CCSL Prep Orientation
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SF CCSL Prep Orientation, Fall 2015


All CCSL Prep coaches and managers are required to read and complete this orientation before the season begins. 
 Save this web address as a quick-reference to the following:
  • Guest Coaching Reporting
  • Review of Key Rules
  • Game Procedures: Score reporting, Fair Play reports and discipline
  • Scheduling Process
  • For SF teams, description of promotion process to CCSL

Marin Clubs
 
With our CCSL Prep League expanding we now have Marin teams from Corte Madera FC, North Bay YSL, Ross Valley Breakers FC, Tiburon Peninsula Soccer Club and Mill Valley Soccer Club. 

Key Rules


Our full rules are posted here. Generally speaking, our rules follow the FIFA Laws of the Game. 
 
The most important exception to other travel leagues is that SF CCSL Prep does not allow guest players. Only players listed on your goldenrod/roster are eligible to play in your league games.
 
Other Key Rules that Might Vary from CCSL or NorCal league play:
 
  • Penalty Kicks and Direct Kicks at all ages
  • Legal slide tackling is permitted at all ages
  • Offside Rule enforced at all ages, even at U8s
  • Only 2 coaches in the Technical Area ("Coaches' Box"). If your opponent has too many, kindly remind them of the rule. If they ignore you, report it to the Side Judge/Linesperson. People without a valid coach pass are not allowed in the technical area.
 
Me-too subbing: CCSL has "me too" subbing. This is when the opponent has a throw-in and does a substitution. If they sub, then you can "me too" sub. If they have the throw-in and they do not sub, then you cannot sub on their throw-in.
 
  • Games should not get too lopsided. You can win by a score differential of +7. If you outscore the opponent by more than 7 goals, you will get only 2 standings points for your win instead of 3.

Contacting Opponents and Other Teams

To reach out to opposing teams, you can find their contact information here:
 
http://www.sfvikings.org/Coach/Contacts.aspx
 
 
It will prompt you to login to your account first. This information is NOT publicly displayed; it is available only to coaches and managers with current, active accounts. You can also find this link under the "Coaches" tab on our website, and on the landing page for "All Schedules."

Guest Coaching

 
 CalNorth rules allow any coach with a current, valid coaching pass to substitute coach, or guest coach, as long as their coaching pass is from the same home league (SFYS, Vikings, PAL, Mission) as the team they are helping out. 
 
Use this form to enable a guest coach: Guest Coach Registration Form. 
 
 We require that any guest coaching must be on record; so, sometime during the week prior to the game, you must go online and report the relevant information. Either the Guest Coach or the Head Coach can do this. This is valid for that one game only; for each game, you must file the report prior to the game.
 
 

One Center Ref for U8-U10

U8-U10 will use one center ref. It is mandatory teams supply one volunteer AR as line judge. This AR's job is only to signal out of bounds. The center ref will call offside. ARs should not call offside.
 

50% Play Time for U8-U9

 
Additionally, by agreement of the city leagues, the U8 and U9 competitive games have a minimum playing time rule. All players must play at least 50% of the game in the league games. This rule will NOT apply for the playoff where a travel spot is at stake.  

Game-Day Procedure


SF games are scheduled back to back with very little time between games. Do not expect to have warm-up time on the field. 
 
Important:
Please visit this web page right now and print the CCSL Prep GameDay Rules Sheet. Bring this to the game! The referees switch between different competitive and recreational leagues and it's vital to confirm the rules with the referee (before the game).
 
Home team provides game cards (available in our office). Both teams sticker or write-in rosters. (This link will send you a Word doc template that you can use to pre-print your rosters.)
 
Game Day Emergency Phone: 415-794-2974
However-- if you are at a complex with a Field Marshal (ie, Crocker Amazon, Beach Chalet, Minnie & Lovie, Polo) - do not call the hotline - speak directly with the Field Marshal.
 
Immediately after the game, get your player passes back from the referee. (Too many teams forget this every week. If you forget, usually the ref mails the cards to our office. If the cards are lost, it is $150 to replace a set of team cards.)
 
 Confirm the game score with the referee and opposing coach. Referees do many games per day. It's not unusual for the ref to reverse the score. By confirming the score, you avoid problems and headaches later.
 
When you get home, report your scores and any Fair Play matters here. Always confirm between coach and manager which one of you will report your game scores. BOTH TEAMS REPORT THE SCORE. We'll email you if there are discrepancies in the reported scores.

Fair Play

On the whole, CCSL Prep has had very few disciplinary matters. However, every year there are some incidents. Coaches arguing with referees. Parents howling and criticizing referees. Opposing coaches arguing with each other. 
 
These and other unsportsmanlike actions are not tolerated whatsoever. 
 
Depending on the severity of the matter, coaches and spectators can get a warning, probation, or suspension. Suspension might be for one game, two, or four - and if a second violation, can last the entire CYSA year.
 
 Almost always, Fair Play incidents arise because a grown-up felt righteous anger in defense of children - the person felt that the referee had cheated his or her team, or felt that one tackle had been too hard. Let the referee call the game. If you ever feel that your children are not safe, the appropriate thing to do is not to argue with the ref or the other coach - it's to take your players off the field and go home. Always de-escalate, never escalate.
 
The Head Coach is responsible for the behavior of the spectators on the sideline and for the behavior of all Assistant Coaches, and the Head Coach will bear the brunt of any disciplinary action.
Note: If you report a case, we may not tell you the outcome or tell you how it was handled. We may interview you for details, but we deal with the Fair Play offender directly.

Scheduling Overview


 
 
Because San Francisco's fields are run at maximum capacity, there are zero spare fields to move games to. San Francisco runs all its leagues on a "set" schedule, meaning game times and dates are set before the season. Bye requests must be on file by July. Game time requests are built into the schedule only for teams that do significant volunteer work for the league. The forfeit fee is $100 to restore your team to "good standing." In the rare case where your team has a conflict that would result in a forfeit, please contact the opposing coach and our office ahead of time. 
Examine Your Schedule Dates Super Carefully
 
Games may be on Saturdays AND/OR Sundays in both SF and Marin. Also, to accommodate some tourney play or bye issues, some teams occasionally have two games in one weekend, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Watch for those, too.  
U8 & U9 TEAMS -- 5 GAMES AT A TIME
 
To ensure teams are in the correct strength bracket, especially new teams, we run the first 5 weeks of the schedule only. During that time we evaluate if any teams need to switch brackets. Once we are clear who should be in which bracket, we will display the second 5 games of the season.
TOURNEY PLAY RESCHEDULES
 
We solicit tourney play from all teams in late July. If your team reported tourney attendance, we recommended tourneys on the last weekend of September and the last weekend of October. That way we can match up teams on those weekends, and they may or may not be able to reschedule. San Francisco does not provide fields for tourney bye reschedules, but some clubs do have the extra capacity to do so.
 
 

SF Teams: Promotion to CCSL Play

(Skip this if you are a Marin or South San Francisco team. These requirements do not apply to you.)

U9 Tourney for SF Team Travel Promotion 
 
The U9s will play their season. We may rebracket the teams mid-season to be sure the strongest 6 teams available are in the top bracket. On November 21st, the top four SF teams will play-off for a winner, which will be granted promotion to travel for the U10 year. Minimum playing time rules do not apply to playoff games.

Older Teams Application Process
 
Teams use this application form to apply to a panel of representatives from SF youth leagues (SFYS, Vikings, Mission). Teams will not be able to switch leagues mid-year. San Francisco wants to make sure the teams it sends to CCSL are very competitive.
 
The full rules of SF Travel Play are posted here. Some of the key requirements:
  • You do NOT have to "win" CCSL Prep outright, and winning CCSL Prep by itself is not enough to guarantee acceptance of your application.
     
  • The City Leagues panel is looking for teams who have consistently demonstrated they can win at the Silver level or higher.

  • You DO have to show very strong results from at least 3 official tournaments, ideally against Silver or better competition.
  
 Also, please note:
  • If you apply, you must show us your tourney rosters; use of guest players or players who already play in travel leagues will impact our assessment of your team's strength.

  • To get stronger, consider merging with another team.

  • SF travel teams must have on file residency documentation, no more than 2 players residing outside SF.

  • Practicing on SF fields without a permit will lead to warnings and banning of a coach by Rec & Park from registering SF teams.

Year-Round / Recruiting

Many teams and clubs hold formal tryout once a year in the winter and others don't. When recruiting players, a few rules and principles are worth noting:
 
No Poaching. No coach or parent can approach a player, or his or her parent, and make an offer that entices them to leave their existing team during the current CYSA year, which runs Aug 1 to July 31. However, if a player or a player's parent approaches you and initiates the conversation, that is legal and not considered poaching. 
 
 At tryouts, you can make offers to players to join your team the following year. So, between years, all players are free to move. But during the CYSA year, the coach/club where the player is registered has rights over that player. (Teams have made plans, and been seeded, on the expectation that player will be on the team all year.) This process is far less disruptive and better managed when coaches talk to each other about player movement openly and honestly. Many teams loan players or combine for summer league; the best strategy is to coordinate with fellow coaches and be open with parents. Sometimes players want (or need) to transfer between fall and spring - and sometimes teams decide to combine. 

Submitting Form

"I vow to self-police my behavior on the field, to be a model of fair play for our children, to not argue with referees, and to de-escalate conflicts." *
If you are associated with a competitive U8 or U9 team, do you pledge to make sure all your rostered players get to play at least half the league games? *

When you click "submit," you will be done with your orientation.
Thank you for patiently learning about the main features of our league.
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