COACH MANUAL

SELINSGROVE AYSO

13/K/615

CONTENT

WELCOME COACHES!        3

AYSO BOARD        4

ONLINE RESOURCES        5

COACH REGISTRATION/CLEARANCES/TRAINING        6

SPRING 2019 SCHEDULE        7

FIELD LOCATIONS        8

DIVISION GUIDELINES        9

RULES OF PLAY        12

GAME DAY PROCEDURES        14

GAME DAY ETIQUETTE        16

TEAM MANAGEMENT        19

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES        23

MISCELLANEOUS        24

WELCOME COACHES!

Thank you for donating your time and talents to the Selinsgrove AYSO program. We have a great organization because of volunteers like you! Whether you are a returning coach or new to the program this season please be sure to read through this entire manual as it contains a lot of important information you will find useful.

AYSO BOARD

ONLINE RESOURCES

Selinsgrove AYSO Region 615 Website: www.selinsgroveayso.org

This is our regional website where all volunteers must register. You will be assigned your AYSO ID once registered so make sure to write it down. This site is your one stop shop for all information about our program. It is updated frequently and is a great resource for you.

Coach Training Website: www.aysou.org

Use this site to complete your Safe Haven and age-appropriate coach training courses (6U/8U/10U). You will need your AYSO ID (obtained from our regional web site after you register as a volunteer) in order to complete this training. It is all self-paced and should take you 1-2 hours to complete. If you are a 10U, 12U or 14U coach you will need to attend a one-time, in-person field training course that covers the offside rule and other information relevant at these divisions.

Official AYSO National Website: www.ayso.org

This is the National AYSO website and is full of useful information and answers to general questions you may have about anything AYSO.

Facebook: SelinsgroveAYSORegion615

We use Facebook to post important updates so be sure to follow us. Our Facebook feed displays on the home page of our website as well.

If you have any general comments or questions and the resources above can’t help feel free to call (570) 884-4118 (voicemail only) or email aysoselinsgrove@gmail.com. We do our best to respond within 24-48 hours.

COACH REGISTRATION/CLEARANCES/TRAINING

AYSO mandates that all AYSO coach volunteers be registered, complete background clearance checks and take age-appropriate coach training. All of these requirements must be completed online.

If you do not complete these requirements you cannot coach - NO EXCEPTIONS.

Visit the Volunteers | Volunteer Registration Procedure page of the regional website for step-by-step instructions to complete these requirements. If you have any questions about any of this just contact your coach administrator or any other board member.

FALL 2022 SCHEDULE

FIELD LOCATIONS

The map below shows the location of our playing fields and equipment sheds:

DIVISION GUIDELINES

RULES OF PLAY

The following guidelines and rules of fair play have been approved by all Area K regions and are to be followed by all AYSO teams.

• Thunder and/or sight of lightning requires immediate stoppage of play until 30 minutes after last sound of thunder or sight of lightning.
• Beginning at 8U parents MUST sit on the opposite side of the field from the coaches and players. Please make sure parents are aware of this as referees will ask them to move otherwise.

• Each player is guaranteed half a game (unless they refuse to play, use your best judgment).
• Center kick starts and restarts after a goal is scored can be played in any direction. Kicks DO NOT need to be played forward from one teammate to another before it is played to other teammates.
• Substitutions

• No free substitutions!
• Substitution breaks are to swap players in and out with a quick restart, not breaks for team talks. We need to keep the games moving and on schedule.
• Coaches can sub only when the referee, or 6U coach-ref, stops play for a sub break, which shall occur as close to the midway point of each half.
• Substitutions for injured players during the game is permitted at the discretion of the referee.
• Restarts after substitutions shall begin from where the ball exited play.

• In the spirit of Good Sportsmanship, share players if the opposing team has too few to play.
• Deliberate handball is not permitted.
• Respect the required distance on all goal kicks and free kicks (10 yards). A goal kick is merely another free kick.

Additional 6U Considerations

• There may be times where kids simply refuse to continue playing and exit the field. Let common sense prevail for those kids.
• Try and put the stronger players against each other on one field so that the quieter ones can try to learn the game faster on the second 6U field.

Additional 8U+ Considerations

• Sliding tackles – while there is no rule against it AYSO coaches should discourage the practice as most players don’t know proper form and can hurt themselves or others if the tackle is performed improperly. Tackling can definitely be considered dangerous play and the referee has the right to caution or send off any player that is endangering others.

Additional 10U Considerations

• Build out line - this will be an observed line halfway between the top of the penalty area and the halfway line and designated on game days using a cone on either touch line. Any time a goalkeeper handles the ball the opponent must immediately clear the entire area on their attacking side of the build out line. The idea is to get goalkeepers and field players thinking about possession and alternative forms of distribution instead of the typical “bomb and chase” method you usually see.

GAME DAY PROCEDURES

• Confirm the Game

• Always call the opposing coach at least 24 hours before a scheduled game to confirm the date, time and location. This prevents a team from traveling to an empty field. A complete area coach list is available on our regional website.

• Home or Away?

• If you are scheduled to play another Selinsgrove team, or you play a team with similar-colored jerseys, the "HOME" team on the schedule should wear practice pinnies over their blue AYSO jerseys.
• It is a violation of league policy to wear replacement t-shirts or any other custom t-shirts in place of official AYSO jerseys. If your team is interested in purchasing white or alternate color AYSO jerseys for times when you play another Selinsgrove team or another like-colored team you can do so at your expense you just need to contact our Equipment Manager.

• Lineup

• Prepare this the night before (8U+) so you can quickly rotate players during substitution breaks.

• First Game?

• For 6U pick two fields next to each other to make substitutions easier.
• The 8U fields are numbered. Please make sure you occupy the field you are scheduled to play on to avoid confusion.

• Field Lining

• Coaches will be given a field lining schedule when they receive their game schedules.
• Each team will be responsible for at least one week of field lining. It is important to note that the week(s) you are assigned may not be weeks in which you play a home game.
• Unless you notice severely faded lines please do not line fields before Thursday evening. Mowing typically takes place on Thursday or Friday.
• Recruit a parent or two to help and it won’t take long. If you need a quick tutorial on how to use the paint buggies you can ask a more experienced coach or any of the board members you see floating around practices during the week. It is very easy.
• Should a referee determine on game day that the lines are too faded to proceed they will delay the start of the match until fresh lines are put down -AND- your game will be shortened by however long that takes. This will upset pretty much everyone present. Don’t put the referees or your fellow coaches in that situation and be diligent about taking care of this responsibility on your assigned week(s).
• Buggies and paint are in the sheds. If you notice paint supplies getting low please contact our equipment coordinator immediately.

GAME DAY ETIQUETTE

• Remember the "Everyone Plays" Rule...Each of your players must play at least 2 quarters of each game. All players must play 2 quarters before anyone plays 3 quarters and likewise all players must play 3 quarters before anyone plays 4.

• Balance, balance, balance...make a point to balance out who starts/finishes games and where they play (attack/midfield/defender/goalkeeper) so that players do not think of themselves as permanent substitutes or “specialists.” As players develop, their preferences and skill sets will emerge and help to better define where they can and should play. At the youth level they are just beginning their development and their skills and game intelligence will emerge much faster the more you expose them to different positions and responsibilities. It is certainly tempting to put your best player up front as a striker but that player is arguably more valuable to your team as a central midfielder or even central defender and ultimately they will become a better overall player in a shorter amount of time. Over the years I have had many, many kids come to me and tell me they like to play midfield or defense far more than attack even though their skill set would suggest otherwise. Give them input into the process and you will be rewarded with a more motivated, harder working and most importantly happier player.

• Present an attitude of good sportsmanship. Actions and reactions speak volumes. Be a role model for your players and their parents. We want to maintain a positive environment based upon mutual respect rather than a win-at-all-costs attitude.

• At the beginning of an AYSO match the referee will call all players over for a brief equipment check and rule review. Please assist the referee and get your team lined up immediately so that we can keep things on schedule. At the end of the match all players and coaches should shake hands and thank the referee(s).

If you are coaching at or above the 8U level please make sure you understand proper coach and team conduct during games. Specifically:

• There are no goaltenders at 6U or 8U. Please do not coach or encourage unsportsmanlike tactics (field-length kicks, planting a player in the 6 yard box to act as a “pseudo” keeper, etc). Encourage all kids to get involved and score goals. That is the point of no goalkeeper - to get all kids comfortable and involved in active play including shots on goal. Most kids don’t care about wins and losses but they do want to score. The vast majority of parents would much rather watch a 10-8 shootout than a blowout or scoreless game and it goes without saying that the kids will have far more fun as well.

• All coaches/assistant coaches need to stay in the technical area. The technical area probably won’t be painted on the grass most of the time so think of it as your side of midfield to the outside edge of the center circle toward the goal. It is not the entire length of the touch line. If you look out across the field and are beyond your half of the center circle you are out of position. Likewise, do not position assistant coaches on the goal lines or on the opposite touchline for coaching purposes.

• Players at 8U and up that are not in the game should be instructed to sit on the bench and cheer on their teammates. As harmless as it usually is, it is very distracting for a coach or referee to have to deal with bench players horsing around and potentially causing injury or other issues. 6U players will most likely want to sit with their parents while not in the game and that is fine but you should encourage good sideline behavior and etiquette beginning at 8U.

• Encourage parents and spectators to cheer on the team...not coach! Players should be receiving instruction from you or your assistant coach(es) only and preferably only during stoppages. Let the game be the teacher. While parent enthusiasm is certainly appreciated those that bark instructions throughout the game create confusion and can be an enormous distraction to everyone. Many times parents are yelling things that are inappropriate or just plain wrong. If you witness a parent habitually doing this you should politely suggest to them that they register and volunteer to be your assistant coach so that they can get more involved and learn the actual vernacular, rules and procedures.

• Support the referees. AYSO referees receive a basic training course and must pass a written exam. However, many of them, especially our youth referees, may not have much match experience and will miss a foul or misjudge an out-of-bounds. Be patient, help and encourage them as they, like you, are volunteers. There should never be a time when a coach, parent or spectator is having a "discussion" with a referee about a call. Remember, the referee has full authority to suspend a match for any reason not the least of which is unsportsmanlike conduct by players, coaches or spectators.

• Games should be played as scheduled. The decision not to play is up to the home team coach. Games and practices should never be held in any kind of severe weather (thunder/lightning, downpours, etc). The full game cancellation and rescheduling policy is on our website so please be sure to review that so you know what to do.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Make sure to contact your players immediately after the coach meeting. Parents start to get nervous if they haven't heard from their child’s soccer coach by the end of August.

• All requests by parents for specific coaches were honored whenever possible as long as it did not result in what the board deemed to be "stacked" or imbalanced teams.

• All newly registered players or players without a team were distributed among the available teams in an effort to create teams of equal numbers, ages and abilities. If a player requested a certain day of the week for practice they may not be assigned to a team and need to be picked up at the coach meeting.

• A coach may not refuse a player because they feel their team is "full." AYSO open registration means every player must be on a team.

• Coaches may not assign players to other teams without the consent of both their Coach Administrator and the Regional Registrar. Please remind your parents that coaches are not authorized to make roster changes just because they know you or some of the other coaches. Requests for roster changes can usually be accommodated but for safety and legal reasons it needs to go through the league board.

• If a player drops from your team in the preseason/early regular season please let your coach administrator and the registrar know. We may have waitlisted players that would like to play.

• Have a team meeting

• Do this before your first practice while the kids shoot at goal or dribble around.
• Please remind parents about our NO PETS policy. At no time should any pet be anywhere on the soccer fields while practices or games are in progress.
• Practices

• Review your practice schedule. Most teams practice 1-2 times per week for 60-90 minutes at times convenient for you. Remember, you are the coach volunteer. If you have players who habitually miss practice because of scheduling conflicts they should contact our Registrar so they can be placed on a team that allows them to properly participate.
• Keep it simple and focus on the fundamentals: footwork, trapping, proper passing and shooting technique, etc. This is especially true at 6U and 8U. Don’t bother with tactics…you are wasting your time. You can get a little more tactical starting at the 10U division.
• Keep them active, especially younger ages. Use games and drills that involve all players as opposed to turn-based activities. There are lots of resources on our website and tons of other resources on the Internet to give you ideas for practices.
• When practice ends make sure all players leave with their parent/guardian before you leave!

• Player Equipment

• All players MUST have the following equipment:

• Selinsgrove AYSO-sanctioned uniform (blue jersey, red shorts, blue socks)
• Appropriately sized shin guards
• Soccer socks...for safety reasons these must completely cover the shin guards. Blue socks MUST be worn for games. For practices it doesn't matter.
• Shoes (preferably soccer cleats)

• Also...

• It is highly recommended that players bring a drink with them (no soda, kool-aid) to practices and games. You can supply a community water jug/cooler if you want.
• The kids are welcome to bring their own soccer ball to practices but it is not required.
• Jewelry, hats, sunglasses, etc are not allowed during practices or games. Exceptions are prescription or sport glasses/goggles with a headband and Med-Alert bracelets.
• If a player is returning they are welcome to reuse their uniform if it still fits and is compliant with regional guidelines. We don’t change uniform styles/colors every season.

• Establish a Communication Plan

• Email, text, phone…all of the above? Find a middle ground if you can but ultimately do what works best for you not what you think will work best for them. You are the coach! All teams will have a team page on our web site and these are another great way to keep everyone in the loop. The Dick’s Team Sports HQ smartphone app is another great option here.

• Establish Team Rules

• Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before game time.
• Bring a drink to practices/games. Water is best...soda, juice, etc not so good.
• Kids love a halftime snack but be practical about it. A snack is probably not necessary for players at 12U+ or if you play in the 9:00 AM time slot. If you do a snack encourage fruit, granola bars or something else healthy. Rotate the responsibility between your families and make sure they know the schedule.
• Don’t bring personal soccer balls on game days - they can be easily lost on a hectic game day.
• No smoking/drinking during games/practices…go somewhere else!

• Set Player Expectations…

• Have fun but always remember to be respectful of coaches, referees, opponents and spectators.
• Winning isn’t everything...have fun and do your best...that is what counts.
• Set achievable goals for players or better yet have them set goals for themselves. They will improve far faster if they have an objective or goal to go after. Having one or two team-based goals can also be a great motivator (everyone scores, string 3-4 passes together, etc).

• Set Parent Expectations…

• Make sure parents understand that you will be rotating players among attacking, midfield and defensive positions during games as it gives them a chance to try out a variety of different skills and to approach the game from a different mindset depending on what position they are playing.
• If a player feels strongly about not playing a certain position they will usually let you know but for the most part they will be open to trying new things. Goalkeeper is a position that kids either love or hate. Some definitely prefer forward/attacker while others are more comfortable playing midfield or a more defensive position. Do your best to walk the line between rotating them around and playing them where they are most comfortable so that they play their best and have fun. That is ultimately what parents want…for their kids to play their best and have fun regardless of what position they play.
• If a player is involved in multiple sports make sure you know about it and discuss with parents. Players who habitually miss practice but show up on game days are not participating as they should and their teammates will notice.
• Do not openly criticize players, referees, coaches and other parents during practices/games. If a parent has concerns about referees, other coaches, other players or other parents ask that they pull you aside during practice or after games. If their concern is about you and they are not comfortable discussing it in person they can contact the coach administrator.
• Temper expectations. AYSO is a 100% volunteer-driven organization. We’re dealing with young kids some of whom have never played soccer before. AYSO is also open enrollment so you will see players of all abilities. Like any sport there will be players/teams that are better than others and even the most skilled players aren't always capable of the kind of teamwork, communication, etc you might expect. If you have competitive parents they will get frustrated at times and that is natural. But do not allow them to take those frustrations out on the players. The players are trying their best and having fun even if parents don’t seem to be. The better youth experience players have the higher likelihood they will continue to play and that's what we’re trying to foster.

• Set Expectations of Yourself…

• To be a positive role model for players.
• To give players a sense of the importance of teamwork and good sportsmanship.
• To provide an environment where players feel safe so that they can relax and have fun!
• To do your best to help the players develop their soccer skills. If a parent thinks an AYSO coach will transform their child into the next Neymar or Messi then clearly expectations are way too high. We are volunteers not paid coaches. We only practice 2-3 hours a week for a couple of months. Our practices go very quickly and there simply isn't enough time to work with each player 1-on-1 every practice. But the beauty of soccer is that players can practice just about anytime anywhere so encourage your players to work on the skills they learn during practices at home or with friends.

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Coach equipment is normally distributed the evening of the coach meeting. If you are unable to attend the coach meeting you will need to contact our Uniform Coordinator, Steph McCully, to arrange for pickup.

New coaches will receive a basic coach kit consisting of the following:

• Ball bag
• Team Balls (3-4)
• Practice cones (8-10)
• Practice pinnies (enough for half of your team)
• Basic first-aid kit (gauze, wet wipes, band-aids, cold packs)
• Coach manual
• Whistle

Returning coaches not present at the meeting should plan to touch base with Shawn and get whatever basic equipment they need.

NOTE: Please only take what you think you will need and return anything you aren’t using. Our equipment budget isn’t infinite and only covers the basics.

There are a limited number of other pieces of community equipment in the sheds that you can use during your practices. We recently added a few agility ladders and small pop-up goals. Older teams can use the extra 6U goals in the Industrial Park Rd shed for small-sided games. All community equipment should be returned to the shed you got it from when finished.

MISCELLANEOUS

• The Kidsgrove pavilion is a public space and is available for reservation by private parties most days. Please be courteous of others and confirm it is available if you are planning to use it for an end of season team party. Call the borough office at 374-2311 to check availability or make reservations. Name drop AYSO and they should waive the $50 reservation fee.

• For safety reasons, if you intend to submit a picture of any player(s) to the media you must withhold the name(s) of the player(s).

THANKS AGAIN FOR VOLUNTEERING

AND HAVE A GREAT SEASON!!