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POLICY 26. TRYOUT, RECRUITMENT, PLAYER COMMITMENT, DROP/TRANSFER & GUEST PLAYINGA. TRYOUT POLICY FOR DIVISION 1, 2, AND 3 TEAMS 1. Player Commitment to U14 and Older Teams: a. Tryouts for TS affiliated member teams may be conducted anytime commencing the day following the conclusion of the Girls Division 1 State Tournament. b. Players must complete a Commitment Letter to indicate their election to play for a specific team. c. The period of player commitment is defined as the time from the date the Commitment Letter is correctly executed to the day following the conclusion of the Girls Division 1 State Cup Tournament. d. Commitment Letters can be executed at anytime during the open recruitment period. However, the following shall apply during the open recruitment period. 1) Players may continue to be recruited during the open recruitment period regardless if they have signed a commitment letter or not. 2) Players may change their mind and sign a commitment letter with another team prior to July 10. a) It is the players responsibility to notify the coach or manager of the other team with whom they signed the original commitment letter. b) This shall be accomplished by returning the players copy of the commitment letter with a notation that the player has changed his/her mind and committed to a different team. 3) Commitment letters are binding commencing July 10. This means that players who signed a commitment letter prior to July 10 can no longer be recruited after July 10. 4) Players may be recruited after July 10 provided the player has not signed a commitment letter e. Commitment letters must be signed by both the player and a legal parent or guardian to be valid. f. Both the association registrar and team manager must maintain a copy of the commitment letter for each player during the seasonal year. 2. Player Commitment to U13 and Younger Teams: a. Tryouts for TS affiliated member teams may be conducted anytime following the conclusion of the latter, Girls Division 2 or 3 State Tournament. b. Players must complete a Commitment Letter to indicate their election to play for a specific team. c. The period of player commitment is defined as the time from the date the Commitment Letter is correctly executed to the day following the conclusion of the latter; Division 2 or 3 State Cup Tournament. d. Commitment Letters can be executed at anytime during the open recruitment period. However, the following shall apply during the open recruitment period. 1) Players may continue to be recruited during the open recruitment period regardless if they have signed a commitment letter or not. 2) Players may change their mind and sign a commitment letter with another team prior to July 10. a) It is the players responsibility to notify the coach or manager of the other team with whom they signed the original commitment letter. b) This shall be accomplished by returning the players copy of the commitment letter with a notation that the player has changed his/her mind and committed to a different team. 3) Commitment letters are binding commencing July 10. This means that players who signed a commitment letter prior to July 10 can no longer be recruited after July 10. 4) Players may be recruited after July 10 provided the player has not signed a commitment letter e. Commitment letters must be signed by both the player and a legal parent or guardian to be valid. f. Both the association registrar and team manager must maintain a copy of the commitment letter for each player during the seasonal year. 3. New team formations comprised of players not previously registered and rostered to another team can occur at any time during the seasonal year. 4. A non-registered player may join a team at any time during the year. 5. It is permissible for players from disbanded teams (regardless of the division) to roster with teams participating in the current season, pending approval from the TS Vice President-Youth Competitive. 6. Tryout Advertisements: a. Advertisement is defined as, but not limited to, any notification of tryouts on television, radio, periodical, newspaper, notices posted in public places, flyers, or circulars. b. Advertisements may contain any or all of the following information. 1) Team and or Club Name, age group(s) and association affiliation 2) Geographical area served 3) Dates, times and location 4) Coach or contact persons name and phone numbers 5) What to bring (i.e. water, ball, shin guards, etc) c. Advertisements and information may be sent to individual players during specified recruitment periods. 1) Any documents sent to a player must be generic in nature and not a specific letter directed to an explicit player. 2) Informational material includes budgets, proposed schedules, team fact sheet, club informational brochures, coaches resumes, or other information provided to assist the player in making an informed decision. d. Advertising for try-outs for teams during the seasonal year that need to add players to their roster must state in their advertising the following: 1) This is for recreation players only 2) This is for unregistered players only B. RECRUITMENT OF PLAYERS FOR DIVISION 1, 2, AND 3 TEAMS 1. Legal recruitment of players is only permitted during the following periods: a. U14 and older players may be recruited from the day following conclusion of the Girls Division 1 State Cup through midnight July 9. b. U13 and younger players may be recruited from the day following the conclusion of the latter, Girls Division 2 or 3 State Cup through midnight July 9. 2. Recruitment of a player that has appropriately executed a Commitment Letter is illegal. 3. Illegal recruiting is defined as any intentional act whereby any individual contacts a player that has appropriately executed a Commitment Letter to another team and invites that player to join his or her team without first informing the current teams coach. 4. Any direct contact or intentional communication by any individual to entice a player to leave a team with whom the player has appropriately executed a Commitment Letter is also deemed unethical. 5. Tryout advertisement and informational material for girls high school age teams that are attempting to form following the conclusion of the TSSAA season is not deemed recruiting; provided that the advertisement and informational materials are in compliance with Section A.6.of this policy. a. Advertisements and informational material may be made available to girls high school age players between October 15 of one year through January 31 of the succeeding year. C. DROP/TRANSFERS 1. A player may drop from the team with whom they have appropriately executed a Commitment Letter anytime during the seasonal year. 2. A player that drops from a team may not register with another club or team for the remainder of that seasonal year unless that player has a change of residency in excess of 75 geographical miles. 3. A player may not transfer from a team to another club or team for the remainder of their registered year unless that player has a change of residency in excess of 75 geographical miles or with the exception of cases of extenuating circumstances. a. If at anytime during the registered year a player wishes to be granted an exception to the non-transfer policy, the player must complete and submit a Player Transfer Request Form. This form must contain a detailed letter explaining the reason for requesting the transfer and a $250 transfer request fee. Letters must be mailed to the Tennessee State Soccer Association office. Faxes or emails will not be accepted. b. Upon receipt of the Transfer Request Form, the (TSSA) office will send a letter to the players current team coach and club president concerning the player requesting the transfer request. This will allow the club to ascertain the teams allowance or objection to the transfer request. If there are no objections to the transfer, the transfer will be reviewed by the TSSA Transfer Review Board and the player will be notified as to the final decision on allowance or denial of the transfer. If the players current club/team objects to the transfer, the transfer will be denied. c. Request for transfers require a $250 fee and will be reviewed within 15 working days of receipt of the request and the request fee. All parties involved will be notified in writing as to the final dispositions of a transfer request. o If the request is approved $100 will be refunded to the player. o If the request is denied, the TSSA will retain the entire $250 fee. d. In all cases, all Transfer Requests will be reviewed by the Transfer Review Board. The Transfer Review Boards will be comprised of the Vice President of Competition, The State Director of Coaching, and the State Executive Director. The decision of the Transfer Review Board will be final and cannot be appealed. e. This restriction applies only to Division 1, 2, and 3 competitive players and restricts the movement of players from one club team to another clubs team. The restriction does not apply to a player changing teams within the same soccer club. D. GUEST PLAYING PROCEDURE 1. The following process is mandatory in order to have a player currently rostered to another team participate in any capacity with another team. Participation includes tournaments, scrimmages, league play, practices, trips, camps, or any other activity that the team is a participant. a. The head coach desiring the participation of a player must direct a request in writing, phone call, or e-mail to the head coach of the team that the player is currently rostered, or from the director of coaching of the players club. b. The individual contacted must grant approval for such participation prior to the player partaking in any event or activity. c. If the players current coach or director of coaching does not grant approval for the player to participate in the event or activity, then that player is not permitted to participate. 2. Non-compliance with the guest playing provision by a coach shall be deemed both unethical and a violation of the recruitment provision. 3. A player that participates in any event or activity as a guest player without the permission of their current coach or director of coaching shall be subject to disciplinary action. E. DISCIPLINARY ACTION 1. Coaches, Managers, Directors of Coaching, Parents, Guardians, and Players are subject to a disciplinary hearing for alleged violations of the provisions of this policy. 2. Individuals that are found guilty of violating the provisions of this policy are subject to the following minimum actions. a. Minimum Disciplinary Actions/Sanctions for Coaches, Managers, Directors of Coaching or other non-players associated with the team other than a parent or legal guardian: 1) 1st Offense -- Three (3) months suspension; club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 2) 2nd Offense -- Six (6) months suspension; club to be fined $250.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 3) 3rd Offense -- Twelve (12) months suspension; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. b. Minimum Disciplinary Actions/Sanctions for Parents or Legal Guardians: 1) 1st Offense -- Three (3) months suspension of their child*, club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 2) 2nd Offense -- Six (6) months suspension of their child*; club to be fined $250.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 3) 3rd Offense -- Twelve (12) months suspension of their child*; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. * Their child is defined as the parent/legal guardians son or daughter that is rostered to the team to which the recruitment infraction pertains. This means that if the parent/ legal guardian is found guilty of illegal recruiting of a player to participate on their childs team, their child is suspended as stated. c. Minimum Disciplinary Actions/Sanctions for Players 1) 1st Offense -- Three (3) months suspension; club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 2) 2nd Offense -- Six (6) months suspension; club to be fined $250.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. 3) 3rd Offense -- Twelve (12) months suspension; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc. |
