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MISSION
The Portage Soccer Club (PSC) was incorporated in February 1991. The mission of the PSC is to promote the development of amateur soccer players. The PSC will accomplish this mission by:
A. Providing quality coaching, clinics and team play;
B. Providing competitive opportunities through participation in the West Michigan Youth Soccer Association (WMYSA), the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) and the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA);
C. Promoting and sponsoring MSYSA and USYSA sanctioned tournaments;
D. Supporting recreational and developmental soccer programs in the community;
E. Working cooperatively with other recreational and developmental sports programs; and
F. Supporting the development and maintenance of soccer fields for PSC teams, for tournament play and for community use.
CODE OF ETHICS
PSC sponsors youth soccer activity with the goal of providing our children an opportunity to develop into well-rounded athletes and productive, respected members of society through team play, sportsmanship, top competition, and hard work. Our mission is to provide them the opportunity to play soccer at the highest level commensurate with their individual ability, potential, and interest. An emphasis on fair play and respect for all participants is a primary element of our club’s mission. To better achieve this mission, we provide the following Codes of Ethics for all PSC players, parents, spectators, volunteers and coaches.
SELECTION OF COACHES
The PSC Director of Coaches is responsible for the selection of coaches subject to approval of the PSC Board of Directors. Coach selections for the PSC will be based on demonstrated soccer coaching ability, experience, licensing and the ability to instruct. Coaches are required to have the appropriate license for the age group and level that they will be coaching. For the U-10 to U-12 age groups this shall be a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) class E license, its equivalent or above. For the U-13 and above age groups this shall be a USSF class D license, its equivalent or above. Coaches without a license are allowed one year (fall and spring seasons) to obtain a license.
FORMATION OF TEAMS
PSC offers boys and girls, ages seven to nineteen the opportunity to train and play for our academy program and competitive teams. The Academy Program allows boys and girls ages seven and eight to train and experience game play in Jamborees.
Typically at the younger ages (non academy ages) teams may be formed to balance the development of player skills. The makeup of these teams will be determined by the Soccer Club to maximize development of all youth selected for all teams. At the older ages, when more than one team is formed in a particular age group, players will be divided into two teams. The "A" teams will be formed with the more skilled players. The "B" team shall be formed out of the remaining players and shall be a developmental team. If there are insufficient players at some ages, age groups may be combined to form a team. Placement of those teams will be governed by WMYSA rules,
Parents are strongly urged to remember that all players develop at different rates, and being placed on the "B" team is also a great opportunity to grow and develop, especially when attitudes are positive and the focus is on fun and development at a healthy pace. There are many examples of youth who played on "B" teams and became excellent players, including several Portage youth who recently went on to earn All-Division and All-District status on their high school teams. Please visit our alumni page to read a more.
Any appeals to the team formation process must be submitted to the entire PSC board in writing.
The preceding policy was modified and approved at the April 9, 2006 PSC Board of Directors meeting.
PSC FEES
The fees for PSC players are determined annually by the Board and is posted on the tryout page.
TRYOUTS
Tryouts for PSC teams will be held to identify those players who have the technical soccer skills, tactical understanding, physical fitness, desire and coachability to play soccer at a high level. The tryout process will adequately, fairly and objectively evaluate players. The PSC Director of Coaches shall be responsible for establishing the criteria to be evaluated at tryouts. The criteria will include the following items: a series of skills tests wherein players are evaluated on their soccer skills (i.e. pass, dribble, shoot, ball control and head plus goalkeeper) and tactical exercises (small-sided games).
Prior to tryouts, the Director of Coaches shall hold a mandatory meeting of coaches to review the criteria to be evaluated at tryouts. Following tryouts, but before the notification of player results, a second coaches meeting shall be held to review results, team formation and players trying out up.
Player scores will be tabulated and summarized. Players will then be given a numerical ranking and selection to a PSC team will be based on this ranking. Tryout results will be strictly confidential.
Parents are not allowed on the soccer fields during tryouts unless they are assisting in recording tryout data. However, parents may not record data for tryouts that their own child participates in.
TRYING OUT AND PLAYING IN AN ADVANCED AGE DIVISION
Players will be allowed to play on an advanced age team if in doing so they will be playing with children of the same school grade level and are selected based on the tryout, or if there are not enough travel-caliber players to form an age-appropriate team without them.
Players who wish to play with teammates one year older and one year ahead in school are encouraged to play with their age-appropriate team, but will be permitted to "try out up" if the following conditions are all met-
1. The player must be ranked in the top 25% of players on their age-appropriate team as having soccer skills substantially superior to their peers as judged by their current PSC coach and impartial evaluator prior to tryouts.
2. The player must be evaluated as in the upper half of players that are currently in the advanced age division.
3. The player (or his/her parents) interested in trying out for an advanced age division team must present written certification by their current coach that they're in the top quartile of their current team when they register to tryout for the advanced age team.
Players are advised to attend tryouts both for the advanced age they're trying out for, and their age-appropriate team in case they aren't selected for the advanced age team.
The PSC Tryout Selection Committee shall be the arbitrator of any disputes regarding the eligibility of a player to play up, and placement of a player on a PSC team.
If, due to a superior record in their appropriate age division, a team wishes to play in an advanced age division to find a more competitive environment, the team may petition the PSC board to do so.
The preceding policy was modified and approved at the April 9, 2006 PSC Board of Directors meeting.
NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS
Players will be notified of the result of their tryout no later than 1 week following the conclusion of the tryouts. At that time, those players offered positions will be asked to accept or decline the position by email no later than 48 hours following notification of the tryout result. Players and parents are reminded that the other players on the team are counting on each other's commitment to follow through on whatever they commit to, as are other players who are turned away. Consideration of others who also want to play soccer is expected.
Selected players and their families are expected to attend the PSC Annual Club-Wide Meeting in the latter part of June (date/time and location will be announced no later than June 1 of each year).
Club fees for each player will be due at this meeting. Families unable to attend will be responsible for completing their PSC registration and pay the player fees with their PSC Team Manager or Coach before the late-June meeting.
Players who tryout and will be attending high school for the succeeding fall will be notified of the result of his/her tryout following annual tryouts or the conclusion of the high school season. This option will only be available to coaches who intend to evaluate players performing for their high school team and/or conduct a supplemental tryout following the conclusion of the high school season.
In no event shall a player be notified of the results of his/her tryout later than November 30 or a date to be determined by the Board of Directors.
The preceding policy was modified and approved at the April 9, 2006 PSC Board of Directors meeting.
PSC COMMITMENT
The Fall Season usually runs from mid- or late-August to the end of October. The Spring Season usually runs from mid April to mid- or late-June. Teams typically practice twice a week. Teams typically play an average of eight (8) regular league games each season on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Half of the games are played away and home games are played at the Portage Soccer Complex. Teams also usually play two or three tournaments per year, which may include Memorial Day & Labor Day. All teams are also required to play in the Portage Soccer Classic in June - we are the host organization. Some teams play outside the regular season (indoor soccer), which is voluntary.
By committing to play on a PSC team, the player's family is committing to pay the required fees and volunteer eight to ten hours per year (i.e. concession stand, Portage Soccer Classic Tournament, spring and fall clean up at the complex).
