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Dear Coach /
Manager: Here are the simple and easy instructions for getting your team ready for the MSSL U20/U23 REGIONAL LEAGUE 2009 SUMMER SEASON! If you have registered online already, great, let’s get you carded. If you still have not registered your team, please do so at this time so that we are ready to go by the end of the month! 1) ONLINE REGISTRATION If you have not yet registered with the league, go to the website at www.socceragency.net/maps Click on the MSSL icon which will take you to Click on the button that states U20 & U23 ONLINE APPLICATION which will bring you to our online application. We need you in our database for communication and messaging purposes. 2) LEAGUE AND USASA FEES The League Registration Fees are $900 in 2009. This includes $575 MSSL League fees, $125 USASA Team Registration fees, plus a newly instituted $200 refundable bond. The bond is primarily intended to cover referee costs if a team is a late withdrawal from the posted schedule. The team will have to replenish this bond immediately if it is to remain on the schedule, plus deal with whatever additional sanctions may be imposed. For most of our teams, the “good citizens” who will attend all games as posted, the bond will be returned at the end of the season. This year, player passes will be purchased directly online by credit card as players are registered. Player pass fees are $16 per player. Should you need to make any
payments by check (including bond replenishments), the checks should be made
payable to MSSL U23 League, and sent
to: MSSL U23 Regional League Suite A If you already have USASA player passes from another source (for example, a different adult league), reduce the player registration cost to $5 per player; USASA does nonetheless require the additional amount for dual registration. Remember, USASA is the US Adult Soccer Association, the primary governing
body for all non-professional play beyond the U19 level in the For budgeting purposes, you
should also take into account the following costs: incurred
by hosts at central sites; 3) REGISTERING PLAYERS This year, we are using USASA’s new online process to register players and obtain passes. · Go to www.hotstat.com/72987 and click on “TEAMS” on the right. · Click on your team name. If your team name has not been set up post-online-registration, contact Registrar Jan Yager at 908-277-4116. · When you get to your team page, in the upper right corner, it says “Team Log-In” – click and it will ask for your email address. · Once you are logged in, you will have the option to create your roster, or add players to your roster. · Once players are added, you will then have the option to pay for the passes. You will need a credit card for this procedure. · Once you have paid for your passes, send Jan an email at jan@mssl.org. Jan will check online, and approve your players so passes may be issued. · Upon approval, go back into your team page – be sure to log in – and click the button to print passes. You can then print your passes and affix pictures. Note that the GotSport site that you used for your team registration is not tied into USASA and it is not USASA’s official site; it is strictly used for MSSL league registration. Contact MSSL Registrar Jan Yager at jan@mssl.org as soon as possible, if you are not squared away with your player carding. Or call 908-277-4116. We can usually get you and your players on the field within a matter of a day or so, so do not hesitate to call if running into a problem. The online registration process will require you to input for each player: 4) TEAM UNIFORMS MSSL requires identical jerseys that are individually numbered for each player on the field. Tee shirts are acceptable. Players must have same color shorts and same color socks, but these need not be identical. 5) SCHEDULING The normal MSSL play-date involves two seventy-minute games at one of several central sites designated for that Sunday. Occasionally, scheduling may involve only one ninety-minute game for the weekend or weekday evening. MSSL will schedule games for the following Sundays: May 31 Note that June 27-28 are the dates for the U23 USASA Regionals. We will adjust the schedules for participating and qualifying teams. Similarly, July 18-19 will be the date for the U20 USASA National Tournament, and July 26 will be the date of the MSSL Cup. On all three weekends, regular season games will continue to be scheduled for non-participating teams. We have distributed scheduling
grids league games If you have not yet returned
these, please do so immediately to bohdan@mssl.org
Note: By mutual agreement, teams may also agree to schedule an additional match-up on a date other than Sunday; advise me at bohdan@mssl.org, and I will place the game on the calendar and ensure that referees are assigned. 6) REFEREE ASSIGNMENTS Once the schedule is set for the weekend, referees will be assigned by MSSL Head Assignor Bob Mykulak (bobmykulak@yahoo.com). Teams that withdraw from the following weekend's games after 6:00 PM on Monday will be subject to Referee fees incurred. In general, teams that cannot meet their game obligations will be dropped from the schedule and their games re-assigned. 7) OPENING WEEKEND Our Season Opening Date for games is Sunday May 31. Teams ready to go will be scheduled for games. Try to get your team registered and ready for this kickoff weekend, the summer is short, and every weekend precious. We expect that all teams will be ready to go by June 7. 8) USASA REGION ONE
CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR U23 and U20 Very Important! The deadline for declaring for the USASA Region One U23 Championship is Monday June 1. The Regional Champion gets a partially-subsidized trip to the four-team USASA National Championships late in July. Registration is $200. MSSL has been provided 8 spots in the 24 team Men’s field, which will be a two-day tournament June 27-28 (with a Final to be held within ten days after that.) If more than 8 Men’s teams apply, MSSL will schedule play-in games. It is expected that all Women’s applicants will be accepted for the Playoff Weekend. Men’s and Women’s teams should contact bohdan@mssl.org immediately to confirm your intention to participate in this event (and the $200 commitment plus ref fees). U20 National Cup Registration is also due June 20, with rosters required by June 30. The tournament will be held in Manalapan NJ on July 18-19. We encourage MSSL teams to take advantage of this opportunity to compete for these significant adult soccer crowns. MSSL representatives have made the semi-finals and finals of the U23 and U20 Regional Championships in recent years. Note that teams can strip out overage players to be eligible for U20 and U23 championship play. To be eligible for U23 competition, a player must be born after August 1, 1985; for U20, after August 1, 1988. 9)
USE OF OVERAGE PLAYERS MSSL teams can card up to three U26 players for MSSL games. This recognizes that college players do not follow traditional educational paths, and can be older than in the past, and the league’s mission is to still provide such players a haven for summer competition. These players obviously cannot participate in USASA U23 and U20 Cup play. Note that MSSL is not intended to be an “adult” league, where older players frequently compensate against younger, fitter players by fouling and hacking. Foul play will be dealt with severely, and particularly if coming from any of the overage players in the league. 10) MSSL CUP The league championship MSSL Cups will be decided on July 26. Cups for U23 Men, U20 Men and U23 Women. The top six team records as of July 19 will be invited to participate in a one day showdown: two group games and a final. Note: Teams not qualifying for MSSL Cup will still be scheduled for regular season games on July 26. ********** Just follow the steps above, and we'll get you ready to play in no time. Any further questions, let me or Jan know. Bohdan E. Porytko |