Every season, players,
coaches and parents have questions about:
- BCYSA in general,
- sign up,
- equipment,
- dates,
- and much more.
We are doing our best to provide an answer to all
of your requests. To minimize the work load of the volunteer board member who
receives these questions, we provide the most common questions and answers
on this page.
Before contacting us by
email to [email protected], please check if you can find what you are
looking for on this page.
Thank you for your
help!
Frequently Asked
Questions regarding:
BCYSA in General:
Player Registration:
·
What ages can participate in BCYSA?
·
Can my child play for the same coach they had before?
·
What is the Player Registration Fee used for?
·
I missed registration; can I still register my child?
Team Formation:
·
How are teams formed?
·
Why doesn't my child's team have a coach?
Playing Season:
·
When does the season start?
Practice:
·
Why can't my child's team practice closer to where we live?
·
When will my child's team hold practice?
Equipment:
·
This is my child's first time playing Soccer. What equipment will he/she
need?
·
How can my team choose a uniform color?
·
When will my child's team get their uniforms?
Coaching:
·
I would like to coach my child's team but I have a record. Can I still
volunteer?
Refereeing:
·
How old do you have to be in order to become a referee?
Game Related:
·
When and where will the games be played?
·
What is offside and why isn't it called all the time?
Sponsoring:
·
What is the Sponsor Fee used for?
Does BCYSA have insurance?
BCYSA, as an affiliate of Soccer Association for Youth (SAY) carries Accident & Liability Insurance through Bollinger Insurance.
The accident and liability policies provide coverage to insured persons while participating in the following covered activities:
- scheduled games,
- team practice sessions,
- sponsored activities, provided they are under the direct supervision of a team official;
- or sanctioned local or national tournaments.
Group Travel as a Team directly to or from such scheduled practices, games or sponsored activities is covered under the accident policy. The liability policy provides non-ownership liability only while an automobile is being used in the official business of the Soccer Association For Youth, USA (S.A.Y).
No liability coverage is provided to parents, coaches or volunteers while using any automobile to transport team members or volunteers to any practice, game or activity.
When an injury occurs, the parent or guardian should see the coach of the team so that they can fill out the Injury Report form. The coach has this in his packet that he receives at the beginning of each season. This will need to be completed by the parent and the coach, then given to a league representative to sign and verify the injury. The league representative will then fax this completed form to the SAY office. A representative from the SAY office will then contact the parent/guardian and send them the claim forms to be filled out for Bollinger and explain the process to the parent/guardian.
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How Are Teams Formed?
Teams are formed based
upon guidelines adopted by BCYSA. Click here to view the BCYSA Team Formation
Guidelines.
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When does the season
start?
The first day of games
for the Fall season is usually the 1st or 2nd Saturday of August. The first day
of games for the Spring season is usually the 1st or 2nd Saturday of March.
There is a coaches meeting about three weeks prior to the start of each season
during which coaches are given their rosters and game schedule. If you have not
heard from your child's coach by the third week of February (spring season) or
third week of July (fall season), please contact us via email at [email protected]
See Recreational Season
Dates here.
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This is my child's
first time playing soccer.
What equipment will
he/she need?
Cleats (must be soccer
cleats) - please read more below
Shin guards - please
read more below
Soccer ball - please
read more below
Mouth guard (absolutely
required if your child has braces)
Water bottle for
practices and games
While the age of your
child will determine which league she is placed in, the equipment requirements
are the same for all ages. Shin guards are the foremost piece of equipment you
will need to get for your child. The guard itself should provide protection for
the entire shin; from the top of the foot, to about an inch or so below the
knee. Kicks to the shin are the most common form of contact between soccer
players, especially amongst younger players. Some styles of shin guards can be
viewed on the SCORE American Soccer Website.* (Click Here).
Normally players will
wear shoes specifically designed for soccer. Known as "cleats" these
shoes provide good grip and stability for the player while running on grassy
surfaces. It is sometimes hard to find cleats for the younger players (4-6) so
many choose to wear regular sneakers. While they do not provide the grip that
cleats offer, for the style of game played in U6 they are sufficient. Some
styles of cleats can be viewed the website* of Dick's Sporting Goods. (Click
Here)*
An appropriate sized
soccer ball is recommended for the child for practicing on her own, or to bring
with them to practice. If using at practice, we recommend you write your name
on the ball for easy identification. Different age groups use different size soccer
balls.
Soccer Ball Sizes
Child's Age
League
Ball Size
4 - 7
U06
3
U08
8 - 11
U10
4
U12
12 - 18
U15
5
U16
U19
Shirts, Shorts and
Socks are provided by the league.
*The mention of and
links to specific websites listed in this FAQ does not constitute endorsement
by BCYSA, it's board, or members. Links are provided for informational purposes
only.
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How old do you have to
be in order to become a referee?
A referee candidate
must be 13 years of age prior to the start of the season in order to attend the
Beginner Referee Clinic. The clinic is usually held one month prior to the
start of the Spring and Fall seasons. The clinic is 12 hours long and is held
Friday evening and all day Saturday.
Watch the website for
information about clinics. Referee Applications are also available online and
during onsite registration at the Panama City Mall.
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What ages can
participate in BCYSA?
Participation in BCYSA
is open to all youth, ages 3 through 18 at start of the Fall season. Children
who turn 3 prior to the start of the Spring season may participate in that
season as well. You will need to email the Registrar at [email protected] to
add your child to the registration for that particular season if he/she turned
4 years old after August 1st of that particular year. Placement is determined by an Age Matrix
developed by SAY. CLICK HERE to view the age matrix.
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Why doesn't my child's
team have a coach?
The backbone of BCYSA
is its coaches. All volunteers, coaches are obtained from within the league
from amongst the players registered. While most coaches sign-up during player registration,
others are found after the teams are formed. Since the number of teams that
will participate during any given season is not known until after team
formation, we do not know exactly how many coaches are needed until then. The
number of teams in an age group is determined by a) the number of players that
register and b) the maximum number of players that can be placed on a roster.
Most teams are formed
around the coaches that have sign-up during registration, based on desired
practice location. Other teams are formed around players whose registration
form may indicate a parent is interested in coaching. Any remaining teams are
formed based solely on desired practice location. The parents of the players of
these remaining teams are then contacted in the hope of finding a volunteer to
step forward to coach.
It is our desire that
all children that register on-time with BCYSA be afforded the opportunity to
play but we can only form teams for the number of volunteers we have to serve
as coaches. If you or someone you know is interested in coaching in BCYSA,
please contact us via email at [email protected].
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What is offside and why
isn't it called all the time?
One of the most
confusing aspects of the game of soccer is Law 11, Offside. This rule just
changed this year.
Please be patient while
we are looking for the best possible explanation, to which we can refer you.
Coming soon!
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Why can't my child's
team practice closer to where we live?
BCYSA Coaches are all
volunteers. As such, it’s up to the coach as to where and when they hold
practices. Children are placed on teams by matching their primary desired
practice location with a coach that will be holding practices in the same
general location.
While your residence
and the practice field may be in the general geographic location, they can end
up on opposite ends of that location.
If no team is available
that will practice in the location matching your first choice, the secondary
and subsequent choices are used as criteria with which to place your child on a
team.
Note: If you only
select one practice location, and no team is formed in that location, you will
be randomly assigned to a team in another location of our choosing.
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When will my child's
team hold practice?
Your child's team
practice time and location will be determined by the coach. BCYSA Coaches are
all volunteers. As such, it’s up to the coach to determine where and when they
hold practices.
Coaches are given their
team's player information at the coaches pre-season meeting. You should be
contacted by your child's coach shortly after this meeting.
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What is the Sponsor Fee
used for?
Sponsor fees are
collected to help offset costs for the entire league, not just a single team.
In return for helping sponsor BCYSA Soccer, we offer the sponsor the
opportunity to have their logo screened on the jerseys of the team of their
choice.
Unfortunately we do not
always get sponsors for all teams so this is a fluctuating income source. As
well as uniforms, a portion of the sponsor fee is also used to pay for
screening the logo on the jerseys, purchasing participation trophies and awards
for the players, and purchasing plaques for the sponsors.
If you have a child
playing this season = Sponsors can fill out a form online from the home page in
the lower left-hand corner and pay the fee ($350) in the shopping cart field
when you complete your child's registration.
If you do not have a
child to register = Sponsors can fill out a sponsorship application online
located on our homepage in the lower left-hand corner and mail it, along with
the $350 fee, to:
BCYSA
PO Box 3963
Panama City, FL 32401
Or, they can sign up
online. For more information on how click here!
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What is the Player
Registration Fee used for?
Player registration
fees are used to pay for:
SAY registration and
insurance
Field usage
Field lighting
Referee fees
Referee assignor fee
Coaches shirts
Game balls
Practice cones
Printing (forms,
publications)
Mailing
Advertising
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I missed registration;
can I still register my child?
Registration closes on
a specific date in order to allow us the time necessary to form teams for the
season. If your child was not registered, they can still be placed on a waiting
list in the order that the request is received. There is a late registration
fee of $20 per child.
If you would like your
child on the waiting list, please send us the following information to the
registrar at: [email protected]. You
must have an account already created on our website at www.bluesombrero.com/bcysa before you email the information to the
registrar regarding the waiting list. If
an account has not been completed, then the registrar cannot add your child to
a team.
Child's full name
Date of birth
Parents Names
Home Address
Your Phone Number (best
one to reach you)
Specify Boys or Girls
league
Allergies
Medical Conditions
Emergency Contact
(other than parent)
Emergency Contact Phone
Number
Note: Since teams will
have already been formed you may be offered a choice outside your desired
practice area. You will be contacted only if a spot opens up on a team for your
child.
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When and where will the
games be played?
All BCYSA games are
played at the H.G. Harder Recreational complex on John Pitts Road. Teams are
formed immediately after the last day of registration. Approximately 2 weeks
later a coaches meeting is held in which coaches are given their rosters and
game schedules.
Copies of the schedules
are posted on our website and are updated when necessary as a courtesy. The
schedules on the website are NOT official. The only official schedule is the
one that is given to the coach.
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Can my child play for
the same coach they had before?
In order to provide for
a more balanced and equitable league, as of 2001 BCYSA has adopted Team
Formation Guidelines. These guidelines were implemented slowly over the past 4
years and are now in place for U6 - U16 leagues. In these age groups, only
children of the coach, assistant coach, and sponsor (if obtained at time of
registration) are guaranteed a return spot for our Fall season.
During the Spring
season, players can return to the coach they had in the Fall, provided the
coach returns.
To view the guidelines,
click here.
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When will my child's
team get their uniforms?
Uniforms are ordered
prior to the start of each season. They are then distributed to the coaches
prior to the start of the season.
Coaches, if it is less
than one week before the first game of the season, and you have not received
your uniforms, please contact the registrar at [email protected].
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How can my team choose
a uniform color?
Uniform colors can only
be chosen by the sponsor of that team, the colors are listed under the League
Handouts tab for each season.
Uniform color choices
are given preference to teams that have obtained a sponsor on a first-come,
first-serve basis, from available colors. All remaining uniforms are then given
to remaining teams, again on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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I would like to coach
my child's team but I have a police record. Can I still volunteer?
Under guidelines set
forth by SAY and FDLE, you may not volunteer with BCYSA in any capacity if you
have committed any disqualifying offenses.
http://saysoccer.org/disqualifying_offenses.aspx
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