Gotham Girls FC Travel Policies 2010/2011

Gotham Girls FC (GGFC) provides a Travel Soccer program that is designed to develop a player’s skills to their fullest potential and to play in a supportive and appropriate competitive team structure. GGFC emphasizes individual growth and sportsmanship: the goal is to have fun while learning.

These policies have been formulated to protect the safety of the players, and to establish fair play.
Three important components go into GGFC’s adherence to policy decisions:

1. Concern for the safety and well being of the players: If a player misses significant numbers of practices and games, their skills and their conditioning fall behind the level of the other players. This can pose physical risks to all involved.
2. A need for the fair application of the rules to every player: If all players are to be expected to maintain their obligations, exceptions cannot be made for individuals. This is important to the discipline and health of the team.
3. Given the limited nature of a team roster, slots on a roster should by rights go to those players who are willing to make a full commitment.

Tryouts/Admission to a team: GGFC runs competitive teams. The coaching staff evaluates players during tryouts. Players must be observed at least twice during practices (more at the coach’s discretion) or the two tryout days. The decision to admit or not admit a player to a team will be based on the coaching staff’s assessment of that player’s physical abilities, their mental attitude, and their readiness for play at the competitive level.

Participation on a team one year does not guarantee selection the next year. Selected players must honor the one full year commitment of fall, winter and spring seasons to the team. Players will not be released between the fall and spring seasons to play with another soccer club.

A coach may dismiss players from their team for unsportsmanlike conduct or disciplinary reasons, after first verbally warning the player and her parents of possible dismissal, and informing and discussing the situation with the team coordinator. A player with a serious injury may also be removed from the active roster to allow a healthy player her spot on the team. In the event of player loss, or other valid reason, a coach may add players before the 3rd game of each season, in accordance with state and league rules and club guidelines.

Commitment: The GGFC coaches commit to excellent age-appropriate training. The Club commits to the arrangement of league competition and quality field space. Players commit to attending all practices, games, tournaments, and other events organized by their team. Players registered with GGFC may not guest for other teams without written permission from their coach.

Pre-Season Training Camp: There will be a 4-day pre-season training camp during the week of August 30 to September 2. Teams U10–U14 will meet all four evenings (scheduled times TBD). Teams U15-18 will begin the normal season’s training the week of September 7.

Practices: Team practices are mandatory. The practice schedules and team expectations are listed on the GGFC website: please consult these schedules and make sure that you fully understand the commitment involved. It is a travel player’s responsibility to organize themselves and their schoolwork so that they can attend all practices. Homework is not a legitimate excuse for missing practice. All players have homework and are expected to organize their time to ensure that all their personal commitments can be kept. Soccer is a physical sport; a player with incomplete training has a greater likelihood of injury both to themselves and to their teammates. Since the coaches and club must assure the safety and the readiness of their players to play, poor practice attendance could negatively affect game playing time.

Teams U11 and younger are guaranteed indoor practice options during the week for the winter season. Teams U12 and older will be training once during the week at Bluestreak.

Players must notify their coach or team coordinator of an absence before the start of practice. Players consistently missing practices without clear medical reasons or prior discussion will be first benched during games, then warned, then asked to leave the team.

Players registered with GGFC may not practice with other travel teams without permission from their coach.

Games: Teams U10-U14 will be playing league games a minimum of one day every weekend in season (with exception of federal holidays). Teams U15-U18 will be playing the mini High School League season starting mid- November in the fall and/or College Showcases, then regular league games in the spring. Some teams will play supplemental leagues or a second game on weekends. At the direction of the Club, coaches and coordinators will arrange weekend scrimmages in addition to league games: these too are obligatory.

Attendance at games is mandatory. Circumstances that may interfere with scheduled games—such as special religious observances or important family occasions—should be discussed ahead of time with the team coordinator and coach. Players who miss more than 25% of games will be asked to leave the team.

Tournaments: Travel team players should play in an age-appropriate number of tournaments as determined by the coaching staff. Tournaments give players a chance to meet players from outside their league, and to keep their play sharp, especially during the winter season. Premier level regional and national tournaments showcase the top levels of play; they are also the forums for college and Olympic Development Program recruiters.

Many tournaments take place during school holiday weekends (including Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, and Memorial Day weekends). Your team coordinator will hold a meeting with you in September to lay out general plans for the year. There will be an additional cost for tournaments above the fees collected by the club: these costs must be split among the team parents. An estimate of these costs is included in your team acceptance letter. Concerns about costs should be taken up with coordinators, who will bring them to the attention of the Club.

The Club conducts various fund raising activities to defray costs. Please be ready to volunteer your time to help make these successful.

State Cup Competition: The State Cup is the highest level of competition in Youth Soccer. The schedule for State Cup play is set by the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association. Its dates are immutable. Participation in the State Cup tournament is decided upon by the coaching staff for players U12 and older. Please consult the calendar as soon as possible and make note of the necessary weekends. Players who miss a State Cup game will be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the coaches.

Uniforms: Travel uniforms consist of two numbered shirts, shorts, socks, practice jersey, warm ups, and backpack. Players are responsible for their uniforms; they must be worn at all games and practices. Players must attend practices in full practice uniform, including shin guards, shorts, water, and a ball. Players who do not arrive ready to play can be sent home. In cold weather, long underwear or sweats may be appropriate—talk to your coach.

Parent participation during practices and games: Parents are reminded that it is important to the well being of their children that the coaching is left to the coach. Unless specifically requested by the coach, parents should never be on the field during a game. Parents must not address the referee or the opposing team during a game. Games concerns should be brought to the attention of the coach or coordinator. Parent concerns should be addressed after the training or the game, and in a private and respectful manner. To the fullest extent possible, parents need to offer their children support, not criticism. There will be a team parent meeting at the beginning of each season conducted by the coach to go over the season’s plans.

Decisions about play: Decisions about a child’s team, their position, and their playing time are made by the coaching staff. Playing time during games will be determined by the coach according to (in part) a player’s attitude, game dynamics (teams U14 and older), and commitment to the team measured by practices. A coach should make his or her policies clear at the beginning of the year; players should know what is expected of them. Questions about this may be addressed to your coach.

Westchester Youth Soccer League: WYSL is the governing body of the competitive league in which GGFC teams play. Their directors set policies that determine the rules of the games; they provide the referees; they arbitrate disputes between teams. They also set the season calendars.

Fees: The GGFC Travel Program fee for the 2010 – 2011 year is $1,500. Uniforms fees are $250 for new players (new game, training kits, warm ups, bag). Existing players can order uniform pieces through their team coordinator. League registration and WYSL League Referee fees are included in the club fee. The team families must pay referee fees for Tri- League and Premier League games, and scrimmages. A supplemental training fee including Bluestreak winter training of $200 must be paid as part of registration by U12-U18. Once a player commits to a spot on the team roster, she will be obliged to pay for the year in full. Payments can be made in installments (details are in acceptance letters). A deposit $500 + uniform kit fee for new players only is due upon registration.

We encourage all team parents to look for a team sponsor to help defray tournament and referee costs. The average cost of Travel Team sponsorship is $1,000 and is tax deductible.

Fees for players added after the start of the season: Players added to a team roster after the beginning of the season will pay $150 for each month or partial month remaining in the travel year, plus the uniform fee if applicable, and an appropriate share of team tournament and similar fees. U12-U18 players will also pay the supplemental fee unless Bluestreak winter training is complete.

Individual Team Costs: The team costs associated with tournaments, winter indoor leagues, referee fees, and travel to and from games will need to be divided equally by the members of the team separately from the club fees. These costs collected by the team coordinator vary by team and are obligatory for all team members regardless of participation.

Scholarships: The scholarship form is available on the GGFC website. Scholarship requests will not be considered without a deposit of $150 (refundable if the scholarship committee so decides). Completed forms, $150 deposit, and supporting documentation must be sent to the club before July 1 or the roster spot may be forfeited.

Scholarship players will be expected to pay the full price for uniform kits. Scholarship players will be expected to pay the full team supplemental fees.

The Club’s Scholarship Committee will review the application and talk to families about payment. No scholarship application will be considered without financial documentation supporting the request. Payment in installments is an option; agreement about this and other terms for the award must be reached with the Scholarship Committee.

Players accepting scholarships make a commitment to play for GGFC. In the event that the player or the player’s parent/guardian fails to keep the terms of the scholarship award, the player and the player’s parent/guardian will be obligated to pay in full fee and costs covered by the award: travel players commit to play exclusively for GGFC for the duration of the 2010–2011 season; GGFC will not release any carded scholarship player.

Sincerely,

Gustavo Palomino, Director of Coaching, Gotham Girls FC

Cindy Sirko, Director of Travel and Club President, Gotham Girls FC