NWISL COACHES MEETING

PRESENTED BY: YOUR EXECUTIVE BOARD

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(YOU CAN CLAP NOW)

Coaching Documentation Requirements

If you don’t have the following completed; you can’t coach in this league!

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A Picture….

We need this for your coaches Card.

A Background Check….

Some of you have not submitted this yet. Guess what; no background check, no Coaches Card. No Coaches Card… You can’t coach.

Concussion Certificate….

These are only good for 3 years. If yours is not from Fall of 2022 or later, it is no good!

Initial Safe Sport….

These are only good for 5 years. If yours is not from Fall of 2020 or later, it is no good!

Safe Sport Refresher Course

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This must be done ANNUALLY when the 5 year course is not required. (Years 2, 3, and 4).

Safe Sport Reporting

It must be reported to US soccer if a coach or volunteer witnesses or is aware of something particularly within the context of the safe sport act.

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This does not release anyone from reporting to the local authorities.

Cardiac Arrest….

These are only good for 2 years. If yours is not from Fall of 2023 or later, it is no good!

NWISL Code of Conduct

This must be signed every season, by every Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Club Coach, Team Manager and anyone else that has involvement with the players and Referees.

IMPORTANT DATES

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• 8/10 (U8 – U14): Season Starts
• 9/21: Supportive Sunday Games
• 10/5 (U8 – U14): Final Games
• Saturdays: Make Up Dates (if Needed)
• 10/18 – 10/ 19 : Tournament Weekend
• 10/25 – 10/26: Valpo Tournament
• No games Labor Day Weekend (8/31)!

REF PAY

• U8: Center: $30.00
• U10: Center: $35.00 A/R: $20.00 (each)
• U12: Center: $40.00 A/R: $25.00 (each)
• U14: Center: $45.00 A/R: $30.00 (each)
• U19: Center: $50.00 A/R: $35.00 (each)

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You have 4 home games. You are responsible for paying refs for HOME GAMES ONLY!

• You are responsible for paying all refs at all home games.
• You must pay refs even if the game is called due to rain / inclement weather.
• You must pay refs even if you intend to forfeit.

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REF PAY SCALE

GAMES,

GAME SHEETS

PLAYER CARDS

You must have your player and coach cards to be allowed on the field. Any player or coach that does not have a card will not be allowed to participate. No excuses. No exceptions.

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Do not lose your cards.

Please look at your player cards to make sure they are correct and you have all your players.

Please keep your game sheets for both home and away games

You only supply the game sheet for home games ONLY!!!

You need to keep them in case there is a discrepancy in the score.

GAMES,

SCORES / RESCHEDULES

You need to get your scores in to your reps as soon as possible after your game. This was much better for Spring ‘25. We want to have Sundays scores posted no later than Tuesday.

There will be no reschedules at all unless determined by NWISL for the entire league.

Inclement Weather Policy games will also be rescheduled.

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GRACE PERIOD

You have a 15-minute grace period to get your CARDS / PLAYERS to the field after your games’ scheduled start time. The referee will start a timer. After 15 minutes and 1 seconds the game will be forfeited. The referee is not required to give any official warnings during this time to notify you of time runoff.

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and more GAMES…

MINIMUM PLAYERS

The minimum number of players on a roster unless authorized by the NWISL is as follows:

U8: 4

U10: 4

U12: 6

U14: 7

U19: 7

MAXIMUM PLAYERS

The maximum number of players on a roster unless authorized by the NWISL is as follows:

U8: 12

U10: 14

U12: 16

U14: 18

U19: 18

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

If lightning is sighted or thunder is heard; fields must be cleared for 30 minutes. If after the 30 minutes there is another strike, the game is over. If the game has reached half, the score is final. If it has not reached half, the league will reschedule the game.

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A REFEREE OR CLUB REP CAN CLOSE THE FIELDS FOR UNSAFE CONDITIONS AT ANY TIME!!!!

SIDELINE RULES

• All Sideline players must be pinnied
• Any player on the bench that is an eligible sub has to wear a pinnie.
• They must wear the pinnie for the substitution and hand it off to the player they are subbing in for.
• Pinnies can not be the same color as your uniforms.

• Coaches MUST coach from the TEAM SIDE of the field ONLY. DO NOT CROSS into the PARENT SIDE of the field.
• You should be across from the other teams' parents. If you are not. You are wrong and you need to move. This is to protect the AR’s.
• Games will not start until this happens.

NEW SEATING AND FIELD LAYOUT

HOME Parents

Away Parents

AR

AR

This will ensure absolutely NO INTERACTION between opposing teams or fans. This does not eliminate the respect barriers for your parents. They still have to be 5 ft back and 3 ft off the center and 10 feet behind your team bench. AWAY from you!!!!

HOME Coaches

Away Coaches

HOME Team

Away Team

Ref

Box

Tell your parents to:

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THINK (and STAY) OUTSIDE THE BOX!!

MINOR REFEREES

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(COMING SPRING 2026)

THESE ARE OUR KIDS.

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Your parents should not speak to the refs at all. Under no circumstances. Tell them to keep their comments to themselves and direct issues to their club rep or the referee rating form.

You as coaches need to keep your temper.

DISSENT / VIOLENT CONDUCT

• Dissent

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• Any coach that is ejected from a game for violent conduct will receive the following disciplinary actions:

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WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THE US SOCCER:

REFEREE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY

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• Violent conduct
• ANYONE THAT DISPLAYS VIOLENT CONDUCT TOWARDS A REFEREE WILL BE EJECTED FROM THE LEAGUE FOR THE SEASON AND WILL NEED NWISL BOARD APPROVAL BEFORE RETURNING THE FOLLOWING SEASON.

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• There will be a ref Box behind a goal to keep refs separate from everyone during halftime and game changes.

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These WILL carry over to the following season if necessary.

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US Soccer Referee Abuse Prevention Laws

RED CARD TRACKING

RED CARDS

• We are keeping a list of coaches that receive red cards throughout the season and over multiple seasons. Reoccurrences could mean expulsion from the league.

YELLOW CARD

• Yellow Cards are being tracked as well.
• 4 Yellow Cards in a season = 1Red Card.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR NWISL????

ENFORCEMENT

• Unified Club Code of Conduct for both Parents and Coaches.

(Coming S26)

• USYSA Rules for offenses.
• Clubs may be forced to pay fines / provide security for refs if their coaches are repeat offenders.

REWARDS

• Coach of the Season (1^st and 2^nd Place)
• MUST fill out referee forms every week.
• MUST nominate one (1) referee for Referee of the Season.
• Must not get any YELLOW or RED Cards during the season.
• Should be nominated by at least one Referee.
• Parents must follow ALL SIDELINE RULES including Seating Charts and Noisemaker Rule. Also must have no parent ejections.

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RULES WE LOVE

RESPECT LINES / SEATING

These lines are 5 feet back from the field and 3 feet off center of the field. They must also stay 10 feet behind the team.

Your parents must sit on the same side as your teams bench at all home and away games.

No parent may sit behind either goal or on the coaches side of the sideline at any time. this applies to home and away games.

PLAYERS

Players must play a minimum of 50% of every game they attend.

AND NOW…..

A message from SAY Soccer.

SUPPORTIVE SUNDAY

• Supportive Sunday Game Date: 9/21
• Supportive Sunday Guidelines in Coaches Folders. Please follow these Guidelines for your 9/21 games.
• Referees will be informed of this Game Date and the Guidelines.
• Referees will Card based on NWISL Laws of the Game.

CHANGES COMING: Spring 2026

IFAB, USYSA and SAY Soccer are finalizing the following Rules. NWISL will add these rules to our rules, and they will be imposed starting in Spring 2026. All changes will be in the rules and on the website, after finalization from our governing bodies.

Possible Rule Changes for Spring 2026

Corner Kick Substitutions

Corner Kick Substitutions are allowed in High School and Professional matches.

• Gives coaches more flexibility to add players to the game and make sure everyone is getting 50% playing time.

Goalkeeper Possession

• Goalkeeper handling time has been increased from 6 seconds to 8 seconds.
• Goalkeepers may not be challenged by opponents when in control of the ball with the hands or arms.

IFK Placement

IFK’s that happen within the goal area will be moved outside the penalty area.

• The ball will be taken to the nearest part of the penalty area line that runs parallel to the goal line, at the point nearest where the offense was committed.
• No IFK’s would happen INSIDE the penalty area.

Captains Only

Only the team CAPTAINS are allowed to speak to the Referee during intervals between periods, unless summoned by the Referee. (Halftime)

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This is supposed to be a rest period for all participants, including officials. Not a time for engaging with officials.

QUESTIONS?