I. Program Goals and Purposes

Through its travel team programs, the Parsippany Soccer Club seeks to promote:

1. player development;
2. enhanced competition;
3. sportsmanship;
4. increased opportunities and preparation for scholastic-based soccer programs;
5. an enjoyable and rewarding experience for players, coaches, volunteers and parents; and
6. Community awareness and appreciation of the game of soccer.

II. Organization of Travel Program

A. Responsibilities

1. The PSC Board of Directors shall be responsible, after receiving the report and recommendation from the VP of Travel, for the following:

1. approving the number of teams;
2. approving all mandatory fees that may be assessed to parents and the mandatory budget that may be required for travel teams;
3. appointment of Senior Officials;
4. approving an individual player to “play up”;
5. designating such additional Directors as needed to assist the VP of Travel in the operation of the travel program; and
6. Making any other determination that the Board, in its judgment, deems appropriate.

2. The VP of Travel shall have responsibility for the following:

1. determines the number, age, name, gender and league play of teams;
2. nominating Senior Officials;
3. the organization and supervision of tryouts;
4. approval of any addition or deletion of players after the initial formation of teams;
5. supervising the operation and activities of the teams;
6. registering teams for league play; and
7. Supervising the PSC travel program.

3. For each team, the Senior Official shall have the following responsibilities:

1. overseeing team activities and operations;
2. ensuring players are registered with PSC and properly carded;
3. collecting any registration and other fees that may be due;
4. selecting Head Coach and assistant coaches, including negotiating the hiring of any paid trainer for the team;
5. overseeing the collection of team funds and authorizing disbursements from team sub-account;
6. determining tournament participation (in consultation with the VP of Travel and team parents);
7. determining indoor play (in consultation with the VP of Travel and team parents); and
8. Imposing player discipline (in consultation with Head Coach).

4. The Head Coach of a travel team shall have the following responsibilities:

1. managing game day play;
2. conducting team practices; and
3. Imposing player discipline (in consultation with the Senior Official).

5. Assistant coaches shall have the duties and responsibilities assigned by the Head Coach.

B. League Affiliations

1. All PSC teams shall participate in league play sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, unless the Board otherwise approves.
2. A PSC team shall comply with all rules and regulations of the leagues in which it is registered.
3. In the event of a conflict or variance between PSC policy and a league rule, the league rule shall take priority.

III. Competition Standards

1. PSC teams shall strive to participate in league play at a level that ensures competitive games and promotes player development.
2. All players carded to a team shall receive sufficient playing time to promote individual player development under guidelines established by the VP of Travel.
3. PSC teams shall take part in at least two tournaments per season, exclusive of the Pride Tournament.

IV. Formation of Travel Teams

A. Team Names

All travel teams shall be identified as “Parsippany” along with a unique team name, such as the “Parsippany Astros” or “Parsippany Wolves”.

B. Travel Teams Categories

1. Premier level teams shall be those teams that are expected to play at the highest levels within youth soccer.  All premier-level PSC travel teams shall have a full-time professional coach and trainer, except in the most extraordinary circumstances with the approval of a committee selected by the VP of Travel.
2. Primary travel teams shall be the traditional club-level travel team generally comprised of the most talented players in a single age group.
3. Secondary travel teams shall be a traditional club-level travel team comprised of players in a single age who are not selected for the primary team.
4. Developmental travel teams shall be a traditional club-level travel team comprised of players in multiple age groups that do not qualify for the primary team in their age groups.

C. Player Selection

1. Open tryouts

1. Tryouts for premier-level teams shall be conducted separately from club-level teams.
2. PSC shall conduct at least one annual, open tryout for all club-level teams in a single age group.
3. PSC shall conduct at least one annual, open tryout for each premier level team.
4. Tryout evaluations shall be conducted by both independent evaluators and the current Senior Official and/or coach (of either the primary team or premier team, as applicable).
5. The VP of Travel shall establish the evaluation guidelines.

2. Makeup tryouts

1. A makeup tryout may be arranged for a player in the discretion of the VP of Travel.
2. A makeup tryout may not be used for the purpose of circumventing the open tryout process and the associated roster selection process.
3. Generally, makeup tryouts will be granted when an illness or injury that prevents a player from safely participating in the open tryout.  In other rare cases, the VP of Travel may exercise discretion to permit a makeup tryout where a player could not reasonably attend the open tryout.

3. Roster selection and team assignment

1. The formation of team rosters and the assignment of players to the roster of particular teams shall be made by the VP of Travel in consultation with the Senior Official.
2. Acceptance of players for premier-level teams shall be based primarily on the following factors:

1. suitable athletic ability and soccer skill enabling a player to compete at the highest level of youth soccer;
2. willingness and ability of a player and parent to commit to the time and expense required by the team and PSC policy; and
3. The best interests of the team.

3. Assignment of players to club-level teams shall be based primarily on the following factors:

1. results of tryout evaluations;
2. willingness and ability of player and parent to commit to the time required by the team and the expense generally approved by the team parents;
3. availability of a secondary or developmental team;
4. The best interests of the teams and PSC.

4. Notification of roster selection and team assignment

1. The VP of Travel is responsible to notify any player who is not selected for a PSC travel team.
2. The Senior Official of a team is responsible for confirming the receipt of notice by all players assigned to the team roster.
3. Notification should be completed within four weeks of tryouts.

5. Miscellaneous

1. Players who are not selected for a travel team will automatically be placed in the pool of intramural players unless otherwise requested.
2. Registration refunds will be honored unless requested prior to Opening Day or prior to the acceptance of a roster position.
3. Any player declining a roster position may not be added to the roster of another PSC team after teams are formed without approval of the VP of Travel and the Board.

D. Additions and Deletions to Team Rosters

1. After the formation of a travel team roster, players cannot be added or deleted from the roster without approval of the VP of Travel.
2. Roster deletions are subject to the following requirements:

1. The carding of a player to a team commits both PSC and the assigned team to that player for the entire seasonal year, absent serious misconduct by the player.
2. The player may only be involuntarily deleted from a team roster for misconduct after the review and approval of the Evaluation Committee upon referral by the VP of Travel.
3. No Senior Official may release a player without the approval of the VP of Travel.

3. Roster additions are subject to the following requirements:

1. The process for roster additions after teams are already formed may not be used to circumvent the tryout process.
2. Roster additions may only take place after conducting an appropriate tryout as determined by the VP of Travel.

E. Playing up

1. General

1. For purposes of these rules, “playing up” takes place when a player is assigned to the roster of either a premier team or a primary club-level team for an older age group.
2. The general policy of PSC strongly discourages playing up.
3. A player may play up only with Board approval under extraordinary circumstances.
4. Playing up is distinguished from the assignment of multiple age groups to a secondary or developmental team to enable PSC to provide additional teams for the development of players not selected for a premier or primary team.

2. Eligibility to tryout for an older team

1. A player may not play up without participating in open tryouts.
2. A request to tryout for an older team will not be considered unless submitted in writing to the VP of Travel not less than one month prior to the tryouts.
3. The VP of Travel will consult with the affected Senior Officials after receiving a written request.  The request will be granted only if the VP of Travel is satisfied that the player may reasonably satisfy the stringent criteria for playing up.
4. The player must attend the age-appropriate tryout in addition to the tryout for the older age group.

3. Criteria for allowing a player to play up

1. Allowing the player to play up would not be unduly detrimental to either the age-appropriate or older team.
2. In tryouts the player exhibits such a superior degree of skill and athletic ability for the age-appropriate team that requiring the player to remain on the age-appropriate team would routinely result in non-competitive game conditions.
3. The player is evaluated not lower than among the top two in the age-appropriate tryouts.
4. The player is evaluated not lower than among the top five in the older age group.
5. Assigning the player to the roster of the older team would not preclude a roster spot for a qualified age-appropriate player.
6. The Board approves the request to play up.

F. Training and Head Coaching Minimum Requirements - must have two of the following requirements

1. Premier Teams

1. “D” or better coaching license
2. Coaching experience of the following

1. high school or college
2. Premier travel level

3. College or professional or semi-professional playing experience

2. Club level teams – large sided

1. “E” or better coaching license (U11 through U13), or “F” license with 4 years college playing experience
2. “D” or better coaching license (U14 and above), or “E” license with 4 years college playing experience
3. Prior soccer coaching experience at the travel level
4. 3 years soccer playing experience

3. Club level teams – small sided

1. “F” or better coaching license
2. Soccer coaching experience at the intramural level
3. Coaching experience for 2 years in any sport
4. 3 years soccer playing experience

4. Continuing education for volunteer coaches

1. within first 2 years of coaching, coaches should obtain a referee certification
2. within each 3 year period of coaching, coaches should advance to the next license level up to a “D” license
3. coaches of younger teams are encouraged to occasionally  attend training sessions of older primary or premier-level teams
4. coaches are encouraged to join the National Soccer Coaches Association or similar organizations

5. Professional trainers

1. The qualifications for all professional trainers shall be reviewed and approved by the Enhancement Director in conjunction with the VP of Travel
2. The Enhancement Director shall monitor the rates charged by professional trainers to ensure appropriateness for his/her qualifications
3. No Senior Official shall enter into a written contract for training on behalf of a team
4. No Board member may serve as a paid trainer for the Club
5. No parent may serve as a paid trainer for his or her own child’s team without approval of the Board

V. Miscellaneous

A. Uniforms

1. PSC teams may only wear Board-approved uniforms while competing.
2. The Board-approved uniform may not be altered in any manner unless authorized by the Board.
3. Uniforms must be purchased through the VP of Purchasing.

B. Team accounts

1. The Treasurer shall maintain a sub-account for each travel team for the purpose of receiving monies towards team expenses.
2. Professional training fees must be paid from monies deposited in a team’s sub-account.
3. Monies collected in advance for team expenses must be deposited in a team’s sub-account.
4. Monies collected to reimburse expenses previously advanced by a Senior Official need not pass through the team’s sub-account.

C. Team Fundraising and Sponsorship

Any team desiring to fundraise or obtain sponsorship must submit any fundraising or sponsorship proposal to the Board for approval.