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Rovers Policy
Team Formation, Composition, Tryouts and Coaching Requirements
1.0 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines on the formation and composition of teams under the jurisdiction of the Granby Rovers Soccer Club. It also includes guidelines on tryouts and selection of coaches and managers. The goal of Rovers is to develop as many players as possible for the Granby High School soccer programs. In addition, Rovers wishes to establish an atmosphere of good sportsmanship and citizenship.
2.0 Solicitation for Team Formation
2.1 In mid-May of each year, Granby Rovers will announce its upcoming tryouts for its U-9 – U-14 Fall soccer teams. Notice will be sent out via the Granby School System, the Granby Drummer and any other source deemed appropriate. The solicitation will indicate which tryout session(s) each child should attend.
2.2 Players are required to tryout for the team of their interest under the guidelines set forth under this policy. In the event there are enough players to form two teams in a particular age/sex group, teams will be formed under the guidelines set forth in Section 4.
2.3 All eligible players must register on-line via the Granby Rovers website prior to tryouts. The Rovers Board will review that list to determine the number of independent assessors needed at each tryout.
2.4 Tryouts are open to all Granby residents and certain non-residents as defined in Section 3 of this policy.
2.5 Each grade level is required to host a tryout annually when deemed necessary.
2.6 Any player participating in a tryout for a Granby Rovers team MUST complete an Informed Consent form. The Informed Consent will include a medical release and waiver of liability. The form must be signed by a parent or guardian and returned to a Granby Rovers representative prior to a player’s participation in any Granby Rovers activity.
2.7 Participation in Granby Rovers Soccer Club requires a significant commitment on the part of each player and their parents. Each player is expected to make soccer his or her primary sport during the fall playing season. All players are therefore expected to attend all practices and games during the fall season.
2.8 Parental support is also expected. Parents are expected to assist with team management, car pooling, fund raising, travel out of town and minimizing conflicts with team activities. Good sportsmanship at practices and games is also important.
3.0 Team Formation
3.1 It is the goal of Granby Rovers to establish at least one team at each age level for each sex.
3.2 Players must play at their “grade” appropriate level so long as the player is also age appropriate. The possibility of playing “up” an age group or “down” an age group will be allowed only if it is specifically approved by the Granby Rovers Board of Directors after review of compelling reasons to grant an exception to the policy. Playing “down” can be considered only if a player is age appropriate to play in that group in accordance with CJSA rules.
3.2.1 Exceptions may be made by the Board at younger levels to ensure a team at each age level.
3.3 Preference will be given to the establishment of single age group teams of the same sex. If there are an insufficient number of players to form single age group teams, a decision as to how to align teams by possibly combining age groups will be made by the Board of Directors.
3.4 While it is preferred that players must be residents of Granby, players from other towns can join a Rovers team provided their town of residency is in the North Central District and their town does not have a CJSA Classic Team in the player’s age group. Players from other towns can also join a Rovers team provided their town of residency is in the North Central District and their town has a CJSA Classic Team in the player’s age group, but in that case, rostering is limited to two players from that town. A Granby player cannot be cut to allow room for a resident from out of town.
3.5 To participate on a team, a player must have a player pass as issued by the Club Registrar, and a completed medical release form. Player passes will be issued only to players registered to Granby Rovers Soccer Club, as verified by the Club Registrar, who are in compliance with the Policies and Guidelines of the Granby Rovers Soccer Club. Both passes and medical release forms will be updated annually and will reside with the team coach or manager.
4.0 Team Tryouts and Selection
4.1 The Boys and Girls Director in conjunction with the current head coaches and managers are responsible for organizing the tryouts and making sure that there are a sufficient number of independent assessors to handle each tryout.
4.2 Tryouts will generally be held over a minimum of two days. The Boys and Girls Director may change the number of tryout dates depending upon the number of interested players. Attendance at all tryout dates is mandatory for any player wishing to be selected for the A team.
4.3 Each team will follow a Standard Format for Tryouts and the independent assessors will utilize a Standard Evaluation Form.
4.4 Under no circumstances may a player participating in the tryouts wear a Rovers Travel Team jersey.
4.5 Each potential player will be given a number by the team manager so that he or she can be independently assessed. The manager will provide the Boys or Girls Director with the list of the numbers along with the players’ names. If there is no existing team manager, the Boys or Girls Director will handle the numbering of the players.
4.6 After the tryouts, the independent assessors will present the Boys and Girls Directors and the Coaching Director with a list ranking the players.
4.7 From that ranking list, the players will be chosen for a team. For the U‑11 – U-14 teams, the players will be split at levels A, B or C if necessary. The team will be chosen by the ranking assessors in conjunction with the Boys or Girls Director, and the Coaching Director or other Board member. The assessors will also receive input from the current coaches and managers as appropriate. No parent may assess a team with a relative trying out.
4.8 If there are too many players for one team, every effort will be made to coordinate a second team. Teams should be split to allow the formation of both teams if possible.
4.9 In selecting players for the travel team, the Rovers Soccer Club will consider a player’s athletic ability, speed, technical and tactical soccer skills, knowledge of the game as demonstrated during tryouts, scrimmages and games as observed by assessors, coaches and other evaluators. Rovers will also consider a player’s conduct and behavior during games and practices, the level of commitment exhibited by the player and the player’s parents, including attendance at games and practices and participation in team activities.
4.10 If less than 20 players (U-11 – U-14) or 16 players (U-9 – U-10) tryout for a team, all players will be kept on the team so long as the criteria set forth in Section 4.9 is satisfied. If a player is not at the same level as others on the team, the coach will discuss the player honestly with the parents as set forth in Section 4.11. There will be no cutting of any player in such a scenario without prior approval of the Board of Directors.
4.11 There will be no cutting of 3 or fewer players without prior approval of the Board of Directors. It is strongly recommended to discuss the player honestly with the parents and tell them the player may not be at the same level as others, but the coach would be more than happy to have them on the team. An effort should be made to include them in games when possible.
4.12 For the U-9 and U-10 teams, if there are a sufficient number of players for two teams, the following policy will apply. The players will play together for a few practices. Two team coaches will be picked in accordance with Section 5.0. The two coaches will work together with the Boys or Girls Director to split the players evenly between the two teams. The teams will attempt to practice together.
4.13 Double rostering is encouraged to accommodate players who wish to play at a higher level of soccer. Players may double roster with another team as long as they are in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the CJSA. If a player is double rostered, his or her primary responsibility is to his or her grade appropriate team (the primary team) in accordance with Section 3.2. In a case of conflict, the player must play with his or her primary team unless the head coaches of both teams agree otherwise.
4.14 Granby Rovers is a two season program. As such, the Granby Rovers encourages participation during both the fall and spring seasons. All teams are expected to plan two practices per week and two games per week. All teams are strongly encouraged to play in the Connecticut Cup.
4.15 In the event there are not enough players to field a spring team, then the remaining players on the team should contact their respective Boys or Girls Director or other member of the Board of Directors so that they can be assimilated onto another team. The Boys or Girls Director will oversee the formation of teams for the spring season. It is expected that the formation of teams for the spring season will be flexible in order to make sure that every Rovers player who wishes to play in the spring has a team available to do so. Rules regarding playing up will be more leniently applied by the Board of Directors to maximize player involvement in the spring program.
5.0 Selection of the Team Coach and Manager
5.1 From the list of players from the newly formed team, the Boys or Girls Director will poll the team for volunteers for coaches and manager.
5.2 No coaches will be selected for the teams until after the teams have been determined.
5.3 Each spring, the Coaching Director and the Boys or Girls Director will recommend the coaches and managers for each team to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will vote on each selection and make the final determination. The following criteria will be considered by the Board of Directors in coach selection and reappointment:
5.3.1 Head coaching candidates must have their CJSA E License and also their Red Cross First Aid Training. Coaches of U-9 or newly formed teams have one year within which to complete this requirement. Assistant coaches are strongly encouraged to have their “E” licenses.
5.3.2 Time commitment and availability:
5.3.2.1 Availability and commitment to coach a spring team
5.3.2.2 Other coaching commitments that may impede upon the commitment to a Rovers Soccer team.
5.3.3 Prior coaching experience and knowledge of the game of soccer.
5.3.4 No criminal or behavioral concerns.
5.3.5 Completion of background checks (Employee/Volunteer Disclosure Form) as required by the CJSA.
5.3.6 Attendance at Coaches’ Meetings.
5.3.7 Adherence to the practices and policies of the Granby Rovers Soccer Club.
5.4 The following criteria may also be considered by the Board of Directors in making its coach selection and reappointment:
5.4.1.1 Ability to establish and maintain a good relationship with players, parents, fellow coaches, referees and the Board of Directors.
5.4.1.2 Desire and commitment to grow with the team in terms of training, knowledge of the sport of soccer, licensing and certification.
5.4.1.3 Ability to develop a coaching philosophy consistent with the policies of Granby Rovers.
5.4.1.4 Leadership capabilities.
5.4.1.5 Ability to teach the technical and tactical aspects of the game in an age appropriate manner.
5.4.1.6 Positive feedback and references.
5.4.1.7 Good role model.
5.4.1.8 Ability both to demonstrate good sportsmanship and fair play and ability to promote good sportsmanship and fair play among players and parents.
5.4.1.9 Good organizational skills.
5.4.1.10 Desire to provide the best possible soccer experience for all concerned.
5.4.1.11 Interview with prospective coach.
5.5 A coach’s win- loss record will not be a significant criterion by the Board when deciding whether to reappoint a coach or assistant coach.
5.6 A team may choose to hire a professional coach. If so, the team should seek approval from the Board of Directors. The coach must be in compliance with the Granby Rovers coaching requirements.
5.7 The coach and manager of the same team cannot be related.
5.8 Each coach is expected to make him or herself available at the time of tryouts to be called upon to act as an independent assessor of another team as directed by the Boys or Girls Director. A coach is NOT considered an independent assessor of his or her own team.
5.9 After selection of the team, each A coach is responsible for calling each player who participated in the tryouts and informing him or her of the decision of the Granby Rovers Soccer Club. If there is a B team, the B coach shall notify all players not selected to the A team as to whether he or she has been selected for the B team. Such phone calls shall be made as soon as possible after the date fixed by the Rovers Board of Directors.
5.10 No coaches or assistant coaches shall contact any player or parent regarding the selection process, including placement of that player on a team, until authorized by the Boys or Girls Director. The B coach may not recruit any player selected for the A team or influence a player or the player’s parents not to play on the A team. Interference by a B team coach in any aspect of the selection process is grounds for removal of that individual as a coach.
The formation and composition of Travel Teams, the selection of players, selection of coaches and managers and the assignment of a player to participate on a particular team is at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Rovers Soccer Club. The tryout policy set forth above is intended to place each player on a selected team appropriate for that player’s grade level.
6.0 Playing Time Standard
6.1 Any eligible player who demonstrates a commitment to his or her team should be allowed to play approximately equal time each game (except as set forth in Section 6.2 below). Coaches are strongly encouraged to meet this standard; however, the coaches retain discretion to reduce a player’s playing time based on injuries, disciplinary considerations and the level of a player’s commitment to the team. “Commitment to the Team” refers to a player’s attendance at team practices and games, including Tournaments, and a player’s effort to develop as a player, and does not refer to the ability level or performance of a player (i.e., a player may be “benched” for not attending practices or games without permission.)
6.2 The “playing time standard” rule does not apply in CT Cup. In CT Cup games, each coach must make an effort to allow each eligible player to play a reasonable amount of time in each game (subject to injuries, disciplinary considerations and the level of a player’s commitment to the team). In determining the amount of playing time in a game for each eligible player, the coach should keep in mind the philosophy of the Rovers Program (namely, the opportunity for all eligible players to play among their peers and the opportunity to develop and gain experience in a competitive environment.) Although the Rovers recognize the uniquely competitive nature of CT Cup games, this is not to be used as a justification for denying any eligible player the opportunity to experience and learn from these competitive situations.
6.3 Playing time for teams with more than 16 players, in the case of a U-9 or U-10 team, or more than 22 players in all other cases shall be divided as evenly as practical.
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