Our goal is to offer the opportunity to play a reasonably high level of soccer to those children in Kennebunk & Kennebunkport who are willing to make the committment.

In devleoping an evaluation and selection policy, it is our goal to be fair and transparent...

Kennebunk Soccer Club - Team Selection & Evaluation Procedures

7 year-old players
If a U-9 team (or in some cases a U-10 team) needs additional players, the first preference will be given to seven
year-old players who are in the third grade (grade appropriate). The order in which these third graders will be picked will be by date of birth, the oldest being picked first.  If there are no third graders or if they have all been assigned to a team and more players are needed to full the roster, the next seven year-old picked will be in order of birth date, beginning with the oldest.  These additions will occur after the evaluation process is complete.  And these additions will continue until all 7 year olds have been accommodated or the team roster is full.  There is no need for
7 year old players to evaluate.

U10 and U11
When forming U-9, U-10 and U-11 teams the main objective is to create teams of equal ability.

All players are assigned to teams based on a blind draw. The only exception to this rule pertains to players who are the children of the head coach and one assistant coach, who are pre-assigned to their parent’s team.

All players are required to participate in an evaluation so as to determine their playing ability.

Based on their skills players are divided into a minimum of three different ability groups.

In order to create equal teams a separate blind drawing is done for each ability group, with the goal to divide the players in each ability group equally among the teams. The drawing is completed by having each team take a turn drawing a name until all of the players in a particular ability group have been assigned to a team. Each ability group will be drawn in this same manner until all the players have been assigned a team.

When an ability level group being drawn includes the child of the head coach or the one assistant coach that particular team will skip a turn for each child of a coach who   is a member of that particular ability group.

U12 through U14
When establishing U12 through U14 teams the objective is to create competitive homogeneous teams that are able to perform competitively in one of the SoccerMaine divisions.

The procedure for establishing teams requires the evaluation of each player’s soccer ability.  Based on these evaluations all the players are ranked numerically by order of ability. The ranking begins with the number 1 and progresses numerically by order of ability with each player assigned their own individual number.


One Team In An Age Group
While it is the club policy to have no “cuts”, should there be a situation where there are more than 18 players and no possible way to prevent players from being “cut” from the roster then the first 18 players, ranked 1 through 18 as a result of the player evaluations, will be placed on the team.  The players ranked 19th or higher will be “cut.” However, if the coach of the team feels that there are extraordinary circumstances or reasons why one of the top 18 players should not be placed on the team the coach may seek permission from the executive committee to not have this player assigned to the team.


Two Or More Teams In An Age Group
If there are enough players to establish two or more teams the club will establish a Division 1 and a Division II team, or as the executive board deems appropriate.

The following procedure will be used to place players on the appropriate team:

Division I Team:
The top 10 ranked players, per the evaluation, will automatically be placed on the
Division 1 team. If the coach of the Division 1 team feels that there are extraordinary circumstances or reasons why one of the top 10 players should not be placed on the Division 1 team the coach may seek permission from the executive committee to not have this player assigned to the Division 1 team.

After the first 10 players have been assigned to the Division 1 team the balance of players will be assigned according to the following procedure:

A “pool number” will be derived by taking the number of additional players, beyond the first ten players, to be assigned to the Division I team and multiplying this number by 2.  This resulting “pool number” is the number of players that will be placed in the pool for the Division 1 team coach to choose from.  

This pool of players is created by beginning with the number 11 ranked player and going in the numerical ranked order adding players to the pool until the number of players in the pool is equal to the previously derived “pool number.”  The coach may draw from this pool the remaining players needed to round out the Division 1 team roster.

Example: As an example, if the team is going to have a total of 15 players:  The top ten ranked players would be automatically placed on the team, thereby making it necessary to place five more players on the team.

The “pool number” would be 10, which was derived by multiplying 2 times 5 (5 being the number of additional players to be placed on the team,).

The resulting “pool number” of 10 would mean that ten players would be placed in the pool.

These ten players would be the players ranked 11th through 20th.

The coach could choose any five of these ten players for the Division 1 team.

Division II Team(s)
The remaining players are to be assigned to the Division II team(s).

Should there be more than one Division II than the players would be assigned by alternating ranking numbers, that is by going in the order of evaluation numbers the players would alternatively be assigned to a team. (i.e. player 18 to one team, player 19 to the other team, etc.)  

Assigning Players Who Fail To Attend a Full Evaluation:
All players are required to attend an entire evaluation session, from start to finish.  If the player does not participate in a complete evaluation they may only be assigned to a team using the following procedure:

U10 and U11: If there are any openings left after all the players who attended a complete evaluation have been assigned to a team the players who attended no evaluation or a partial evaluation will be assigned teams in the order in which they submitted their application and fee payment, until the team roster(s) is full.

U12 through U14:  If there are any openings left after all the players who attended a complete evaluation have been assigned to a team the player(s) who attended no evaluation or attended a partial evaluation will be assigned to teams in the order in which they submitted their application and fee payment until the team roster(s) is full.  If there is a Division I and a Division II team a player who did not attend an entire evaluation, from start to finish, they may not be assigned to the Division 1 team roster, thereby “bumping” a player who attended an entire evaluation.


“Moving Players Up”
Except for extenuating circumstances it is required that all players be assigned to the team that is appropriate for their particular age group, per the SoccerMaine requirements. The only exceptions are as follows. They are in the order of priority:

1. Grade Situation: If possible a player who, because of their birthday, is assigned to a team comprised of players in a lower grade the player will be moved up to the next
age level team so that they are playing in their “grade appropriate ‘ level, that is, with players in their same grade. This can only be done if it will not affect the quality of play for the two teams. That is, this move cannot leave the younger team with too few players thereby preventing a successful soccer experience. In addition, it cannot
create a situation whereby it would put too many players on the older team, thereby negatively affecting the other players playing time and soccer experience.   

2. Family Situation: If a family has siblings who are close in age the parents may make a request to the Board that the younger sibling be “moved up” so as to be assigned to the same team as the older sibling.  If this move will not negatively affect the quality of the soccer experience for the other players of the both the younger and the older team, by creating a situation where there are too many or too few players, than the board may approve this move.  If there are Division I and Division II teams for the age level that the siblings are going to play in, then no matter the
results of the older sibling's evaluation both siblings must be assigned to the B team. This is to prevent the younger player from “bumping” an older deserving player from the Division if of the I. The Board should not permit the younger player to move to the older team until it is determined that this player has the ability to succeed playing
at this higher level.

3.  Ability: Based on past experience the board is reticent to move players up to older teams solely based on ability.

Exceptions:
If, after exhausting all alternatives that there are not enough players in a particular age group to create a team for that age group, then the Board, at its own discretion, may move players up to the next age level based on the following criteria:
1. Grade, with parent’s permission. – The first priority is given to any player(s) who by being moved up to the next age level would then be playing with their “grade appropriate “ team, that is, where most of the other players on the team are in their school grade.
2. By age, with parents permission. The players will be picked to move up in order of their age, beginning with the oldest and working towards the youngest.

3.  To serve the exceptional player, promotion based on ability may now be considered by KSC under the following criteria:

a.)  A list of possible players is developed at the conclusion of the season.

b.)  A coach’s evaluation of the player is obtained from his/her previous year’s coach.

c.)  The player should be asked to evaluate in the following year with both his/her age group as well as the possible team of promotion.

d.)  The evaluation of the player in the proposed new group is in the upper half of that group.

e.)  In the opinion of the board, playing up a level will best serve the athlete from the standpoint of the “soccer challenge”, without creating a negative social impact on the player.

f.)  The move would also have to reasonably well serve, both the team which would lose the player as well as the team standing to gain the player as determined by the executive board and considering all information provided.


Other
1. Fees - No player will be assigned to a team until their entire club fees are paid in full and they have completed the registration forms.
2. Injuries & Illness - If a player is sick, KSC must be notified prior to the scheduled start of evaluations that the player will not be there.  Depending on the player's level
and the number of players at that level, the board reserves the right to evaluate that player in the future before he or she is assigned to a team.  If a player is injured, they same applies; the board must be notified prior and it reserves the right to a future evaluation.  If it is not a hardship to do so, injured players are encouraged to be present for, but not physically participate in evaluations.
3. Refunds - No refunds will be given once teams for that year have been announced except for unusual circumstances like debilitating injury or family relocation and then at the discretion of the KSC board.
4. Evaluators - Every effort will be made to not allow coaches to evaluate the age group that they coach or to have a parent evaluate a group that includes their child.

KSC supports Soccer Maine's

Zero Tolerance Policy --

Soccer Maine

Zero-Tolerance Policy

Effective January 1, 2004

Applicability:

Each coach is responsible for his/her actions, the actions of his/her players and bench personnel. Each coach, player, and spectator shall at all times support the referee and assistant referees. Failure to do so will undermine the referee’s authority, and has the potential of creating a hostile environment for the players, spectators, coaches, and referees alike.  No one is to address the referee in a negative manner during or after the game.

Coaches’ communications with the referee and assistant referees:

Coaches and/or bench personnel may NOT address any member of the referee crew during play except for:

Responding to a referee initiated communication.

Making a request for substitutions.

Pointing out emergencies or safety issues, such as an injured player on the field. 

To request clarification of any call provided the request is courteous and non-argumentative. 

First infraction: Referee may stop the game and remind the coach or bench personnel of Soccer Maine’s zero tolerance policy.

Second infraction: Caution. (No yellow card shall be shown to any coach or bench personnel).  The referee may issue a final warning that a third infraction may result in an ejection.

Third infraction: Ejection. (No red card shall be shown to any coach or bench personnel).  The referee may instruct the coach or bench personnel to leave the field.  Thereafter, the ejected person must depart to a distance where he or she can no longer see or hear anything to do with the match.  If the ejected person fails to leave the field, the referee may abandon the game.

Nothing in this rule may be construed to limit the referee’s discretion as granted by FIFA Laws of the Game.

Spectator communications with the referee and assistant referees:

Negative or critical comments directed to any member of the referee crew will not be tolerated.

First infraction: Referee may stop the game, request the assistance of both coaches, and remind the spectator of Soccer Maine’s zero tolerance policy.

Second infraction: Referee may stop the game and issue a final warning that a third infraction may result in an ejection.

Third infraction: The referee may instruct the coaches to direct the spectator to leave the field.  If the ejected person fails to leave the field, the referee may abandon the game.

Nothing in this rule may be construed to limit the referee’s discretion as granted by FIFA Laws of the Game.

Notification:

Should a referee eject any player, coach, bench personnel or spectator, and/or abandon a game, he/she shall notify the Soccer Maine office by phone at 942-0950.  If a game is abandoned prior to completion, the referee will make no determination as to the outcome of the match.  A written report of the pertinent facts should be sent to the Soccer Maine office within 24 hours.  The Soccer Maine office will refer the matter to its disciplinary committee for further action, if necessary, and/or to the appropriate competition committee for disposition of an abandoned game.