House Parents

News and information for the Parents.

On this page: General House Info | Reminders | Frequently Asked Questions | Refunds | Parental Support | Team Publicity | Team Photos | Team IDs | Fundraisers

Question: Is there a team that is closer to my house or school. -or- Why am I assigned to a team out of my area?

Reply: No one can predict where the player in an age group will live, nor can it be predicted where the coaches that volunteer will come from within the city. With 90-300 kids per age group, there is only so much one can do to keep the players within their own neighborhood. This is particularly true with players that are registered after the teams are formed. Players are placed where there are openings, which may or may not be more convenient as everyone would like. We do the best we can, but can not control all the variables. Click here to read more how house teams are formed.

 

Question: Can I change teams to be with my friend or help with transportation?

Reply: We appreciate that part of the fun is playing on a team with a friend already made. Sometimes the formation process takes care of this, sometimes it does not. Once teams are formed, moving players for any reason is next to impossible. Consider that new friends are always waiting to be made, including on new teams. We all have busy lives, jobs, several children to accommodate, and other things to juggle. Transportation is a challenge for everyone in the city. It is highly unlikely that we can help that many people and keep the integrity of the team formation process in tact.

 

Question: Can I change teams to one that has the previous coach we are comfortable with?

Reply: We are pleased that you and your player had a good experience in the past; that is a major reason we work hard to find coaches for the teams. Intentional or not, requests for teams can constitute team stacking. Team drafting and selection (and non-selection) of specific players is against LYSL and CYSA rules for Division 4 (recreational) teams. Change always puts us out of our comfort zone as it introduces unknowns. Remember that the odds are very high that you did not know that other coach before you had a good experience with him/her. There are lots of other good people volunteering to be coaches also. This applies to school teachers, work managers, and friends as we all grow and time moves on. You and your player will continue to have memorable experiences with new team members and team mates. In the end, we're all here to have fun playing soccer together.

 

Question: Who can coach?

Reply: LYSL coaching staff (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and Team Manager) members must be at least 21 years of age and a responsible person. This is for legal reasons and its a matter or maturity and responsibility. Anyone in charge of minors (as coaches are) must legally and able to take care of the players. Desire to coach is most important; willingness to try is appreciated.

 

Question: What do you do to find coaches for a team?

Reply: The AGCs work very hard to try to find a coach for every team we can form. While our goal is to create the opportunity to play for every player that signs up for soccer, there are limitations. Every team must have a coach to participate in the league. Initially, coaches are identified when they turn in an application to the Director of House and/or mark "Coach" on their player's registration form. However, there are never enough volunteers for number of players that sign up. In that case, the AGC will call the parents of the players and let them know we are looking for a coach. Often one parent will volunteer or two will "co-coach" as a team. Either way is great! Even after that, we are often still short of coaches in some age groups. Coaches are volunteers that can not be force to participate, nor do we wish to force anyone to do anything they are uncomfortable with. Sometimes we have to give a second call out to the parent or have a parent meeting to discuss the options.

 

Question: I can't coach because I don't have the skill/time/desire (pick one), why can't someone else volunteer?

Reply: You are being asked to consider coaching because no one else has stepped up yet. We understand that each of us has a variety of things going on that make it a challenge to raise your hand up and volunteer to take a team. Here are some things to consider as you contemplate coaching:

   Skill: This is not World Cup soccer so let's not put pressure on ourselves before we even begin. The skill set of all the coaches in the same age group are likely to be quite similar regardless of the age group. Also, the league pays for a House Technical Director each year to coach coaches in the House program. This HTD covers all age groups in the league. The clinics are free and open for all the coaches (and parents if they wish) to attend as they can. Ask a coach that has attended before and you will get good feedback about the clinics.

   Time: The benefit of being a coach is that the time/date/location of practices are on your time. As the one signing up to take the team, obviously, your time to have practice is largely your decision. If practices are once or twice a week, that is up to you. Consider some practices on Saturdays before the season begins or reducing practices once the season begins. There are all kinds of possibilities, just double check that the options you pick also work for a majority of the team.

   Desire: Too many people without desire to coach will result in teams disbanding and players that will not get to play soccer in the league that season. This is not a threat, but a fact. The league will support its coaches as much as possible. If issues are the concern, be assured that the league will help when asked. We all want the kids to play. What we need are enough volunteers to make that goal a reality.

 

Question: What do you do if you can not find a coach for a team?

Reply: Unfortunately, there are times that no coach can not be identified for a team. In that case, the team is disbanded. Openings on other teams are filled at random from the disbanded team and the remaining players put on the top of the waiting list.

 

Question: What are the odds that a waiting list player is placed on a team?

Reply: Very good. There are few players we can not place up until the beginning of the season. We hard to place all players and still keep teams balanced.

 

Question: Another coach called me to ask for my player to join his/her team. Is that appropriate?

Reply: House coaches are NOT allowed to recruit players for their team either before, during, or after the team formation process. This is not only unfair to other coaches and players, but constitutes team stacking and selection which is illegal for House (Division 4) teams according to LYSL and CYSA. Recruiting once rosters are form and released is poaching and this is dealt with more harshly as it is hurting a team already formed and practicing together. It is nice to be wanted by other teams, but the AGCs and the league need to watch over all the teams to maintain a fair and balanced environment.

 

Question: Can I change age groups?

Reply: Short of a legal issue (the American Disability Act (ADA) for example), no. It is important that players compete against players that are generally expected to be within their own age and skill development. Obviously, there are exceptions to that from time to time, but as a whole it tends to work out. Click here to read more about age groups.

 

Question: Who do I call with questions or issues?

Reply: The best place to start getting is with the coach of the team. Next, the Age Group Coordinator of your player. The AGC can answer a lot of questions and help with suggestions on where to go next. The step above that is the Director of House. The idea is work out out the issues before things are escalated into a formal Disciplinary Hearing or drops from the league. Click here to read more about Issues and Disciplinary Process. That information is listed on the About LYSL page. Remember that Uniforms, fundraising and photo information, season schedules, etc. will all come through your coach or Team Parent as these items become available.

 

Question: What is my player in a different color Division this year than last year?

Reply: Each year, due to the very nature of age groups, half of the players leave the age group and are moved to the next age group, where they are now in the younger half of the group. As a result, each year, the players of the age group are not the same individuals as last year. Also, players naturally change due to growth, practice, life. In the end, the components of the age group are a new set of characteristics each year that must be evaluated on their own terms, not those of the past.