Portsmouth Pirates Competitive Soccer Club, Portsmouth, RI - Click for Home Page

Portsmouth Pirates Competitive Soccer Club
Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association, Click for home page

Coaches' Information Packet

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Director of Coaches

3. Registrar

4. Competitive Coordinator

5. Referee and Assistant Referees

6. Volunteers

7. Fall and Spring Soccer

8. Indoor Soccer

9. Coaching Web Pages

10. Coaching Videos
11. Fields and Equipment
12. Pirates Tournaments
13. Drills

Introduction

Congratulations on becoming the coach of a team in the Portsmouth Pirates Soccer Club!Now that you have been named as a coach, you begin the sometimes daunting, sometimes frustrating, but hopefully always rewarding, year ahead. In order to help you on your way, the club has developed this packet to complement the Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association (PYSA) booklet for coaches. Inside, you will find information that fellow coaches have found to be helpful to them. Of course, it does not contain everything that you need to know, but we hope that it will get you started on the right foot.

So, read on and good luck!

Director of Coaches

Pirates Director of Coaches is ________________ and can be reached at ______________.

  • If you are one of those wonderful parents that looked at your child and said "Sure I’ll coach your team" and then realized that you know nothing about coaching soccer, then you should talk to the Director of Coaches. The Director of Coaches can help you get your team up and running. Here are some of the things he/she can do for you:

    • Assist new coaches in running initial training sessions.

    • Act as a liaison with other coaches that can help you.

    • Recommend other practice sessions that you can watch. (Watching other coaches and teams can provide ideas that can help your team.)

    • Provide a breakdown on what each age level should be focusing on each year.

    • Provide information on obtaining an appropriate coaching certificate or license.

  • Each year the Director of Coaches provides high level coaching clinics. Some of the clinicians have been MLS players, RI Stingrays coaches/players, College coaches, High School coaches and other qualified clinicians. These training sessions are for both Pirate players and coaches. Contact the Director of Coaches to have your team participate in a clinic. Be flexible and allow enough time for the Director of Coaches to make the arrangements.

  • Most importantly, if you need help, ask for it.

Portsmouth Pirates Registrar

 

Pirates Registrar is ________________ and can be reached at ______________.

  • The Registrar is a volunteer that devotes numerous hours to help coaches throughout the year. The Registrar organizes the registration before tryouts. At the registration, he/she assists coaches by collecting insurance money, obtaining a copy of the players’ birth certificates, and assembling the registration, liability, medical and volunteer forms into packets - including any newsletters or other information regarding the Pirates.

  • Once the teams are formed, each coach turns in to the Registrar the completed registration and volunteer forms for the members of the selected team. As the coach, you retain a copy of the birth certificate and the medical information/authorization form for each player. These should be brought with you to every practice and game.

  • Rosters must be filled out for fall, indoor, spring, regional cup and tournament play. The registrar will complete a roster using the players’ registration forms. This roster needs to be approved by the state before you can play any competitive games. You need to help the registrar obtain the necessary information as soon as your team is formed.

  • Each player and coach must obtain a state player/coaching pass. The registrar will provide you with the passes and assist you in filling them out correctly. You, or your team parent, must collect a 1 inch x1 inch picture of each player and coach on your team. Coaches will show these passes to referees prior to the start of each match.

  • Except for the scheduled state fall and spring league games, you are required to provide a permission to travel form when participating in any tournament or indoor league. Attached are copies of the in state and out of state travel forms. You can get copies of these forms from the Registrar. These forms have to be signed by the State Registrar 30 days prior to the soccer event that your team wants to attend. Plan ahead!

  • The Registrar assists coaches with obtaining and completing all necessary paperwork to properly register the teams.

  • The Registrar collects and records all fees collected by the teams then submits the fees to the Treasurer for deposit. The Registrar subsequently obtains checks from the treasurer to pay for insurance, player passes, bonds, and registration fees required by the State. He/she also obtains insurance ID numbers that permit players to participate.

  • The Registrar works closely with the Competitive Coordinator (liaison between the Coaches, the club, the Pirates’ Registrar and the State Registrar) to make sure that we meet all State deadlines.

  • He/she attends one or two statewide meetings to register the teams.

  • The registrar does this for every Pirate team. It is important that you, or your team parent, stay in close contact with the Registrar and assist as much as possible.

Competitive Coordinator

  • The Pirates Competitive Coordinator is ____________ and can be reached at ___________.

  • The Competitive Coordinator is the primary liaison and point of contact for all matters related to the state association. He/she deals exclusively with the State Registrar on all matters concerning competitive soccer teams. Coaches are not permitted to meet with the State Registrar on any matter related to spring competitive soccer.

  • The Competitive Coordinator receives the schedule for all competitive games. Any games that need to be rescheduled must be done through him/her. He/she also receives and distributes the locations and directions for the away games.

  • The contact point for notification of game cancellations.

  • The Competitive Coordinator is responsible for reporting the scores of all competitive season games to the state association. You, or your publicity coordinator, will need to call the Coordinator with your score after each game.

  • Maintains and distributes game cards (line up) and referee cards (game reports) to the coaches.

  • Arranges for the return of player passes to any ejected players or coaches.

  • The Competitive Coordinator works closely with the Registrar to ensure that all appropriate paperwork is submitted to the state on time and accurately.

  • Insures that the association’s performance bonds are kept at the proper, required amounts.

 

Referee and Assistant Referees

  • Pirates Referee Coordinator is ________________ and can be reached at ______________.

  • The Pirates Referee Coordinator is responsible for assigning the center referee and two assistants for all U12 and under games held in Portsmouth.

  • The State assigns the referee and assistants for U14 and above.

  • If the State does not cancel a scheduled game, only the center referee can cancel the game. Since this is done at the field, both teams must show up ready to play.

  • When requesting a center referee and assistants for a scrimmage, give the Referee Coordinator at least a three-day notice.

  • Caution the parents on your team not to yell or harass the center referee or the assistants at home or away. The referees might miss a call here or there, but it’s all part of the game in any sport, at any level. Remember they are not professionals. Many are just kids learning to referee.

  • Do not let another coach reprimand a youth referee from Portsmouth. If the other coach wants to talk to the referee at half time or after the game, you should be present. Coaches from both teams are given referee cards to comment on referee performance. Use that form of feedback to help them improve.

  • Each team pays one half of the referee fees. The amount for each age group is listed in the State "Rules of Play" book. A copy is given to each coach at the beginning of the spring season. To make it easier, have one’s and five’s for payment. The referees have to split the money and normally won’t have change for a twenty.

  • The Competitive Coordinator will give you game cards and line up cards at the start of each season. Fill out the game cards (for home games) and line-up cards (each game) before the game. These are given to the referee prior to the start of the game.

  • After the game, do not sign the game card until the referee fills in the score.

Volunteers

The Portsmouth Pirates Soccer Club and its parent organization the Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association (PYSA) is run completely by volunteers. If there were no volunteers like you and the other parents in key positions throughout the organization, there would not be a venue for youth soccer in Portsmouth. The Pirates Soccer Club and the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament fall under the umbrella of the Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association. The Pirates Competitive/Developmental program and the Pirates Tournament cannot exist without PYSA as the parent organization.

There are numerous positions in the organization that require volunteers. As a coach, you play an important role in helping to find new volunteers. Normally all it takes is notifying the parents of the positions that need volunteers and encouraging them to get involved. Positions need to be filled at the PYSA level, and the Pirates’ Board level. In addition all parents are expected to volunteer at the team level. Positions that need to be filled in the Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association and Pirates Board level are listed below. Vacancies are announced at each of the monthly meetings. Some of the positions might just take an hour per month, while other positions could take a few hours each week. Most of these positions are filled for 1 or 2 year periods and require the volunteer to be voted in by the board members. Some of the positions include the following:

Portsmouth Youth Soccer Association

Pirates Club Soccer Club

President

President

Vice President

Vice President

Secretary

Secretary

Referee Coordinator

Referee Coordinator

Director of Coaches

Director of Coaches

Treasurer

Treasurer

Sponsor Coordinator

Registrar

Registrar

Competitive Coordinator

Field & Equipment Coordinators

Field & Equipment Coordinators

Tee Shirt Coordinator

Tournament Director

There are many volunteer positions that need to be filled at the team level. Some positions are extremely important and the coach needs to make sure that whoever signs up for them will fulfill their commitment. One key position that has to be filled is the team’s Pirate board representatives. This position requires two volunteers from each team to attend the monthly Pirates Board meetings and represent the team. These volunteers will participate in discussions and vote on Pirates Soccer Club business. They bring information back to the team and discuss the minutes of the Board meetings with the coach and parents. It is important that both representatives attend each meeting because a quorum of up to 75% of voting members is needed to vote on certain Club matters.

A second key position is the Portsmouth Tournament Representatives. This position also requires two volunteers from each team to attend a monthly Pirates Tournament meeting. These volunteers will vote on matters pertaining to the Pirates Tournament and pass on any information from these meetings to the coaches and team parents. The tournament representatives coordinate tournament volunteers from your team to help with concessions, field marshals and other positions when it is time for the tournament.

There are many other positions that each team requires. A description of the positions is attached. Prepare a team volunteer sheet and have the parents sign up for positions at your first practice/information session. You can make your own list or make a copy of one of the enclosed examples in this packet. A copy of the completed Team Volunteer sheet should be sent to the Pirates Secretary, so he/she can notify the respective Pirates coordinator.

 

DESCRIPTION OF VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS

 

TEAM ( BOARD) REPRESENTATIVE

Each team is required to have two Team Reps who will serve on the Pirates Board. Team Reps are voting members on the Board. Team Reps are required to attend monthly board meetings for a one-year period. Meetings are usually held the third Thursday of each month. Team Reps must communicate important issues as well as the minutes of each board meeting to the parents of their team. Team Reps may be asked to serve on various committees.

TEAM PARENT

 

The team parent will assist the coach in coordinating the following: telephone tree, uniforms, orange and drink schedule, team pictures and distributing information to parents at practices or games. The team parent may be asked to work with the social coordinator on team parties.

TEAM MANAGER

 

The team manager may assist the coach in the following areas: organizing tournaments, permission to travel forms, player registration for fall/spring/indoor seasons, awards and other paperwork required.

TOURNAMENT REPRESENTATIVE

 

Each team is required to have two Tournament Reps that will work on the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. The Reps will be required to attend monthly tournament meetings and report back to the team. In addition, they will be required to coordinate volunteers from your team for field marshals, field help, concessions, lining soccer fields, etc.

FIELDS AND EQUIPMENT

 

Each team is to have two volunteers to work with the Pirates Board Field Coordinator to help maintain the team’s playing field. They will be required to help measure and line the fields in the fall and the spring and make sure the fields are lined for each of your games. They are responsible for installing the corner flags for each game as well as removing them and putting them away. They will need to check the goals and field before each game to ensure they are safe for the teams to play.

FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR

 

Required to work with the Pirates Board Fundraising Coordinator for all club fundraising events.

PUBLICITY COORDINATOR

Required to call your team’s game scores into the Pirates’ competitive coordinator and the local newspapers. (Newport Daily News and The Sakonnet Times)

TEAM SOCIAL COORDINATOR

Responsible for planning the end of the year party and any other club social events.

TEAM MEDICAL ASSISTANT

(If desired) To provide assistance to you when a player gets injured at a game. You may ask them to bring ice to each game in case of injuries.

 

Pirates Team Volunteer Sheet

Activity Name Address Phone Number

Head Coach 1.

Asst. Coach 1.

                 2.

Pirates Board (Attends monthly Pirates meetings, Is a voting member for the Pirates Soccer Club, Represents the team)

Representative (2) 1.

                          2.

Tournament (Attends monthly Tournament Meetings, Is a voting member for the Pirates Tournament, Represents the team)
Representative (2) 1.

                          2.

Fields Coordinator (Works with the other teams in developing a schedule for lining and maintaining the team’s playing field.)

1.

Assistant 2.

Registrar (Insures all players are registered for fall, spring and indoor. Collects money, Keeps coaches organized)

/Team Parent 1.

Fund Raising (Team fund raising events)

Coordinator 1.

Uniform (Ensures all players have ordered uniforms & distributes uniforms and other apparel)

Coordinator 1.

Publicity (Calls in scores to the Newport Daily News and the Sakonnet Times)

1.

Special Events (Plans end of the year party, parents night-out, Christmas party and etc...)

1.

2.

Half Time (Organizes lists for fruit and juice for each game)

1.

Phone Tree (Make up phone tree, ensures everyone gets notified of changes, Their number should be the 2nd number)

1.

Medical (Assists coach when player gets hurt)

Assistant 1.

Fall and Spring Soccer

Fall Season

The state supports a limited fall season that the U-14 and U-12 ‘A’ teams (and some ‘B’ teams) participate in. The competitive/developmental programs are limited as many communities conduct their recreation programs in the fall.Teams that do not participate in the state program often arrange "scrimmages" with similar teams from other towns. These scrimmages give variety and challenge to their teams beyond the practices that concentrate on drills for skill development and team building.

There are also several popular fall tournaments that many teams elect to participate in. Fees are divided among the parents on the team. Some of the tournaments include the Cape Cod Tournament (Yarmouth, MA) and the Warren Tournament over Columbus Day weekend and the Barrington Tournament in early November.

Spring Season

The spring season is the traditional competitive season for the state. Most communities across the state participate in the state-scheduled program that leads to the Regional and Rhode Island Cup series for the U-12 and above age groups.The U-10 and U-8 age groups participate in developmental programs designed to improve skill levels and promote the fun of team play in organized sports. The state also coordinates and schedules the games for these age groups.

The spring season also hosts popular tournaments for diversional play/activity including the Danvers Tournament over Memorial Day weekend, the Pirates’ Tournament over Father’s Day weekend, the Bristol Tournament, the Seaside Classic in South County, and many more.

Indoor Soccer

  • Here are some of the facilities that the Pirate teams play at during the winter months. A few reminders are listed below to help you.

    • Divisions fill up fast - Register and put down a deposit early.

    • Player passes are required for indoor soccer.

    • Fill out permission to travel and notify the Pirates registrar to get a team roster.

Multiplex Sports-Somerset, MA (508) 676-3956

Location-30 minutes from Portsmouth. Take 24 North to 195, Take 195 west to exit 4B. Follow this exit to the stop light. Take a right onto Lee’s River Ave. the Multiplex is on the right side about ¾ of a mile down.

Indoor sessions- The first session (8 games and a play off game) starts around the end of October and the second starts at the end of January. Most teams play 6 vs. 6

Tournaments- They have 3 indoor tournaments-Thanksgiving, Christmas Vacation and February school break

Approx. cost-$525.00 When 8 or more club teams participate a $25.00 discount is given to each team.

Soccer Camps- Camps are held twice over the winter and last about 8 weeks.

Sports Dome-Dartmouth, MA (508) 285-8040

Location-30 minutes from Portsmouth. Take 24 North to 195, Take 195 east to exit 11. Take a left onto Reed Road. The Sports Dome is on the left side about 1/2 of a mile down. It is right past the train tracks

Indoor sessions-Futsal is what they play at the Sports Dome. In Futsal the kids do not use walls, it is a game that develops the kids passing game. The ball is different from a regular soccer ball and the field has out of bound lines. Registration to play or get more information can be found by going to their web page (Insoccer.org). The first session (8 games) starts around November and the second starts in January. Most teams play 5 vs. 5

Tournaments- They have 3 indoor tournaments-Thanksgiving, Christmas Vacation and February school break

Approx. cost-$425.00 Discounts are given by registering in advance.

Soccer Camps-Soccer camps and individual training is normally available.

Rhode Island Indoor Sports Center-Warwick, RI (401) 463-5565

Location-45 minutes from Portsmouth. Take 24 North to 195. Take 195 west to 95 south. Take exit 15 (Jefferson Blvd) off 95and then take a left at the stop sign onto Jefferson Blvd. RI Indoor Sports is on the left about 1 mile.

Indoor sessions- The first session (8 games and a play off game) starts around the end of October and the second starts at the end of January. Most teams play 6 vs. 6

Tournaments- They have 3 indoor tournaments-Thanksgiving, Christmas Vacation and February school break

Approx. cost-$700.00

Soccer Camps- Their soccer camp is normally for 18 weeks over the winter. However, you should be able to sign up for a lesser amount of time.

Web Pages

 

  • Drills and Coaching information

 

  • Goalkeeping

  • Coaching Manual

  • Coaches links

 

  • Local pages and teams

  • Parents

    • www.isoccermom.com (A nice web site for parents. It also has info for kids, drills for coaches and other info)

 

Coaching Videos

 

The Pirates have purchased a number of videos designed to assist coaches with drills, skills, and tactics. Below are just a few examples:

    1. Dutch Soccer-Attach from the back.

    2. Coaching tactics and skills

    3. Ajax training method

    4. Ajax running techniques

Contact the Director of Coaches for more information.

Fields and Equipment

Fields

One of the first orders of business for the new soccer year is determining which field(s) the teams will be playing and practicing on. Although the various age groups have certain fields that they traditionally use, intermittent "resting" of the fields creates the need for flexibility each year.

Once each age group has their field assignments, the coaches meet to select (barter for) their practice days.

From that point on, field maintenance becomes a shared effort with the other teams assigned to the same field. You will notice that one of the volunteer positions on your team is the "fields coordinator" or "fields and equipment" volunteer. These individuals mark and line the field at the beginning of the season with the assistance of the Director of Fields and Equipment and the other fields volunteers in your age group. They are then responsible for making sure that the field is freshly lined and ready/safe for each of your home games. They also place and remove the corner flags each game.

Equipment

The Pirates Soccer Club supplies basic equipment needs like practice and game balls, pennies, cones, goalie jersey and gloves, an air pump, a first aid kit, and equipment.

If you feel that you need more/other equipment for your team, contact the Equipment director who will either handle the request or present it to the Board for consideration and approval.

Portsmouth Soccer Tournament
PISTDESCRIPTION

The Portsmouth Invitational Soccer Tournament is an annual event hosted by the Tournament Committee of the Pirates Soccer Club. It is traditionally held during Fathers Day Weekend. For more than nine years this tournament has enabled the families of Portsmouth to participate in a first class tournament without fees and the inconvenience or expense of traveling to other towns. It is free to Portsmouth teams. This tournament always showcases our town and receives favorable compliments from visiting teams.The Tournament Committee organizes the Tournament and is comprised of volunteers within the Pirates organization that fill key and support positions. The Tournament is designed to be a non-profit function. However, in past years, excess proceeds have been used to help Portsmouth teams offset the expenses of participating in other tournaments or to purchase equipment. The success of the tournament relies heavily on volunteers. Each coach must ensure that his/her team contributes at least two volunteers to be Tournament Representatives who attend the applicable meetings, inform the team parents about the tournament, and enlist additional volunteers when necessary. The committee meets once a month starting in October. As the tournament draws near, there will be more meetings as required.The following are some of the key positions on the Tournament Committee:

  • Tournament Director– Organizes the committee, schedules and conducts meetings, seeks sanctioning for the tournament, ensures compliance with local ordinances, pursues advertising, resolves problems, and provides leadership in running the tournament.

  • Assistant Director– Assists the Director as required.

  • Registrar – Distributes invitations for the tournament, accepts tournaments inquiries, manages team registrations, and ensures accurate completion of all necessary documents.

  • Secretary – Schedules meeting locations, produces meeting minutes or other reports as required.

  • Treasurer – Maintains all financial accounts, tracks expenditures and income, and ensures cash flow.

  • Director of Field Marshals – Organizes schedule and ensures every field has a Field Marshal for every game of the tournament. Orients/trains Field Marshals for tournament

  • Director of Scorekeeping– Arranges and coordinates the system and personnel that record and post competition scores at each site (High School and Seveney).

  • Fields and Equipment Manager – Determines the number of fields required for each division, ensures fields are marked and equipment in place prior to the start of the tournament.

  • Director of Referees and Athletic Trainers– Arranges for the correct number of referees for tournament. Ensures referees are familiar with our tournament rules and are paid each day. Arranges for Sports Trainers to support the tournament.

  • Director of Concessions – Coordinates the planning and organization of menus and other items that will be sold at the tournament, obtains necessary equipment, and establishes a volunteer schedule to provide the required coverage.

  • T-Shirts and Hats Manager – Coordinates the design and procurement of all patches, hats and T-Shirts – including those for Tournament Staff.

  • Communications Director – Establishes an overall communications plan for the tournament weekend. Negotiates with suppliers for free/paid communications systems.

  • Program Booklet Manager – Organizes and designs a booklet that is distributed to all team members/families that attend the tournament. Solicits paid advertising and collects pertinent team and tournament data for inclusion.

  • Trophy Director – Determines with the tournament committee the type and number of trophies to purchase for the tournament. Coordinates ordering and purchasing of trophies.

  • Fundraising Director- Establishes, organizes, and conducts fund raising events to support the tournament.

  • Sponsor Coordinator – Seeks corporate contributors.

  • Parking Director – Establishes parking plans for both sites and ensures designated areas are properly marked, staffed, and controlled.

  • Hotel Coordinator – Maintains contact with hotel reservation organizations to refer visiting teams for lodging.

  • Volunteers Coordinator – Assists the committee directors and managers in identifying and resolving volunteer shortages and conflicts.

  • Site Maintenance Manager – Ensures all sites are clear of trash and maintain a tidy appearance. Ensure all comfort facilities are in good working condition.

As you can see there are at least 20 key positions that are needed to plan the Tournament. If all coaches would share the needs and the positive aspects of the tournament with the parents, then we will continue to be able to sponsor the best tournament in Rhode Island.

 

Packet originally compiled for the 2000/2001 season by Roy Higgins