Annadel Soccer Club, Santa Rosa: Freq Asked Questions
Annadel Soccer Club Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Do you have indoor and outdoor teams?
2. Can you explain the different types (A, B, C, I, III, IV) of teams? Does Annadel have Division I ('A') teams?
3. When and how are teams formed?
4. How do I register my child?
5. How do I know in what age group my child belongs?
6. What proof of age documentation is required at registration?
7. I missed the registration period. Can I still register my child (late registration)?
8. When will I be notified of what team my child is on?
9. I want to carpool with another parent. Can I request that my child be placed on a particular team?
10. Can I request that my child not be placed on a particular team?
11. When do practices begin and how long does the season last?
12. Whom do I contact if I would like to coach or help coach my child's team?
13. What equipment and uniform is required?
14. Why do we have to do fundraising?
15. Are scholarships available?
16. What happens during the season?
17. What happens when it rains?
18. What insurance coverage is there?
19. How do I contact a club official?
20. How do I contact other clubs to get information about their activities?
21. How do I (or my child) become a referee?
22. How is the Annadel Soccer Club affiliated with other soccer organizations?
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1. Do you have indoor and outdoor teams? The Annadel Soccer Club fields only outdoor teams. The Club is affiliated with the USYSA and has jurisdiction and authority only for outdoor teams. In Santa Rosa there are two forms of indoor soccer: Off-the-Wall and Futsal. Each has its own governing organization and registration policy. You should contact them if you are interested in indoor soccer. It is not uncommon for players to play all three forms of soccer over the course of a year.
2. Can you explain the different types (A, B, C, I, III, IV) of teams? Does Annadel have Division I ('A') teams? There are three playing levels, Division I (also known as 'A' or 'Competitive' teams, Division III (also known as 'B' or 'Developmental' teams) and Division IV (also known as 'C' or 'Recreational' teams). Division I teams are the highest level of competition. Annadel does not field Division I teams. Division I teams are formed at the League level through the United Club of the Santa Rosa Youth Soccer League (S.R.Y.S.L.). Annadel players interested in joining a Division I team need to attend the Division I tryouts held Feb-Apr. Within the Annadel Club there are two levels of competition: Division III Developmental Teams and Division IV Recreational Teams. Division III Developmental Teams are formed through a tryout process held in April of each year. Division III teams play against Division III teams from other SRYSL. Clubs and other leagues within District V. They frequently travel and play in tournaments during the soccer season. Traveling for league games range from Marin County to Del Norte County. There will be added expenses for travel and uniforms. Signups for Division III tryouts occur at registration. To be considered for a Division III Team, a player must attend the majority of the tryouts. Players unable to attend most of the tryouts are required to call the Division III Coordinator; otherwise you will not be able to play on a Division III Team. After the Division III Teams are chosen, those who did not make a team will automatically be placed on a Division IV Team. There are currently Division III teams in the U10, U12, U14, and U16 age categories. Division IV Recreational Teams constitute the vast majority of teams in Santa Rosa. Anyone of the proper age can play and most continue to play in this division. Division IV Recreational teams are made up by school/neighborhood areas. Division IV teams play against teams from within our club. With some of the older age groups (U-12 through U-19) if there are not sufficient teams, they join with other clubs within SRYSL for their playing league. Every October SRYSL hosts a City Cup Tournament for Division IV teams (U-10 through U-19) to be able to play in a Tournament format against other teams from throughout all clubs in the city.
3. When and how are teams formed? Players are registered at one of the Club's walk-in on-site registration dates in March and April. Division III ('B') teams are formed through a tryout selection process in April of each year (players sign up for the tryouts during registration). Division IV ('C') recreational teams are formed in June. Each age group has an Age Group Coordinator who is responsible for assembling the teams and coaches. In the younger age groups, the age group coordinator tries to assemble teams based on geographical factors and school boundaries. Please be aware that this is just one consideration and it is not possible to always group all children from a given neighborhood or a given school onto the same team.
4. How do I register my child? Come to one of the Club's on site registration dates. For first time players, please bring a photocopy of a certified government agency issued birth certificate. For U14, U16 and U19 players, bring a passport sized 1" by 1" photo to be used for player passes. You should also know the name and phone number of your child's primary physician, as well the name and phone number of your emergency contact. You must be the parent or legal guardian of the child you wish to register; in other words, uncles and grandmothers are not allowed to register their nieces and grandsons unless the uncles and grandmothers are also the legal guardians of the players-to-be. The 2006 registration fee is $72per child with an additional $25 raffle ticket fund-raiser per family. There is also an additional late registration fee if you register your child after the Club's on site registration dates. Late registration is usually conducted by mail with the Club Registrar.
5. How do I know in what age group my child belongs?
The age groupings for the 2006 season are as follows:
Under 6: August 1, 2000 to July 31, 2002
Under 8: August 1, 1998 to July 31, 2000
Under 10: August 1, 1996 to July 31, 1998
Under 12: August 1, 1994 to July 31, 1996
Under 14: August 1, 1992 to July 31, 1994
Under 16: August 1, 1990 to July 31, 1992
Under 19: August 1, 1987 to July 31, 1990
6. What proof of age documentation is required at registration? Proof of age shall consist of a Birth Certificate, Birth Registration issued by an appropriate government agency, Board of Health records, current passport, alien registration card issued by the United States government, a certificate issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service attesting to age, or a certification of an American citizen born abroad issued by the appropriate government agency. Hospital, baptism, or religious certificates will not be accepted. Players are not allowed to play down below their age group. Requests to play out of the above age groups may be allowed ONLY after receiving approval from the Club Board. The good of the player and the good of the game will be considered in these special circumstances. Proof of age is needed for those signing up who did not play for Annadel Youth Soccer Club the prior year. Passport-sized photos are required for U14, U16 and U19 players as they will be used for player passes (required in order to play each game).
7. I missed the registration period. Can I still register my child (late registration)? If you missed the walk-in registration dates, you can still late register by calling the Club phone 522-9255 and leaving a detailed message stating you want to register your child and leaving your name, phone number, name of child, gender, and birth date of the child. You will then be contacted by the age group coordinator for your child or by the registrar. Late registration continues until the first week of July or until teams are filled in an age group, whichever comes first. The fee is the standard registration fee ($72 for each player in 2006) plus a $15 late registration fee plus a $25 raffle ticket fund raiser per family.
8. When will I be notified of what team my child is on? Each year there is a coaches meeting of all the Division IV coaches at the end of July. At that meeting the coaches receive their rosters and equipment. They will then contact each player on their team. If you have not heard from a coach by the end of the first week in August, please call the Club phone at 522-9255 and leave a message for your child's age group coordinator stating that you have not yet been contacted by a coach.
9. I want to carpool with another parent. Can I request that my child be placed on a particular team? You cannot request that your child be placed on a particular team. However, in the younger age groups, requests to place one child on the same team as another child in order to facilitate carpooling is given due consideration by the Age Group Coordinator. In the older age groups, Age Group Coordinators must be more careful of such requests in order to prevent stacking of teams or the formation of cliques. 10. Can I request that my child not be placed on a particular team? If you or your child have had negative experiences with a particular coach or with a player in the same age group, you may make a request with the Age Group Coordinator for your child not to be placed on a team coached by person A or on the same team as player B. The Age Group Coordinator may wish to contact you to discuss this situation. This applies only to Division IV recreational teams. No such requests can be made for Division III teams. 11. When do practices begin and how long does the season last? Division IV teams begin practices in August. For insurance reasons, they are prohibited from beginning practices before then. League games begin around the end of August and the beginning of September and end by the middle of November. There are usually 12 games played in the season, most on Saturdays, some on Sundays in the older age groups. There are some weeknight games in September. The U12 and older age groups may elect or be selected to play in the post-season Association Cup tournament which would extend the season beyond November.
12. Whom do I contact if I would like to coach or help coach my child's team? For Division IV recreational teams, at the on-site registration indicate your interest in coaching or being an assistant coach by checking the appropriate boxes on the player registration form. There is also a sign up sheet at the coaches table at registration. After registration you can call the Club phone (522-9255) and leave a message for the age group coordinator indicating your child's name and age group and your interest in being a coach or assistant coach. Division III ('B') team coaches are selected through a process conducted by the Board of Directors from January through March. Coaches interested in coaching a 'B' team must submit a written resume sent to the Division III Coordinator c/o the Club mailing address 1275 4th Street, PMB 359, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. The application must be received by January 12 of the seasonal year. Assistant coaches are selected by the head coach.
13. What equipment and uniform is required? The Club provides uniforms (shirts, shorts, and socks) to each player on a Division IV recreational team. The shirts and shorts must be returned in good condition immediately upon the conclusion of the season. Players must provide their own shoes and shinguards (both are required in order to play). The shirts and shorts are to be worn at league games only (i.e. not at practices or scrimmage games). Class III teams purchase a standard uniform from the Club; players keep these uniforms. The Club provides one set of goalkeeper jerseys to each team. Goalkeepers provide their own gloves. Our largest single budget item is uniforms and equipment. Uniforms will last several years if they are cared for, so we ask you to help us keep expenses down by assuring that the uniform is returned in good condition at the end of the season. Club policy states that if a uniform is not returned or paid for ($40.00 to $45.00 charges) the child cannot register the following season. It is highly recommended that each player have his/her own soccer ball to play with both at home and to bring to practices. U6s and U8s use a size 3 ball. U10s and U12s use a size 4 ball. U14s and older use a size 5 ball.
14. Why do we have to do fund raising? The registration fee is used to purchase insurance coverage, provide scholarship aid, and to cover assessments at the league and state level. Costs for uniforms, referee fees, and local field maintenance must be covered by additional fund raising efforts. For the fourth consecutive year A.Y.S.C. will be holding a Raffle instead of candy sales. Kick-off for the fund-raiser will be during sign-ups and will end in September. Raffle tickets are sold for $1 each, with 25 tickets per book. Sales of 1 book per family are required/encouraged.
15. Are scholarships available? Scholarship applications are available at the walk-in on-site registration. Submit the completed application at the same time you turn in your registration form.
16. What happens during the season? Typically, your child's coach will contact you sometime around late July/early August to inform you of your child's team assignment and the practice schedule. Each coach sets practice schedules differently, but practices are usually two or three sessions per week before school starts. Division III teams are formed after tryouts in early May and players are notified by mail immediately. For Division IV teams practices begin after August 1st with league play beginning the last week of August. Division III teams may begin practicing and training the day after school lets out for the summer. For both Division IV and Division III teams, most games are on Saturdays and may start anytime between 9:00 AM and 4:45 PM. There will be a few week night games early in the season. We will play a 12 game season, which concludes in mid-November. Division IV teams may also enter the City Cup Tournament in early October. Division III teams may enter tournaments throughout the year, starting in early August and ending in November. Division IV teams may be invited to play in the District V District Cup (aka Winter Classic) Tournament held in December. The top teams from the District V District Cup Tournament will be invited to the Association Cup Tournament held between January and March to vie for the State Title in their age group. A team photo day is scheduled for a Saturday in September. The Club's Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held in November. We urge each member (YOU) to come to the AGM and participate in the election of Board Members for the next season.
17. What happens when it rains? Games in Santa Rosa are usually cancelled if it has rained heavily 1 - 2 days prior to the game and/or it is raining on game day. The decision as to whether a field is closed (and consequently all games on that field are cancelled) is made by the organization responsible for that field. In most cases this is the Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks Department or the respective (high) school. Decisions are based not only on player safety but on the potential damage to the fields (it takes a long time and thousands of dollars for a field to recover from damage done when played on in wet and muddy conditions). Playing on a field that has been posted Closed, whether for a scheduled game or practice session, results in a $100 fine to the team. To find out whether Santa Rosa fields are open or closed due to rain, do one of the following: (a) listen to KZST radio 100.1 FM. On Saturdays the broadcast will be made on the hour and the half hour starting at 7:30 AM, (b) call the KZST radio Instant Information Line at 528-2424 extension 333. If a field has NOT been closed and both teams are assembled and ready to play, the referee has sole decision making authority as to whether a game will be played or not. The Saturday following the last regularly scheduled game of the season is reserved as a rain out date. Games which have been cancelled due to an officially declared rain out will be played on the rain out date. If more than one set of games have been cancelled due to rain out, only the first set of games is replayed. This procedure applies only to U10s and older; U6s and U8s do not reschedule rained out games.
18. What insurance coverage is there? Part of your registration fee provides insurance for each officially registered player. It can be used to supplement other insurance carried under your family or employment policy. If there is no other coverage, it becomes 'primary" and provides benefits for all covered treatment up to the maximum benefits. If your child is injured while participating with his or her team this season, here's what to do: 1. File a claim initially under your own insurance policy guidelines. The C.Y.S.A. policy is a "Supplemental" policy, and carries a deductible fee of $100.00. 2. Should your policy not fully cover the required treatment, OR IF YOU HAVE NO POLICY TO COVER YOUR CHILD, ask your coach for a copy of the C.Y.S.A.-North Insurance Claim Questionnaire. 3. Contact your Club Registrar for the numbers required on the form, then complete & mail to the address on the back. You will receive additional information and/or forms directly from C.Y.S.A..
19. How do I contact an Annadel Club official? Call the Annadel Club phone at 522-9255 and leave a message. Be as specific as you can giving your name, evening phone number, child's name and age, and your question/comment/problem. A club official will route your query to the proper club representative who will then attempt to contact you. Please understand that all positions are voluntary positions and that people do take vacations, work, and have a life outside of soccer, so you may not always receive an immediate reply. On occasion you may call the club phone and receive a recorded message to the effect that the message queue is full. This can occur when the number of incoming calls exceeds the maximum number of calls set for the system. Please be patient and call again in 24 hours.
20. How do I contact other clubs to get information about their activities? Each club maintains a club phone where you can leave a message. It's best to leave a specific message so that the appropriate person can be contacted to return your call. You probably won't get a good response if you leave a message like "My name is xxxx. My number is yyyy. I want someone to contact me." Santa Rosa Youth Soccer League (SRYSL) 544-8369 Annadel Club Phone 522-9255 Central Club Phone 578-5407 Kenwood Club Phone 833-5524 Laguna Club Phone 833-5524 Northwest Oaks Club Phone 526-3804 Rincon Valley Club Phone 538-7001 United Club Phone 543-5930
21. How do I (or my child) become a referee? To become a USSF licensed referee, you must attend and pass an 18 hour referee licensing course. You should be at least 12 years of age by August 1 of the seasonal year. Newly licensed youth referees are assigned U8 games and, as they become more experienced, are assigned to U10, then U12 and older age groups. After you have become a licensed referee, you must maintain your eligibility by taking a 6 hour refresher course every year.
22. How is the Annadel Soccer Club affiliated with other soccer organizations? From the top down, we are affiliated with: FIFA - Federation Internationale de Football Association, the organization which governs basically all organized soccer activities in the world. CONCAF - Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, one of six confederations of FIFA. USSF - United States Soccer Federation, one of 34 member countries of CONCACAF. The USSF is the national governing body of soccer in the United States. USYSA - United States Youth Soccer Association, the Youth Division of the United States Soccer Federation. It is made up of 55 member State Associations (California has two, a North and a South). Region 4 - within USYSA there are four Regions. California is in Region 4, along with Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, etc. CYSA-N - California Youth Soccer Association - North is divided into nine districts, each district is made up of a number of member associations (leagues and clubs). District V - the largest district geographically within CYSA-N, comprising the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, and Humboldt. SRYSL - Santa Rosa Youth Soccer League, consisting of seven clubs: Annadel, Central, Kenwood, Laguna, Northwest Oaks, Rincon Valley, and United. Annadel Soccer Club - encompassing the geographic school district boundaries of some Rincon Valley Elementary, Slater Middle School and Montgomery High School.
