Orland Park Soccer Club
Competitive Rules & Regulations
It is the policy of the Orland Park Soccer Club ("OPSC") to enable the children of Orland Park to experience the highest level of soccer that they can achieve on an individual and team basis. Consistent with the guidelines set by the Illinois Youth Soccer Association, every child should be permitted to play at the level commensurate with their ability to compete without risking physical well being. Consistent with this policy the following rules and regulations have been adopted:
In these rules and regulations, the definition of the term "coach" is a head coach, or assistant coach
Section I - Player Rules
1. All players must register and pay all applicable fees with the Orland Park Soccer Club ("OPSC"). At the time of registration with the club, each player will be required to provide the OPSC with a copy of his/her birth certificate that will be kept on permanent file.
2. Teams will be selected by the OPSC Director of Training and his/her staff on a tryout basis. It is the Club's intent to field separate single gender teams in every age group. Any child not chosen for a competitive team will be eligible to play in the next recreational league season.
a. All players will be rated and placed with the appropriate team based on their abilities. If a player fails to attend a tryout, he/she will not be allowed to participate in the competitive program for the upcoming season.
b. All teams will be "pure" age groups. The only exceptions that will be considered will be for those wishing to play with their school grade. Also, in the event there are 2 or more teams in an age group and the "B" team coach's child is chosen for the "A" team, the player would have the option of staying with the "B" team.
c. If any player joins the club in between tryouts, the player will be evaluated to see if he/she is qualified for the "A" team. An evaluation conducted by the OPSC Director of Training and his/her staff will determine appropriate player placement.
d. Players currently on the "B" team who gain a top rating will be given the opportunity to move up to the "A" team. It is not mandatory to move up if the player was on the "B" team roster prior to 11/1/03. After that date, any player refusing to move up may be dropped from the program.
e. Players currently on the "A" team that do not attain a top rating will be placed on the "B" team if players with a higher rating not currently on the "A" team accept placement on the "A" team.
3. The seasonal year shall be from August 1st to July 31st of the following year.
4. All player registrations with an OPSC team shall expire at the end of each seasonal year. However, any player signing a player registration form with any US or state affiliated leagues is bound to that team in accordance with the particular league's rules unless he/she requests and is granted a transfer. All requests for transfer must be submitted to the Competitive Committee of the Orland Park Soccer Club in writing, and must state the reason(s) for the transfer request.
5. Competitive players may be rostered on only one competitive team within the Orland Park Soccer Club in any given season. Players may be guest players for fellow OPSC teams with the permission of the guest player's coach.
6. Competitive players may play up in age groups after the move has been reviewed by the Competitive Committee and only with the prior approval of a majority of the quorum of the OPSC Board.
7. A player may move from one "OPSC" team to another "OPSC" team only under the following conditions and with the appropriate sanctioning league approval:
a. Team disbands
b. Mutual agreement by coaches and the OPSC Competitive Committee
c. OPSC Board approval of a parental written request for player transfer
8. No competitive player from OPSC or any other competitive soccer organization will be allowed to play on a recreational team. Any player who has elected to move from a competitive team to a recreational team cannot return to their former competitive team during the same seasonal year.
9. The deadline for a recreational player moving to a competitive team is July 1st for the fall season and December 1st for the indoor season. After such date, no recreational player may be moved to a competitive team without prior approval of a majority of the quorum of the OPSC Board.
Section II - Coach/Team Guidelines & Regulations
All competitive head coaches and assistant coaches must carry the specified coaching license required by their respective leagues prior to getting formal OPSC Board approval. All approved coaches must legibly complete and sign the DCFS disclosure form during the registration for the fall season.
1. All competitive teams playing under the banner of the Orland Park Soccer Club should be known as the "Orland Park (insert appropriate team name)".
2. All Competitive teams must utilize Club approved uniforms, bags, jackets and warm-ups. All teams ordering warm-ups and bags must purchase the approved style as determined by the Competitive Committee.
3. All team rosters must be turned into the OPSC Competitive Director no later than the first game of the fall season. Any changes to this roster must be submitted to the Competitive Committee before the affected players can participate for the requesting OPSC team. A copy of the IYSA add/release form is sufficient evidence of the requested change. A letter/email with the player's name, address, birth date, phone # and parent names is sufficient for roster changes for indoor competition. For insurance purposes, it is critical to receive this on a timely basis or coverage could be denied in the event of an injury.
4. All teams formed must be comprised of 90% of players residing in Orland Park. With exception to teams formed prior to 1/1/98, any variation of this rule must be reviewed by the Competitive Committee and then presented to the OPSC Board for approval. Waivers may be granted to the high school age teams on a case by case basis if it will enable players residing in Orland Park to continue playing soccer. No waivers will be permitted if existing resident players are to be removed in favor of non- resident players.
5. The maximum number of players per roster is 18, unless stated otherwise by Orland Park Board or league rules.
6. A player's playing time will be at the discretion of the coaching staff. Grievances over playing time or coach misconduct can be filed by parents in writing on behalf of the players to the Competitive Committee for resolution. Un-resolved grievances will be forwarded to the OPSC Board.
7. It is unethical to recruit a player enrolled on any other team in accordance with club, league, or state rules. Furthermore, prior to the end of each seasonal year, no team, coach, player or any other team representative may approach a player on another team and entice him/her to leave the team on which he or she is currently rostered, without prior written permission from that player's current team coach, Competitive Committee or the OPSC Board.
8. New teams will have their players pay the Club's annual Competitive Player fee upfront and will then receive the Club's royal blue uniforms. They will have the option of purchasing the Club's white uniforms at additional expense at the same time. If they defer that option, they will pay the Competitive Player fee during their first year and receive the Club's white uniforms at the start of the following fall season. By deferring, the white jerseys that will be used in the interim must be approved by the Competitive Committee.
9. All coaches, teams and players shall observe and fully comply with all rules and policies adopted by the Orland Park Soccer Club. With regard to such rules and policies, all head coaches of teams playing under the banner of the OPSC shall be personally responsible for being conversant with and in full compliance of all rules and policies of the club.
a. This responsibility shall specifically be deemed to include the OPSC policy entitled "Resignation of Coaches and Dissolution of Competitive Teams. This policy is attached
b. Any coach failing to comply with OPSC rules and policies as determined by a quorum majority of the OPSC Board, based on a recommendation by the Competitive Committee will be subject to penalties up to and including, but not limited to suspension, reprimand, revocation of coaching privileges. In the event that a coach's OPSC privileges are revoked, the OPSC may notify in writing the applicable league officials, the team members and parents, and any other necessary individuals of the revocation and advise the recipient that the subject coach cannot, under any circumstances be considered an agent of the OPSC. This rule supersedes all IYSA, NISL, IWSL and any other state or league rules. Coaches are responsible for their actions, as well as those of their players, assistant coaches and spectators reasonably thought to support their team.
c. A parent is an adult who is a natural parent, adoptive parent, or guardian of the team member.
d. Parents and team members are expected to observe and be familiar with the OPSC Rules and rules of the applicable league and state organization, and conduct themselves in a mature and sportsman-like manner in connection with all OPSC activities. Team members are expected to play to their maximum skill level at all times in practices and at games. Parents or members of the team who do not observe the competitive rules may be subject to reprimand, suspension or expulsion.
Section III - Training/Practices
1. All grammar school teams that attain a first team status in a multiple team age group or a ranking in the top 25% (Classic to Premier Gold for boys/A to AB for girls) of all teams participating in their age group must participate in the Club mandated training program. At minimum the OPSC Club training program will include the following:
a. Each team will practice at least twice per week under the club's supervision.
b. The Club's trainer will be responsible for constructing a training regimen that will involve team tactics, individual technical skills and conditioning.
c. Each practice will consist of 1-1/2 hrs.
d. All trainers will be provided by the Club's Director of Training and be approved by the Competitive Committee. Any team wishing to employ trainers outside of the Club's training program must obtain clearance from the Competitive Committee and said trainers are required to complete a disclosure form for DCFS.
e. Each coach participating in the program will provide brief written feedback to the Club's trainer as to his assessment of strengths and deficiencies being demonstrated by their team after each week's game for use in upcoming training sessions.
2. All other competitive teams can participate in the Club's training program at their discretion.
Back to Competitive
Revised 03/15/2004