such requests into consideration, but MVSC cannot guarantee that any request will be honored. The overriding consideration is the creation of balanced teams. In the interest of balanced teams, roster composition of all teams will most likely change from year to year. In the case when a parent lists multiple friends, the AGC shall consider this a prioritized list, attempting to satisfy the first friend request if possible, and then moving down the list as necessary.
Practice Time and field selection Process
The coaches will be given an opportunity to request (in order of priority) the number, dates, times and location for practices during the season, usually beginning the last week in August. Within the constraints on Mill Valley field space, the Club will use its best efforts to assign practice schedules that meet the coaches’ requests. The request for a second practice date shall be subordinate to all requests for first practice dates on the age appropriate fields. Teams are prohibited from practicing on a MVSC contracted field on a date or time other than is assigned, and are prohibited from practicing on a field that is not contracted by MVSC.
Player Transfers
In general, player transfers between teams are not permitted after teams are formed and announced,. Transfers are only allowed in extraordinary circumstances and with the prior written consent of the DOR or other person(s) designated by the Board. A parent’s sentiment that a player cannot play this season unless s/he is on the same team as a friend shall not be considered to be an adequate reason for a team transfer, and no refunds are available should a child chose not to play for those reasons.
Playing Up
MVSC recommends that players play in their own grade/age group. Requests to play up beyond a player’s grade must be based on a good reason and must be approved in writing by the DOR, Director of Coaching and Player Development, or other person(s) designated by the Board including, if possible, the child’s prior year coach and/or AGC. All such requests must be made at registration, and cannot be made after team formation. Approval will be limited to unusual circumstances.
Playing Down
Players are generally not permitted to play in a grade below that in which they are enrolled in school. In rare circumstances, with approval of the DOR or Director of Coaching and Player Development, a child may be permitted to “play down” in the next younger age group if the unique circumstances of the individual child are such that playing down would be in that child’s best interest, and that child would not have an unfair advantage over younger players in terms of physical ability or soccer skill.
Scholarships
Scholarships in the recreational division can be authorized by the Chair of the Scholarship Committee or the President. Partial scholarships are preferred when the applicant has the financial ability to make a partial registration payment. Scholarship requests should be made as part of the on-line registration process, and a one-page application must be completed for scholarship consideration.
Coed/Girls/Mixed Age Levels
All age groups are comprised of separate coed and girls divisions. Coed play is not unusual in Kindergarten - 2nd Grade, but at older age groups Coed divisions tend to be primarily comprised of boys. Girls are welcome to play in coed divisions in any grade, but they should make this decision at registration, as transfers to another division are discouraged after the team formation process.
Marin Inter-League Alliance (“MILA”)
MVSC typically elects to enter its 7th/8th Grade and High School teams (U14 - U19) in an inter-league competition with other proximate soccer clubs within Marin. MVSC shall designate a person (or persons) to sit on the MILA Board, with authority to represent the Club with respect to this inter-league competition in accordance with MVSC policy and direction. All scheduling and rules of play shall be governed by the MILA Board.
Rules of Play
All rules of play are governed by the MVSC Laws of Soccer, and are closely based on the FIFA Laws of the Game. A complete set of Modified Laws is available on our website: http://www.mvsc.org
Placement of Parents, Players and Coaches on Field During Games
In all age divisions, the players, assistant coach and coach on both teams are expected to remain on one side of the field. Parents, family, fans, spectators and everyone other than players, assistant coach and coach should stay on the other side of the field during pre-game warm-ups and the full duration of the game. No parent, coach or assistant coach may stand behind either goal while the game is in play.
Standard Uniforms
All MVSC registered teams shall wear uniforms sanctioned by the club, including official club jerseys, shorts and socks. All players must wear soccer cleats and shin guards at all times during games or practice. Baseball cleats with a toe cleat are prohibited. Nothing can be worn (i.e., earrings, watches, loose jewelry, rings, bracelets etc), which might jeopardize the health or safety of any player on the field.
Paid Trainers
MVSC offers professional trainers to work with recreational teams in a variety of scenarios, including some team training and individual skills clinics. On the occasion that a team elects to hire a paid trainer outside the approved situations, or hires a trainer other than one on the approved MVSC Trainer List, the expense shall be borne by the team and not MVSC. It is the responsibility of the coach to ensure that the trainer’s actions are consistent with the club’s philosophy of recreational soccer. Paid trainers are not allowed to “coach” a team during season games or the Jamboree.
League Standings
Game scores and league standings are not kept in K or 1st Grade divisions.
Game scores are reported in 2nd - 6th Grade divisions. Standings are tracked in a private forum, and are not made public to coaches, players or families. Standings are used for purposes of post-season Jamboree seedings, and primarily to track the effectiveness of team formation policies in achieving parity.
In 7th/8th Grade & High School divisions, game scores are reported to the MILA Commissioner, and formal standings are tracked for purposes of post-season tournament seeding.
4th - 6th Grade Jamboree
Philosophy of organizing flights
The flights are organized so that teams with better records are matched against each other, while teams with weaker records are matched against each other. The goal of the Jamboree is to provide a fun, end of season tournament atmosphere, while striving to make games and the pools of play as competitive as possible.
Team Formation
Each team in the Jamboree must consist of the same players that were on the team roster during the regular season. No new players can be added and two or more teams cannot be consolidated. Violation of this rule will result in a default of the game by the violating team, and may result in the expulsion of the coach from the club.
Communication
Chain of communication by parents and coaches
In order to ease the burden of telephone communication on everyone, and in order to promote consistency of communication, everyone is urged to respect the following chain of communication:
- Players and parents to Coach
- Coach to AGC
- AGC to Director of Rec Soccer
- Director of Rec Soccer to MVSC Board
Generally, a person pursuing problem resolution outside of this chain of communication will be told to follow this procedure in order to insure consistent process and resolution.
Field Rain Outs
MVSC fields are maintained and controlled by Mill Valley Parks & Recreation Department. In the event of rain, MVP&R determines the conditions of each field, and makes decisions about field closures at 2:00pm on any given day, as field conditions change. The MVP&R Field Hotline is: 415.383.7818
The MVSC Field Status Alert Window (on our home page @ www.mvsc.org) is updated at approximately 2:30 on any given day, as field conditions change. Parents can register for our Rained-Out Notification Service by signing up for the text message alert system in the Field Status Alert window.
Fields
In large measure the Mill Valley community fields were designed and built with money raised by the MVSC and Mill Valley Little League organizations working in conjunction with Friends of Fields. It is imperative that we respect these fields and the rules and regulations governing each of them.
During practices, goals should not be placed in the areas of the field in which they are placed for weekend games. If available, Coerver (portable) goals can be set up on the long side of the field. If the game goals are available for use during practice sessions, they too should be placed outside the normal goal area, and the game goals should always be moved back off of the field after practice to facilitate easy maintenance by the MVP&R field management crews. All players, coaches and parents must strictly abide by the specific rules promulgated for each field.
Coaching
All recreational coaches in all age groups are volunteers. While past playing and/or coaching experience is beneficial, it is not required. It is strongly recommended that all coaches attend some level of coaching clinic prior to the season, including the State approved F-License Clinic for new coaches, or other New Coaching event sponsored and approved by MVSC. Please consult our website, www.mvsc.org for date, time and location of approved coaching courses.
Game Time Playing Requirement
MVSC mandates that each player must play at least ½ of each game, and MVSC recommends that each Coach should attempt to provide each player with an approximately equal amount of game time (assuming there are no issues with attendance, attitude or effort). It is not acceptable to play one player the whole of one game and not play them the next, or to play one player ¼ of a game with the promise or intention to play them ¾ of some game in the future.
Referees
We appreciate the time and effort invested in the club by those who referee our games. Each year the Club sponsors at least one Referee Clinic which normally is held during the summer months. Other soccer clubs in the Bay Area also give referee Clinics. To be a referee, especially as a teenager, is a lesson in responsibility and maturity for which they receive compensation. The Club expects the referees to attend, in a timely manner, the games which they have agreed to referee. They are asked to come with all the equipment necessary for their job and are to be dressed in a neat and clean regulation referee uniform. They are expected to be current on the rules and regulations of the game. As we ask the players and coaches to respect the referee and his/her decisions, we expect the referees to respect the players and coaches. If some unforeseeable situation prevents the referee from attending an assigned game, he/she is expected to notify the Referee Coordinator at the earliest possible time.
The Ropers Award
The Club has handed out The Ropers Award to one player on every team since 1980. The Award commemorates Clarc Ropers, who was killed in an automobile accident at the intersection of Almonte and Miller. The award was not created to recognize the best player on the team, the worst player on the team, the player who scored the most goals or the player who was the best goalie. This award is intended solely to recognize the true spirit of sportsmanship and a love of soccer. If there is a player on your team who comes to the practices, does what he/she is told to do, and not only never complains but does so joyfully -- even though he/she does not want to be the goalie -- that player is a good candidate for the Ropers Award, even if they haven’t scored or blocked any goals. There will be opportunities enough in life to reward the best players for their skill. This is a time to send a special message to the kids (and to their parents) that sportsmanship, teamwork and good spirit are recognized and appreciated. MVSC recommends that the selection of the Award recipient should not be put to a vote of team members.
Recreational Committee: Existence and Authority
The DOR shall recommend all Age-Group Commissioners for approval by the Board. Functions of the Recreational Committee will include team formation, approval of all rules and playing format changes, coach and family communications, and problem-solving throughout the season, among other duties discussed year to year.
