1. When are the seasons?
2. How old does my child need to be to play? What are the age groups for the league (based on Date of Birth)?
3. Do you have paid coaches?
4. What is the Game/Practice Cancellation Policy?
5. What equipment is necessary for soccer?
6. What size soccer ball do I buy for my child?
7. What is your refund policy?
8. Safety Reminders (i.e. Can I drop off my child at practice?)
9. How are games played? What are the game guidelines for each age group?
10. How is the registration fee utilized?
11. If I volunteer to coach my child's team, what is the reimbursement policy for registration fees?
12. What is the Uniform Policy? What is included in the uniform?
13. What days are games played?
14. I am having problems with registration. I have questions about the registering on-line. What do I do?
15. Where can I find more information about Soccer Camps?
16. How are the age groups divided? Are the team’s co-ed or single sex? What does the "U" stand for in the age group name?
17. After registering what happens next? How do I which team my child is on? How do I know who my coach is?
18. What if I haven't heard from my coach but my friends have?
19. When are practices?
20. Where do I get a game schedule?
21. What are the Key Dates for the Upcoming Season?
22. How do I register on-line?
ANSWERS:
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1. When are the seasons?
WYSL Seasonal Year is broken into 2 parts: Fall Season (starting in late August) and Spring Season (starting in late April). If a child plays on a team in the Fall Season, they are automatically placed on the same team in the Spring.
For the Spring Season, the practices typically start in late March with a regular 10 game season beginning in late April.
For the Fall Season, the practice sessions start in late August with a regular 8 game season beginning in mid-September.
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2. How old does my child need to be to play? What are the age groups for the league (based on Date of Birth)?
Our age groups are mandated by US Youth Soccer. Player age groups for the soccer season will be determined by the player’s BIRTH YEAR. A player must be at least 6 years (5 - under Board consideration) of age to participate and no older than 15 years old. This rule applies for the entire soccer season (both fall and spring season).
A player may play in his/her proper age group, or in an older age group. A player may NOT play in a younger age group. For regular-season play, once rostered to a team, a player is considered to be the age of that team.
Please click here to go to the Age Group Eligibility Chart.
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3. Do you have paid coaches?
All coaches in the WYSL are volunteer coaches that have mandatory risk management certification through the State of Michigan.
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4. What is the Game/Practice Cancellation Policy?
For Practice: If there is lightning, cancel practice immediately. Otherwise, all scheduling and canceling of practices will be at the discretion of the coach. If the fields are mushy we ask the coaches to avoid the goal areas. We do not want to needlessly wear down those parts of the fields. Please ensure you communicate cancellations with your team. Parents please maintain communication with your coach on questionable weather days.
For Games: If the league observes that the fields are unplayable, the website will be updated by the league and coaches notified. The league makes the decisions to play/postpone/cancel at game time. All games will be played rain or shine unless there is lightening. Parents should show up for all games unless otherwise advised by their coach in advance.
We assume that the kids want to play. At 7U and 9U, if the coaches agree that they want to cancel or re-schedule a game, it will be up to them to communicate and work together to reschedule for the best mutual time. Please contact the scheduler to confirm field availability.
For 11U and older, referees are involved. If the league decides to play, we are paying a referee to be there. The teams need to show up or inform the Referee Assignor and the Scheduler that they are canceling.
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5. What equipment is necessary for soccer?
Shin guards are MANDATORY, and MUST be worn at all practices as well as games. For games they need to be worn UNDER the socks.
We strongly suggest that each child wear soccer cleats. These are unique compared to baseball or football cleats in that they do not have a cleat at the front of the foot. For this reason, please be certain that the shoes you buy are indeed intended for soccer. A player with cleats other that soccer cleats will not be permitted to play as this is an injury risk for the player and others.
We recommend that each player have his or her own soccer ball. These come in different sizes:
Size #3 for 7U
Size #4 for 9U and 11U
Size #5 for 13U and 15U
We request that each child bring a water bottle to all practices and games.
All of these items can be found at any sporting goods store or in the sports department of Wal-Mart, Meijer and Target. Dick’s Sporting Goods our sponsor provides a reasonably priced soccer kit, which includes a ball, cleats, socks and shin guards.
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6. What size soccer ball do I buy for my child?
Size #3 for 7U & 9U
Size #4 for 11U
Size #5 for 13U and 15U
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7. What is your refund policy?
WYSL will permit a full refund prior to the first game of the season minus any amount payed to the State Association by the League for the Leagues registration - if already done. Contact registrar for additional information.
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8. Safety Reminders (i.e. Can I drop off my child at practice? )
Please do not drop your child off at the field. Please realize that your child will be outdoors in an open public park. WYSL and its coaches cannot possibly know or be responsible for every person that may enter that park. Know that the coach will be busy with the Team. They cannot ignore the other members of the team to tend to your child if your child needs to leave the field for the rest room, water break, or any other reason. Also, soccer is an outdoor sport, exposed to sudden changes in the weather. The coach should not be expected to stay with a child waiting for a parent to return to the fields when a storm suddenly pops up.
In addition, realize that the best of plans can often go wrong. Car accidents, bad traffic, long lines at the store, lost keys, whatever. The coach should not be expected to stay late with a child waiting for a parent to handle these unforeseen delays.
Finally, in the rare event of an injury, it might very well be in the child’s best interest to get to a doctor immediately, rather than waiting for phone calls to be made searching for parents, or waiting for those parents to return to the field. If you must leave the field, we ask that you request another parent to be responsible for your child. Please do not place that responsibility onto the coach.
Do not allow the children to climb on the goals. Climbing on the goals is very dangerous. Children can get caught in the netting, possibly getting strangled. Also, goals can flip over and crush children playing on them. It is every adult’s responsibility to keep the children of our community safe. Please talk to your child to insure that they understand that they may not climb on the goals, and if you observe any children climbing on the goals, or playing in the nets, please get them off immediately.
Some teams may elect to put the child’s name on the back of their jerseys. While the league has no policy against this, please be aware of the possible risks that may be involved when complete strangers are able to address your child by name, especially if the child is wearing that jersey to school, shopping, or other locations.
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9. How are games played? And Where? What are the game guidelines for each age group?
WYSL is sanctioned by US Youth Soccer and Michigan Youth Soccer organizations and abides all game play in accordance with these rules and regulations.
For 7U and 9U games, teams play (2) 20 minute half’s in a 7v7 format which includes a goalie. One coach from each team is allowed on the field to referee the game and to help instruct the players. Parents can keep the game moving by helping on the sidelines keeping the players focused and ensuring the players remain in the designated team for substitution. Parents are not permitted on the fields during a game. The 7U/9U fields are at Halmich Park located to the north of the tennis courts and also on the opposite side of the parking lot behind the picnic pavilion.
For 11U games, teams play (2) 25 minute half’s, in an 8 vs.8 format w/goalie. Coaches are moved to the sidelines and introduce the players to having referees on the field. We also move play to the larger 11U fields located in the park to west of the Warren Community Center.
13U games teams play (2) 30 minute half’s, in an 11 vs.11 format w/goalie. All games have not only referees but line judges as well. Game play also moves back to Halmich Park on the 13U/15U fields located on the north east corner of Halmich Park;.15U games teams play (2) 35 minute half’s, in an 11 vs.11 format w/goalie. All games will have referees and line judges. Game remains at Halmich Park on the 13U/15U fields located on the north east corner of Halmich Park.
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10. How is the registration fee utilized?
There are expenses to running the league. Costs of equipment such as goals and nets, lining of the fields, equipment provided to the coaches and other expenses are all covered by the registration fees you have paid. It is good to know that thanks to your fees, every child and coach is insured. All children at the 7U age group and older are also registered and covered with Michigan Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer. For 7U each child will be provided with a jersey and 9U + older age groups, the registration fee also helps to cover the cost of referees.
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11. If I volunteer to coach my child's team, what is the reimbursement policy for registration fees?
Please visit the Coach tab by clicking here for all the details for the reimbursement policy.
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12. What is the Uniform Policy?
WYSL will provide a jersey for each NEW 7U player to the league providing their team is using the WYSL league jerseys. It is at the coach’s discretion to choose a team uniform for all age groups participating in the league. This decision should be made democratically and collaboratively with the popular vote that included parents and participants on the team.
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13. What days are games played?
Games are played Monday through Thursday evenings and occasionally on a Friday starting at 6pm. The format is to get in 2 games per week arranged to play Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. This arrangement will remain with a team for the season. Game schedules will be handed out by the coaches during their initial meeting with the team.
Should a game need to be re-scheduled for any reason it will be up to the coaches to collaborate and determine the next best available day and time to play the game. Once decided, the coaches must then confirm with the league Scheduler, for field + referee availability and for the Scheduler to dispatch appropriately.
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14. I am having problems with registration. I have questions about the registering on-line. What do I do?
Over the past 9 years, Blue Sombrero has encountered just about every question a parent could ask during on-line registration. Click here to visit Parent Support and you may be surprised how quickly you can find the information you need.
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15. Where can I find more information about Soccer Camps?
WYSL partner with Warren Woods Tower and Challenger Sports, please click here for information.
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16. How are the age groups divided? Are the team’s co-ed or single sex? What does the "U" stand for in the age group name?
The "U" in the age group name stands for X and under. (e.g 7 and Under, 9 and Under etc.)
All WYSL programs are assembled co-ed teams and divided into age appropriated groups that are mandated by Michigan Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer. Please click here to view the age charts.
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17. After registering what happens next? How do I know which team my child is on? How do I know who my coach is?
First, thank you for choosing the WYSL. We have provided over 50 years of high quality recreational play and have grown several players from 7U to the college level of the game and the MLS!!. We are proud of our history in the community and will continue to work on exceeding the expectations of the sport.
The WYSL generally has approximately 1000 kids in the league per season, and needless to say, this can be a large task to assemble, schedule and coordinate teams, then games. So after registering, it will take a few weeks for the registrar to assemble and coordinate the 100’s of players into divisions and team assignments.
For spring season, you should hear from a coach towards the end of March
For fall season, you should hear from a coach towards the end of August.
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18. What if I haven't heard from my coach but my friends have?
If you haven't heard from your coach by the beginning of the week following the package pick up (on the WYSL website, calendar of events) please email [email protected] . Were Human, and mistakes happen. Sometimes coaches have a bad phone number for you or you missed the message. In case of an error in the registration process, don't wait until games have started to call!
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19. When are practices?
Practices are managed by the coaches. Please stay in communication with your team and know the best method of contact with your coach. .
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20. Where do I get a game schedule?
Game schedules are typically handed out by the coaches during the initial meetings with the team. You can also locate your team schedule under Team Central, either under Posted Schedules or on your teams website under the Team Directory.
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21. What are the Key Dates for the Upcoming Season?
The WYSL website will list all the Key Dates for ALL upcoming events both on and off season. Please click here to the event calendar.
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22. How do I register on-line?
At this time there on line registration is not available.