Denise Edwards President
Larry Monaco Vice President
George Sadler Secretary
Linda Sadler Registrar
Doug Strobel Central Recreational Commissioner
Ken Halloway Southeast Recreational Commissioner
John Singleton West Recreational Commissioner
Jim Bonfils Boys North Travel Commissioner
Roger Underhill Boys Central Travel Commissioner
Tom Halstead Boys Southeast Travel Commissioner
Mark Walsh Boys West Travel Commissioner
Anne Thompson Girls North Travel Commissioner
Jane Orem Girls South Travel Commissioner
Board members Jeff Skigen, Bob Maynes, and John Livengood were excused. Also present were Julie Caramanica (VYSA Administrator) and Gordon Miller (VYSA Technical Director).
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS BOARD MINUTES
A motion was made and seconded to approve the August 20, 2003 Board meeting minutes. It was noted that the Adjudication Committee has a Chair and Vice Chair, not Co-Chairs as was reported in the August 20th Board meeting minutes. Tom Halstead is the Chair and Luis Granados is the Vice Chair of the Adjudication Committee. The minutes were approved as corrected.
TREASURER’S REPORT
No Treasurer’s report was distributed. Denise Edwards reported for Jeff Skigen that there will be a Treasurer’s Report for the previous seasonal year at the next meeting. Julie Caramanica reminded Board and Committee members that any outstanding receipts or invoices through August 31, 2003 should be turned into the State Office by the middle of next week so the previous seasonal years records can be completed.
STATE ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
The State Administrator’s Report (Attachment A) was distributed. Julie Caramanica asked that Board members who have still not submitted their KidSafe, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality paperwork complete it tonight and submit it to her before leaving the meeting.
Julie noted that CVGSL is not registering players this fall. Very few clubs and leagues have turned in their registration fees. Those who have not yet sent in fees have been notified.
Demosphere will not provide the VYSA hotline service after the end of this contract year, August 31, 2004. Julie asked Board members Tom Halstead, Jim Bonfils, and Roger Underhill for suggestions to help find another provider.
The Richmond Strikers have requested to host the Chevy Cup again next year. It was noted that the club did an outstanding job with the event last year. A motion was made and seconded to have the Richmond Strikers host the Chevy Cup in 2004. The motion was approved.
US Soccer has developed an addition to their Walk of Fame at the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Nicholas Bedwell, former Board member Ron Bedwell’s son, is included in the section for children with leukemia.
The VYSA Workshop is scheduled for February 6 - 7, 2004, at the Richmond Centre. A contract for next year’s Workshop, February 4 - 5, 2005, at the Richmond Centre, has also been signed.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Gordon Miller reported that a symposium for the Coaching Education staff will be held in Ashland on October 25, 2003.
Beginning on January 1, 2004, a master plan for scheduling E certificate and D license courses will be implemented. The Coaching Education Department hopes to develop an annual calendar where courses will be scheduled in all areas of the state well in advance of the course dates. A suggestion was made that clubs have input in deciding areas and dates.
Gordon would like to expand the Coaching Education staff by adding coaches who have both B licenses and National Youth Licenses. A motion was made and seconded to allow coaches holding both B licenses plus National Youth Licenses to instruct E and F courses. The motion was approved.
Gordon explained that there are two levels of passing the D license course; State and National. A National D license is required for before a coach is eligible to enroll in a C license course. US Soccer gives states the flexibility for handling the State D licenses. He and Gary Allen would like to allow a coach who has attained a State D license, after a waiting period of 6 months, to retake the portion of the D license course which caused the lower score, and retest. If the coach earns a National D during the retake, he/she must then wait a year from that time before attending a C license course. A motion was made and seconded to allow coaches who have received a State D license to retake a portion of the course, along with the retest; and if a National D is earned, the coach must wait one year from the date of the retake to take the C course. The motion was approved.
Gordon reported that he was asked by DC United to speak to recreation coaches prior to a DC United match. His topic was organizing a practice and coaching priorities for players aged six, eight, and ten.
Gordon and Bob Maynes are working with three Northern Virginia clubs to help them come into compliance with small-sided games. Denise received three letters that had been sent to Bob from clubs asking for exemptions to the small-sided games policy. Manassas Area Soccer, Virginia Soccer Association, and McLean Youth Soccer asked for exemptions as they transition to the new policy. There was discussion about penalties for clubs not in compliance. It was noted that some clubs are having difficulty complying because of Park Authority and School field restraints (baseball backstops in wrong places, permanent goals, etc.), even though they agree that the changes should be made. A motion was made and seconded that a club will not be placed in bad standing if it is working with the VYSA Technical Department to come into compliance over time. The motion was approved.
Gordon announced that he and Dave Linenberger are working on an ODP Policy Manual and will have it at the November meeting.
A hearing was held for an incident that occurred at Regional Camp. One player was suspended from the ODP program for ten months and the other two players were suspended for six months. All three players are with the 1990 age group.
Gordon distributed a brochure outlining the ODP program. It contains information similar to that on the VYSA website.
ODP District training is taking place in all four districts. Over 700 players are involved. Gordon distributed a list of the ODP State Staff which should be complete in the next two weeks.
Gordon reported he will travel to Lynchburg and Roanoke in the upcoming weeks to address club coaches.
SMALL-SIDED GAME REQUIREMENTS
It was asked what number of players per side should be used in clubs in rural areas who have small numbers of players and must combine age groups. Gordon stated that those teams should use the recommended number of players for the oldest players in the combined age group. Other questions concerned field and goal sizes and use of goalkeepers for small-sided games. Gordon reported that US Youth Soccer is developing a brochure that will address these questions. If that brochure will not be available before the VYSA Workshop, the Technical Department will create one that will be helpful for clubs for the Spring season.
SRC REPORT
Gil McAllistair and Scott Meyer will report at the next meeting.
EMPLOYEE MANUAL
Julie Caramanica reported that she and Larry Monaco had met to compile the input sent by Board members. They hope to have the Manual completed by the end of the week and will distribute it to all Board members before the next meeting. She noted that the title has been changed to Personnel Policy Manual.
KIDSAFE BACKGROUND CHECKS
Julie Caramanica asked that the State Office be permitted to work with Rap Sheets and the Recreational Commissioners to help bring clubs and leagues into compliance with the KidSafe background checks. A motion was made and seconded to rescind the motion made at the August 20 Board meeting, concerning placing of clubs and leagues in bad standing due to noncompliance with the KidSafe background checks. The motion was approved. Roger Underhill and Doug Stroebel will develop guidelines providing recommendations to the clubs to help them with the process of conducting the background checks.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Denise Edwards reported that USSF has proposed changing the player age group date back to January 1 (birth year). A vote will be taken at their November meeting. Concern was expressed about the youth who are the oldest in the U19 age group and when this change would be put into effect.
BOARD MEETING AGENDA ORDER
A suggestion was made to allow guests attending Board meetings to speak early in the meeting so that they do not have to stay for the entire meeting. If this practice is adopted, guests would not be affected by Executive Sessions. It was agreed that reports of guests take place earlier in the meetings.
A request was made to begin the meetings at 7:00. Discussion will continue at another meeting.
REGISTRAR’S REPORT
Linda Sadler distributed the Registrar’s Report (Attachment B). She recommended that VYSA prepare a standard response regarding requests for refunds from canceled tournaments.
Linda has received two complaints regarding suspected over-age players. She will request birth certificates from all members of both teams.
Linda noted there are still some team data problems with Roster Pro.
At last months meeting, Linda reported she had received requests from club Presidents that have both recreation and travel players that they be able to obtain their travel player data in Roster Pro from Demosphere. A motion was made and seconded to allow a club to request that club’s travel team data from VYSA at a fee of $150. The motion was seconded and approved. Clubs should submit a request for that data to the VYSA State Office along with a check to cover the fee.
SECRETARY’S REPORT
George Sadler reported that Giles County Soccer Association has applied for membership in VYSA. He recommended approval. A motion was made and seconded to approve Giles County Soccer Association for membership in VYSA. The motion passed.
He quoted a newspaper article reporting the arrest of Ralph D. Shipler. A motion was made and seconded to suspend Ralph D. Shipler immediately upon verification of charges having been filed. The motion was approved.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Larry Monaco reported the Finance Committee will meet to discuss some matters. He asked the Finance Committee to meet with him for a few minutes after the Board meeting to decide on a date for that Finance Committee meeting.
VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Larry asked that any Board members, except officers with Travel Leagues, let him know if they would like to volunteer as discussion leaders at the Travel Summit,.
The Board went into Executive Session.
When the Board returned from Executive Session, they announced the suspension of three players from ODP, Alonzo Carter was suspended until May 15 and Seth Jacobs and Nick Foglesong were both suspended until February 15..
The following Committee appointments were also announced:
KidSafe/Risk Managment - Doug Strobel, Chair and Roger Underhill
SYRA - Alan Liotta
Youth Representative to the SRC - Christie Bernas
Adjudication Committee and SYRC - Luis Rosas-Aigster
Touchline Committee - Jim Bonfils
GOOD OF THE GAME
Denise reported Dave Williams has been very successful in starting new TopSoccer programs and she had uniforms donated by Soccer Post for TopSoccer as well as Soccer Start.
Julie reported that nominations for the following awards were due to the State Office:
Boys Coach of the Year
Girls Coach of the Year
Volunteer of the Year
Chevrolet Parent of the Year
Ken Halloway noted the importance of experienced coaches working with coaches of younger players in enhancing player development.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:40 pm.
Prepared by
Julie Caramanica
VYSA Administrator
Next Meeting is October 22, 2003, at 7:30 pm at the Sheraton West in Richmond.
