UPDATE AS OF MAY 20, 2020
Nebraska State Soccer Members
As noted in our release last week, in light of the continued changes to our situation and possibilities of returning to play, the NSS Board of Directors has made adjustments to the Team Formation policy. We ask that you please read below.
Return to Play
Nebraska State Soccer has shared our Return to Play Plan, developed in coordination with USYS and nearly all other 55 state associations, and are awaiting the okay to implement those plans when the governor deems appropriate. Within those plans are phasing stages that allow for our clubs, players, and families to return to play in steps appropriate with the directed health measures implemented in Nebraska. Our Return to Play Plan has been shared in a draft version with our clubs who have inquired and will be made public when it is allowed.
In light of these stages, the Nebraska State Soccer Board of Directors feels that it would be a significant burden and administrative challenge for our members to hold tryouts as has been ‘traditionally’ understood. Traditional tryouts require large amounts of players, coaches, admins, and spectators all gathering in an area, coming and going every night throughout the week. This process is not feasible with the current Directed Health Measures, and to make open tryout process comply with the Governor’s DHMs would be difficult on all involved.
Amendments to our Temporary Team Formation Policy
We are in a pandemic, and once this situation hit, the focus for all of us has simply been to get back to normal as soon as possible in the safest and most appropriate ways for our players, parents and coaches. That still remains our main objective and is why the NSS board created a temporary Team Formation Policy, announced April 23, 2020, that allows players to forego a tryout process and simply re-register with their current club. This was done not to favor clubs ‘keeping players from leaving’ but to allow the majority of families who simply want to remain in their current club to sign and plan ahead for their summer and fall without the unnecessary stress that a Team Formation naturally involves. This also allows all clubs, big and small, to get a sense of a budget and numbers going forward. While there may be issues and challenges, the board feels that during this pandemic, this is the most simple and appropriate measure going forward.
Below is a simplified list of new changes made for the 2020 Team Formation process. You can find the newest version of the full temporary Team Formation policy for the 2020-2021 soccer year here: https://bit.ly/2zWnzVY
For those players wishing to Re-Registering with your current club
This section of the policy remains the same, with one amendment at the clubs’ request. Re-registration will happen as previously announced, but with the new amendment clubs will have the option to set offer acceptance deadlines before June 30th, but no sooner than four (4) days after the offer is made. You can read this section of the temporary policy for 2020 here:
- Clubs may elect (if they desire) to shorten the time period during which a re-registration offer must remain open.
- However, even if the time period is shortened, re-registration offers must remain open until at least 11:59 pm on the 4th day following the date on which the re-registration offer is made.
- For example, a re-registration offer extended on Tuesday June 2nd must remain open through at least 11:59 pm on Saturday June 6th.
- Clubs can elect a longer period as well, but the period for acceptance must be at least 11:59 pm on the 4th day following the date on which the re-registration offer is made.
- Unless specifically set forth in the re-registration offer, the re-registration offer remains open through 11:59 pm on June 30th.
For those wishing to move to another club
We will no longer sanction or permit tryouts of any kind for the 2020-21 soccer year.
Communication: Starting July 2nd, all unregistered players and their parents/guardian may contact other clubs that they may be interested in to discuss possible Team Formation offers. Per our existing rules, parents can always initiate contact with a Club at any time (including prior to July 2nd) to seek general information, and the Club may respond to such initiated contact (including prior to July 2nd). Clubs may not openly reach out to players who have not previously made contact with them regarding registration for the 2020-2021 soccer year.
Player Evaluations: In lieu of tryouts, clubs may facilitate evaluations of interested players in ways that directly follow the Governor’s Directed Health Measures at that time:
- If we have entered the initial phases of our Return to Play process, small group training and evaluations through that training may be allowed, with other restrictions in accordance with the current DHMs.
- If we have not yet entered our Return to Play process, clubs can create other ways, virtual in nature to evaluate interested players.
Based on Directed Health Measures that may be in place for the month of July from the State of Nebraska, we will communicate expectations and final authorization to our clubs prior to the start of this new registration signing period with regards to physical player evaluations.
Offers: Regardless of the format of communications and evaluations of new players all new offers must be in writing, must remain open, at minimum, until 11:59 pm on the 4th day following the date the offer is made, and must otherwise comply with the Temporary Policy (for example, offers made on Monday expire at 11:59 pm on Friday or a later date and time specified by the Club).
Clubs may not have discussions with or extend offers to a player if the player has re-registered with another Club or accepted an offer with another Club. Clubs must discontinue discussions once the Club becomes aware that a player accepted an offer with another Club.
We all realize the challenges and difficulties during this time, and we all understand everyone’s desire to get back to normal as quick as possible. While no tryout situation is ideal in this unprecedented time, and we know there may be challenges to the above policy, we feel this is the most simple and balanced way to assist everyone in returning to play.
Thank you for your continued support.
Stay safe & healthy,
Nebraska State Soccer Board of Directors
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NSS Members
In light of the current situation we all face due to the pandemic, the Nebraska State Soccer Board of Directors has made the decision to amend what we hope will be the tryout process for our teams participating in Team Formation this summer. As the board considered the challenges and obstacles all clubs and families are facing, and in consultation with many members of our community state wide, one goal became apparent: To simplify the tryout process and get kids and clubs back playing as soon as possible. With that goal in mind, the NSS Board has approved the below information regarding the 2020 Team Formation/Tryout Process. The biggest difference for this seasonal year is that clubs will be allowed to re-sign players currently registered to their clubs BEFORE the tryout period. This was done so that families and clubs hit hard by the situation could safely start planning for next fall season without the uncertainty and stress of tryouts, but by also allowing a tryout period, players have the ability to explore other options if they desire. Additionally, the Team Formation period has been pushed into early July in hopes that social distancing measures will be lifted in time for tryouts to begin.
This policy only affects those players and teams participating in Team Formation events. Non-Team Formation players and teams may begin registration as usual on May 1.
The full 2020 Team Formation policy can be found on our website, but here is the basic timeline and processes:
Re-Registration period
Starting June 1st, clubs may extend re-registration offers to players who are currently registered with their club for the 19/20 soccer year
Clubs can only extend these offers to players who are registered with the club at the time of the Re-Registration period
Re-registration offers will remain valid until and must be accepted by June 30th.
Team Formation period
Team formation events can take place July 6 - July 11
Those players who do not accept a re-registration offer are able to attend Team Formation events (Tryouts) for any club they wish.
Bid Day for team formation offers begins at 10 am July 12th
Unless specifically addressed in the Temporary policy, all other Team formation policies and rules still apply. These include:
-Clubs and coaches may not initiate conversations with players and families who are not currently registered with their club
-If a parent contacts the club/coach, they can return the call to answer any general questions.
-If a player attends a team formation event, no contact or offer is legal until the advertised bid day. Verbal offers are not recognized as valid by NSS
-19/20 Registrations are binding until July 31, 2020. Players who are signed during the 2020 Team Formation period are not eligible for events or rosters with the new club until August 1st