Coach Information

Coach Information

Coach background check procedure

All coaches must have a background check run before taking the field. The cost is $11 and is the check is good for two years. The process has two steps:

I) Get a coach account set up in GotSoccer

1. Fill out the form at http://myasoccer.org/registercoach. You'll need to supply the following information:

Legal First Name

Legal Last Name

Street address

Date of birth

Email address

Gender

Phone Number

2. Once the account is created (this may take a day or so), you'll receive an email telling you you can log in and proceed to step II

II) Once you have a coach account, here's how to register:

Goto http://www.gotsport.com/asp/coaches/
Click on the link underneath "Can't remember your coach password"
Enter your email address and select "Submit". This will cause your coach account login information to be sent to your email address.
Click on "Click here to login"
Enter the username/password from the email and click "Login"
Click "Contact information" and verify your information is correct. If you make any changes, make sure to hit "Save" at the bottom.
Click "Background checks"
Click "Submit new report"
Click "Continue"
Fill out the entire form and hit "Submit"

Town of Merrimack Inclement Weather Guidelines for Field Use

VII. Inclement Weather Guidelines

The Town is committed to providing high quality and safe playing surfaces for all of its multi-use fields, but we need the help and consideration of all user groups in protecting the turf from excessive damage due to practice and game activities. Unless prior arrangements are made with the Director or the Department; practices, scrimmages, and games shall be postponed or cancelled if any of the following conditions occur:

Standing water on the field of play;
Field/Soil saturation;
- walking on turf causes water to surface
- ground is muddy and soil clumps or clings to foot gear
- one-half inch or more of rain has fallen within the previous 24 hours
- steady rain on event day which could cause damage to field or injury to participants;
Audible thunder or visible lightning;
Poor visibility (darkness).

The Importance of Fundamentals

Here's a good article from the Director of Soccer Coaching for the NHSA: http://soccernhcoaching.org/main/categories/articles/importance_technique.pdf

It talks about building a solid technical foundation when the kids are young.

Rules videos

Here are some good animations of soccer rules presented in an easy-to-understand manner:

http://www.dynamic-thought.com/TheSoccerField.html - Explains some basic rules as well as what the field markings mean

http://www.dynamic-thought.com/OffsideClickette.html - Explains the oft-misunderstood offside rule. U13 and above play with the offside rule.

Keep the game in perspective...

"As a kid, you need to touch the ball as much as you can. You should always be with the ball. You should have a feeling that wherever the ball is, you can do anything with it. No matter where it is, where it is on your body, how it's spinning, how it's coming at you, the speed it's coming at you, anything. You can learn the tactical side of the game later. It's amazing to me that people put so much emphasis on trying to be tactical and worry about winning when it doesn't matter when you're 12 years old. We're going to have big, strong, fast players. We're Americans, we're athletes. But if we never learn at an early age to be good on the ball, then it's just useless."

- Landon Donovan, US National Team

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