Welcome to the

WCSSF Online Coaches Meeting Clubs that are part of the WCSSF include Ben Davis, Danville, Lebanon, Mill Creek, Montgomery County, Plainfield, Putnam,

Speedway, Tri West, USAi, Westside United, and Zionsville.

WCSSF Board• Mike Hill, President• Duane Wardle, Vice President and Scheduler• Ramona Price, Secretary• Tracy Daugherty, Treasurer• Carol Banta, Adult Summer League / Awards• Adam Duvall, Website/IT• Jeff Denny, Referee Advisor• Brock Banta, Player Liaison• Melissa Phillips, Game Reports• OPEN, Tourney Director

Code of Conduct

• Please take a moment to read and sign the “Code of Conduct.”

• Beginning in the Spring 2015 season, coaches, assistant coaches and managers will only need to sign this form once, and it will be binding for future seasons within the WCSSF. However, a new form will be required if the coach changes to a different club or after returning following two seasons of not coaching.

• The “Code of Conduct” is available online at http://www.wcssf.org/coaches/coaches-code-of-conduct/

• A signed “Code of Conduct” must be received by August 13th.

Coaches Set the Tone for Sportsmanship

• The players & parents, both, feed off of the coach.• Keep your calm -- it’s just a game.• Coaches are required to have each player participate

in at LEAST HALF of the game regardless of skill, etc.• Coaches, do not address the referees during a game

in order to disagree with a call.• If there is a sportsmanship issue at a game, do not

hesitate to talk to the coach afterwards so he/she can address it with their team immediately.

Player Sportsmanship is KEY!

Talk to your team, and let them know what is and isn’t allowed.

– In the past, we have seen problems with the use of profanity, physical threats towards players, sexual comments, etc. These problems will NOT be tolerated, but are usually minimized if the coach takes a pro-active approach.

– Although our divisions are labeled “BOYS”, we do have a large number of girls participating. Encourage your male players to be gentlemen on the field.

– After the game, all players and coaches are expected to shake hands with the opposing team and the referees. If a player is injured and can’t walk through the line, take the extra step to go to them and shake their hand.

Sportsmanship Guideline

• Our Sportsmanship Guideline simply states, “If a team has a four goal advantage, the team is to stop the attack and control the ball.” It is an easy guideline, but is often misunderstood.

• The guideline does not state that a team cannot score more than 4 goals, but the coach should stop the team from attacking or going straight to the goal.

• It is important that you maintain yours and players dignity, not everyone can win but all can be treated with respect.

• This is hard at the U10 level. However, creative coaching will help the situation.

• For more info see Pages 9-11.

Equal Strength• Simply, it means that teams must match the number of

players from the other team.• This applies to the games during the season as well as the

tournament.• Two incidents where equal strength does NOT apply:

– If a red card has been issued to a player and that player is “sent off”/ejected from the game. Then that team must play down a player for the rest of the game.

– If Team A has 10 players but decides to play with only 9 players so they can have a substitute, Team B can play with 10 players.

• If a player gets injured or leaves the game for any reason, causing Team A to drop below 11 players, Team B must match the number of players.

Referees• The decision of the referees are final.• Do not yell, argue or insult the referees.• Most of our referees are teenagers, just

learning how to referee.• Each referee is different; and referees

vary at the different fields.• Referees WILL make mistakes.• Have your team captain address the

center referee if there is a problem.• If you are concerned for the safety of

your players, you have the ability to stop the game and go home.

• DO NOT let your emotions control you so that you are asked to leave a field. Coaches that receive a red card are given an automatic two-game suspension. Coaches asked to leave by the referee are given an automatic one game suspension.

Updating your Info in GotSoccer• First step of the season, please update your contact information in

GotSoccer. – Please list YOUR personal email address instead of the club’s email.– Also, if your main contact is your cell phone, list that as your main

number in the section labeled “PHONE” in addition to the cell phone section. You can list your home phone in the “Phone 2” section.

• It only takes a couple of minutes. (Directions on Page 11 of Coach’s Packet.)

• Please check email OFTEN! At least once a week.

Important Dates• Friday, August 14th

OPENING DAY for U10, U12 & U14 teams!• Friday, August 21st

OPENING DAY for U19 teams!• Friday, September 4th – Monday, September 7th

Labor Day Weekend, no games scheduled• Saturday, September 11th ALL rosters and players passes MUST be in order• Monday, September 14th at 12:01 am

Rosters are frozen• Sunday, September 27th

Last possible day for any games• Monday, September 28th & 29th

U12, U14 & U19 Check-ins (locations TBA)• Friday—Sunday, October 2-4

U12-U14-U19 Tournament • Saturday, October 3rd

U10 Jamboree (Host: Ben Davis Soccer Club)

Schedules• Schedules are final and a link is posted on our website (

www.wcssf.org)• If you need to change a game due to weather or an unforeseen

emergency please request it through GotSoccer. (Page 13)• Remember, that the opposing team is not required to change.• When requesting a change, check the other team’s schedule to

see when they are available and put in an actual date and time. Sometimes it is easier to email the coach and confirm a date and time before putting it into GotSoccer.

• If you receive a request, please acknowledge somehow (approve, denied, email the coach).

Weather CancellationsHopefully we’ll have NONE this season. • FIRST! If a game is cancelled at your field due to weather, please

make sure you contact the opposing team’s coach or team manager, your team, and your club’s assignor. (You may want to check with your own club to see who has the authority to cancel a game.)

• SECOND! If your club has a website, post the closure on your website.• THIRD! Please talk with the opposing coach and reschedule the game

as quickly as possible. • FOURTH! Please email us at wcssfsoccer@gmail.com to let us know

the game has been cancelled. (Please include game number.) The WCSSF will move the game to a date AFTER the tournament which will give you a little time to confirm a new date.

ALL games MUST be rescheduled within 24 hours; and played within 7 days.

Weather / Storms at Game TimeThere are times that storms come through at game time or the weather conditions worsen. Here are the procedures to follow:

Procedure:• At the first sight of lightning, the referees or field monitors should suspend the game for 30

minutes.– Some fields suspend games at the first roar of thunder, since when there is thunder there

can be lightning.• Each time lightning it spotted, the clock is reset.• At the end of 30 minutes, the referee and/or field monitor will check the conditions to see if it is

safe to return to the fields.• If it is safe, the game will resumed at the point of the suspension of the game. • If it is not safe, the referee and/or field monitor can suspend the game for up to 30 more

minutes. At that time, if it is still not safe, the game is “called.”– If the game reaches half-time, completing the first half of the game, the game is considered

played in full and the score stands as the final score.– If the game did not reach half-time, the game must be rescheduled and played in its entirety

from the beginning of the game.

Important FYI’s:• Coaches are not the ones to suspend a game. It is the responsibility of the referee or the field

monitor. However, if the referees are young, both coaches may consult with the referee and give them opinion.

• If a Coach decides to leave a game without the referee officially ending the game, the team automatically forfeits.

Game Day Checklist• Official Roster (laminated)• Player Cards (pictures, signature, laminated) Virtual player passes are NOT accepted within the WCSSF.• Game Card (Spring U19 especially, if more than 18 are rostered) only players listed on

the Gotsoccer game card will be allowed to play.• Coach’s Packet or WCSSF Rules & Regulations• Pinnies for substituting• If both teams are the same color, the home team must wear pinnies or change shirts.• Home Team – provide 3 game balls• A good attitude!

When you arrive at the field…• Are the referees there? They are required to arrive 30 minutes before a game. If the

referees aren’t there within 15 minutes of game time, as the home team, you may want to check with someone.

• Is the other team there? If the other team hasn’t showed up within 15 minutes of game time, you may want to find out why.

Players – FYI’s• WCSSF does not allow “GUEST” players for any game.• A “GUEST” player is a player that is not rostered on your team. • Any player that participates in a game must be listed on the Gotsoccer game

card, have a player pass with a picture with your team• If you are down players and do not have the number to field a full team, you

have three options:#1: You can play down; and the opposing team must match your numbers.#2: You can forfeit, and not play.#3: You can forfeit, but turn the game into a “friendly” game. In this situation,

you may use another player that is registered within your club for the current season. However, regardless of the outcome’,the score will be recorded as 4-0 in favor of

the opposing team. (Please check with the opposing team, to see if this option isacceptable to them first.)

Uniforms• Every season we have problems with this.• Each player MUST have the same uniform. This includes the

following…– same color sock– same color shorts– same color shirt– unique Jersey #

• Goalies should have a different color shirt/jersey/pinnie that his teammates and the other team. Goalies are allowed to wear different shorts and socks than team mates while in goal. However, when the goalie changes position, he must match the team completely.

Safety Concerns

• Concussions (page 6 of Coach’s Packet)• Heat/Cold Related illnesses• Safety Straps for Eye Glasses• No Jewelry of any kind• Shin Guards MUST be worn • Lightning/Thunder (each club has different

guidelines, please obey!)

Substitutions

• Substitutions are allowed on Kick Offs, Goal Kicks, and Throw-ins. (For throw-ins, Both teams may substitute on a throw in as long as the team with possession has a substitute to come in. )

• However, you MUST wait for the Referee to call the substitutes onto the field.

• Each substitute should carry on pinnie and give it to the person going off the field.

• For Injured players (wait until referee calls you on)

Game Reports

• After each game, the coach, assistant coach, team manager, someone from the team MUST submit a game report.

• Teams whose coach does not submit reports, will NOT be able to participate in the tourney.

• Refer to Pages 13-14 in Coach’s Packet.• The WCSSF reviews each of the game reports. As needed,

the WCSSF follows up on the incident and/or problem. You may or may not get an email response from us; but, please, know that we are addressing the situation.

• Feel free to include positive comments as well. The WCSSF will forward these as appropriate.

Special Rules• U10

– Punts CANNOT cross midfield (see page 16) before touching the ground or another player.

– No Offside.– If a punt bounces on the goalie side of the field it CAN roll into the penalty box

at the opposite end of the field• U19 (Fall ONLY)

– Goalies CANNOT punt or drop kick the ball.– Goal kicks must NOT travel past midfield in the air.– Goalies may throw the ball over midfield.– There IS offside.

– FYI: ISL has changed their rules for the U10 division, and are not allowing punts at all. However, the WCSSF has decided to keep the current punt rule for now.

Division Overview

# of Length Length of Minimum # # AllowedDivision Players of Halves Half-Timeof Players on Roster • U-10 6v6 25 minutes 5 5 12• U-12 8v8 30 minutes 5 6 14• U-14 11v11 35 minutes 5 7 18• U-19 (Fall) 6v6 35 minutes 5 4 14• U-19 (Spr) 11v11 45 minutes 10 7 22

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