NCSL Board Meeting

June 15, 2015

Westin Hotel

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m.

1.  Roll Call

Roll call indicated that the following clubs were not in attendance: Baltimore Bays; Herndon Youth Soccer Assoc.; La Plata Soccer Academy; Potomac Soccer Club; Severna Park; Southwestern Youth Assoc.; Thunder Soccer Club; and Woodbridge Soccer Club.   

A motion was made to approve the minutes of the May 4, 2015 meeting.  Motion approved unanimously.

2. Reports

VA Registrar – Lisa Wilson.  VYSA Registration system for 2015-16 three-quarters of the way up and running for next season.  Applications and KidSafe program are up; the team system is not yet up and running.   

MD Registrar – Mike Basilio.  The MD registration system is undergoing some changes, but they will make sure adult registration starts on time.

VA Commissioner - Maureen Dalbec.  Important NCSL deadlines coming up to keep in mind.  Friday July 3 is deadline for division placement form, schedule requests, and coach conflicts.  Fields are also due, and it is the deadline for league approval of team transfers.

Administrator – Kathleen Sessions.  Trophies for top finishers for Spring 2015 are on their way.

President – Richard Smith.  Presentation started with discussion of division structure.  After July 3, NCSL EC takes all the data for 2014-15 season, plus division structure submissions, and EC analyzes data for division structure for upcoming season.  Division placement is made only on the basis of pertinent information supplied by clubs/teams, so it is important to submit forms on time. For the U12-U14 age range (middle school), structure is predictable and the challenge is to figure out where new teams fit in.  For the older age groups (high school), it is challenging to figure out where to fit teams that have sat out a season due to high school play, so individual team submissions play an important role in that consideration.

A question was asked about waitlisted teams and submitting information.  Teams on waitlist should still submit information per the deadlines and will be notified if a spot opens up. 

There are only a few ways that clubs/teams can get fined: failing to attend PCA training or new team orientation.  Failing to have 2 STARs volunteers for a team, and roster names.  PCA training is 8/24 and new team meeting is 8/27.

There is a shortage of referees in the DC Metropolitan region.  It is important for clubs to host classes and feed more certified referees into the area.  As to a concussion policy, there is some movement in VA and we are paying close attention to what others are doing.

The Club Pass was a new feature of the 2014-15 seasons and EC is looking at how the pass was administered and worked for clubs/teams.   EC will review information provided to referees and clubs, as well as the blue cards, to see if there are ways to improve communication and understanding of the pass policies.

Region 1 – Champions League, U12-14 will have a Fall season.  We anticipate that the numbers will be minimal.

3. New Club Applications

Howard Kohn – R&D reminded NCSL members that at the last meeting, 2 out of the 3 new club applicants were approved for Fall 2015.  Last application to consider is International FC, which is based on Fairfax County, VA.  Application consideration was delayed so club could work on acquiring necessary fields.

International FC.  A presentation on behalf of the club was made, focusing on the history of the club and the priority in catching players who were not otherwise involved in organized soccer and had economic challenges to participating.  Club representatives gave information on their coaching background and need for the club to move up to another level in soccer, such as NCSL.  The club currently has 6 teams that are ready to move to NCSL.  Club representatives discussed field options, noting that Occoquan regional park in VA was their primary source of fields, as well Bull Run regional park.   After the club representatives left the room, Richard Smith, President, presented reasons why the EC recommended against the club joining NCSL at this time, focusing on the lack of home fields and the unsuitability of Occoquan and Bull Run serving as the club’s home fields.  A discussion was had with NCSL members about field availability as well as the importance of ensuring inclusion of underprivileged youth in travel soccer in the region.

Motion to admit International FC to NCSL for Fall 2015 was made and duly seconded.  A friendly amendment was proffered to conditionally approve admission of club upon presentation of sufficient evidence of home fields by a date certain in July.  After discussion, amendment was withdrawn. 

Motion to table consideration of the Club’s application until after Fall 2015/before Spring 2016 was made and seconded.  Purpose of motion was to give club time to work on field acquisition and present more evidence of field options before full vote on motion to accept club is taken.  Motion approved by a majority of NCSL members.

Motion to adjourn.  Motion passes.  Meeting adjourned at 8:56 pm.