About Us

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Shippensburg Soccer Club, hereinafter referred to as “SSC”.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of SSC shall be to foster and promote the game of soccer on the youth level and foster the physical, mental and emotional growth of youth through the sport of soccer in, but not limited to, the territory known as Shippensburg, PA. SSC shall be maintained as a non-profit educational organization that is tax exempt.

ARTICLE III

Affiliations

SSC shall be affiliated with the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) and the Central Pennsylvania Youth Soccer League (CPYSL). In the event the Bylaws or Standing Rules of SSC are in conflict with those of EPYSA or CPYSL, the EPYSA or CPYSL rule shall take precedence.

ARTICLE IV

Organization

The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar and a Member-At-Large. The Registrar is a non-voting member of the board.

The Executive Board is empowered to act on all club matters by simple majority vote by members present and voting, except for amendments to the Bylaws and Standing Rules. Special conditions applying to amendments are covered in Article XXII of these Bylaws. At the discretion of the Executive Board, additional non-voting positions may be created to perform specific tasks.

ARTICLE V

Meetings and Quorums

Section 1.
Executive Board meetings shall be held once per month. Meeting date, time, and location shall be made known to the SSC. At the discretion of the President, a monthly meeting may be cancelled if it is deemed unnecessary. Cancellations shall be made known to the SSC. A minimum of eight (8) meetings per year must be held.

Section 2.
The annual meeting is to take place during the regularly scheduled December Executive Board meeting. The December meeting may not be cancelled.

Section 3.
Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called at any time by the President or at the request of a majority of the Executive Board. The members affected by the call for a special meeting shall be told the purpose and notified 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Section 4.
50% or more of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for conducting business at board meetings.

A. INTRODUCTION

1. These rules are an adjunct to the Shippensburg Soccer Club (SSC) Bylaws. As such, in the event of a conflict between the Bylaws and Standing Rules, the Bylaws shall take precedent.

2. SSC is a private club. As an affiliated player, parent, guardian, or coach all are expected to follow the rules and policies of the club.

3. The goal of the club is to provide a top quality athletic program for the youth of our community at the appropriate level of competition.

4. The philosophy and fundamental principle of the club is to provide an opportunity for as many youth to play the game of soccer as possible and to compete at the appropriate level. Playing a team sport allows youth to gain good habits for physical fitness, learn to work as a team, gain self confidence and have fun.

5. All decisions of the club and those affiliated with it must be guided by what is best for the youth involved.

6. SSC is a member of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Soccer League (CPYSL), which is part of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA), which is affiliated with the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA).

B. SELECTION OF COACHES AND COACHING

1. The policy of SSC is to have volunteer coaches. Their time and effort are essential to achieving the club’s goals and are greatly appreciated.

2. Individual teams may choose to financially compensate a coach if compensation is required to obtain an individual’s coaching service. While SSC will not be involved in any financial compensation for coaches, the SSC Executive Board must approve all aspects of the compensation procedure. If individual team members or families do not agree with a team’s decision to compensate a coach, those individuals may request a meeting with the Executive Board to discuss the issue. The Executive Board shall have the final say regarding a coach’s financial compensation.

3. The Executive Board shall appoint all head coaches for under 9 (U9) and older teams. The under 8 coordinator (U8) (i.e. Vice President or his/her designee) shall appoint all head coaches for U8 and younger teams. A pool of coaching applicants will be created from volunteers as well as recruitment by the Executive Board. Criteria for coach selection will be experience as a coach (including any coaching licenses), experience as a soccer player, experience as an educator, willingness to learn by taking coaching courses and other educational measures, and demeanor. This is not to say that experience is required, especially for coaching younger age groups.

4. Assistant coaches for U9 and older teams will be selected by the applicable head coach. Assistant coaches for U8 and younger teams will either be assigned by the U8 coordinator or selected by the head coach.

5. A parent or guardian may question the selection of a coach to the Executive Board.

6. Coaches are expected to act responsibly in all circumstances.

7. Proper development of our youth as individuals and soccer players is more important than winning.

8. Good sportsmanship should be demonstrated and taught at all times.

9. For U13 and older teams, playing time will be solely at the discretion of the coach. While the goal is for all players to play, there may be instances where attitude or ability dictate that a player does not play much. It is possible that a player may not play during games.

10. For U9 to U12 teams, all players shall play at least one quarter of each game. If possible, especially at younger age groups, coaches should strive to play every player at least 40-50% of the game. Players can only improve if they play. Playing time beyond the minimum is at the coach’s discretion and it should be expected that not all players will play equal amounts of time. At the coach’s discretion, a child may play less than the minimum if a child shows exceptionally poor character or work ethic or has missed a substantial amount of practice. Lower quality skill is not a reason to play less than the minimum. Before playing a child less than the minimum, every effort should be made to address the situation with both the player and the parents or guardians. Should a coach decide to not play a child the minimum, the coach must immediately address the issue at the end of the game with both the player and the parents or guardians. The goal is to change behavior so that playing less than the minimum is a one-time occurrence.

11. For U8 and younger teams, all players shall play an equal amount of time. Coaches should devise a method to ensure an even and constant rotation of players so that every child is maximally engaged and is never sitting out of the game for more than a few minutes.

12. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of parents and others attending games for players on their teams. This is why CPYSL policy is to have parents and others stand or sit on the same side of the field as the team for which they are cheering.

13. Coaches receiving misconduct cards from referees may be requested to address the Executive Board.

14. Fines assessed against the club for forfeits and other avoidable conduct of a coach may, but need not, be assessed against the coach by majority vote of the Executive Board.

15. Coaches should not secretly recruit players from other SSC teams. Rather, coaches should engage other coaches in conversation if they think it may make sense for a player to play on another team.

16. As set forth in the Bylaws, a coach may be removed from his or her position by the Executive Board.

17. All intramural and travel head and assistant coaches must complete all CPYSL and EPYSA paperwork and required training, as well as all forms required for those volunteering with children by the state of Pennsylvania. Travel coaches must also have a pass card. For travel teams, only individuals with a pass card may coach a team during a game. No individual without the proper documentation may participate in any coaching activity.

C. TEAM COMPOSITION AND LEVELS OF PLAY

1. CPYSL is a travel league because it is composed of teams from different towns or areas. Several divisions exist ranging from Premier, Division 1, Division 2, etc. on down to the lowest division as required based on the number of teams in an age group. CPYSL teams start at the U9 age group. SSC’s U6 and U8 programs are recreational/intramural within the Shippensburg area and do not travel to play games. Within U9 and above age groups, SSC may have a primary team and a secondary team, with the primary team playing at a higher division within CPYSL. [The use of these terms is not to be confused with primary and secondary teams in relation to players who roster on two teams. See Rule F below.]
2. It is the policy of SSC that players must play on a team of their own gender, with the exception of the U8 program which may be comprised of teams with mixed genders. For U9 and older teams, an exception may be made if a mixed gender team is required to make a full roster.
3. All U9 and older teams will be dissolved at the end of each spring season. This provides youth who have improved their skills from the previous year an opportunity to make a higher level team. U8 and below teams will be dissolved after the spring season and may be dissolved after the fall season at the discretion of the U8 coordinator. The number and composition of U8 and below teams is decided by the U8 coordinator each season in accordance with section D16 below.
4. In conformity with CPYSL rules, age groupings for both fall and spring teams are based on the player’s birth year. Limited exceptions are set forth in section E below.
5. The number and age groupings of teams will be determined by the Executive Board with input from the relevant coaches based on the number of players registered at all age groups.
6. The determination of what division a team should request to play will be made by consensus agreement of the head coach of the team and the Executive Board. If there is disagreement, the Executive Board will make a final determination. CPYSL has the final say in which division a team shall play.
7. Where the number and quality of players warrant, a second team can be formed for an age group. These determinations will be made by the age group coaches and the Executive Board. If there is disagreement, the Executive Board will make a final determination.
8. Secondary teams often include two age groups, e.g. U9s and U10s often play on combined U10 teams.
9. Fall teams may remain as a team for the spring season. When necessary, spring teams will be formed by combining players from various fall teams based on the judgment of the relevant coaches and the Executive Board. If necessary, a skill assessment of all players from teams that are merging may be required prior to the spring season. If there is disagreement regarding the manner in which teams are combined to create a new team, the Executive Board will make a final determination.
10. All teams that play a 7v7 format should have a minimum of ten (10) players and may have a maximum of twelve (12). All teams that play a 9v9 format should have a minimum of twelve (12) players and may have a maximum of sixteen (16). All teams that play an 11v11 format should have a minimum of fourteen (14) players and may have a maximum of eighteen (18). The number of players on a team will be determined by the number of players registered in the applicable age group(s) and the consensus of the age group coaches and the Executive Board. If there is disagreement, the Executive Board will make a final determination.

D. SELECTION OF TEAMS AND SKILL EVALUATIONS

1. The goal is for all youth to be placed on a team, when possible.
2. The general philosophy of team selection is to form teams based on skill level. The theory is that youth will progress better and enjoy the experience more if playing with and against children of similar skills, speed, agility, and age.
3. For U9 and older teams, skill evaluations for the fall season will be held in the spring following fall registration. The dates for skill evaluation will be posted at the fall registration and advertised as widely as possible.
4. All players of the applicable age group(s) are requested to participate in skill evaluations.
5. Skill evaluations for an age group(s) will be conducted by the relevant coach(es). In addition, at least three additional evaluators, not affiliated with any team that is being evaluated, must also be present. If a head coach does not exist for an age group at the time of evaluation, the Executive Board will assign evaluators with the idea that a coach will be found at a later date.
6. Each evaluator will rank all players present at the evaluation(s). Additionally, evaluators should make comments for each player that can be useful in justifying final team selection.
7. The nature of the evaluation will be left to the discretion of the Executive Board. However, it is strongly recommended that the focus of the evaluation be based on small-sided games as this will maximize a player’s ability to demonstrate their skill and minimize the likelihood of a fluke strong or weak performance.
8. Final roster selection will be performed by the Executive Board with input from the relevant coach(es). As the goal of SSC is to promote soccer for all youth, every effort will be made to find a place for every child who has registered and attended skill evaluations to play. However, team size limitations and wide gaps in skill level may make this impossible in select situations.
9. A player must be evaluated to be placed on a primary team. Skill evaluations are a required component of registration for participation in SSC. They are purposely scheduled outside of usual school breaks to avoid vacations, but interference with other sports and activities is nearly impossible to avoid.The following will be considered “Excused Absences”:
   1. Illness or injury (a parent or legal guardian must still contact the registrar prior to the evaluation time; email or in person is preferred).
   2. Participation in another activity that is of a qualifier nature to move on to the next level of that competition or activity.
   3. Players who are excused may have an individual session scheduled or their evaluation may be based on prior knowledge.

   The following will NOT be considered excused:

   1. Practices for soccer or any other sport.
   2. Regular season games for soccer or any other sport or any other activities.

   Any other reason for not attending skill evaluations not covered specifically in the Standing Rules must be reviewed and approved by the Executive Board on a case by case basis.

   If the contact for the excused absence is not made by the parent or legal guardian until after the scheduled date of the evaluation, an individual may not be permitted for placement on a primary team unless that is the only team in that age group and due to numbers, there is room on that team for placement.

10. If a player wishes to play up an age group under section E2 below, the player must attend the skill evaluation for his/her appropriate age group as well as the one for the older age group to be considered for the primary team in his/her age group. See section E below on the limited circumstances under which a player can play up an age group.
11. All evaluations for the Fall season should be completed between the middle of May and second week Sunday of June. Additional evaluation sessions may be scheduled at the discretion of the board if situations warrant. This may include: new players move into the area after evaluations; not enough players are available for a particular age group to field a team (such as for the Spring season when teams may need to be combined or a new age group team formed); etc.
12. The following major areas should be considered in the selection of players for primary teams: evaluations; individual skills; physical endurance; team tactics; motivation and emotional maturity; parental willingness to meet expectations for team participation (e.g. attendance, acceptance of applicable policies and conduct). Observations from prior coaches and the existence of injuries to a player at the time of the skill evaluation may also be considered.
13. After the primary teams are selected, the remaining registered players are placed on secondary teams in evaluation order, followed by those who did not attend evaluations. Late registrations are placed as space allows, and as permitted under D13.
14. In selecting secondary teams, same household (e.g. siblings) and travel arrangement considerations are allowed within the discretion of the coaches involved.
15. A player registering after the selection of teams may be placed on a primary team within the discretion of the Executive Board based on the circumstances, including the experience of the player and the impact on other players, with the consent of the applicable coach. This rule typically applies to players who move into the area after evaluations are held. This rule should not be applied if the player could have attended evaluations but did not.
16. A parent or guardian may question the placement of a player to the Executive Board. If they desire an Executive Board review of such a placement, the parent or guardian shall notify the President of the Executive Board at least one week prior to the next board meeting. The Executive Board and head coach must explain the selection if a question is raised. The selection or non-selection of a player may be overridden by a majority of the Executive Board if it is determined the decision was not properly made on the basis of the criteria set forth in sections D7 and D11 above.
17. U8 and below teams will be selected for the fall season by evenly distributing players based on their date of birth and gender. Exceptions to this method will be made for children of coaches and assistant coaches, and siblings falling within the same age grouping. Players from fall teams will be placed on the same team for the spring season if the coach of that team returns for the spring. Players not returning to the same team in the spring will be evenly distributed based on their date of birth within the judgment of the U8 coordinator. A parent or guardian may question the placement of their player to the Executive Board by notifying the Vice President of the Executive Board at least one week prior to the next board meeting. The U8 coordinator must explain the placement of the player. The placement of a player may be overridden by a majority vote of the Executive Board if it is determined the decision was not properly made on the basis of the criteria set forth herein.

E. PLAYING IN AN OLDER AGE GROUP

1. Players may not play more than one age group above their true age group. In rare circumstances, the executive board may approve exceptions to this rule.
2. A player eligible to play U9 or older may play on a team in the age group one year above that for which she or he is qualified to play with the consent of the player’s parent(s) or guardian under the following limited circumstances:
   1. There are not enough registered players to create a team at the older age group. In these circumstances, the ages of the players will be considered in determining the level of play at which the team should compete.
   2. A head coach is needed for the older age group, the player’s parent is willing to be head coach, and the player is sufficiently skilled to play in the older age group. This exception may apply to primary or secondary teams.
   3. The team to which the player would move up to is the primary team for that age group and the player is in the top five assessed players. The player’s parent(s) or guardian typically initiates this exception. A player who tries but fails to qualify under this subsection must play in their true age group subject to the rules in Section D above.
   4. A parent provides a written request to the President of the Executive Board for their son or daughter to play on an older team. This request will be reviewed by the Executive Board with input from the coach(es) from both teams. The player may be moved up if the coach(es) and the Board believe the players skills are sufficient enough to warrant the move. The Executive Board has final approval in these cases.
   5. All decisions to allow a player to move up an age group under rules a) and b) above must be approved by the Executive Board. The Executive Board may not allow a player to move up for the fall season unless one of the three above subsections applies.
3. If required by unusual circumstances, the Executive Board may allow players to play up an age group outside the rules set forth above.

F. SECONDARY ROSTERING

1. CPYSL uses CLUB PASS players rather than SECONDARY players. A CLUB PASS player is a PRIMARY player from within your own club that is borrowed by another “age appropriate” team within your own club to assist a team that may be in need of a player for a game. The CLUB PASS player will borrow their PRIMARY pass from their PRIMARY team and then return their pass to their PRIMARY team.U09-U12 Teams – 2 CLUB PASS players permitted per game
   U13-U14 Teams – 3 CLUB PASS players permitted per game
   U15-U19 Teams – this age group IS permitted a combination of 2 CLUB PASS players & 2 SECONDARY players per game…or 4 CLUB PASS players.
   1. A player must play his/her first game of the season with their primary team.
   2. A player must play with his/her primary team on any given day if both teams are playing at the same time.
   3. Permission to secondarily roster a player may be granted by the Registrar or President of the applicable club.
2. The rostering and playing of club pass and/or secondary players and use of guest players for SSC teams is allowed only in accordance with these guidelines:
   1. Secondary rostering is not generally encouraged since it will reduce the playing time for players primarily rostered with a team. Secondary rostering of players not on an SSC team is especially discouraged.
   2. Where an 11v11 format team has less than 15 primary players on its roster, a 9v9 format team has less than 12 primary players on its roster, or a 7v7 format team has less than 10 primary players on its roster, rostering club pass and/or secondary players is appropriate, and indeed, necessary.
   3. Secondary players may not play at the expense of primary players. In other words, primary players must play as much or more than secondary players unless there are extenuating circumstances such as injury.
   4. A player may not play for his/her secondary team earlier in a day that his/her primary team is playing without the approval of the head coach of his/her primary team.
   5. In tournaments attended by a team during the pre-season and season (which shall be defined as the first day of practice for the applicable season to the last scheduled game), all primary players on a team must be invited to play. Secondary and/or guest players may play in such tournaments only if there are less than 15 primary players for an 11v11 format team, less than 12 primary players for a 9v9 format team, or less than 10 primary players for a 7v7 format team available to play in the tournament. If a primary player is not invited to play in a postseason tournament, this must be communicated to the player and parent or guardian at least 30 days prior to the tournament.
   6. All secondary rostered players must be registered with SSC for the applicable season and pay half the fees for that season. Secondary rostered players within SSC will not incur any additional fees.
   7. The use of club pass, secondary, and/or guest players is especially appropriate in postseason tournaments or games on weekends or days when the player’s primary team is not playing.
   8. Due to the traditional lack of players in the older age groups, older players on teams that play games on Saturdays are encouraged to be secondarily rostered on older teams that play on Sundays.

G. REFUNDS, PENALTIES, SPECIAL REGISTRATION ISSUES, AND COPIES OF BYLAWS AND RULES

1. U9 and older players accepted onto a team have seven days to decide whether to play for SSC in order to receive a full refund. After 7 days, no refunds will be issued. For U9 and older players, no refunds will be issued for the spring season.
2. For U8 players, refunds will be issued up to August 1 in the Fall season and March 1 in the Spring season.
3. Refunds are subject to a $20 processing fee at the direction of the Executive Board.
4. Refunds will be made in full and automatically in the event there is no team on which to place the player.
5. Except under the above circumstance, registration fees and uniforms are forfeited to SSC whether or not the registered player participates unless the Executive Board approves otherwise.
6. Children of head coaches who have obtained any level coaching license and Executive Board members are not required to pay registration fees. They do still need to pay uniform fees. Should we take the part out about coaches?
7. A $20 late fee will be assessed for those registering after the specified date for a given season. Late registrants are only accepted if there is room available on a team.
8. Board members may opt to claim reimbursement from SSC based on the current federal mileage rate for travel to required CPYSL and EPYSA meetings.
9. A copy of the Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Code of Conduct are available via the SSC website.

H. FUNDRAISING AND UNIFORMS

1. In general, SSC prefers club-wide fundraising activities over activities associated with individual teams.
2. SSC is committed to fundraising to send each travel team to one tournament per season.
3. Individual teams wishing to engage in team-specific fundraising activities must have their activities approved by the Executive Board prior to engaging in such activities.
4. Individual teams wishing to operate their own banking activities must make the Executive Board aware of these activities prior to engaging in them.
5. The SSC Board approves a standard primary uniform for teams each year. This uniform shall not be modified in any way. Teams may also purchase secondary uniforms at their own expense and are permitted to seek outside sponsorship from businesses and corporations and develop a team logo if desired.
6. Advertising or a team logo as approved by the Executive Board is permitted on secondary uniforms.
7. The SSC logo must appear on any secondary uniforms.
8. Secondary uniforms must be presented to and approved by the Executive Board before team use.
9. Exemptions may be made based on Executive Board approval.

I. INTERPRETATION OF RULES AND ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED

1. The Executive Board shall resolve any dispute over the interpretation of these Standing Rules.
2. The Executive Board shall resolve any issue that might arise that is not addressed in these Standing Rules, consistent with the Bylaws.

Expectations for Players and Families

The purpose of SSC is to foster and promote the game of soccer on the youth level and to foster the physical, mental and emotional growth of youth in our area through the sport of soccer.

The following are helpful reminders and yes, expectations, for all who are affiliated with SSC in any way as we approach the game of soccer.

Please feel free to discuss the contents of this document with your coaches or any member of the Executive Board.

It is expected that each prospective player and parent/guardian will read this statement prior to having a family discussion about its contents.

It is very important that parents/guardians and players understand and agree with the mission, values, and expectations outlined within this document as well as the Bylaws and Standing Rules prior to making a commitment to SSC.

These documents are all available on the SSC website.

Perspective:

Soccer is not larger than life – it is only a game. Players should not be expected to live out the goals or aspirations of the parent/guardians. If a player’s performance produces strong emotions in the parent/guardian, please control them. Remember that the relationship between a player and his or her parent/guardian will continue long after his or her competitive soccer days are over. In that vein, players should receive unconditional support as he or she should never have to perform at a certain level to justify love.

Priorities:

The number one priority in life for the players should not be soccer. There are other important priorities such as academics, community, family, religion, and the arts that need emphasis. The key is balance. But we expect soccer to be one of the priorities and thus we expect our players to show dedication, positive attitudes, commitment, teamwork, and strong work ethic.

Team:

It is important to support and root for all players on the team. We want to foster teamwork and teach the players that we win or lose as a team. Thus, the accomplishments of all the players should be celebrated in the same manner. The ideal team is one where everyone performs a role and there are no stars. It is of concern when parents/guardians only cheer for their child or even worse, when they criticize the teammates. Such behavior is not helpful to the team or to a particular player.

Communication:

If a player is having difficulties in practice or games, or can’t make a practice, etc., he or she should speak directly to the coaches. This encourages him or her to develop responsibility and is part of learning communication skills. When conflicts between teammates occur, they should be resolved within the team via individual mediations or by holding team meetings. Parents/guardians should only become involved in conflict resolution as a last resort.

Focus:

To perform to the best of his or her abilities, a player needs to focus on the parts of the game that can be controlled (fitness, positioning, decision-making, skill, and aggressiveness). If he or she starts focusing on what cannot be controlled (field conditions, the referee, the weather, or the opponent), he or she will not play up to his or her ability. Thus hearing people in the crowd telling him or her what to do or hearing them yelling at the referee diverts attention away from the task at hand. Parents/guardians should feel free to cheer the team, but they should not engage in coaching their child during the game nor should they direct comments to the referee, as these are the exclusive roles of the coaches.

Competition:

Competition is not bad in and of itself. Rather, it is our response to competitive situations that is crucial. The old saying, “It is not if you win or lose but how you play the game,” must serve as a guiding principle. Thus if a player comes off the field after a loss, but he or she played at their best, we want him or her to see the positives of the situation. Remind the player to focus on the “process of the game” and not the “results of the game.” The real fun and satisfaction should come from “striving to win.” Sportsmanship is also important in that we must congratulate the other team, our teammates, and the referee regardless of whether we win or lose. To cast blame is unacceptable and does not teach the players about the game or about life.

Membership:

A player who is selected to play on an SSC U9 or older team is generally expected to make a commitment for one year (August 1 – July 31). As such, players are expected to play in both the fall and spring outdoor seasons. Once selected, a player is only considered a member of SSC for one year and their membership is not automatically renewed. U8 and younger players may join for just one season at a time. Players may be removed from the SSC during their period of membership following the recommendation of the appropriate Head Coach with Executive Board approval.

Playing Time:

Playing time is not guaranteed for U13 and older players. For U9-U12 teams all players shall play at least one quarter of each game. At younger age groups, coaches will strive to play every player more than this minimum. Players can only improve if they play. Playing time beyond the minimum is at the coach’s discretion and it should be expected that not all players will play equal amounts of time. All U8 and younger players will have approximately equal playing time.

Commitment:

During the period of membership, players agree to play for only SSC sanctioned soccer teams under the leadership of approved SSC coaches. They may not play for other soccer teams, for other coaches, or in any other type of soccer league without the formal permission of the SSC Executive Board. Players are assigned to a specific SSC team by the Executive Board and that assignment shall generally remain in effect for the year or until such time as the Executive Board changes the assignment.

Coaching:

The coaches are entrusted with the responsibility to manage the team. Thus in order to be effective, they must be free to implement motivational strategies, set team goals, develop strategy, conduct training, determine playing time, perform substitutions, and implement discipline. The bottom line for everyone, please leave the coaching to the coaches. This does not mean that parents/guardians or players should not communicate with the coaches. Quite the opposite, players and parents/guardians should establish a relationship with the coaches and seek feedback from them. All coaches should be able to provide team and individual assessments. However, coaches should be treated with courtesy and respect and their decisions should be supported once they provide rationale. It is not productive for anyone when coaches are criticized without ever talking with them in a courteous and open manner. It is also important that players and parents/guardians only represent their issues and not the issues of others when talking to the coaches. If a majority of the players and parents/guardians believe the coaches are not responding properly to their concerns, they are expected to contact a member of the SSC Executive Board.

Support:

For the parents, there are many ways to support the Shippensburg Soccer Club and your child. First, consider getting involved. We always need help with fundraising, field maintenance, etc. Second, make sure your child is getting adequate sleep and proper nutrition. Third, keep an eye on your child to make sure they are handling stress effectively. Fourth, please do not attempt to motivate your child by offering them incentives. It is the coaches’ role to motivate the players. Finally, is your child having fun? We are trying to challenge your child to push beyond their “comfort level” and improve himself or herself as a player and as a person. Hopefully we will do this in an environment that is fun yet challenging.

Conduct:

Shippensburg Soccer Club Players, Parents, Guardians, Spectators, and Volunteers need to maintain order at all Shippensburg Soccer Club activities. Any verbal or physical violations will be dealt with by the Executive Board according to Article X of the SSC Bylaws.

*By submitting registration and payment to the Shippensburg Soccer Club (SSC) for a given season, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and player acknowledge that they have access to, have reviewed, and agree to abide by the SSC Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Code of Conduct. Submission of registration and payment constitutes acceptance of the mission, values, policies, expectations, and requirements outlined in these documents.

The parent(s)/guardian(s) and player understand that participation in SSC is a privilege and not a right. Failure to uphold the expectations, standards, and responsibilities outlined in the SSC Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, including possible termination of the player’s membership with SSC.

By registering, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and player acknowledge responsibility for all financial obligations associated with participation in SSC and agree to fulfill those obligations in a prompt manner. They also agree to participate in fundraising activities when deemed necessary by the club.

The parent(s)/guardian(s) and player understand that registration fees, uniform fees, and other related costs are generally non-refundable in accordance with the SSC Standing Rules, including if a player resigns, voluntarily withdraws, or has their membership terminated.

The parent(s)/guardian(s) and player further acknowledge and agree that photographs, videos, or other images of the player taken during SSC activities may be used in SSC publications, including the SSC website, social media, promotional materials, advertisements, or other club communications. If a parent/guardian does not consent to the use of photographs or images of their child, they must submit written notice to a member of the SSC Executive Board or an SSC coach.

Please refer to the SSC Bylaws, Standing Rules, and Code of Conduct for additional information regarding the policies, expectations, and responsibilities associated with membership in the Shippensburg Soccer Club.

Southampton Township Park

132 Airport Rd.
Shippensburg PA 17257

These are practice and game fields for U6, U8, 7v7 and 9v9. SSC fields are on the back side of the park.

Google Maps

Shippensburg Memorial Park

100 Park Place
Shippensburg PA 17257

This is a practice and game field for 11v11.

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Dykeman Park

447 South Fayette Street
Shippensburg, PA 17257

Field is accessed via a dirt road beside Faith Fellowship Church of God.

This is an 11v11 practice field.

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Greene Township Park

996 Elevator Street
Chambersburg PA 17202

This is a game field for 11v11.

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Hopewell Township Park

220 Shippensburg Road
Shippensburg PA 17257

These are practice fields for 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11.

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Shippensburg Area Intermediate School

601 Hollar Ave.
Shippensburg PA 17257

This is a practice field for 11v11.

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