Ashland United Soccer Club Rules & Procedures
for youth travel program
March 1, 2023
ASHLAND UNITED SOCCER CLUB RULES AND PROCEDURES
FOR YOUTH TRAVEL PROGRAM
First preference shall be given to Players residing in Ashland County or attending school in
Ashland County (Community Players). If roster spots are available after all Players meeting
the above criteria have been placed on a Team, out of Community Players from outside
Ashland County may be considered for placement on a Team. In the case of two Teams (A
and B), Community Players are given preference for all available spots before out of
Community Players are placed. This is meant to prevent an out of Community Player
playing on an A Team when there are Community Players available. Out of Community
Players must be noted on registration information and specifically approved by the Ashland United Soccer Club Board.
All Players must be registered AUSC members in good standing.
Players must attend and complete a try-out each year.
Players shall meet the league's age requirements for the Team for which they are trying
out, as well as any further age requirements as may be established by the AUSC Board of
Directors.
Eligible Players will be notified of try-outs by website posting, email or other publicity.
Try-outs shall be scheduled near the end of the competitive year, in the Spring Travel
season (typically during the month of May or June ), to allow for Team formation for the start of
subsequent Fall Travel season. Date and time of try-outs will be determined by the Ashland United Soccer Club Board.
The AUSC Board will plan, staff, and organize try-outs.
A new Age Group shall have a try-out scheduled, which will be supervised by the
appropriate staff. If there is a sufficient number of eligible Players, a Team(s) will be formed and Coach(es) selected in accordance with normal Travel Program procedures.
The Coach (es) for each age group shall complete and submit an evaluation of current players prior to try-outs.
All Players will be evaluated on their technical ability, tactical ability, and
competitiveness. Evaluations shall be planned age-appropriate in these three areas, and
must have identical formats for a given Age Group for fair Player evaluation.
Players must be evaluated on performance, in actual game-like conditions.
Players unable to participate in evaluations due to injury, moving to the Community, etc.
may be given a special evaluation by AUSC Board. The Player must be evaluated as stated in Sections F and G.
The AUSC Board shall compile evaluations made at try-outs with evaluations
submitted by Age Group Trainer(s) and Age Group Coach(es) to generate a final
evaluation for all current and eligible Travel Players.
Travel Team Coaches shall notify all Players trying out as to their Team assignment as
soon as approved by the AUSC Board. Every effort shall be made to notify all Players no
later than June 30. Additional time may be granted where appropriate and necessary.
The AUSC wishes to encourage the maximum participation when reasonably possible.
When only one Team exists, all available roster spots shall be filled if the number of
Players trying out for the Team is the same or greater than the maximum number of roster
spots. When more than one Team exists, fewer Players may be allocated to each Team,
but all roster spots shall be filled if the number of Players trying out is equal or greater than the total number of available roster spots on all Teams in the age group. The AUSC Board may recommend deviations to the number of Players on a Team as stated above if, in its determination, circumstances warrant.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Team shall be allowed to carry more Players than the number permitted by the League in which the Team is or will be entered.
The AUSC Board will recommend the specific Leagues and number of Leagues to be entered.
All rules such as stated, but not limited to, those below shall be in accordance with the
guidelines of the specific League(s) entered, including but not limited to:
1. Duration of Game
2. Rosters
3. Uniforms
4. Timing
5. Ball
6. Schedule Changes
7. Field Size
8. Side Size
9. Officials
10. Seasons
11. Team and Spectator positions and ejections, suspensions and expulsions
Prior to try-outs, the AUSC Board will determine the number of Travel Teams
that can be accommodated given field availability and other relevant factors. A Team for
each age group with a sufficient number of eligible Players shall be formed. Additional
Teams may exist from year to year. The additional Teams authorized for each year will
depend upon the number of eligible Players available, past performance of the Team(s),
and coaching availability.
Players will be allocated to split ability Teams by the AUSC Board with assistance from the Head Coach(es). Teams will be formed based on the number of qualified Players, and will use the identification of A, B, C, etc.
Players will be divided into equal ability or split abilityTeams by the AUSC Board with assistance from the Head Coach(es). Teams will be formed based on the number of eligible Players, and will use the identification of Head Coach’s last name.
Teams must meet requirements of the League entered.
A Travel Team may not roster more out of Community Players than the lesser of: 4 or
number allowed by League rules.
Exception to this rule may be made by the AUSC Board, in conjunction with League
approval, in circumstances where out of Community Players are necessary to form a
Team.
Players must be rostered for and play on a Team in the Age Group bracket set by the
AUSC. In exceptional situations, a Player wishes to “play up” in a higher Age Group and
may petition in writing requesting the option to try out along with the current Players as long as that is consistent with League age restrictions. A Player who exercises this option
and tries out for a higher Age Group Team shall thereafter be eligible only for placement
on a Team within that Age Group until the next tryout is held.
Players selected for the A Team will normally play on that Team. In exceptional
situations, a Player who declines that invitation may petition in writing requesting
eligibility for the B Team.
If during the course of a season there are no longer enough Players to continue fielding a
full Team, Players may be rostered on more than one Team as allowed by the League
entered at the discretion of the Coaches affected and the AUSC Board.
Persons interested in coaching a Travel Team shall submit a letter of intent prior to tryouts
each year, via email or regular mail, to the AUSC Board, who will evaluate all applicants.
Each Travel Team shall have one Head Coach and one or two Assistant Coaches unless
an exception is approved.
In addition to coaching League games, Coaches shall assist Trainers in organizing and
conducting Age Group practices for Travel Teams.
The AUSC Board shall submit its coaching recommendation at the June meeting or as necessary to meet the registration requirements of leagues entered. The recommendations will be discussed and coaching assignments shall be approved by the AUSC Board at this meeting. All Head and Assistant Coach changes at other times must be approved by the AUSC Board.
Openings for Travel Team Coaches will be filled based upon:
1. Coaching Qualifications
2. Philosophical Accord of Player Development
3. Support of AUSC Programs and Coaching Philosophy
Returning Coaches will have priority consideration for the Age Group they coached the
prior season.
All Travel Team Coaches must meet minimum coaching requirements of the AUSC.
The AUSC requires that all Travel Team Head Coaches complete either the U.S. Soccer
(USSF)Introduction to Grassroots Coaching or the United Soccer Coaches (NSCAA)
Foundations of Coaching online course.
Additionally, Coaches shall meet all certification requirements of the Leagues and
tournaments in which their Teams are entered.
Failure to meet the certification requirements constitutes grounds for dismissal.
Costs of required certification of Travel Team Head or Assistant Coaches shall be
reimbursed by the AUSC.
All Coaches must complete concussion management and sudden cardiac arrest training
programs provided by the Ohio Department of Health as required by Ohio’s Return to
Play Law and Lindsay’s Law.
All Coaches must be SafeSport Trained by the U.S. Center for Safesport and must report
suspected child abuse as required by the federal Victims of Child Abuse Act.
All Head and Assistant Coaches shall be listed on official League rosters.
All Coaches are required to act in accordance with these Rules and Procedures and the
AUSC philosophy on Travel Teams.
In the event the parent of a Player wants to register a complaint involving a Travel Team
Coach, or a Coach wants to register a complaint involving a Travel Team Player or parent
of a Player, such a complaint shall be submitted in writing. The AUSC Board shall first discuss the complaint with the Coach or Player’s parent involved. Then a report shall be submitted containing both signatures of the Coach or Player’s parent for the board’s review.
Upon discussion, the AUSC Board shall then submit a report with their findings and their signatures
All AUSC Coaches shall register their Travel Teams for the Ohio Travel Cup. Travel
Coaches shall communicate with Player’s parents to discuss other tentative tournaments
or winter leagues and estimated costs for the coming year. Coaches shall consider
participation in one other Fall and one Spring Tournament in addition to league play.
The AUSC Treasurer shall determine and assess (an) annual fee(s) for the registration of
Teams, Players, Coaches, and Trainers; pay League fees; and cover Training expenses
approved by the AUSC Board. Participation in the Ohio Travel Cup shall be included in the Travel Fee.
Each individual Team’s Travel Players may also be charged additional fees to support
participation in other activities such as winter leagues, camps, or tournaments. Each
Player is responsible for all expenses associated with these other activities.
The AUSC is not responsible for any expenses associated with other activities not
expressly recommended by the AUSC Board.
The AUSC Board shall recommend qualified Trainers.
All Trainers must meet minimum coaching certification.
All Travel Players shall participate in Age Group practices. For Age Groups U11 to U15,
if all affected Coaches agree, the Fall and/or Spring season training sessions may be split
among the Age Group Travel Teams to allow Trainers to work with one Travel Team at a
time. The Age Group Coaches shall organize and conduct practices for Teams not
working with the Trainer.
The AUSC Board may also approve specialized positional training (e.g. goalkeepers). The AUSC Board will determine the number of Players and eligibility requirements for specialized training.
Travel Coaches will be responsible for recommending Players from each Team to the
AUSC Board for participation in specialized training. Selected Players who do not
actively participate in specialized training opportunities may be excluded from future
selection.
Travel Team Players and Coaches shall adhere to the standards of conduct prescribed by:
1. The League in which they participate
2. The Ashland United Soccer Club
Complaints from a Travel League about a Team's Players, Coaches or parents will be
referred to the AUSC Board.
Coaches set the tone for everyone associated with their Team: Players, parents and
spectators. Coaches shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the philosophy
of AUSC as set forth in the Ashland United Soccer Club’s Coaching Ethics and Developmental
Process.
All Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and trainers are required to sign a copy of this
policy each year, and return it to the Ashland United Soccer Club board; who will maintain the
signed copy, or an electronic version of it, for the duration of the season.
The AUSC Board will make uniform recommendations.
The AUSC Board shall choose a uniform and alternate jersey to be the official club
uniform. All Travel Teams will then use the uniform style chosen by the AUSC Board.
AUSC colors are Orange and Black. These are the prominent colors to be used in
Travel uniforms. Where there are multiple Teams playing in a particular age group a unique jersey number will be given to each Player in the Age Group. No sponsor logos, advertising or insignias, other than the manufacturer's mark, shall be placed on the uniforms. Each Team should have the approved alternate uniform to wear when the visiting Team has conflicting
uniforms.
Any deviation from these rules must be submitted in writing to the AUSC Board. Failure to follow the uniform guidelines will result in the Team's loss of financial support by the AUSC, and potential dismissal of the Coach(es), or other action deemed appropriate by the AUSC Board.
Coaching Ethics and the Developmental Process
Ashland Soccer Club Travel Program:
Coaching Ethics and the Developmental Process
Ethics are the standards of conduct and moral behavior specific to an organization.
Travel Coaches, as members of the Ashland United Soccer Club, fall under the umbrella of OHTSL, OYSAN, US Club Soccer, US Youth Soccer, and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
The following statements refer to the ethical standards generally expected from US Youth Soccer
Coaches and specifically from Ashland Soccer Club Travel Coaches. The successful Travel Coach
is involved in educating young children in soccer and seeks to understand the reasons for
children’s participation in and growth through youth sport.
1. Coaching for “Process” versus “Product”: Coaches should place the ongoing needs of the
participants ahead of the outcome of games. Doing otherwise is being unethical.
The primary reasons children play sports are: to participate and learn new skills, to be with
friends, to compete with and against others, and to have fun. They enjoy learning from new
experiences and, as time goes on, from direct instruction. They do not like being scolded or
abused for making mistakes and they would rather play in a losing effort than sit on the bench
during a victory. They would also rather play in a close game than in a blowout. Very young
children rationalize winning and losing to working hard; older children equate winning and
losing with their skills and abilities, directly influencing their self-confidence. Care must be
taken to allow Players between the ages of five and twelve the opportunity to become skillful and
game savvy by focusing on their long-term development rather than their win-loss record.
2. Soccer Rules: Coaches should know the rules of the game and respect officials. Coaches
who bait, antagonize, or otherwise challenge the decisions of the officials are being
Unethical. It is the responsibility of the Coach to understand the basic rules of play and to strive to educate his or her Players to perform within the letter and spirit of the rules to the best of their abilities.
Both novice and expert Coaches, and especially those Coaches who are also registered officials,
should appreciate that the application of the rules to the game is based on the interpretation of the officials. It is the Coach’s responsibility to model good sportsmanship and to demonstrate
respect for the game. It is also the responsibility of the Coaches to monitor and control any form
of referee abuse by Players, parents and other spectators.
3. Playing Time: Coaches should ensure adequate playing time for all rostered Players.
Coaches who play only their better Players in an attempt to win games, and those who do
not provide young Players with adequate playing time or rest, are being unethical.
Youth sport is not a miniature version of adult sport. All young Players have a right to adequate
playing time, regardless of the status or level of a contest. Players who do not regularly
participate are at higher risk of dropping out, and no youth Coach can predict which talented or
round or awkward young Player will become the star of tomorrow once maturation, talent and
desire are coupled with a good training environment. It is also regarded as unethical to over-play children in an attempt to bolster the chances of a club (Players playing on multiple Teams, i.e. double carded) winning multiple games played on the same day, or over a number of days, as is often the case at tournaments. Players who are fatigued face a higher risk of injury, and Players who play an excessive number of games over a prolonged period or months or years are at higher risk for burning out and developing overuse injuries. It is also true that Players who face excessive playing demands are often hurried back from injury, with serious potential for chronic joint instability as a result.
4. Positioning: Coaches should let Players explore the flow of the game without restricting
the movement of Players in small-sided games. Coaches who position Players or restrict
their movements in order to win games are being unethical. Coaches who rigidly organize
Players into formal positions to artificially separate them are guilty of over-coaching.
The ability of Players to understand positions starts to emerge around age ten and develops
rapidly over the next few years. Small-sided games that do not require a formal midfield
organization are designed to provide age-appropriate and ability appropriate competition for
Players under the age of eleven. The intent is for Players to enjoy freedom of movement within
the game, thereby learning how to create and use space within small-group environments.
Small-sided games can also help Coaches better appreciate their “curriculum” in working with
young children. In addition, two key elements of Team play at U-11 and above are support for
the midfield and forward lines from the defenders, and the natural movement of defenders into
midfield and forward positions to create numerical superiority around the ball. The practice of
positioning “Goalie Guards” close to the penalty area and restricting these Players from moving
with the Team is clearly intended to limit the loss of goals. Finally, the practice of positioning
attacking Players in front of the opponent’s goal to “Cherry Pick” does not help the Team
quickly transition to attack, nor does it help develop the important skills of playing with back to
goal. Neither of these practices is in the best interests of the Players.
5. Blowouts: Coaches who deliberately run up scores are being unethical.
Lopsided games in youth sports are inevitable and care must be taken to appreciate the
sensitivity of young children to such events. Playing short-handed, adding Players to the
opponent’s Team, playing key Players out of position, sitting key Players for longer periods,
playing with limited touches, restricting scoring from close range, and only scoring from crosses
are some possible options for dealing with blow-out situations. At the youngest ages, adult
Coaches should consider playing in goal to help the losing Team gain some measure of stability
or consolation.
6. Player Advancement: Coaches should foster growth of every Player, and seek to provide
the best environment for each Player’s development. Coaches who seek to retain a
Player(s) who has outgrown the knowledge and abilities of the Coach for the implicit or
explicit purpose of winning games is being unethical.
Players improve by playing with and against other good Players, through personal motivation
and independent practice, through study, through observation, and through good coaching. By
far, the most important factors in Player development are coaching and environment. At the top
level, the successful Coach is one who develops Players to their fullest potential and reaps the
rewards through the play of the Team. The successful youth Coach, in contrast, helps individual
Players develop to their fullest potential, or to the limits of the Coach’s knowledge, before
moving them along to a higher level of play and a new learning environment. The unethical
youth Coach often seeks to covet his or her top performers for reasons of self-worth and personal gain, regardless of the short and long-term impact on the individual Player.
7. Game Tactics: Coaches should encourage creative and risk taking play. Coaches who
use negative tactics and minimize the enjoyment of the Players in order to win games are
being unethical. Winning youth soccer games is relatively easy. The Coach who tells his or her Players to take no risks with back passes; kick every ball forward; dribble the ball forward; stay behind the ball, or behind the half when playing as a defender; press the opposition into their half at every opportunity; and be very aggressive when defending, will win a higher percentage of their games. The younger the Players are when a Coach displays this attitude, the less likely it is that they will ever experience the joy of actually playing soccer as it can be: an exercise in creative self-expression. It is quite easy to be “winning” youth soccer Coach; it is much more difficult to be a “successful” youth soccer Coach.
8. Achieving Success by Recruiting: Coaches who routinely recruit Players from other
organizations as a shortcut to developing from within are being unethical.
The practice of recruiting good Players to build a victorious youth organization often undermines the efforts of those Coaches who understand the value and perils of building for long-term development. Yes, winning is enjoyable, but successful coaching is better defined as winning with an eye towards a competent end product. Player development takes at least 10 years, and embraces success and failure as necessary elements of the process. Perpetual victory is not in the Players’ best interests; nor is club-hopping in search of meaningless trophies and awards. Players need to be challenged to persevere and aspire; and to learn the value of loyalty to good Coaches, even when the organization is not always successful. The ethics of Coaches who cut and recruit Players in order to win must be scrutinized. Victorious youth soccer organizations are not always reflective of coaching competence.
9. Respecting the Game
Soccer has been played worldwide in one form or another for over 4500 years, and in the United
States since 1869. Over four million American children now play youth soccer. The first
official soccer rules were codified in London, England in 1863 and the World Cup is the world’s
largest single sport event. It is the responsibility of each Coach to demonstrate respect for the
game by honoring Players, spectators and officials, and by promoting positive character
development to all young Players in words and deeds. Coaches who fail to meet these standards
by displaying poor sportsmanship and overreacting to the natural ups and downs of the game are being unethical.
10. Coaching in Ashland
It is a privilege to coach a Team in Ashland. Any other thought is unethical.