The Throw-In 2022

 

To all returning players and their families, we are so excited to have you back. To our new players and families, WELCOME!  As we gear-up for the Summer 2022 season, it’s important to remember some important housekeeping items. 

NCSA PHILOSOPHY:  

The best place for soccer instruction is at practice, which should be as fun and educational as possible. We emphasize building soccer  skills and positive social interaction, rather than winning, as the primary focus of our recreational league. Coaches should model  sportsmanship. We are affiliated with the New York State West Youth Soccer Association.  

In a nutshell, our philosophy is: Safety, good sportsmanship, equal playing time, learning new skills, and fun!  

LITTLE KICKERS:                                                                                                                                                                                       Little kickers may not look like “real” soccer. The goals of the Little Kickers program are to get the players used to a soccer ball, some of the very basic rules like no hands and listening. They will learn about soccer through games like Red Light/Green Light, Ouch, and pretend games where Coach is a crab and will steal their ball as they dribble. The Head Coach will organize that night’s activities with the help of the Director of Coaching. We have identified 3 or 4 volunteers as Assistant Coaches. However, each night has 30 three to five year olds. The more parents who offer to help will result in a much more fun experience for the children. So, please come to your Little Kickers night prepared to help if necessary. We want to excite these young athletes about soccer!

COACHING INFO:  

Our youth soccer players deserve the BEST training opportunities possible to ensure their safety, skill development, and fun. To make  these possible, we ask coaches to attend training appropriate to the age of the youth they will be working with. Coaches’ training builds  skills and confidence in coaches, and in turn, in our players.  

PARENT PROTOCOL:  

Parents will be expected to adhere to certain standards of behavior, including the following:  

∙ Parents will address players from both teams in a positive manner.  

∙ Parents will refrain from the use of alcohol and tobacco at the fields.  

∙ Parents will not interrupt games or practices to discuss coaching techniques with coaches, unless they feel a child’s  safety is in question. Coaches may be approached before or after games, when they do not need to focus their  attention on the players.  

∙ Parents will adhere to our Zero Tolerance Policy when addressing players, coaches, other parents and referees.  Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!  

GAME/PRACTICE PLAYER ESSENTIALS:  

Players should bring their own drinking water, shin guards, and an appropriately sized ball to every practice session and game. If your  player wears spikes, or cleats, they must be soccer cleats, NOT baseball or football cleats.  

Little Kickers and 7U: Size 3 Ball, 9U and 11U: Size 4 Ball, 13U: Size 5 Ball

GAMES:  

The starting dates for this year’s practices/games have been established.  

 

11U-13U: Practice begins the week of June 6 during your child’s scheduled game day and time. All other divisions will start the week of June 13.

 

DIVISION	DAYS	TIMES
Little Kickers	Mon OR Tues OR Wed OR Thu	6PM
7U	Mon/Wed OR Tues/Thurs	6PM
9U	Mon/Wed OR Tues/Thurs	6PM
11U Girls	Mon/Wed	6PM
11U Boys	Mon/Wed	7:15PM
13U Co-ed	Tues/Thur	6PM

 

During the final week of soccer (Aug 1 – Aug 4), the coach/team managers will plan for their end-of-season parties. 

Little Kickers, U7, and U9 will play at Holy Trinity Church. U11 and U13 will play at Fredonia Central School. 

 

SPONSORS:  

Please support our sponsors! NCSA t-shirts are more than just an advertising venue; the funds from individuals and local businesses  that sponsor teams are vital to our financial base. If you know of someone who would like to sponsor a team, please email ncsa.concord@gmail.com. We will start soliciting sponsors again in January, 2023. 

FIELD CREW:  

Volunteers are needed to set up goals and nets – no prior experience necessary, we will teach you how! Updates regarding field  setup days will be announced via email and our Facebook page. Email ncsa.concord@gmail.com to learn more and volunteer! 

TEAM MANAGER:  

We are looking for one Team Manager for each team this season. Team managers will be responsible for arranging the healthy “treat”  schedule with the other team parents, assisting with picture day, keeping players on the sidelines when they’re not playing,  encouraging litter clean up after games, helping organize the end of season party and circulating a thank you for each player to sign for  their sponsor/coach. Does this sound like something you could do? Sign up at registration if you are interested and notify your coach of  your interest before the season begins.  

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: (Help us to keep costs to a minimum. We value your time and expertise!) They say it takes a village to raise a family, and we need to grow our NCSA family of volunteers to support 300+ soccer players. We are currently recruiting for the following positions: (New ideas and members are always welcome!)  Board meetings are announced on our Facebook page.

At Large Board Member 

Travel Soccer Coordinator for Fall & Spring 
 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 

How will I know what team I’ve been assigned to? 

• Email or phone calls from your coach will be made during the first and second weeks of June. 

When will I receive my team shirt? 

• T-shirts will be distributed by your coach during the first week of practices. (June 13-16) 

Where do I meet for practices/games? 

• If you’re unsure of the location of the field where your child is playing, please contact your coach.

What is the weather policy? Is my game canceled? 

• Please review our weather policy on the website at https://myncsa.demosphere-secure.com. Games are held rain or shine based upon the criteria outlined in the weather policy. Parents/guardians should use their personal judgment to determine  their own child’s ability to play in extreme weather conditions. Our social media networks will provide up-to-the-minute information.  

Where should I park? 

• Little Kickers, U7 and U9: Please park in the parking lot behind Holy Trinity. Please be mindful of handicap parking spaces as they are limited. 
• U11 and U13: Please use the designated parking spots behind the Fredonia Elementary/Middle School entrances, next to the tennis courts,  or near the hill closest to the Eagle Street entrance. ** Please AVOID parking in the FIRE-lane circle. ** 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU:  

NCSA would like to send a special thank you to Holy Trinity and Fredonia Central School District for allowing us to use their fields for our soccer  program. Without the use of this space, it is likely that we would have to use a number of other locations, to accommodate all of the  fields needed. We also want to thank all of our volunteers for their hard work and assistance.  

Thank you to previous Board volunteers: Matt Walker, Chris Witkowski, Cheryl Tabone, Jodie Cain, Kris Schlia & Debbie Dispense. 

 

Questions: Email ncsa.concord@gmail.com  

Or, inquire through the NCSA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/myncsa/ 

Live UPDATES available through our social media accounts.