Coaches

Spring Season 2024

For rules-change-by-age check out pages 22-29 of the FULL RULEBOOK.

Six things all head coaches and assistants must do:

  1. Sign up as a volunteer at our registration web site . Log in using the same password you used to register your son. Detailed instructions for the risk management process are here . When completing the Risk Management/Player Health part of the form, you must enter a code that we’ll email you so that the cost of the risk screening is borne by our parent organization, OSYSA.
  2. Sexual Abuse Training Federal law now requires all coaches (and board members) to take an online course through SafeSport. Instructions for how to take the course for free through OSYSA, our parent organization. The course takes at least an hour; please don’t leave it until the last minute.
  3. CONCUSSION TRAINING: Coaches and Referees: you need to pass a concussion training course approved by the Ohio Department of Health. SCSA detailed instructions on concussion training. Then email us proof that you passed the course (coaches to president@scsa-soccer.org or your player placement rep) or upload it yourself by going to your login page. Referees email a picture of the certificate to scsa.ref.director@gmail
  4. WATCH A TRAINING VIDEO about sudden cardiac arrest, as required by Ohio law. Apparently you watch this every season that you coach.
  5. Sign an infectious diseases waiver.
  6. Check our calendar for important dates. We’ll have an administrative meeting for all coaches on July 20. Training for new coaches is scheduled for July 30.

PRACTICE FIELDS: Teams have two options: free fields at local schools or renting park district fields. School fields are in especially short supply in the spring, due to baseball.

  • Dribblers and Trappers teams: you have a practice scheduled just before your game. No need for a practice field once the season starts.
  • School Practice Field will use an email poll system. The form will have instructions on which fields are available. Field assignments for spring have been posted. FIELD ASSIGNMENTS FOR FLYERS, WINGS, STRIKERS, KICKERS. Field assignments for Dribblers, Trappers, Shooters and Passers. If you missed the field assignment, check the link to see what is still available and contact chris.hovde1@gmail.com to confirm your selection.
  • Information for park district fields. You will need to turn in pages 2 and 3 of the request form along with your team roster. Teams that choose to use these fields must pay the park district themselves; SCSA’s league fee does not cover practices held at APD fields. Make sure your team’s parents are ok with the extra cost. (Team rosters are part of the application, but are usually posted after the form is due. The park district accepts the form and expects the names and addresses to follow)

News from the board

SHIRTS FOR ALL PLAYERS! Thanks to sponsorships from Cincinnati United soccer and Beacon Orthopedics, we’re planning to provide shirts to players in all age groups. Please let your player placement rep know ASAP if you have a color preference. (Colors are red, maroon, orange, gold, kelly green, forest green, aqua, royal blue, navy blue and purple.)

RULE ON RUNNING UP THE SCORE: When a team has a large lead, the other team will be allowed to add an extra player onto the field without forfeiting the game. (Dribblers and Trappers: we don’t keep standings but please adjust numbers on the field to keep games competitive.) No standings are kept for the spring instructional season.

RULE FOR SHOOTERS AND PASSERS: Goal keepers may not punt the ball, to encourage teams to learn controlled build-up of an attack.

OTHER RULES: Intentional heading is considered a Dangerous Play for Dribblers, Trappers, Shooters, Passers, Flyers, Wings and Strikers. Starting at the Kickers level, heading is allowed in games, but restricted to 10 head balls during practices. Check out the REFEREE DOWNLOAD page for the latest rules and cheat sheets, as well as extra Score Sheets.

THE BOARD: Dean Rettig is President and Scott Gillard is VP of SCSA. The full board includes Brian Berning, Kent Buchman, Chris Hovde, Dan Ilg, Sarah Impellizzeri, Andrew Kraemer, Tim Lacey, Jen McComb, Brian Riesenberg, Terri Sifford (Secretary), Megan Stilwell, Heather Topmiller, Paul Topmiller and Todd Zech (Treasurer).

Respecting referees: Please lead by example. You will have issues with bad calls. We don’t think our refs are perfect, and we don’t keep a secret supply of great refs available for when you chase away the ones you have. COACHES-please collect your thoughts or those of the parents on your team and forward to referees@scsa-soccer.org. We promise to keep training the refs and to discuss any misconceptions they have about the rules.

Coaches Clinics

Soccer Field Insurance
Download Form

Sample Letter to parents

Download sample letter for Dribblers and Trappers

Form for Coaching multiple teams
Download Form

Skills and Drills
Download information provided in the “Skills and Drills”