The policies for QWSC Competitive Teams have recently been revised and approved by the Board of Directors. You may download a copy by clicking on the link below.
Quinte West Soccer Club (QWSC)
Policies for Competitive Teams
1.0 Applicability - These QWSC policies apply to competitive teams and are in addition to SOSA/ERSL policies and OSA policies.
2.0 Pyramid of Play - The OSA has established a set of rules and guidelines concerning the Pyramid of Play that covers all Regions, Districts, Leagues, Clubs, Teams and Players in the Province of Ontario and these rules and guidelines are supported by the QWSC.
2.1 The following promotion and relegation rules exist for these Leagues:
2.1.1 Teams are promoted or relegated through the pyramid based on their performance the previous season and the policies and procedures of the OSA, while new Club teams start at the bottom of the pyramid;
2.1.2 Slots at the Multi-Jurisdictional, Regional and Provincial levels belong to the Club, not the team; and
2.1.3 Further details regarding promotion and relegation are found on the OSA website, the SOSA League website and ERSL League website.
3.0 Team Head Coach Selection - The process used to select coaches for competitive teams shall be as determined by the QWSC Board of Directors. The process usually takes place in the late summer/early fall for competitive teams for the following outdoor competitive season.
3.1 The QWSC requires each competitive team to have at least one team official who is certified as a coach.
3.2 All team officials must have completed the OSA Respect in Soccer course currently available online.
3.3 If selected, coaches are initially offered the Head Coach position for a particular team for a period of two years, subject to a year-end review and interview after year one.
3.4 The QWSC Board of Directors reserves the right to approve or remove any team official.
4.0 Coach Training - The QWSC will fully subsidize the registration cost of coaching clinics to certify up to two coaches per competitive team once the Board of Directors has approved the Head Coach of the competitive team. Additional coach training will be at the Executive's discretion.
4.1 Coaches who would like to take advantage of this reimbursement program must book certification clinics through the QWSC office.
5.0 Team Official Responsibilities - Team Officials are selected by the team Head Coach. The team Head Coach is accountable for his/her team officials.
5.0.1 The Team Head Coach must submit a list of team officials to include one Assistant Coach and one Manager to the club office within 30 days of the Team Head Coach being approved by the Board of Directors.
5.1 The team Head Coach is expected to share in the responsibility of Club administration:
5.1.1 The team Head Coach, or a team representative, must attend the Club’s Annual General Meeting;
5.1.2 The team Head Coach shall actively encourage team parents to become involved with the Club administration in a volunteer capacity; and
5.1.3 The team Head Coach shall assist with any player development program or clinics organized by the Club.
5.2 The Team Head Coach shall assist, support and encourage the Club House League and lower level Competitive/All-Star Team Coaches in their respective age category.
5.3 All Team Officials shall abide by the procedures listed in the Rep Team Manuals.
6.0 Tryouts and Team Selection - Competitive teams may begin tryouts for the outdoor competitive season in the preceding fall. The QWSC will communicate the date that the tryouts may begin to all teams immediately after the Board of Directors has approved the selected competitive team Head Coaches.
6.1 "Early" tryouts are defined as tryouts taking place prior to the opening of Outdoor Registration at the Club's "Outdoor Registration Weekend" usually held in February each year.
6.2 It is up to individual team Head Coaches whether or not they wish to conduct early tryouts. However, the coach must complete the player selection process in time to meet the published date for submission of the roster, player books and Rep fees to the Club.
6.3 All competitive team Head Coaches shall conduct no less than three separate tryout sessions. Player decisions can not be made before the three tryout sessions are completed. The dates/times/location/fee (if any) of the tryout sessions shall be published on the QWSC website no later than one week prior to the time of the first tryout session. Coaches are also encouraged, but it is not mandatory, to communicate the tryout information via email, have it published in the local newspaper, distribute information flyers etc.
6.4 Team Officials shall not use or arrange to use any city field, school field, park, school gym, dome or other facility to conduct tryouts or practices without first receiving permission and/or the appropriate permit through the QWSC office. The QWSC assumes no liability (financial or personal liability) for bookings made without club knowledge.
6.5 All competitive teams that will play in the L5/L6 SOSA loop shall confirm nine of fourteen players for mini-field teams and twelve of eighteen players for full-field teams on their roster if they conduct early tryouts. This allows room for players to express their interest in playing for a competitive team at Outdoor Registration Weekend. Any exception must be approved by the Club Head Coach or the Rep Liaison. The team Head Coach cannot release a confirmed player(s) to add a different player(s) at a later date unless the original player(s) voluntarily withdraws from the team in writing. The final roster positions can be filled anytime after Outdoor Registration Weekend.
6.6 L3 and L4 teams may select their full teams immediately after tryouts at the team Head Coach’s discretion, but if they fill their roster, they cannot release a confirmed player(s) to add a different player(s) at a later date unless the original player(s) voluntarily withdraws from the team in writing. Coaches will be encouraged to leave some room on the roster for new players that may show interest/move into the area when Outdoor Registration is opened.
6.7 Tryouts shall be open to all players from Quinte West and surrounding areas. Tryouts shall be conducted in an open and fair process. All interested players with or without competitive experience shall be encouraged to attend.
6.8 Each player trying out for a competitive team shall be registered for the tryout sessions by completing the Tryout Registration Form and submitting with the applicable tryout fee (if any) before being allowed to participate in the tryout.
6.9 The Tryout Registration form and fee (if any) shall be submitted to a team official at the tryout location, NOT at the QWSC Office. Each team Head Coach shall be responsible to collect the tryout registration forms and fees (if any) at the tryout location and submit to the club office within seven days of receipt.
6.10 Fines will be levied against team officials and/or teams that allow un-registered players to participate in a tryout. The schedule of fines is listed in the Rep Team Manuals.
6.11 Tryout fees (if any) are non-refundable. Individual teams may charge a "tryout fee" depending on where the tryouts take place in order to cover the cost of the facility (ie: Loyalist Dome, Turf field, etc.)
6.12 Players making a competitive team must also pay QWSC Outdoor Registration Fees and Rep Registration Fees by the deadline set by the club.
6.13 Coaches shall communicate to parents and players the tryout results within one week of the conclusion of the third tryout session and these results shall be submitted to the Club office. (ie: player made the team, did not make the team, “is on the bubble”)
6.14 After selecting their team, the team Head Coach shall conduct a team meeting including parents, to discuss the team’s seasonal plan, appointment of team officials, coaching philosophy, budget, team rules, Club Policies and Procedures, and Club Code of Conduct.
6.15 The release of any rostered player shall be subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Removal from the roster will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Refund Policy as outlined in this document. Reasons for release may include but are not limited to: poor attendance, discipline issues etc. Once approved by the Board of Directors, the team Head Coach shall communicate the decision to the parents of the player both verbally and in writing. If desired, the team Head Coach may involve the Rep Liaison and/or the Club Head Coach to assist or provide guidance in this respect.
6.16 When a player voluntarily leaves a team, the Team Head Coach must notify the Club.
7.0 Call Up Policy
7.1 Any team that requests a call up player from the House League will be charged an initial $20 start-up fee for that player.
7.2 House League Player Call ups - A competitive team may call up a house league player from within the appropriate age group for up to six games per season. Playing in a tournament counts as one game. Any exception to this policy is subject to approval by two of three of the House League Convenor, the Rep Liaison or the Club Head Coach.
7.3 Competitive Player Call ups - A competitive team may call up a competitive player from the age group below their team or from the same age group but a level down for up to six games per season. Playing in a tournament counts as one game. Any exception to this policy is subject to approval by either the Rep Liaison or the Club Head Coach. Note that ERSL League and SOSA League rules regarding calling up players must be respected.
7.4 Any approved call up request after the six initial games is subject to a $20 administration fee per game.
7.5 All fees will be deducted directly from the team’s account. It is up to the team Head Coach to recover the fee from the player if so desired and to deposit the fee to the team account.
7.6 The Club will not approve player call up requests if the player will miss a scheduled game or tournament or Cup game for their own team.
7.7 Competitive team officials shall cooperate with each other throughout the season with respect to player call ups. Coaches calling up players from other competitive teams shall endeavour to contact the coach of the team where the player is being called up from before initiating the call up request with the Club. Coaches should excuse a player from a practice if necessary so that the player can play in the call up game or tournament.
8.0 Playing Up Policy
8.1 This policy applies to all players with a birth year of 1997 and younger who desire to play up on a regular basis by being rostered to a competitive team. Playing-up occurs when a player is registered with a team in an age group older than the age group he or she would normally be in determined by date of birth alone.
8.2 Lateral Progression - A player requesting to play up an age group from a Level 5 age-appropriate team to a Level 5 not age-appropriate team must first be assessed and approved by the Club Head Coach or delegate. The player must be assessed as a “top five” player on the older age group team to be eligible for playing up.
8.2.1 In order to be considered for playing up by way of a lateral progression, the player must attend the age appropriate tryout first.
8.3 Pyramid of Play - A player requesting to play up an age group from a Level 5 age-appropriate team to a Level 3 or Level 4 not age-appropriate team must first be assessed and approved by the Club Head Coach or delegate. The player must be assessed as capable of making the starting line up of the older age group team.
8.4 Grandfather Clause - A player shall be considered grandfathered on to a competitive team once that player has been approved to play up in two consecutive years. The grandfather status will remain in place as long as the player is on the team. If however, the player in question were to leave the team or not make the team then the grandfather status would be revoked.
8.5 Each competitive team shall have a maximum of three under-age players regardless of the rule applied (Lateral Progression or Pyramid of Play).
8.6 Any exceptions to these playing-up policies must be approved by the Board of Directors.
9.0 Temporary Registration Permits (TRP’s) – TRP’s must follow ERSL League and SOSA League regulations and shall be requested by team officials through the Club office no later than two weeks in advance.
10.0 Playing Time – playing time on competitive teams is at the discretion of the Team Head Coach except where playing time requirements are set by the League or the OSA.
11.0 Number of Players Per Team – Competitive teams shall roster a minimum and maximum number of players as indicated in the following table:
|
Age Group
|
Minimum # Players
|
Maximum # Players
|
|
U9 – U11 (mini-field)
|
11
|
14
|
|
U12 – U18 (full field)
|
14
|
18
|
11.1 All-Star teams shall roster the maximum number of players indicated above.
11.2 Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Board of Directors.
12.0 Player Recognition Program - The Club recognizes the importance of the OSA Long Term Player Development Program. Accordingly, the Club will reimburse SOSA Academy participation fees for all QWSC players completing their U11 Outdoor Season who are then selected for the SOSA Academy program beginning in late summer/early fall up to $50 per player to a club maximum of $500 per year total. (ie: if more than 10 players are selected to participate in the program, the maximum amount of $500 will be allocated amongst the selected players).
12.1 The reimbursement will be dispensed to players on 31 March of each year who are still actively participating and in good standing in both the SOSA Academy program and our club. The reimbursement will not exceed the cost of the participation fees in the program.
13.0 Refund Policy - All refund requests must be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to the Club office.
13.1 Full refund of Outdoor Registration Fees and Rep Registration Fees minus a $25 administration fee will be granted for competitive players withdrawing before the start of any league, Cup or tournament game whichever comes first.
13.2 In no case will any refund or partial refund be given if the request is received in the Club office later than 15 June.
13.3 If a player is released from a competitive team after 15 June by way of policy 6.15, only the Rep Registration Fees will be refunded on a pro-rated basis.
13.4 Tryout fees are non-refundable.
14.0 Tournaments – For tournaments that take place in Ontario, teams shall only participate in those tournaments that are sanctioned by the OSA.
14.1 Travel permits must accompany all tournament applications outside the SOSA Region. Travel permits are processed and approved by the Club office.
14.2 Where a team is playing out of the Province or outside Canadian borders, the team must ensure additional insurance coverage is secured as mandated by the OSA and that the proper travel permit has been approved by the District.
14.3 Teams are responsible for fees and costs associated with travel permits and insurance.
Policy version 1.2 10 Oct 2012
