Frequently Asked Questions
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Registration During the Season Special Requests Vacations
Where is the Club House, and what are the office hours? Click here for details on office location and hours. You can reach us by visiting the clubhouse during office hours, calling the office, or by sending emails or faxes. A club directory that includes Board of Directors contact information can be found on our website at www.pickeringsoccer.ca by clicking here. Staff contact information is as follows: Phone: 905-831-9803 Fax: 905-831-8968
If the call is unanswered, you will be directed to the individual’s mailbox to leave a message. Volunteering - How can I help PSC? There are many areas where we need assistance. Everything from coaching recreational teams to assisting at specific club events relies upon dedicated volunteers. Click here to visit our Volunteer page where you can find a form for indicating your interest. Can I sponsor my child's team? As a non-profit community club, we rely on community financial sponsorship as well as volunteerism to help us provide the diverse quality programs we offer to our youth. To get more details on how to sponsor and the benefits of sponsorship for your business or family, please click here. Absolutely! Stop by the club house or go online and fill in the paperwork. Contact the director of the age group to let them know that you’ve applied to coach. If you are approved, you will require a police check (the cost will be refunded by the PSC). How can I become a coach? Do I need experience? You do not need to have coached before. Understanding of the game of soccer is an asset, but with the resources available at PSC including coaching clinics, other coaches, club staff and directors, and online assistance, you will do fine!
REGISTRATION Registration can be done online or in person at the clubhouse. For first time player registration, proof of date of birth must be provided, either in person or by facsimile. Please ensure that your contact information (phone number and email address) are always kept current with PSC. When registering, you can update this information as required. Email is the preferred method of communication with our families, by both the team coaches and the club itself. Registration generally opens for the Summer Outdoor programs (both competitive and recreational) around the end of January or beginning of February. Registration for the Indoor Recreational program begins shortly after the Summer Outdoor season concludes with the Year End tournaments. Watch both the ANNOUNCEMENTS on the club home page, and the CALENDAR of EVENTS for updates on registration dates. What is the last day to register for the Recreational Outdoor Season? Registration spots are available on a first-come-first served basis. Providing spots are available, May 11th, 2012 is the cut-off date to register online for the Recreational Outdoor Season. Walk-in registrations will be accepted at the clubhouse until May 31st, 2012. What are the playing nights for 2012 for Recreational Outdoor Soccer? Click here to see the playing nights for the coming outdoor season. Please note that nights are subject to change based on field availability and registration numbers. Any changes will be posted on the website under ANNOUNCEMENTS. Determine the player’s division using the player’s year of birth and gender (G=girl, B=boy), then consult the playing nights for that division contained under the Recreational main screen. Is registration only for the Summer Outdoor program? Registration is available for almost all of our program offerings. Due to the diversity of our offerings, there are several different registration times in a calendar year. For example, registration for Summer Outdoor usually begins late January or early February. Registration for Summer Camp takes place later in the spring, and registration for Winter Indoor usually starts in October, soon after the Summer Outdoor program concludes. Typically, you will see notification that a program registration has begun under the ANNOUNCEMENTS on our home page. How can I pay the registration fees? Online registrations can be done using Visa or Mastercard. Registrations at the clubhouse may be done via cash, debit, money order, Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. PLEASE NOTE: Cheques are NOT accepted! Current COMPETITIVE fees will increase by $40 as of April 15th. Current RECREATIONAL fees up until Feb 29th are: U3, U4, U5, U6 = $150.00, all other divisions $210.00
Fees NOT subject to increases - Special Needs/Special Olympics - $50.00 / DSL Women - $215.00 / DSL Men - $220.00 NOTE: Prices go up at midnight the day prior to the date shown above, and we have extended office hours the regular business day prior to the increase. What is the club's Refund Policy? Recreational: All refunds will be subject to an administrative fee ($25) plus the non-refundable DRSA/OSA registration fee applicable to the participant based on their program registration. Refunds requested within the two weeks immediately following program start up will have the $25 admin fee and the DRSA/OSA registration fee deducted. Any unused equipment/uniform provided may be returned to PSC. If the equipment/uniform has been used and cannot be returned, the applicable uniform fee will be NOT be refunded. Refunds requested in the third and fourth week following program start up will have a $25 admin fee and the DRSA/OSA registration fee AND the applicable uniform fee deducted (no returns) from the refund. No refund will be issued once a program has been in effect for a month unless they are due to a documented medical condition and will be subject to admin, DRSA/OSA, uniform and pro-rated game fees. Competitive: All refunds will be subject to an administrative fee ($25) plus the non-refundable DRSA/OSA registration fee applicable to the participant based on their program registration. All refunds must be requested through the office (admin-comp@pickeringsoccer.ca) and require approval of the appropriate Director and Coach. PLEASE NOTE: Game/Practice nights are subject to change. How does the multi-player (family) discount work? Families with three (3) or more registered players (in either Recreational or Competitive) in a given season are eligible for a discount equal to a $50.00 rebate per family. If you process the three registrations online, the discount will automatically calculate. If you complete the online process up to the payment part and select "pay at the office", the discount will be allocated at the time you make the payment. Please print and bring the pre-registration statement into the office for processing. NOTE: This is only for the Summer Outdoor Season programs and does not apply to Summer Camp or All Star program registrations.
I changed my e-mail and can no longer log in to register online. Can you help? PSC is using a new registration system beginning January 2012, and as such, all members will be initially required to set up an email account and password in order to register online. You will receive an email confirming that your account has been added to the system and the particulars that are applicable. Please retain that information for future logins. When are registration receipts issued? Receipts are issued (at the office or online) once payment has been received. Please retain receipts as they may be used for tax purposes. Re-prints are subjected to a $10 fee per copy.
DURING THE SEASON When does the Recreational Outdoor Season start and end? At this point, the Recreational Outdoor Season is targeted to start around the long weekend in May and will run until approximately the second week of September. What does each player receive once registered? Each player receives a full uniform kit (jersey, shorts & socks), photo and trophy/award. Players aged U3-U15 also receive an individual soccer ball. It is mandatory that all soccer players (including goal keepers), regardless of age, gender, or ability, wear shin guards/pads. Proper soccer shoes (cleats) are not mandatory, but to avoid slipping, they are highly recommended. The equipment rule specific to jewellery, that each player/parent must be aware of, is as follows: NO JEWELLERY IS TO BE WORN WHILE PLAYING A GAME AND IS TO BE REMOVED PRIOR TO THE START OF THE GAME. COVERING JEWELLERY WITH TAPE IS NOT PERMITTED AT ALL. If a player has just recently had a piercing done, rest assured that removing the jewellery for 1-2 hours will not cause the holes to close up. If the jewellery cannot be removed, he/she MUST bring this to the attention of the referee who will make a decision with or without the assistance of the coaches who are present. What should we bring to each game? Wear your complete uniform. It is important that your player bring plenty of water (considered the best for children) to the game regardless of the weather. Pickering Soccer Club has instituted a healthy snack policy. Regardless of whether or not your child's coach or team parents supply a snack at practices, games or tournaments, please remember that it is in the best interest of your athlete to consume healthy snacks before, during, and after games. At the younger age groups, players receive a training or practice soccer ball. Please ensure your child takes their soccer ball to each and every practice. It is not necessary to take their own ball to the games, but the coach counts on the players each having a ball at practice. To avoid losing the ball, please use a marker to note your childs initials (not full name) and/or number on their ball. The Pickering Soccer Club volunteer Directors build teams with the primary focus of keeping each age division balanced. In order to provide ALL of our members with the best soccer experience, we discourage “play with” requests. If you are willing to “pay it forward” in an effort to have a “play with” request accommodated and confirmed, you can:
We will consider and try to accommodate requests if one of the following available conditions can be met:
We cannot guarantee any “play with” requests due to the size of the program and the balancing requirements. We live close to a soccer field. Can my child play their games/practices there? No, unfortunately not. With close to 4,000 players, schedules are not based on residency. When will schedules be available? Schedules will be available online approximately one week before the estimated Recreational Outdoor Season is targeted to start. When will players be notified as to what team they are assigned to? Players will be notified by their assigned team coach one week before the targeted start date. I haven't received a call from my child's coach yet ... what should I do? Not all coaches receive their roster information at the same time, nor do they have personal schedules that enables them to contact their players immediately upon receipt of the roster. Please be patient, and check the website while you are waiting to hear from someone! Also, make sure YOUR contact information is kept up to date so that you can be contacted. Recreational schedules are posted on the site approximately one week prior to the season start. Please go here to see the schedules by age division. For 2012, the club is making every effort to contact each family by email to indicate which team (by Sponsor Name and jersey colour) that your child has been assigned to. In the event that your child’s coach has been unable to contact you (email is the preferred method of contact so please ensure that we have your correct email address), you will know what time and what location applies to your son's/daughter's team. The Club Festival (also known as Picture Day) will be on Saturday, June 9th at Kinsmen Fields. The schedule for team photo time slots will be provided a week prior to the event on the website. We typically begin with the youngest teams in the earliest time slot and work our way progressively through the ages with the older teams at the end of the day. NOTE: There is only one Picture Day and there are no opportunities for retakes. When are the Year-End Tournaments?
How will we know when games are cancelled due to bad weather? Field closures will be posted on the club website (www.pickeringsoccer.ca) on a banner at the top of the page. Decisions will be made in concert with the City of Pickering, and be posted by 4 p.m. daily. You may also receive a phone call or an email from your coach indicating that a game is cancelled, but it is each player’s responsibility to check the website. Rain alone does NOT constitute bad weather! Games could be cancelled due to lightning, field conditions – including extreme saturation or flooding, or extreme heat. If at 4 p.m. fields are listed as OPEN but weather worsens, go to the assigned field and the Referees and Coaches will determine if games are cancelled. If the game is NOT cancelled and a team is short of players, the game will be forfeited. What should I do if my son/daughter is injured playing soccer during the season? Please ensure you advise your child’s coach. The coach will complete a form and ensure that the club is aware of what happened and the condition of your child.
SPECIAL REQUESTS Can players request to be placed on a specific team? The Pickering Soccer Club’s volunteer Directors build teams with the primary focus of keeping each age division balanced. We cannot guarantee any “play with” requests due to the size of the program and the balancing requirements. At the same time, we understand that there can be issues getting children to/from their activities in today’s busy society. For a “play with” request to be accommodated and confirmed, you can:
We will consider and try to accommodate requests if one of the following available conditions can be met:
I have 2 children very close in age. Can the younger child play on the same team with his/her brother/sister? Pickering Soccer Club policy is that players should play with their own age group as much as possible. It would be unfair to turn away a player who legitimately belongs in an age group as a result of taking a younger player. However, if there are reasons deemed legitimate for the “play up” request, the director of the division and/or VP of Operations will undertake to interview the player and parent and make a determination. If a player is moved up to the next age division, the parent will be required to sign a waiver agreeing to the move. Occasionally, rather than leave players on waiting lists, we may move players up when a division is full and the next higher division needs additional players. This is only done at the club’s discretion and again, parents must confirm approval via a waiver. NOTE: A registration cannot be accepted that is dependent on this or any other condition. I have a child with special needs. Can you accommodate us? Pickering Soccer is very proud of our Special Needs program. Please click here for details on what we offer. Can a child play soccer if they wear prescription eye glasses? Yes. It is understood by the Club (and the Region) that at the recreational level, most players will not have invested in sport safety eyeglasses, laser surgery or perhaps even contact lenses. At the very least, please invest in an elastic strap to secure the eye glasses to the players’ head. It is ultimately up to the discretion of the referee at each game to make a call on whether or not to allow the player to play, having made his/her decision on whether the non-sanctioned "equipment" poses a significant risk to those involved in the game. Prescription eyeglasses will be allowed by the refs if they are deemed to be "safe", however, it is still up to the referee at the game to make a final decision. A referee may choose to "warn" a coach/player/parent of the inherent risks associated with wearing the glasses in this type of sport and then let the child play. Another referee may decide that it would be unsafe for the player and those around them. Most referees will allow players with eyeglasses, but you could possibly meet one that won't allow it. Competitive level players will require sanctioned sport safety glasses. Can a child play soccer while they are in a cast? Casts - particularly hard casts - most likely won't be allowed by a referee. However, again, it is at the discretion of each referee. Some may allow a player to play if the cast is small and bubble wrapped. Then, if play seems to be getting rough and the player is a bit loose with their arms, they may ask the player to sit the remainder of the game. The final decision is that of the referee, but if the player/parent provided a doctor's note saying that it was ok to play, that may help reassure the ref to allow the player to give it a try. It's not just about potentially hurting other players, it's also about the player in the cast getting hurt more in the event of a fall or collision. Can a child play soccer using a knee brace? Yes, but a hard knee brace must be covered by the proper sleeve. Soft knee braces are also allowed. As with any equipment outside of the standard kit, please remember, it is ultimately at the discretion of the referee.
VACATIONS We are planning an extended vacation this summer. Should I still register my son/daughter? We do not offer discounts to those players who will not be able to attend for the entire 14 weeks of the summer program. We will however provide equal playing time to all those recreational players who are in attendance during the season. As with any team sport, a commitment to the team – consistent attendance at games and practices – is beneficial to the team as a whole. Please ensure you advise your coach about absences from games and/or practices! Our children are registered in other sports/activities over the summer that may conflict depending on their schedules. Should I still register my son/daughter? You are making a commitment (on behalf of your child) to be at practices and games on a consistent basis (with the exception of vacation time). To aid with scheduling, we provide you with a schedule as early as possible in the season highlighting games, practices and other important dates. It is possible that changes to these schedules may be necessary once we know how many players have registered for each of the divisions. If you register and then later withdraw (before the deadline) you will be charged the administrative fee. Please ensure you advise your coach about absences from games and/or practices!
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