FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...
A: Q: What age group is my son or daughter in?
A: A player's age is determined by birth year at the beginning of the playing year (fall and then spring). This age determines the age group for the full playing year. Teams are grouped by age such that the age of the team roster reflects the age of the oldest player. See "Age Group Table" under "Registration" tab.
Q: What are the team rosters?
A team roster is a list of the players and coaches on a team. Team rosters in the U6, U8 and U9 age groups are not formal. Players need only to be registered with the club and coaches need only show proof that they have submitted to a criminal background check in the past two years. Once a player turns 10 and moves into U12 (which includes U11), (or other Sunday play) he/she will need to be on a formal roster that is presented to the referee at the beginning of each game. To be on a formal roster, a player needs to provide a valid proof of birth and a valid player pass when the roster is submitted to the State Registrar. Any coach that wishes to be on the roster needs to provide a valid coach pass and show that they have submitted to a criminal background check in the past two years.
Q: What are valid proofs of birth?
A: A valid proof of birth includes birth certificate, passport, or driver's license if a player has one. Hospital records of birth and baptismal certificates are NOT valid proofs of birth.
Q: What is a player pass?
A: The player pass is an identification card which proves that a player is in the correct age group and on the correct team. When a player registers for the season, the Club Registrar will computer-generate a player pass with basic player information on it. The Club Registrar will then provide the coach with the pass.
Q: What is a coach pass?
A: A coach pass is the same as a player pass, except that the date of birth is left blank and no proof of birth is required. However, the coach must have submitted information for a criminal and child welfare background check as well as a certificate from the Safe Sport organization
Q: How does a coach get a background check?
A: Go to the Player FAQ; Coach Resources page of this website for more information and a link to the PA West risk management site. You will need to pay noted fees for the clearance, but HSC will reimburse you as soon as you contact any board member to request reimbursement.
Q: How is a roster formalized (for U11 and older age groups)?
A: After the commissioner determines who is to be on a given team, the Club Registrar will computer-generate a roster in the required format with the required information. The Club Registrar then collects proofs of birth and photos for all players on the roster. The State Registrar confirms the birthdates and photos on the roster and that all other information is in order. The Club Registrar then prints all passes and distributes to coaches.
Q: What is then done with this formalized roster?
A: All player and coach passes must be presented to the head referee at the start of each game. The referee will then confirm that each player and coach on the field has a pass and is on the roster. If they do not, they will not be allowed on the field.
Q: What fees are involved in registering players and coaches with the State Registrar?
A: Fees are set by and paid to PA West Soccer by the Club. These fees are currently approximately $13 for each player, plus, for the U11 and older age groups, $25 per team. There is no fee for a coach. The fee may not be paid with personal check or cash. It must be paid using a Club check.
Q: How many players can be on a team/roster?
A: Rosters may not exceed a PA West pre-determined limit based on age group. The maximum roster size for U12 is 16; the maximum roster size for age groups older than U12 is 22, with the restriction that no more than 18 players may dress for a game.
Q: How are teams divided up?
In U6 through U10, the commissioners form the teams and are instructed to place players as equitably as possible and accommodate as many individual requests as possible. The team formation for U11 and older age groups is much different. Each team in these older age groups must be classified to play within a particular division. The process of forming teams at this level is based on a combined effort of the commissioner and any other qualified individuals involved in the evaluation process.
A: What is the evaluation process (for U11 and older age groups)?
Q: For division 4, the evaluation process is typically limited to coach evaluations from prior seasons. This typically occurs only once per year, usually at the end of May. For tryouts, the Club will involve a number of qualified individuals to rate and rank players to assist in the determination of teams. However, a player's ability is not the sole determining factor. Many factors go into this process and vary based upon the pool of players from which to choose. For example, it may make sense to field a 'pure U12' team instead of a mixed 'U11/U12' team, meaning that all players are 11 years old instead of having both 10 and 11 year olds. The willingness to commit to an entire playing year and attendance on prior teams also factor into the selection of teams. In the end, it is a subjective process that reflects the best opinion of those involved.
Q: Why didn't my son or daughter "make" a particular team / division?... It must be politics of the organization.
A: As described above, there are a number of factors that go into the process. Also, the Club involves as many qualified individuals (coaches and other experienced evaluators) as possible. Most of those involved do not have children who are being evaluated.
Q: I'm new to the Club or to the age group. Please describe what I can expect for each age group.
A: Please see the AGE GROUP page
Q: I heard that a fourteen year old was allowed to play on an Under 14 team. What's that all about?
A: Due to the significant drop off in player numbers between U14 and U19, a club may have a U15 team in the fall season if certain criteria is met. If you have players who are 14 years old as of the July 31 preceding the playing year, and who also are in eighth grade, they may play on a U15 team in the U14 age group. Because the players are actually U15 players, the team must be a U15 team. However, the team plays against other U14 teams instead of playing in the U19 age group. This is only allowed in the fall season and the Club Registrar must receive a waiver from PA West Soccer.
Q: Can someone from another community play for Hampton, or visa-versa?
Yes, subject to potential restrictions. The roster for U11 and older age groups must indicate which club the team will be playing for, but the makeup of the team could include players from more than one community. In fact, if there are not enough players to form a team, the age group commissioner may look to other community clubs to combine the players from each club into one team.
Q: My player is close to the age cutoff and wants to play with friends that are in a different age group. Can they play in a different age group?
The Club does allow the occasional player to play up to his or her next age group, but reserves the right to deny requests. There are several considerations the Club takes into account when making this decision. These considerations include how close the player is to the age cutoff, their size, the reason they want to play outside of their age group, and the number of teams and available roster spots. The Club does not want to have a player who wants to 'play up' take the last spot over a player who is in the correct age group (this is especially true on the more competitive Division 3B teams). When a commissioner is filling teams, he or she gives priority to those of the correct age who are registered by the given deadline. If a player is allowed to play up to the next older age group, the parents must sign a playup consent form that can be found on the website and include it with their registration form (no notary is required, although there is a spot for a notary signature on the consent form). PA West does not permit players to "play down" to a younger age group.
Q: What is involved in preparing for the soccer season and why is registration closed six weeks before the first game?
Hampton Soccer Club volunteers work very hard to prepare for each season. There is much more involved than simply splitting up teams and hitting the field. Here’s a summary of the process...
Six weeks before first game...
Registration is closed each applicable age group commissioner reviews their age group. Player and coach passes are generated by the Club Registrar for the older age groups which require formal rosters.
Commissioners organize teams, recruit and assign coaches. Commissioners will try to set teams to the optimal size to ensure that there are enough players on each week but not so many players that the amount of play time will suffer (subject to roster maximums). Commissioners may accept late registrations to the extent that it does not interfere with the optimal team size. Commissioners may also recruit players that did not otherwise register in an effort to fill teams which otherwise have too few players.
Three to four weeks before first game...
Club Registrar makes sure U11 and older age group players have valid proof of birth and player passes and that all of their coaches have valid coach passes and have submitted information for a criminal background check in the past two years. Club Registrar makes sure coaches U10 and younger age groups have submitted information for their background checks.
The Club Registrar receives all information from the Commissioners and works with the State Registrar at PA West Soccer to register each player and coach, and formalize the rosters and player and coach passes.
PA West Soccer sets the appointment date and time for each of about 50 soccer clubs in the month preceding the season. This date for Hampton has typically been approximately three weeks prior to the first game.
Two weeks before the first game...
Team practices (except for U6) have typically begun. Players may still be accepted in the U10 and younger age groups if the commissioner decides that there is room on a team. The Club Registrar will mail player lists for any remaining U10 and younger players to the State Registrar at PA West Soccer.
Q: I am registering late, but I know there’s a team that could fit one more player and HSC won’t let my son or daughter play!
While that may be true, it’s not fair to i) the Hampton Soccer Club volunteers who have lives of their own and want to get on with playing the game, to have to add players to a team and register another player with PA West Soccer, or ii) the players who were on the team when it was determined to be at it’s optimal size and face the possibility of having more players, thereby giving them less time on the field. If the player had been registered on time, perhaps an additional team could have been formed instead of maxing out the number of players on each existing team.
Q: How do I order a uniform?
Please see the Uniforms section of this website for more information.
Q: Can HSC players wear earrings or other jewelry while participating in a HSC soccer game?
No. PA West Rules prohibit players from wearing jewelry during play. All jewelry, including but not limited to, earrings (all types), watches / bracelets, necklaces, and rings must be removed by players prior to play. Only medical alert 'jewelry' may be worn and taped to skin with permission of referee.
Q: What is HSC's refund policy?
Withdrawals on or prior to 5 days after registration closed for their age group, will receive a full refund of the HSC registration fee, less a credit card processing fee, if applicable. Refunds for withdrawals after the 5 day period will be granted only for certain limited circumstances, such as medical issues or family relocation. Paid PA West fees and credit card processing fees, if applicable, will be deducted from any refund.
For all age groups, uniform costs are not refundable. Also, refunds will not be given for schedule changes due to weather, field conditions, or other Acts of God.
It's game day and it's raining. How do I know if there is a game?
Your coach is the best source of information regarding games and practices. However, you may also visit this website for up-to-date field closures and game/practice cancellations. Please note that if the field is closed, there will be no game or practice. However, if the field is not closed, it is still possible that the game or practice will be cancelled.
A word on the referees...
Just as the players in the younger age groups are learning, the referees in these younger age groups are learning as well. New referees begin in Under 8 and move up as they feel able into the older age groups. Most of the referees are kids not much older than the players. Intimidation of the referees will not be tolerated. They are there to enforce the rules to the best of their abilities and sometimes their decisions may not be popular. These rules are not Hampton Soccer Club rules, but instead are rules of US Youth Soccer. The referees do not make the rules, but instead are there to enforce them. Please direct any problems with a referee to your coach or commissioner, but do not confront the referee.
My daughter just got her ears pierced and the referee wants her to take them out. We can't do that because they'll close up again. Can't she just play with them this one time?
Sorry, no. The rules provided to referees in their training explicitly states in bold print.
Friends of ours want to play, but are going through a difficult time financially and therefore cannot sign up their children. Can something be done?
Yes. As a community organization, HSC does not want children to miss soccer play due to temporary family financial difficulties. Partial or full fee waivers (i.e. Scholarships) are available for such instances. Please contact HSC if you are interested in applying for a Scholarship by sending an email to hamptonsoccerclub261@gmail.com, Attn: HSC President.
Indoor soccer and tournaments
Coaches often learn about opportunities to play soccer outside of the regular fall and spring soccer seasons. For example, many coaches choose to take their teams indoor over the winter months to play at PISA or another venue. This play lies outside of the jurisdiction of Hampton Soccer Club (and by extension PA West). Some tournaments are sanctioned by PA West and require rosters to participate, but some are not. Regardless, HSC encourages its coaches to invite all of their players and to also work with other HSC coaches to ensure that all players have the opportunity to play with their own team. HSC asks that players check with their own coach before committing to playing for another team.
A: A player's age is determined by birth year at the beginning of the playing year (fall and then spring). This age determines the age group for the full playing year. Teams are grouped by age such that the age of the team roster reflects the age of the oldest player. See "Age Group Table" under "Registration" tab.
Q: What are the team rosters?
A team roster is a list of the players and coaches on a team. Team rosters in the U6, U8 and U9 age groups are not formal. Players need only to be registered with the club and coaches need only show proof that they have submitted to a criminal background check in the past two years. Once a player turns 10 and moves into U12 (which includes U11), (or other Sunday play) he/she will need to be on a formal roster that is presented to the referee at the beginning of each game. To be on a formal roster, a player needs to provide a valid proof of birth and a valid player pass when the roster is submitted to the State Registrar. Any coach that wishes to be on the roster needs to provide a valid coach pass and show that they have submitted to a criminal background check in the past two years.
Q: What are valid proofs of birth?
A: A valid proof of birth includes birth certificate, passport, or driver's license if a player has one. Hospital records of birth and baptismal certificates are NOT valid proofs of birth.
Q: What is a player pass?
A: The player pass is an identification card which proves that a player is in the correct age group and on the correct team. When a player registers for the season, the Club Registrar will computer-generate a player pass with basic player information on it. The Club Registrar will then provide the coach with the pass.
Q: What is a coach pass?
A: A coach pass is the same as a player pass, except that the date of birth is left blank and no proof of birth is required. However, the coach must have submitted information for a criminal and child welfare background check as well as a certificate from the Safe Sport organization
Q: How does a coach get a background check?
A: Go to the Player FAQ; Coach Resources page of this website for more information and a link to the PA West risk management site. You will need to pay noted fees for the clearance, but HSC will reimburse you as soon as you contact any board member to request reimbursement.
Q: How is a roster formalized (for U11 and older age groups)?
A: After the commissioner determines who is to be on a given team, the Club Registrar will computer-generate a roster in the required format with the required information. The Club Registrar then collects proofs of birth and photos for all players on the roster. The State Registrar confirms the birthdates and photos on the roster and that all other information is in order. The Club Registrar then prints all passes and distributes to coaches.
Q: What is then done with this formalized roster?
A: All player and coach passes must be presented to the head referee at the start of each game. The referee will then confirm that each player and coach on the field has a pass and is on the roster. If they do not, they will not be allowed on the field.
Q: What fees are involved in registering players and coaches with the State Registrar?
A: Fees are set by and paid to PA West Soccer by the Club. These fees are currently approximately $13 for each player, plus, for the U11 and older age groups, $25 per team. There is no fee for a coach. The fee may not be paid with personal check or cash. It must be paid using a Club check.
Q: How many players can be on a team/roster?
A: Rosters may not exceed a PA West pre-determined limit based on age group. The maximum roster size for U12 is 16; the maximum roster size for age groups older than U12 is 22, with the restriction that no more than 18 players may dress for a game.
Q: How are teams divided up?
In U6 through U10, the commissioners form the teams and are instructed to place players as equitably as possible and accommodate as many individual requests as possible. The team formation for U11 and older age groups is much different. Each team in these older age groups must be classified to play within a particular division. The process of forming teams at this level is based on a combined effort of the commissioner and any other qualified individuals involved in the evaluation process.
A: What is the evaluation process (for U11 and older age groups)?
Q: For division 4, the evaluation process is typically limited to coach evaluations from prior seasons. This typically occurs only once per year, usually at the end of May. For tryouts, the Club will involve a number of qualified individuals to rate and rank players to assist in the determination of teams. However, a player's ability is not the sole determining factor. Many factors go into this process and vary based upon the pool of players from which to choose. For example, it may make sense to field a 'pure U12' team instead of a mixed 'U11/U12' team, meaning that all players are 11 years old instead of having both 10 and 11 year olds. The willingness to commit to an entire playing year and attendance on prior teams also factor into the selection of teams. In the end, it is a subjective process that reflects the best opinion of those involved.
Q: Why didn't my son or daughter "make" a particular team / division?... It must be politics of the organization.
A: As described above, there are a number of factors that go into the process. Also, the Club involves as many qualified individuals (coaches and other experienced evaluators) as possible. Most of those involved do not have children who are being evaluated.
Q: I'm new to the Club or to the age group. Please describe what I can expect for each age group.
A: Please see the AGE GROUP page
Q: I heard that a fourteen year old was allowed to play on an Under 14 team. What's that all about?
A: Due to the significant drop off in player numbers between U14 and U19, a club may have a U15 team in the fall season if certain criteria is met. If you have players who are 14 years old as of the July 31 preceding the playing year, and who also are in eighth grade, they may play on a U15 team in the U14 age group. Because the players are actually U15 players, the team must be a U15 team. However, the team plays against other U14 teams instead of playing in the U19 age group. This is only allowed in the fall season and the Club Registrar must receive a waiver from PA West Soccer.
Q: Can someone from another community play for Hampton, or visa-versa?
Yes, subject to potential restrictions. The roster for U11 and older age groups must indicate which club the team will be playing for, but the makeup of the team could include players from more than one community. In fact, if there are not enough players to form a team, the age group commissioner may look to other community clubs to combine the players from each club into one team.
Q: My player is close to the age cutoff and wants to play with friends that are in a different age group. Can they play in a different age group?
The Club does allow the occasional player to play up to his or her next age group, but reserves the right to deny requests. There are several considerations the Club takes into account when making this decision. These considerations include how close the player is to the age cutoff, their size, the reason they want to play outside of their age group, and the number of teams and available roster spots. The Club does not want to have a player who wants to 'play up' take the last spot over a player who is in the correct age group (this is especially true on the more competitive Division 3B teams). When a commissioner is filling teams, he or she gives priority to those of the correct age who are registered by the given deadline. If a player is allowed to play up to the next older age group, the parents must sign a playup consent form that can be found on the website and include it with their registration form (no notary is required, although there is a spot for a notary signature on the consent form). PA West does not permit players to "play down" to a younger age group.
Q: What is involved in preparing for the soccer season and why is registration closed six weeks before the first game?
Hampton Soccer Club volunteers work very hard to prepare for each season. There is much more involved than simply splitting up teams and hitting the field. Here’s a summary of the process...
Six weeks before first game...
Registration is closed each applicable age group commissioner reviews their age group. Player and coach passes are generated by the Club Registrar for the older age groups which require formal rosters.
Commissioners organize teams, recruit and assign coaches. Commissioners will try to set teams to the optimal size to ensure that there are enough players on each week but not so many players that the amount of play time will suffer (subject to roster maximums). Commissioners may accept late registrations to the extent that it does not interfere with the optimal team size. Commissioners may also recruit players that did not otherwise register in an effort to fill teams which otherwise have too few players.
Three to four weeks before first game...
Club Registrar makes sure U11 and older age group players have valid proof of birth and player passes and that all of their coaches have valid coach passes and have submitted information for a criminal background check in the past two years. Club Registrar makes sure coaches U10 and younger age groups have submitted information for their background checks.
The Club Registrar receives all information from the Commissioners and works with the State Registrar at PA West Soccer to register each player and coach, and formalize the rosters and player and coach passes.
PA West Soccer sets the appointment date and time for each of about 50 soccer clubs in the month preceding the season. This date for Hampton has typically been approximately three weeks prior to the first game.
Two weeks before the first game...
Team practices (except for U6) have typically begun. Players may still be accepted in the U10 and younger age groups if the commissioner decides that there is room on a team. The Club Registrar will mail player lists for any remaining U10 and younger players to the State Registrar at PA West Soccer.
Q: I am registering late, but I know there’s a team that could fit one more player and HSC won’t let my son or daughter play!
While that may be true, it’s not fair to i) the Hampton Soccer Club volunteers who have lives of their own and want to get on with playing the game, to have to add players to a team and register another player with PA West Soccer, or ii) the players who were on the team when it was determined to be at it’s optimal size and face the possibility of having more players, thereby giving them less time on the field. If the player had been registered on time, perhaps an additional team could have been formed instead of maxing out the number of players on each existing team.
Q: How do I order a uniform?
Please see the Uniforms section of this website for more information.
Q: Can HSC players wear earrings or other jewelry while participating in a HSC soccer game?
No. PA West Rules prohibit players from wearing jewelry during play. All jewelry, including but not limited to, earrings (all types), watches / bracelets, necklaces, and rings must be removed by players prior to play. Only medical alert 'jewelry' may be worn and taped to skin with permission of referee.
Q: What is HSC's refund policy?
Withdrawals on or prior to 5 days after registration closed for their age group, will receive a full refund of the HSC registration fee, less a credit card processing fee, if applicable. Refunds for withdrawals after the 5 day period will be granted only for certain limited circumstances, such as medical issues or family relocation. Paid PA West fees and credit card processing fees, if applicable, will be deducted from any refund.
For all age groups, uniform costs are not refundable. Also, refunds will not be given for schedule changes due to weather, field conditions, or other Acts of God.
It's game day and it's raining. How do I know if there is a game?
Your coach is the best source of information regarding games and practices. However, you may also visit this website for up-to-date field closures and game/practice cancellations. Please note that if the field is closed, there will be no game or practice. However, if the field is not closed, it is still possible that the game or practice will be cancelled.
A word on the referees...
Just as the players in the younger age groups are learning, the referees in these younger age groups are learning as well. New referees begin in Under 8 and move up as they feel able into the older age groups. Most of the referees are kids not much older than the players. Intimidation of the referees will not be tolerated. They are there to enforce the rules to the best of their abilities and sometimes their decisions may not be popular. These rules are not Hampton Soccer Club rules, but instead are rules of US Youth Soccer. The referees do not make the rules, but instead are there to enforce them. Please direct any problems with a referee to your coach or commissioner, but do not confront the referee.
My daughter just got her ears pierced and the referee wants her to take them out. We can't do that because they'll close up again. Can't she just play with them this one time?
Sorry, no. The rules provided to referees in their training explicitly states in bold print.
Friends of ours want to play, but are going through a difficult time financially and therefore cannot sign up their children. Can something be done?
Yes. As a community organization, HSC does not want children to miss soccer play due to temporary family financial difficulties. Partial or full fee waivers (i.e. Scholarships) are available for such instances. Please contact HSC if you are interested in applying for a Scholarship by sending an email to hamptonsoccerclub261@gmail.com, Attn: HSC President.
Indoor soccer and tournaments
Coaches often learn about opportunities to play soccer outside of the regular fall and spring soccer seasons. For example, many coaches choose to take their teams indoor over the winter months to play at PISA or another venue. This play lies outside of the jurisdiction of Hampton Soccer Club (and by extension PA West). Some tournaments are sanctioned by PA West and require rosters to participate, but some are not. Regardless, HSC encourages its coaches to invite all of their players and to also work with other HSC coaches to ensure that all players have the opportunity to play with their own team. HSC asks that players check with their own coach before committing to playing for another team.