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To: Sparta Soccer Club Members: Re: Club policy regarding Late Town League registration
We advertise in the school news letters, and the local newspapers and on our website. For the fall program registration begins early June and ends August 1st. There are several in-person registrations scheduled for each season. Registration Forms are available to be picked up at the Sparta Recreation Department office and mailed in or printed from our website and mailed to our PO Box. The spring program follows same procedure beginning with the all-sport registration the 3rd week in January and continuing until March 1st. We followed the same date format every year And still before the start of every season we are inundated with late registrations!
We have tried sending home flyers, holding registration at Sparta Day, at the fields at the end of the season. We charge a very high late fee – but nothing seems to improve the situation. In fact it has steadily become worse.
Our goal is to place every child in Sparta who wants to play on a team. However, we are all volunteers -- it takes many hours of work and planning. We must at some point decide on the number of teams, place orders for shirts, uniforms and equipment. We have to put together schedules. Everyone wants to know as soon as possible when they are playing and practicing. So when the 6 week registration ended - our volunteer registrar spend at least a solid week setting up teams. Schedules are completed -- and then typically we still receive at least 100 received over 100 late registrations! This doesn't even include the registrations that were also late but received between Aug.1st and Aug.15th.
Our philosophy is to try to place every child and not make the child miss out because the parents didn’t register him/her on time. Unfortunately we may not be able to accommodate every child. We hate this but there are some problems we can't solve -- not enough uniforms, not enough coaches, not enough time – the season begins mid -september! It is also unfair to the players that have registered on time to keep changing things and to keep delaying information. So nce we set teams in Mid August late players can only be accepted on a space available basis.
We cannot allow this situation to continue to occur season after season. The entire program is run by volunteers (who also have lives of their own.) After careful consideration it was decided by the Board of Directors of the Sparta Soccer Club that beginning with registration for next season (Spring ’03) If you register late you will not be placed on a team unless there is space available. We can and will accommodate every player that is registered on time. We will try to keep space available for special exceptions, (the Registrar will make that determination.) We will maintain a list of people who have registered late (beginning with those who did for this fall) Those on this list will absolutely not be registered late in the future.
So make a mental note, write it on your calendars, put it in your computer or any place where you’ll be reminded. Registration for Soccer will take place during the following times every year:
v Registration for Spring Town League Soccer: 3rd Saturday in January to March 1st
v Registration for Fall Town League Soccer: Sparta Day (1st Sat in June) to August 1st.
During the Registration time periods listed above – In-person Registrations will be scheduled, Forms for mail-in will be available at the Recreation Department and forms will be available at our website, www.spartasoccer.com. Watch the school newsletters, the local papers and our website for details each season. (especially the website as the schools and papers don't always cooperate)
Thank-you for your understanding and cooperation! Shauna Stanley, President Sparta Soccer Club last updated 9/1/2007 |