Regional/Area Program Guidelines
Effective March 2010
PROGRAM
The Extra program is a pilot program for U10 - U14 players (boys and girls) currently being offered in Area R & B of Section 9. This program is designed to provide options for players to play soccer at a more challenging level for those players who possess the desire and appropriate skills and abilities.
JURISDICTION
If programs are conducted solely in a single Region, the program jurisdiction is with the Regional Commissioner. If two or more Regions in an Area are participating in an Extra program, as is the case with all inter-regional programs, the Extra program is under the jurisdiction of the Area Director.
Each participating Area Director in a Section is responsible for overseeing/verifying that the Extra program requirements are met as they pertain to player eligibility, coach eligibility, team formation, field support and Referee support by those Regions within their Area that elect to participate in the Extra program.
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
Each Regional Commissioner of a Region electing to participate in the Extra program is responsible for his/her Region’s compliance with established player eligibility requirements. Player eligibility, as pertains to age requirements to participate in a specific gender/age bracket, is defined in the AYSO National Rules & Regulations.
Eligible players must have registered with AYSO and have participated in a scheduled regional team player selection format that has been approved. The AYSO Office player database shall be the source of determining all players’ current registration status, the creation of team rosters and ID cards. There is no requirement that Extra players have previously played or registered as AYSO players
Gender/age bracket placement of players shall be based on their age as of July 31 of the current registration year. Extra permits placement based on single year age increments. Teams may be formed in single age brackets provided that participating Regions can or desire to do so.
Placing/playing an age ineligible player on a team may result in the expulsion of the player, coach, and/or the entire team from the Extra program, or such other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the Area Director. The Area Directors shall also determine the extent of culpability with the possibility of additional sanctions being administered as well.
COACH ELIGIBILITY
Coaches participating in Extra should be of the excellent quality. At a minimum, Extra coaches (head or assistant) must:
Coaches desiring to coach at the age levels must have completed the training below:
U-10 and U-12—U-12 Coach U-14—Intermediate Coach U-16 and U-19—Advanced Coach
It is strongly recommended that Extra program coaches be certified at least one level above the level he/she is intending to coach (except as set forth above, U-10 coaches must be certified at the U-12 level). It is also strongly recommended that coaches have continuing education each year as designed by the Region.
Those wanting to coach must fill in an application and submit it for approval. The Region and/or Area Extra Coordinator will conduct a mandatory Extra coach meeting prior to the start of the Extra season which each coach assigned to an Extra team must attend.
Team rosters must be from eayso. Rosters for teams participating in the Extra program must be received by the Extra Regional/Area Program Director no later than 15 days before the season start and shall include:
Revisions to rosters may occur when:
Revised rosters must be submitted to the appropriate authority prior to the new team member participating in a game.
Coaches shall prepare ID cards for each participating Extra player and for a maximum of two coaches per team from the eAYSO database. The ID cards shall bear the name, recent photo of the respective player or coach and the signature of the Regional Commissioner. ID cards must be laminated.
ROSTER, ID AND PLAYER REGISTRATION FORMS REQUIRED
Properly completed and laminated ID cards for all players and a maximum of two coaches and a team lineup card shall be presented to the Referee by each team prior to the start of each Extra program game.
Coaches must wear ID cards visibly on their person during all games. Cards may be clipped on jackets or shirts, or worn on neck lanyards.
For each Extra program team, the coaches must have a team roster, ID cards and copies of AYSO Player Registration Forms (medical release forms) for each participating player as well as their own ID cards. These must be at all events (games, practices, scrimmages, parties etc.) in which the team participates.
REGIONAL SUPPORT
Fields – Regions must provide an adequate number of fields. Fields/equipment needs to be age appropriate. Participating Regions are responsible for properly preparing all fields used. Field set-up and take down is the responsibility of the hosting Region
Officiating – Regions must provide an adequate number of Referees who are capable of supporting the various age/gender brackets of teams participating in this program. The hosting Regions are responsible for providing Referee coverage for Extra program games. Regional Commissioners are to attest to compliance with the Area staff’s concurrence.
All Extra program games shall be officiated using the Diagonal System of Control, i.e. one Referee and two assistant Referees.
The use of “club linesmen” is encouraged when an insufficient number of assistant Referees are available. Club linesman shall only call the ball in and out of play. The Dual (two-man) System of Control is not allowed.
Regional Referee Administrators shall assign “neutral” Referees of appropriate skill and ability to all Extra program games assigned to their region. Referees shall be a minimum of two years older than the oldest players in the division to which they have been assigned.
TEAM FORMAT
Participating Regions are allowed to enter teams in the U-10 through U14 age divisions. Teams must be formed according to the approved selection procedures.
The maximum number of players on a team must not exceed the numbers stated in the AYSO National Rules and Regulations, but it is recommended that the maximum size roster be used.
Guest players are not allowed in the Extra program.
At no time is inter-regional recruitment of players allowed without the prior approval of each of the Regional Commissioners and Area Director concerned. Recruitment without prior approval may result in sanctions by the Area Director, who shall convene as a disciplinary board in such instances.
SELECTION PROCEDURES
All participants in a selection process must be registered with AYSO prior to the process and have paid a non-refundable player registration fee of $17.50. On-site registration may be done for anyone not registered prior to arriving at the evaluation. All registered players in the gender/age bracket of the selection being conducted are eligible to participate.
A minimum of two (2) evaluation opportunities will be held. Regions are to notify all players who tried out as to their status within 48 hours of the conclusion of the last evaluation and player selections determined. Notification to those players who are not selected must first be made. All players will wear numbers for selections. Evaluations will be as blind as possible.
Evaluators are strongly encouraged to use a short-sided game format to evaluate players. Evaluators may also use additional skill tests.
Advanced Coaches (at minimum) or those with higher level coaching licenses will conduct the evaluations that create raw scores. Regardless of coaching license held, a parent of a player trying out for and Extra program team may not participate as an evaluator for his/her child’s age division.
The Regional Coach Administrator also should be involved in the Extra program selection process. The Extra program coach should observe all players throughout all the selections. Coaches who will be coaching an Extra program team may provide input ONLY IF ASKED to during the selection process.
When all selections have been completed, the Region will calculate scores for all participants and establish a rank order of participants.
The Region will select the most capable players based on the rank order. The selection committee will consist of the Regional Commissioner, the Regional Coach Administrator, the Regional Extra Program Administrator and any other designees by the Regional Commissioner, all who must be neutral participants.
Regions are encouraged to select as large a team as allowed by AYSO
Rules and Regulations to ensure enough players and substitutes are available each game day as well as to eliminate the need for adding players at a later date.
UNIFORMS
All uniforms and equipment will be in accordance with AYSO National Rules and Regulations.
Extra program teams shall be provided with uniforms similar to those provided to other primary program teams. Regional funds are not be expended for any additional player uniforms, warm-ups, backpacks, additional field usage needs, etc.
The Home team in a match is responsible for wearing uniform jerseys (or scrimmage vests) that clearly distinguish them from the other team. In case of color conflicts, the Home team is required to change uniform colors. The Referee is the final authority on the safety of any player’s uniform and equipment.
PRACTICE/TRAINING
Teams are NOT permitted to begin practice or engage in any training activity until all participating teams have been chosen. Only players on the official roster are permitted to participate in team training.
GAMES
The game schedule and standings for the Extra program shall be posted on the Region and Area Web sites and Regions should have a link to the Area Web site.
All games shall be played as scheduled (date, time and venue).
In cases of games cancelled by adverse weather conditions (rain, poor air quality or act of God), the hosting Region will reschedule the game to be played either prior to the end of the pool play season or as soon after the end of pool play as can be arranged. Both teams must agree to the rescheduled date and time.
The applicable Regional Commissioners will sign off on the use of fields and referees for these make up games. All game scores will be reported to the Regional Extra Program Coordinator, who in turn, will report them to the Area Extra Program Administrator for stat compilation and posting.
To allow flexibility in rescheduling games, the final standings will not be determined until after one week after the last regularly scheduled games have been completed. This will allow for an additional week and weekend as an opportunity to make up games previously cancelled. The final standings will take into consideration the number of games played
No team will be allowed to secure a place in positions 1 – 4 in the season standings as a result of not playing a scheduled game due the conditions described above. In such case(s), the Area Director will reschedule the match.
If either of the teams is not ready to play at the scheduled kick-off time, the Referee may allow a grace period of up to ten (10) minutes before canceling the game. A team not ready to play at that time shall forfeit that game. If a team does not show for a scheduled game, their opponent will be awarded a 1 - 0 victory by forfeit. The referee will take his/her place in the center of the field and blow the whistle 3 times to signify the match is over. The Area Extra Program Administrator may impose other sanctions if the forfeiting team gains an advantage by the forfeit.
The coaches, substitutes and spectators of the two teams watch the match from opposite sides of the field of play unless the Referee gives permission for them to be on the same side, in which case they will remain on separate ends of the field. Home teams shall have the choice as to side of field. Teams and spectators will only be allowed in areas approved by the Referee.
Coaches are responsible for reporting game scores to the Area Extra Coordinator or their designated scheduler by phone or email. The Referee is responsible for reporting the score and all misconduct, including the cautions or send-off of players, coaches, or spectators or any other area of concern including unsafe conditions etc. to the Misconduct Reporting email address within twenty-four (24) hours of the game. The Misconduct Reporting System will make appropriate distribution of the Misconduct Report.
If the Referee terminates a game before completion because of actions by players, coaches and/ or spectators, the outcome of the game will be determined by the administration of the program.
If the game termination is due to actions by both teams, or if it is undetermined, the game shall be deemed a forfeit by both teams, and no points shall be recorded in the standings.
If a game is suspended prior to completion due to inclement weather or any other unforeseen circumstances, the game score will stand as recorded by the Referee, provided one half or more of the regulation game time had been played at the time of suspension.
If less than one-half of the regulation game time had been played at the time of the game suspension, the game will be rescheduled and played in its entirety at a later date and time. If the game is not rescheduled for any reason, the game shall stand as a NOT–PLAYED game, irrespective of the score at the time of game suspension.
GAME SCORING
The format of play and determination of standings shall be based on the number of teams participating in a specific gender/age bracket and may include average points per game as a method of determining standings for brackets with an uneven number of teams and/or games played.
For standings in primary program pool games, points shall be awarded as follows:
a. Win 3 points
b. Tie 1 point
c. Loss 0 points
Tie breakers for standings at the conclusion of pool play shall be as follows:
U-10 – U-14 games shall have a substitution opportunity midway through each half, at half time and in the event of injury. The half time break will be five (5) minutes. U-16 and U-19 age divisions may conduct monitored substitution provided that the prescribed reporting mechanism of a monitoring sheet is used to record such substitutions in order to ensure that all players play at a minimum half of the game.SIDELINE POLICY
This policy allows the players and parents to be on the same side of the field; however, the team bench and parents are in separate areas. The policy includes a 20-yard technical area at the center line to allow for substitutions. Coaches should not move up and down the sidelinesbeyond the tactical area and no one should be behind the goal area. (Please see the diagram below.)
The Sideline/player area is as follows, Team A and their parents will be on the same sideline. The team bench will be on the assistant referee side of the field.
Team B and their parents will be on the same sideline as well, and the team bench will be on the same sideline as the assistant referee.
MISCONDUCT
It is the responsibility of the Referee in Extra program games to submit a written Misconduct Report to the Area Extra Program Administrator within 24 hours after the conclusion of the game at which the offence occurred.
There is no mandatory “cooling off” period for cautioned players. It is recommended that, at the coach’s request and with the Referee’s permission, a cautioned player, or any player having difficulty controlling his emotions, may be substituted at the earliest opportunity.
The Referee must also report any behavior by coaches and/or spectators on or off the field that seriously interferes with the game and/or proper standards of conduct.
The penalty for a player, coach and/or spectator sent-off (Red Card) from the field for any reason in an Extra program game shall be a minimum one (1) game suspension. Such suspension shall be served in the first game (not scrimmage) that is played following the game of the incident. The suspension for violent conduct or serious foul play shall be a minimum of two (2) games and the length of any suspension may be increased and other disciplinary measures applied if deemed warranted by the Area Director in conjunction with the Area Extra Program Administrator.
If the player sent off is a minor (under 18 years of age), he/she must leave the field in the company of his/her parent(s) or guardian(s). Otherwise, the player may remain in the proximity of the field, under adult supervision by a Safe Haven certified adult.
Should violators of the penalties set forth in this section refuse to immediately leave the field when requested to do so by the Referee, the game shall be suspended until the situation has been resolved. If it is not resolved, in what the Referee considers a reasonable amount of time, the game shall be terminated and the incident reported to the Area Extra Program Administrator.
A player serving a suspension and not in uniform may attend the team’s next scheduled game as a spectator, but may not participate in any manner.
An adult serving a suspension may not be present at the game (including pre and post game activities) or participate in any manner.
In the event a suspended player or coach participates in a match for which he/she has been suspended, the game shall be recorded as a forfeit in favor of the opposing team. For each such event, the original suspension must be served at the next game played by the team, an additional one game suspension must be served at the following game, and the coach of such team must serve a one game suspension.
Send-Off’s (Red Cards) and/or Cautions (Yellow Cards) given in Extra games are not subject to appeal.
The Area Extra Program Administrator, the Area Director, with the assistance of the Area Referee Administrator(s) and the Area Coaching Administrator(s), together with the respective Regional Commissioners, shall review all inter-regional disciplinary issues not resolved at the regional level. Any disciplinary action taken must be communicated within 96 hours of the game in which the incident occurred. Disciplinary hearings may be called if deemed necessary by the Area Director, or if requested in writing.
The Area Extra Program Administrator will publish a weekly Misconduct Report Summary – distribution to the Area Director, Area/Regional Referee Administrators, Regional Extra Program Coordinators and Regional Commissioners. This report will list all cautions, send offs and information on other reports submitted by Referees and shall also list those suspensions that are to be served (by age division, player name, coach name, date and location).
These guidelines shall serve as the governing document for the Extra Program conducted in this Region/Area.
9R & B EXTRA Guidelines 9/28/14