Memo

To:        All coaches and registrars

From:    Brenda Davis, Registrar - MASC

Date:     August 1, 2008

Welcome to the fall season of 2008 of the Massachusetts Soccer Conference.  We are excited   to have you participate in our league.  In reviewing registrations I see both many new names and many returning teams as well.  I have prepared a checklist to help you get ready for the fall.

1)       Team Contact Information

You should now go to the MASC website http://www.masoccerconf.org/masc/frames/masc_frames.htm and check your contact information including your field.  Please update any incorrect information and e-mail us if for any reason your field is either incorrect or unavailable this season.  

2)       Club Contact Information

We would also like you to update us with your club contact info.  This can be done by clicking on the “Club Admin” link to the left.  The UN is “club” and the PW is “team”.  This will allow us to communicate directly with your club for non- team specific issues, such as registration deadlines for the next season.

3)  Mass Youth Soccer Registration

All players and adults affiliated with a team must be registered affiliates of Mass Youth Soccer.  Each club is required to submit a database of all players and adult members twice a year directly to Mass Youth Soccer.  Instructions, templates and forms can be found on their website at http://www.mayouthsoccer.org.    Please note that DATE OF BIRTH IS MANDATORY FOR ALL REGISTRATIONS. Additionally, adult registrations without a date of birth will not be processed.  The affiliation fee of $11 per player or adult ($12 if done via mail) is payable directly to Mass Youth.   Please note that clubs must submit a complete database regardless of whether the players are dual rostered with a town organization.  Also registration in the fall of 2007 or spring of 2008 does not carry over in the fall of 2008.  The fall begins a new soccer year.

3)       Adult Cori Forms

All adults must complete a CORI form on the Mass Youth Website or through the following link https://www.mayouthsoccer.org/pages/1266_cori_kidsafe_form.cfm.  This is a one time submission and is required in order to get a coach’s pass card from MASC. 

4)       Pass cards

ALL players and adults will be required to have a valid  pass card.  Blank pass cards can be obtained through the Mass Youth website above, where you will also find a template and printing instructions.  Pass cards should be printed by the team or club and submitted to me with pictures attached.  I will validate and laminate them.  Please make sure that for the season you use either “2008-2009” or “08-09”.   Cards that say only “2008” will be considered expired as of December 31st and will not be able to be used in the spring season.  Passcards for players U14 and below do not need to be signed unless your team has declared for state cup.

Please note that pass cards will be required for all adults in the technical area and no team or player will be allowed to play without a valid pass card.  MASC and/or MAPLE pass cards from the spring 2008 season will not be allowed.   All coaches cards must be signed in order to be valid. 

5)       Rosters

Each team will be required to submit a valid USYS roster to me for validation prior to the beginning of the season and each time a player is added or transferred.  Forms can be found on the Mass Youth website at http://www.mayouthsoccer.org/pages/113_forms.cfm.  Please note that the roster submitted to me must have phone numbers.  You will also be required to submit two rosters at each game.  The roster retained by the ref must also have phone numbers.  Teams that have played the fall 07 season with Masc can resubmit their fall roster provided no changes have been made.  Teams having played the fall 07 season with Maple and new teams will need to provide a new roster.

6)       Out of State Players

All out of state players will need to obtain releases from their state organizations before they are allowed to play.

7)       Coaches Information Meeting

A mandatory coaches meeting will be held on August 28, 2008 at 7pm.  I will be available at 6:30pm for registration issues.  Any rosters and pass cards submitted to me no later than  8/12 will be available for pick up at the meeting.  Any rosters or cards submitted to me at the meeting must include a self addressed and adequately stamped envelope so that they can be returned.  Otherwise, they will need to be picked up from me in Franklin.  All rosters and pass cards must be submitted no later than 8/28.  Rosters and pass cards may be mailed or dropped off on my porch in a designated box marked MASC.  Please address to MASC c/o Brenda Davis, 74 Plain Street, Franklin, MA  02038.  Any Express or Priority mail must have signatures waived as I will not make daily trips to the post office to pick up packages.

Additional rules and requirements may be found on the MASC website.   Roster and passcard instructions can be found under "forms."

We look forward to seeing everyone on August 28th and anticipate a great season.

Regards,

Brenda Davis, MASC Registrar                                                                                                                                                                       

ROSTERS & PASSCARDS

Blank roster forms are available on the MASC and Mass Youth website. Passcards are available either from the MASC registrar or can be obtained directly from Mass Youth Soccer via on-line request form.

Below is some information for those who are registering for the first time, or have maybe just forgotten what to do.

PASSCARDS:

1. The signature on the back of the card must match the name on the front exactly, as well as the roster. All passcards must be typed.

2. Rip the cards apart. Do not send the blue membership half. Put the cards in alphabetical order and either rubber band them together or put them in a small envelope.

3. In Massachusetts we do not fill in the lines which say "member", "team #, or "ID #" so just leave them blank.

4. Coaches and managers must have passcards also. They use the same cards as the players, but it should say "coach" in the birthdate slot.

5. Pictures must be glued to the cards where it says "attach photo here." No paperclips or staples.  Do not use tape as it sometimes melts in the laminating process

6. Black & white photos can be used but please note that if you are participating in a Maple qualifying tournament, Maple does not accept black and white photos.

ROSTERS:

1. Rosters must be signed by the coach and the club registrar before they are sent to the MASC registrar.   If you do not have a registrar than it is the coach's responsibility to check the birth certificates and Mass Youth Soccer affiliation forms and sign the Club/Town Certification box.   Do not send these forms or birth certificates with the passcards.

2. All rosters must be signed by the MASC registrar whose address is listed on our website. Three copies must be sent to the registrar with the passcards.

3. Copies of the signed roster must be taken to the game and given to the referee and opposing coach.

4. If you have an out-of-state player on your roster a permission for them to play in Massachusetts must be on file before the player can be added to your roster. The parents of the player should contact the appropriate state organization to get this permission.

5. All rosters must be typed.

6. Out-of-state teams use rosters and passcards from their home state.

7. There is no limit to the number of players on rosters for U10 and U12s.   Rosters for U11-U14 may have a maximum of 22 players.  HS age teams ( U15–U19 )  may roster 26 players.

8.  Please note that if your team is state cup declared, state cup requirements may differ from Masc policy.   It is up to each team to insure that they are aware and are adhering to state cup rules for their home state.

Adding and Removing Players

Once a player is on your roster they cannot be removed (dropped) without a Player Status Form, found on the Mass Youth website and also on the MASC website under forms.  The player status form MUST BE SIGNED BY THE PARENTS and submitted to the club.  The club will then forward the copies to MASC along with a separate roster listing the player or players as drops.   A player must remain on the team roster until the Player Status Form is completed.  Player Status Forms must be completed even if the player has never played a game with your team.

A player may transfer between teams at any point in the season until the roster freeze deadline in May. The same Player Status Form is used and the same procedure is followed as for a drop.  Transfers do not have to be signed or approved by the losing team.  You will, however, need to complete the Player Status Form and a new  roster with the players listed on the bottom as transfer.  Masc allows unlimited transfers during the season but if you are qualified for State Cup, please be advised that you must abide by State Cup guidelines which allows only five transfers per year. (fall and spring).  A transfer is only counted against the team gaining the player.

Players may be added at any point in the season until the roster freeze deadline in May.  You do not need to complete a Player Status Form unless this player was on another team (or club) roster.

A player who moves between two teams in the same club counts as a transfer.  If the team is playing in State Cup they may not move back to their original team until the soccer year is over. 

You must submit two copies of your roster at game time - one for the referee and one for the opposing coach. You may blank out the phone numbers & town on these rosters if you wish. If your official roster has more than two pages you may combine them unto one page, but it must indicate that it is a "Game Day Roster" and it must be signed and verified by your registrar.  Please note, every time you make a change you will add a new page to your “official roster”.  One change will equal 2 pages.  Two changes will equal 3 pages etc.                                        

Fields Closures:

Game Cancellations and Rescheduling

Notification of all game schedule changes and cancellation will be posted on the MASC web site, http://www.MASoccerConference.org/, no later than 9:00AM on the day of a game.  The field coordinator should notify the MASC director and Referee Coordinator as early as possible in the event of a field closing by phone and email.  After 9:00AM on the day of the game, the referees shall determine the suitability of a field for play.

It is the responsibility of every team which has not been officially notified of postponement due to unplayability to appear at the scheduled time and place, ready to play, regardless of apparent weather conditions.  In case of doubt, go with your team to the field. 

Notification of Postponement due to Unplayability.  It is the sole responsibility of the Club declaring a field unplayable, once it is satisfied that the declaration is permissible, to notify the MASC Director or Administrator and the coach or manager of each of the involved teams (including all visiting teams) in a timely fashion, having due regard for the need of each of these officials to notify others in their turn.  If a field or fields are declared unplayable at a time when visiting teams are, of necessity, in transit, the club contacts designated on the MASC website shall be included in the notification list.  In this instance, a representative of the hosting club should remain at the field site until the scheduled start time of the next game after the declaration of unplayability has been made to inform those who arrive to play.The two teams involved shall reschedule the game at a field and time mutually acceptable.  Once a field and time have been agreed upon, the home team shall notify the MASC referee coordinator to arrange for suitable referees.  There shall be no time limit for rescheduling a cancelled contest.

It is the responsibility of the visiting clubs to ascertain that contact names listed on the League website are correct, and that telephone, mobile phone and fax numbers, e-mail address and other means of contact are correct, in working order and useful for contact during weekend days.

Important!!!

Field Usage Principles

MASC, clubs, teams, players, parents, and spectators are guests of the facilities at which games are played.   Adherence to a strict Leave no Trace Policy is required.  Everyone should always respect the property on which they play.  Any items brought in, should also be taken out.  This means that no trash is to be left at the fields.  Fields and associated areas should always be left in better condition than upon arrival.

Always remember that use of these fields is a courtesy extended to MASC that can be revoked.  Please be a good guest so as to be welcomed back in the future. 

Pick-up any trash and dispose of it.  It does not matter the source, everyone is responsible to keep the fields and surrounding areas clean.

Leave the dogs home.  They are not allowed at any field.  Coaches are expected to enforce this requirement.

MAPLE Qualification Tournaments

Information on the MAPLE Qualification Tournaments has been poste on the MAPLE Web Site at:

http://www.maplesoccer.com/pages/36_qualifying_tournaments_spring.cfm

Roster, Drop and Add Instructions

Detailed instructions have been posted in the forms area of the web site with respect to the required steps and items necessary for rosters, passcards, adding and dropping players.  Those involved with such procedures need to make themselve familar and follow the instructions.