Frequently Asked Questions

1. Question: Can I change teams to be with my friend or help with transportation?
2. Question: Can I change teams to one that has the previous coach we are comfortable with?
3. Question: Who can coach?
4. Question: What do you do to find coaches for a team?
5. Question: I can't coach because I don't have the skill/time/desire (pick one), why can't someone else volunteer?
6. Question: What do you do if you can not find a coach for a team?
7. Question: What are the odds that a waiting list player is placed on a team?
8. Question: Another coach called me to ask for my player to join his/her team. Is that appropriate?

Question: Can I change teams to be with my friend or help with transportation?

Reply: We appreciate that part of the fun is playing on a team with a friend already made. Sometimes the formation process takes care of this, sometimes it does not. Once teams are formed, moving players for any reason is next to impossible. Consider that new friends are always waiting to be made, including on new teams. We all have busy lives, jobs, several children to accommodate, and other things to juggle. Transportation is a challenge for everyone in the city. It is highly unlikely that we can help that many people and keep the integrity of the team formation process in tact.

Question: Can I change teams to one that has the previous coach we are comfortable with?

Reply: We are pleased that you and your player had a good experience in the past; that is a major reason we work hard to find coaches for the teams. Intentional or not, requests for teams can constitute team stacking. Team drafting and selection (and non-selection) of specific players is against the Warwick Soccer Club league policies. Change always puts us out of our comfort zone as it introduces unknowns. Remember that the odds are very high that you did not know that other coach before you had a good experience with him/her. There are lots of other good people volunteering to be coaches also. This applies to school teachers, work managers, and friends as we all grow and time moves on. You and your player will continue to have memorable experiences with new team members and team mates. In the end, we're all here to have fun playing soccer together.   back to questions

Question: Who can coach?

Reply: Warwick Soccer Club coaching staff (Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and Team Manager) members must be at least 21 years of age and a responsible person. This is for legal reasons and it’s a matter or maturity and responsibility. Anyone in charge of minors (as coaches are) must legally and able to take care of the players. Desire to coach is most important; willingness to try is appreciated. This does not preclude high school students from volunteering their time and knowledge of the game to the youth, but it is to protect your children. back to questions

Question: What do you do to find coaches for a team?

Reply: The Age Group Coordinators work very hard to try to find a coach for every team we can form. While our goal is to create the opportunity to play for every player that signs up for soccer, there are limitations. Every team must have a coach to participate in the league. Initially, coaches are identified when they turn in an application during the child registration process and/or mark "Coach" on their player's registration form. However, there are never enough volunteers for number of players that sign up. In that case, the AGC will call the parents of the players and let them know we are looking for a coach. Often one parent will volunteer or two will "co-coach" as a team. Either way is great! Even after that, we are often still short of coaches in some age groups. Coaches are volunteers that can not be force to participate, nor do we wish to force anyone to do anything they are uncomfortable with. Sometimes we have to give a second call out to the parent or have a parent meeting to discuss the options.  back to questions

Question: I can't coach because I don't have the skill/time/desire (pick one), why can't someone else volunteer?

Reply: You are being asked to consider coaching because no one else has stepped up yet. We understand that each of us has a variety of things going on that make it a challenge to raise your hand up and volunteer to take a team. Here are some things to consider as you contemplate coaching:

• Skill: This is not World Cup soccer so let's not put pressure on ourselves before we even begin. The skill set of all the coaches in the same age group are likely to be quite similar regardless of the age group. Also, the league pays for an “In house training program” each year to coach coaches in the recreation program. This coaching covers all age groups in the league. The clinics are free and open for all the players, coaches and parents if they wish to attend as they can. Ask a coach that has attended before and you will get good feedback about the clinics.
  
• Time: The benefit of being a coach is that the time/date/location of practices are on your time. As the one signing up to take the team, obviously, your time to have practice is largely your decision. If practices are once or twice a week, that is up to you. Consider some practices on Saturdays before the season begins or reducing practices once the season begins. There are all kinds of possibilities, just double check that the options you pick also work for a majority of the team.
• Desire: Too many people without desire to coach will result in teams disbanding and players that will not get to play soccer in the league that season. This is not a threat, but a fact. The league will support its coaches as much as possible. If issues are the concern, be assured that the league will help when asked. We all want the kids to play. What we need are enough volunteers to make that goal a reality.  back to questions

Question: What do you do if you can not find a coach for a team?

Reply: Unfortunately, there are times when no coach can be identified for a team. In that case, the team is disbanded and players are distributed amongst the remaining teams. Thus increasing the number of players per team and limiting the amount of playing time involved for each child.  back to questions

Reply: Very good. There are few players we can not place up until the beginning of the season. We work hard to place all players and still keep teams balanced.  back to questions

Question: Another coach called me to ask for my player to join his/her team. Is that appropriate?