FRYSA Policies Manual
Section 100 – General Policies
101 Score Reporting
101.1 – Scores will be recorded for Grades 6, 7 & 8 in the recreational program.
101.2 – The Pre-K, K, Grades 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 in the recreational program are non-standings based and no scores will be recorded.
102 Casts/Prosthesis/Braces
Any player with a cast, soft or hard, or metal brace on their body will be permitted to participate in a FRYSA recreational game provided the cast/brace is wrapped with a protective padding and a medical release signed by a physician and parent is provided to FRYSA. Any player with a medical prosthesis will be permitted to participate in a FRYSA recreational game provided a medical release signed by a physician and parent is provided to FRYSA.
103 Make-Up Games (Recreation)
If a game is to be rescheduled due to field or weather conditions:
103.1 – Only one game shall be rescheduled.
103.2 – Rescheduling shall be done by means of the FRYSA Web Site.
103.3 – Make-up games will be scheduled for the weekend following the last regularly scheduled match.
103.4 – The first cancelled weekend of the season will be the schedule followed for all make-up games.
103.5 – Any cancelled games not scheduled for make-up shall not be played.
Section 200 – Players
201 – Multiple Rostering
Multiple rostering permits a player to play for more than one team.
201.1 – The recreational player must be in Grade 8 or below.
201.2 – A player may be rostered on one team competing in Fall River Youth Soccer Association (FRYSA) recreational program and one team competing with a competitive travel team, Fall River United.
201.3 – A recommendation from the coach is required for multiple rostering.
201.4 – Selected players will need additional training and will not dominate play in the recreational program.
201.5 – A player cannot play for more than one recreational or travel team in FRYSA.
201.6 – All competitive travel players must abide by Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) policies on multiple rostering with FRYSA and competitive club teams (MAPLE/NEP/Other).
201.7 – reserved for future considerations.
202 – Rosters/Player Placement
202.1 – Recreation players will be randomly assigned to teams with respect to grade and balancing the overall talent. Players will not be allowed to play outside of their grade group.
202.2 – The coach of any team will be allowed to roster their son/daughter if age appropriate. Relatives, friends, neighbors or other requests for team placement are not encouraged and will require Executive Board approval.
202.3 – Only players listed on the official roster may participate in FRYSA sanctioned matches.
202.4 – A copy of each player’s birth certificate or passport must be available to verify age.
202.5 – A player on a team of record with FRYSA is not open to recruitment from a coach wishing to start a new team regardless of relationship to the player.
202.6 – Competitive travel players will be assigned teams based on age and ability during a formal tryout process to be conducted prior to team declarations.
Grade 8 and under:
202.6.1 – Players may be allowed to play up one age group (single year) if approved by the Executive Board of FRYSA.
202.6.2 – Players will be allowed to play up if there is no team in their age group or the roster for the team in the player’s age group is full.
202.6.3 – Players with exceptional ability may be allowed to play up one age group from a team participating in a division 2 or lower competition bracket if approved by the Executive Board of FRYSA.
202.6.4 – Individual requests for team placement will not be accepted unless approved by the Executive Board of FRYSA.
Grade 9 and up:
202.6.5 – Players may play up to two age groups with Executive Board approval regardless of team placement in the different age groups.
202.6.6 – Players may attend tryouts for any team for which they meet the above stated criteria or have permission from the Executive Board of FRYSA.
203 – Order of Participation
Priority Guide for Multiple Rostered Players (recreation and travel)
These “priorities of play” are for players who are listed on multiple rosters. These priorities:
1. Games – players are to give priority to the travel team in event of a schedule conflict.
2. Practices – players are to alternate attendance in event of a schedule conflict.
These priorities provide players, coaches and parents with a set of expectations for players rostered to multiple teams. They have been developed to enable players to rise to their highest level of soccer while affording them access to all levels of play.
Section 300 – Teams
301 Team Placement
301.1 – Acceptance of new teams is at the discretion of the Executive Board of FRYSA upon the recommendation of the Director of Competition.
301.2 – Grades 2 & 3 of competitive travel teams will be formed to create balanced teams should there be enough players for more than one team in an age group.
301.3 – Teams will be placed in appropriate competitive divisions, Division 1 or 2, based on the potential for success and team talent. In some cases, the policies of the participating league will dictate team placement. Recommendations from the coaches, team manager and Director of Competition will be considered, but the final decision on placement will be with the Executive Board of FRYSA.
301.4 – Placement of two teams within the same Division (D1 or D2) and age group shall be avoided whenever possible to prevent internal competition for players and a competitive disadvantage within League play.
301.5 – Teams must notify the Director of Competition upon registering for tournaments or other competitions which fall outside of league sanctioned events.
302 Uniforms
302.1 – Uniforms for competitive travel teams will be chosen by the Executive Board of FRYSA. All teams will select from the options provided by FRYSA.
302.2 – Teams may choose to allow player names to be placed on the back of the jerseys. All players will have names or none of them will have names under this option.
303.3 – Any effort to defray the cost of uniforms (fundraising) will be determined and sponsored by FRYSA. Individual teams cannot perform independent fundraising without the consent of the Executive Board of FRYSA.
303 Winter Season
303.1 – FRYSA does not sanction any winter competition. Teams selecting to participate in winter indoor sessions, do so outside of the realm of FRYSA.
303.2 – Teams may use their FRYSA travel uniforms during participation.
303.3 – Teams may use Fall River United in name only during unsanctioned competition.
Section 400 – Coaches
401 – Credentials
401.1 – A copy of the FRYSA By-laws, Rules of Play, Policy Manual and Coaching Curriculum will be available to every coach via the League website.
401.2 – To be properly registered, each coach must complete an application process to include a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, have completed an application for coaching on file, attend a pre-season mandatory Coaches Meeting and perform any other functions requested by the Executive Board of FRYSA.
401.3 – Coaches must be 18 years of age or older prior to the start of any season in which he/she will be responsible for a team.
402 – Licensure
402.1 – Coaching licensure is recommended for all coaches:
1. Massachusetts Youth Soccer “F” license for recreation coaches.
2. Massachusetts Youth Soccer “E” license for competitive travel coaches.
402.2 – FRYSA will reimburse 100% of the cost to obtain coaching licensure from MYSA or NSCAA for courses up to and including the “D” license or equivalent upon successful completion of the course and submission of the coaching license.
Section 500 – Referees
501 Referees Meetings
A copy of the FRYSA Rules of Play will be given to every referee with a signature sheet at the Mandatory Referees’ Meeting(s). It is the responsibility of the Referee Representative to distribute Rules of Play to referees under his/her jurisdiction.
502 Referee Fees and Payment
502.1 – Recreation referees, Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5, will be in the 8th grade or higher.
502.2 – Current referee licensure is recommended for recreational referees:
1. Licensed referees will receive $20 per game for Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5.
2. Unlicensed referees will receive $10 per game for Grades 2, 3, 4 & 5.
3. Licensed referees will be used for the Grades 6, 7 & 8 and will receive $35 per game as center referee and $20 per game as assistant referee.
502.3 – Current licensure is required to referee MYSA sanctioned travel competition. Fee schedule and referee assignments will follow participating league guidelines.
502.4 – FRYSA will reimburse 100% of the cost to obtain/maintain referee licensure from Massachusetts State Referee Committee.
503 General
All persons responsible for a team and all the spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so will undermine the referee’s authority and has the potential of creating a hostile environment for players, the referee and all the other participants and spectators.
504 Assault or Abuse of a Referee
When any player, coach, manager, club official or game official assaults or abuses a referee, the responsibility to adjudicate the matter shall rest with the MYSA, and all pertinent data and evidence shall be immediately given to the MYSA. All other reports of assault or abuse shall be made to the FRYSA. The Executive Board of FRYSA shall be the body to conduct hearings of suspensions or expulsions resulting from of assault, abuse or game misconduct.
505 Addressing the Referee
No one is to address the referee during the game except as allowed below.
1. Coaches and Managers during the Game:
May respond to a referee initiating a communication
May ask for substitutions
May point out emergencies or safety issues
2. At halftime or at the end of the game:
May ask a referee to explain a rule(s) in a polite and constructive way
May give a polite and friendly feedback to the referee
Absolutely no sarcasm, harassment or intimidation is allowed in any conversation with the referee
3. Penalties:
1st Minor Infraction – The referee should ignore
1st Serious Infraction – Caution or ejection depending on the seriousness of the infraction (FIFA)
2nd Minor Infraction – A verbal warning
3rd Infraction – Caution
4th Infraction – Ejection
4. Spectators During the game:
May respond to a referee initiating a communication
May point out emergencies or safety issues
5. Penalties:
1st Infraction – Referee should stop the game and ask the coach to quiet the offending spectator
2nd Infraction – A verbal warning. Referee should stop the game and ask the coach to warn the spectator that the next infraction will be an ejection or the referee will abandon the game
3rd Infraction – The referee shall instruct the coach to direct the spectator to leave the field. The referee should abandon the game if the spectator refuses to leave the field
Section 600 – Zero Tolerance
FRYSA follows a Zero Tolerance Policy for assault and abuse and will not condone game misconduct, including:
Negative comments directed towards any player
Spectators instructing players on the field
Negative comments directed towards a referee or coach
Adopted: 01/19/2017