10.27.2024 – Coaches Meeting Summary (For weeknight leagues)

• Please Read All Rules! http://marylandsportsarena.com/rules.htm
• If you haven’t received your online roster, it will be emailed sometime this week with instructions. Complete roster (all info please). Information saves automatically. Print when completed. Have parent sign where it says “parent signature”. Give completed form to concession stand. Online is your roster. The form you submit is your liability waiver.
• You may add players up to the beginning of your 6^th game by going online and adding them to your roster. You must also submit a liability waiver to the concession if you add any players. Players may only play on 1 team per league. They may play in multiple leagues.

• There’s a lot of debate regarding heading for younger players. It is your responsibility as a coach (for younger teams) to instruct your players whether or not to head the ball. We do not call it a foul if the ball touches your players head. The majority of injuries I have scene from head balls (including myself) have been in older age play. Obviously, there are exceptions. Bottom line, you instruct your players based on your soccer knowledge.
• Kill Rule – sometimes there’s mismatches. If the match it totally one sided, you can add up to 3 players on the field. This evens the game, gives your players more playing time. Game is reported as a 6-0 win for your opponent. This WORKS! You players want to play. It’s all about FUN for them. Winning is great but they want to have fun….especially in younger players.
• Your schedules may be found online at http://marylandsportsarena.com/schedules.htm . Once the schedules are online, they cannot be changed, unless I’ve missed a request.
• If your score is wrong, please email me. Do not leave notes or any messages with the ref or concession stand. I will update the scores weekly or sooner if possible. I usually update every Monday or Tuesday once all schedules are online.
• Sportsmanship is a very important part of your player’s or child’s learning process. We encourage you to coach your child in a positive manner. Please do not shout disparaging remarks at other player’s or coaches. Never tell your players to foul an opponent. If your game becomes physical, or you have a player out of control, it is your responsibility as a coach to correct your player.

• Dissent is not tolerated toward the officials. This includes spectators. Coach your team but do not berate the official because you disagree with a call. When you do that, you not only take yourself out of the game but set a poor example for your players. Teams are responsible for the conduct of their fans. If you have a problem with an official or his call, please email me with a concise report regarding the incident (coaches only). I don’t discuss calls by phone or in person until reviewed by the referee association. We have a 24 hour “hot head” rule. No contact regarding incidents for 24 hours. The referees are not employees of the Maryland Sports Arena. We contract with the Baltimore Independent Group to officiate over 2,000 games played at our facility yearly. If there’s an issue, we will forward your complaint to the association and they will investigate it and follow up with you in person, by phone or by email. All games are recorded. I will not watch your game. If you have an incident you want reviewed, download it from Livebarn and forward it. I will forward it to the head of the referees association. WAIT 24 HOURS! NEVER TEXT ME WITH A COMPLAINT! We share complaints with all teams involved.
• Ref fees are $27 a game for a two man system and $17 a game for a one man system. If you only have one ref, even though two were scheduled, you pay that official $17. (Youth league only) All weeknight leagues are 2 man systems. All adult leagues are one man systems with $22 paid by each team.
• If you have not paid your league fee, please bring go online here http://marylandsportsarena.com/balancepayment.htm and pay. League fee is due by first game. Credit cards are also accepted at the concession stand.. Please pay when due. I don’t want to email people multiple times for rosters and $$$ owed.
• If you or your player arrives late, please notify the concession stand. You will be allowed to enter the field at the next dead ball situation at the front gate by the concession stand. Do not enter through the emergency side door in the player’s box. Outside the door connects to a drainage ditch and it not safe. If it’s raining, your shoes will be soaked. If it’s cold or icy, you or your player may slip and fall. Also, do not use the employee’s only door next to the field. As the sign says, employees only. This area is used for storage and is not a pathway to the field.
• Please keep your soccer balls bagged until entering the field. Besides equipment being broken, there are usually elderly people in the stands watching. Several times people have been hit, and a few times hurt, from players playing with the ball off the field.
• Parking is allowed on our lot (54 parking spaces) and in the lot behind the RED BRICK BUILDING (40 parking spaces)}. DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF THE RED BRICK OFFICE BUILDING. YOUR CAR WILL BE TOWED 24/7! We lease the lot behind (Not in front) of the office building. The gravel lot is not owned by the Maryland Sports Arena. Do not park on that lot! Park on our lot and the lot behind the West Shore Office Building only!!! Or you may be towed!!!!
• No commercially prepared food or drink (i.e Fast Food products) may be brought into the facility. You can bring in sports drinks, water, food from home etc. By commercial, we mean McDonalds, Burger King etc.
• It is winter, so expect to play when there’s inclement weather. We will cancel for a major snowstorm. All coaches will be emailed regarding cancellations. Weather announcements are also on our webpage at http://marylandsportsarena.com and our voice mail will have a message at 410.538.7300. We do not follow school cancellations for Harford County Schools or Government.
• You can watch your child online and on demand (30 days) and save clips from games. All games are streamed live through http://livebarn.com . Live Barn offers a 10 percent discount code to MSA patron. Please use MSA1-2018 when subscribing.
• MSA’s 36^th Annual Valentines Tournament will be held on Valentine’s weekend. Tournament will be Friday night February 14^th thru Monday February 17^th (President’s Day). Info is online here http://marylandsportsarena.com/valentinestournament.htm
• If you’re looking for additional training for your players, the Maryland Sports Arena offers German Soccer School for ages 7 thru 12 - Ages 7, 8 & 9 Tuesdays http://marylandsportsarena.com/germansoccer789.htm and 10,11,12 are on Wednesdays http://marylandsportsarena.com/germansoccer101112.htm .. This is a FUN learning program for players of all skill levels. I coach the players along with former German professional soccer play Dr. Gunther Glockner. Class is 4:30 to 5:20 for 6 weeks. Each class ends with fun no pressure scrimmage.
• Former Baltimore Blast Championship coach and player, Bobby McAvan, offers individual training lessons for players in his studio in the rear of the facility. For additional info, please visit http://marylandsportsarena.com/indivtraining.htm
• I have a few hours on Wednesday night available for practice All weeknight time is full. Email me info@maylandsportsarena.com for availability.

Good luck to your teams and thanks for playing at the Maryland Sports Arena!