Sparta Soccer Club - Travel Team Policies
Conflict Resolution
The commitment to a travel soccer team is for a full seasonal year, with games being played in the fall and the spring. Practices are held at least twice a week with games scheduled for Sunday afternoons and some Saturdays. Some away games may require travel of up to an hour. Typically, teams enter one or two tournaments per year. Players are expected to attend tournaments with their teams. Additional monetary commitment (beyond registration fees) on the part of the player’s parents is typically required as most travel teams engage a paid trainer, and may enter more tournaments than are funded by the club. Winter training and/or tournaments may also be part of a travel team’s commitments. Any player rostered to a team is bound to that team or club for the entire seasonal year unless the player is released or transferred.
At times, though expected to be infrequent, issues or concerns for players and/or their parents can develop. The intention of the club is to see that these are resolved promptly and appropriately. The first step for addressing a concern is to discuss it with the team’s coach directly. It is our experience that most issues involve a lack of clear communications and understanding, and our expectation that constructive dialogue will resolve these. Only if this step does not address the concerns should the resolution process move to the next steps.
1) Discussion with coach
2) Discussion with Director of Coaches – three options:
a. Propose resolution – closure of issue (agreed upon by all parties)
b. Propose to pursue hearing with “Player Advocate Committee”
c. Propose to pursue disciplinary actions (in this case, Director of Coaches will advise next steps)
3) “Player Advocate Committee” hearing
a. Committee will be made up of three board members: for travel program this will include VP Travel, Director of Travel and Travel Registrar.
b. If any member of committee is directly or indirectly involved in circumstances, he/she will be replaced by another board member (chosen at random) who is not involved with case at hand.
c. Committee will, upon hearing and investigating issues and perspectives of players, parents and coaches involved, recommend course of action.
d. If the committee proposes to pursue release and/or transfer: coaches for both teams need to be involved and mutually agreeable, and impact on flighting of teams reviewed.
e. Committee decisions are considered final.
4) Appeals to full SSC board
Imposition of Penalty for Transfers
If the Player Advocate Committee recommends a transfer, it is the policy of the Sparta Soccer Club that the committee will propose whether a game waiting period penalty is appropriate.