mgr handbook

Hello Coaches and Managers

On behalf of the PSPL (Puget Sound Premier League) Soccer Board of Directors, we are pleased to welcome you to the PSPL and US Club Soccer. Our goal is to provide your players, team and club an exciting season of soccer.

PSPL is sanctioned by US Club Soccer. This is an organization created by and for competitive soccer clubs. US Club Soccer provides our insurance, our player passes and they provide a Player Identification Program for US National Teams as well as for college and professional teams.

US Club Soccer is our parent organization. Each US Club Soccer sanctioned club has one vote for the US Club Soccer Board of Directors. The US Club Soccer Board of Directors is made up of club representatives from around the country - each of whom must have at least a USSF B license.

Our partnership with US Club Soccer is beneficial because it allows our league and your club to operate flexibly, with player development as our focus. We strongly encourage you to use the flexibility offered by US Club Soccer Passes as a tool for your player’s development. We believe, when possible, you should use younger players from within your club when an older team needs players – rather than signing players from another club. We believe, when possible, you should use second team players with your first team, rather than signing players from another club. This is a common practice throughout the world and will help build club loyalty.

Another benefit is that you can sign player(s) to play for a season and he/she can experience what it is like to be on your team and in your Club.

We have created a Manager Handbook to provide assistance to clubs, coaches and managers as well as to ensure the Puget Sound Premier League operates smoothly and is a positive experience. There is a lot of information that will answer many of your questions. Please take the time to read it. We will be continually updating the handbook on-line. If you cannot find the answers to your questions in the handbook please feel free to e-mail info@psplsoccer.com

We wish you the best of luck!

Sincerely,

The Puget Sound Premier League

 

Manager’s Handbook

 PSPL Leagues

Updated June 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the Puget Sound Premier League                  

Thank you for volunteering your time to be a team manager. It is a very important role and is critical to operations of the team and league.

As a manager one of the most important things you can do is communicate. 

  • Communicate to your team the information you receive from your club and from the league.
  • Communicate to your coach and club any issues that you are dealing with. The club officials will communicate to the league if necessary.
  • Communicate with the other team managers about schedules and game information.
  • Communicate to parents the proper chain of communication.

Parents    ->      managers/coaches     ->       Club official     ->        League office

As a team manager you will have a lot of questions, many will be answered in this manual and in the other resources provided in this document.  After reading this manual, if you still have questions please contact your club officials first. Many clubs have board members or administrative staff that are there to help you.

If you need to contact the league office you can email info@psplsoccer.com. When sending an email please include the name of the team, the gender, the age group and the league the team is competing/registered in.  This will help expedite a response.

If you need to speak with someone you can call the league office at 206-257-2152. Please know that you will usually get a response quicker when using email.

Thank you and we hope you have a great season.

As the Team Manager you will have a list of responsibilities that you are tasked with from the club and the league.  This handbook outlines what the league expects from team managers.  As the team manager role varies from club to club the team manager is responsible for communicating information to the appropriate person within the club. 

Team Manager Responsibilities for the league

  1. Follow the Chain of Command
  2. Register team each season for league play and tournaments
  3. Submit any schedule requests prior to the registration deadline
  4. Update and maintain the PSPL Team page
  5. Ensure all Player, manager and coach credentials are current and on site at all games
  6. Maintain current team rosters and paperwork with the league office
  7. Follow all game day and league procedures
  8. Schedule fields and referees for home games
  9. Handling any reschedules
  10. Understand the league rules and processes
  11. Score reporting
  12. Communication

 

Chain of Communication

Managers should understand the structure of their club and the different roles of the club officials. They should communicate the chain of command to the parents.

Parents    ->        managers/coaches   ->  Club officials    ->      League office

 

Registering Teams

One of the first tasks you will be asked to do is to make sure your team is registered for the upcoming league. Contact your club administrator to find out who is responsible for registering your team. In some organizations the club registrar completes all the registrations in others the team manager is responsible.

If the team manager is responsible for registering the team for league play. Here are the steps you need to follow:

  • Visit the League and Registration page on our website before you register to familiarize yourself with the deadlines and fees for the various leagues.

 

  • Speak with your coach to determine which league, age group and division your team should register for.  For a full listing of our leagues please see the League page on our website.

 

  • If your team is new to the PSPL register by clicking on the “Register” link on our website.  Once on the registration page click the tab that says “New Team” and follow the instructions.

 

  • For returning teams, teams that have previously played in a PSPL League, log onto the team page from the most recently played season, go to the start screen and click on the registration link for the appropriate league.  Please make sure you choose the correct league.  For a full listing and description of our leagues please see the League page. 

 

  • When filling out the application be sure to choose correct age group and fill out the team history completely.  Applications that are incomplete may not be accepted.  Be sure to add any notes in at the end of the application that will help place the team in the appropriate division.

After you have registered, returning teams can edit their application up until the registration deadline. To edit the application, log-on to the team page, go to the start screen and click on the link to edit the application.

For new teams that need to make edits to their application after submission, please contact your club registrar who can access the application through the club directory. 

Schedule Requests

If a coach/manager would like to submit a schedule request it must be done prior to the registration deadline. Requests received after that may not be accepted.  Reasons to submit a request include:

  • Avoid scheduling conflicts for the coaches that coach more than one team. Note we will work to accommodate coaches that coach up to three teams in a single season.
  • If a team is competing in a tournament during the season and needs a day off.
  • If there is an event such as SAT, ACT, college visits, etc where several players will not be able to attend the game.

The Schedule Request form can be found under Forms on the drop down menu of the League tab on the PSPL Website, www.psplsoccer.com

Team pages

Each team has a team page where they post team information, contact information and schedule information.  Managers must update the contact information for both the manager and coach, including phone numbers and emails.  More than one person should be listed on the team with contact information. 

New teams will have access to their team page once the final divisions have been posted.  Pin numbers can be found in the confirmation email sent to the manager listed in the application.  Both the manager and coach that are listed in the original application will have access to the team page as long as their emails were included in the application. If a third party registered the team, the manager will need to contact that person to gain access to the team page.

Returning teams have access to their team page by going to the registration page on our website and clicking on the link for returning teams. Teams may also access their team page by going to the schedules from the previous season.

Credentials – US Club Cards

The Puget Sound Premier League (PSPL) is sanctioned by US Club and must follow the rules and policies outlined by US Club.

Players

All players participating in the PSPL must have a valid US Club player card from their club.  Players playing in the Puget Sound Recreational League (PSRL) do not require a player card if playing in the PSRL only!  If a Rec player is to be utilizing the league “player pass” and playing on the clubs PSPL team(s) the player MUST have a US Club card for that team.  Player cards are ordered through US Club from the US Club club/team page.  To access the team page a manager should speak with the club registrar.  Birth certificates for players that are new to the club must be uploaded along with photos, though photos can be added to the card later.  Player cards usually take 7 to 10 days to process. At peak times, it may take up to 14 days for cards to be processed.   Remember there is no longer a grace period at the beginning of the season.  “No card, no play.” Please make sure to order player cards early. 

The player cards must be presented to the referee prior to every game.

Coaches

Coaches must have a valid US Club card in order to coach and be on the sideline with the players. To get a US Club card coaches and managers must complete an application on the US Club website for a background check.  The Coaches cards must be presented to the referee prior to the start of every game. 

It is recommended that each team have at least two adults that have US Club cards at each game. If the coach is the only one that has a valid card and he/she is late or gets ejected, the game will be forfeited.

Note: Only exception to the card rule is for PSRL Rec coaches.

Team Rosters and Paperwork for League

Rosters

Each team must have a copy of their US Club Roster at every game and must submit one to the league office approximately 20 days prior to the start of the league.  Look for emails from the league about when rosters must be submitted.

Rosters must be printed from the US Club team page and the roster must show that the coach(es) and players have valid US Club Rosters.  If there are any changes to the roster than a new roster must be submitted to the league office before the player is eligible to play.

PSRL rosters are submitted via spreadsheet to the league and any and all changes to the roster require and updated spreadsheet being provided to the league office for prior to players being able to play in league play.

Be sure to review the minimum number of players required on rosters which is outlined in the League rules.

Concussion Compliance and Cardiac Arrest

Teams must be able to attest that every person has read and signed off on the information sheets on Concussion Compliance and Cardiac Arrest.  Usually this is done electronically when players register for the club/team. The club registrar will be to provide documentation that the all the parents and players have completed the forms.  If this is not done through the registration software, there is a form on the PSPL website that can be printed out and given to parents and players to sign.  Managers should collect these forms and keep them in their manager binder.

 Concussion Compliance and Cardiac Arrest form.  

Medical Release Forms

Every player must have a completed medical release filed with the manager. The manager must have these forms with him/her at every game.  It is suggested that a manager have a set and the coach have a set.  The forms can be found on the US Club website.  

Game Day Procedures

Managers are expected to know and follow the Game Day procedures.

Failure to follow game day procedures may be grounds for a forfeit or fines.

Fields and Referees for Home Games

Each club/team is required to provide fields for their home games as well as referees. Most clubs have a person in charge of fields and must have a referee assignor.  Managers should consult with their club on the proper procedures for securing fields and referees.

 A center referee and two assistant referees are required for U-11 to U-19. A center referee is required for U-9 to U-10. A list of referee associations by area and a link to the association’s website can be found on our website under General Information at the bottom of the page

For the PSPL Development league only (teams U9 and U10), the league will provide fields at Starfire and other locations around the Puget Sound area.

Scheduling and Rescheduling

For the fall PSPL league U-11 to U-14 games are primarily scheduled on Saturdays and U-15 to U-19 games are primarily scheduled on Sundays. 

If the team would like to change the date of any game they must get the approval of the oppsoing teams.  We recommend not rescheduling any games that are part of a double header weekend for either team.  

It is the home team’s responsibility to post their scheduled fields and times as soon as possible, but no later than 72 hours before the game.  This is done by logging onto their team page and editing the schedule to include the field and game time. Once the date, time, and location have been posted, teams are expected to abide by the final schedule. 

If a given date does not work for the teams involved than it is the responsibility of the team managers and coaches to work together to reschedule the game to a mutually agreeable date.

A new date and time must be agreed upon and posted prior to the original date of the match.  In the event that an agreement cannot be made the original date and time of the game stands.

All games must be completed within one week of the season ending.

For more information on scheduling guidelines including double headers please see rule 210502 in the League Rules.

It is expected (unless it is an emergency) that teams have enough players in their club to play regardless of injuries, illness, or players missing for various reasons. Please remember that you are allowed to use players from your club from younger teams or second teams in case you are short of players. Please refer to the league rules for any restrictions on the use of the Player pass.

League Rules

A lot of information regarding the league and procedures is outlined in the League rules. Managers and Coaches are responsible for reading, understanding and following the league rules. Failure to do so could result in one or more of the following: forfeiture of league game(s), an additional loss of points, fines or suspension or expulsion from the league.

Score Reporting Procedures

The score reporting procedures can be found at the bottom of the Match Day Procedures. The pin numbers for reporting the scores can be found by clicking the appropriate league on the drop down menu of the Schedules tab.

If a score is reported incorrectly, the manager should complete the Score Correction Report form and upload the game day roster signed by the referee.  The Score Correction Report form can be found under the Forms link on the drop down menu of the League tab.

Please note that for Developmental League & Recreational League match scores will be listed with a maximum 5 goal difference between teams in addition to tiebreakers.

Communication

Managers and/or coaches are the primary point of contact for other teams. The contact information on the team page should be kept up to date. Managers/coaches are expected to check email on a daily basis and respond within 24 hours. It is expected that all teams will use email as the primary source of communication.

Other Resources

Violation Report Form

After following the game day procedures, if a coach or manager believes the other team has violated one or more of the  league rules, the team should ask the referee to make a note of it on the game day roster sheet if possible. The manager/coach must complete the Violation Report form and submit the necessary supporting paperwork within 48 hours of the posted start time of the match. The Violation form and documentation must be complete, approved and signed by the Director of Coaching of your Club for the Competition Committee to investigate. The Competition Committee will review the full report and respond within 10 days.

Protest Form

If a coach or manager believes the referee has misapplied the Laws of the Game he/she must bring it to the attention of the Referee and ensure that the Game Day Sheet notes there is an "Iintent to Protest" the match.  The coach or manager must get their Director of Coaching's  and get the approval to complete the Protest form which can be found by clicking on the link to Forms on the drop down menu of the League tab. There is a non-refundable fee of $150 that must be sent to the league office within 48 hours of the posted start time of the game to be considered.

PSPL

10115 Greenwood Ave N #232

Seattle, WA 98133

Exception Request

If a coach/manager would like seek an exception of a PSPL League rule, this form must be completed with the approval of the Director of Coaching of the club and submitted to the League office.  The competition committee will review the request within 10 days.

Please note exception requests are not approved very often. Club/team officials must present a very solid argument that justifies the exception. 

Disciplinary Report

Any player receiving a red card in a game must sit out at least one game.  This form must be completed and given to the referee of the next game. The referee must sign the document showing that the player served the suspension. The form must then be sent to the league office.

FINANCIAL POLICIES