To: Sparta Soccer Club Members:

Re: New 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 1^st. 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 1^st. We have followed the same date format for as long as I can remember -- and I've been involved with the club since my college sophomore was in kindergarten!

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 - and before our volunteer registrar went on vacation -- she spent at least a solid week setting up teams. Schedules were completed -- and then since August 17^th when she left and today, Sept 6^th, we have received over 100 late registrations! This doesn't even include the registrations that were also late but received between Aug.1^st and Aug.15^th.

We now find ourselves in the position of either turning a huge number of children away or trying to rework the divisions, teams and schedules to accommodate these players. 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 will 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 September 14^th! It is also unfair to the players that have registered on time to keep changing things and to keep delaying information.

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. 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 1^st

v     Registration for Fall Town League Soccer: Sparta Day (1^st Sat in June) to August 1^st.

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.

Thank-you for your understanding and cooperation!

Shauna Stanley, President Sparta Soccer Club

last updated 09/07/2002