NOGSL MEETING MINUTES

June 16, 2008

Concordia, Olmsted Twp.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm. 

Roll call was taken.  Missing communities were Ashland, Beachwood, Copley and Middleburg Heights.  Excused absent communities were Aurora, Chagrin Falls, Newbury, Shaker Heights and Twinsburg.  New communities were Geneva and West Park.

 

Al Soper – President

The 2008 U-14 All-Star event was held on June 1st at Fairview Park High School.  We had sixty-three girls participate.  Each was given a T-shirt and a “memory-mate” style photo combination as a keepsake.  In addition, we’ve had forty-four applicants for the twelve available $250 scholarships.  We’re lucky to have so many great kids who’ve contributed to the world of soccer as well as their academic areas.  We’ll announce the winners at the next meeting.

 

NOGSL has been listening to the feedback we’ve received on the best ways to serve our member communities.  We’ve been investigating computer-based systems to streamline a lot of the work and reduce the need to drive to meetings for information.  In addition, we’ve been talking with the boys’ leagues to see how to align our rules to make life easier for communities and referees.

 

E-Registration 

Ohio North has selected an improved program from LeagueOne as their next electronic registration tool.  This has many similarities to the product they’ve been using for the last couple of years, but there are some new features and data must be entered correctly in order to complete a registration.  Training for the new system is offered by Ohio North.  The dates that NOGSL members, and others in Division III, will be trained are Wed. June 25th in the evening and Sunday, June 29th in the morning.  Training will be given to communities.  One rep per community is asked to receive the official training and they can then train others if needed.  A web-based training session will also be available.  If your community has not confirmed a slot with NOGSL, please contact Ohio North to get signed up.  This tool will allow communities to register their players, coaches and managers on-line. This year we will stay with two year passes.  If your coach/player received a new pass last year and they are playing in your club again, we can issue a sticker to put on their pass to validate it for this year.  These passes should be collected from the teams and brought to the July 28th meeting to receive a new sticker.  If you have a new player/coach this year, they will be given a brand new pass during our registration period.

 

Communities will have the ability to print new passes on card stock issued by NOGSL.  Reps should obtain this before they leave the meeting.  Requests for additional cardstock should be sent by email to a board member and we will get it to you.  Once the cards are printed you will need to have the player sign her name on the allotted spot and a current color photo should be glued to the front of the pass.  We are still not clear on the present capability of the system to upload electronic photos to attach to the pass.

 

Please note:  if your team is going to Bothwell or State Cup (formerly Snickers) tournament they will need new passes and cannot use a stickered pass.  Please check with your teams and if you see this coming up, let Ohio North and NOGSL know in advance so there are no problems.

 

Howard Klebanow – Vice President

Over the last six months we’ve been evaluating and interviewing companies that can help us move forward with products that will make our jobs easier.  A company called 3X Media has been selected to revamp our website and make it possible to generate schedules, scores and standings on-line.  They have been working with a variety of sports leagues and already have solutions to some of the opportunities we’ve presented to them.  Starting in Spring 2009 we will be taking team declarations on-line.  Scores will be entered online.  These will be reviewed by the game commissioner for approval and will appear on the website.  A four goal differential will still be recorded for standings.  This website product will allow scheduling to be done online.  Communities will be able to review the initial schedule and enter the agreed-upon reschedule via a password protected tool.  For this Fall season, scores and standings will appear online.  Brackets and initial schedules will be loaded to the website so the initial bracketing meeting scheduled for July 14th is being canceled.  Over the next year we will move to a finished package that can accommodate our tournaments and assignment of referees.  In the initial phases, we will not implement the credit card function.  We need to review the costs and get feedback from member communities on whether or not this is necessary.  We will have the capability to use it if our members vote to go that way.  We welcome community feedback as the new system is loaded and evolves.  To see how a similar website from this company looks, go to www.nwoysl.org.

 

Please read all your emails in the next 4 – 6 weeks as important information about changes will be sent that way.  The plan is to email out the initial brackets by June 30th.  Communities will be given one week to question or change their team placements in the brackets.  Final brackets and initial schedules will be emailed to communities by July 10th.  Community representatives need to contact each other to change and confirm playing dates/times.  This should not be done by the coaches.  The group agreed that final schedules should be confirmed by the July 28th meeting.  The confirmed Fall schedule will appear online within 72 hours of that meeting.  Registration materials for Fall season will also be accepted then.   The last day to register players and coaches is September 17th.

 

We will go back to using the time slots of 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00 pm as a suggested starting time for games, however each community should juggle the games to maximize the opportunity to get a referee.  Game stacking and the opportunity for multiple payments is the best way to interest referees in serving your community.  For Fall season we will be using eight Sunday playing dates:

 

·         August 24

·         September 7

·         September 14

·         September 21

·         September 28

·         October 5

·         October 12

·         October 19

 

Communities may agree to use other dates if this benefits both teams.  Silent Sunday will be September 28th this season.  We ask teams to respect this tradition and let the girls show what they can do.

 

Bob Bandsuch – Treasurer

The referee assignors have turned in the game changes they received.  This has created a HUGE stack of paperwork.  The fine for reschedules is $30 per game, unless the game was canceled due to weather conditions, a field closure or a local school/church event.  School and church events should be announced in advance and not cause last minute changes.  NOGSL does not pocket the $30 fine money.  This is used to fund the scholarships and the U-14 All-Star event.  Community bills will be sent out this week.  Payments should be sent to the PO Box listed on the website.

 

Clubs have been given a $5 credit for each coach to cover the cost of the Risk Management registration.  Larger communities are using their community-assigned code to register online and then are billed by Ohio North.  Other communities could look into this.  We can then reimburse them for NOGSL coaches/managers.  A motion was made by Madison and seconded by Amherst to give teams a credit for up to three adults per roster – coaches or managers.  The motion passed with only Orange/Pepper Pike dissenting.

 

New Business

The problem of reschedules has increased this season.  Several games still have not been played.  This is not fair to the players who intend to complete eight games per season.  Weather and other field closures are expected, but the majority of the problems come from teams that do not want to complete a game for other reasons.  We understand that U-14s can be difficult in Spring season, but many of these games come from younger groups.  How do we fix these situations where the coach or team parents refuse to get the game in?  Should problem teams be forced to put up a bond to play?  Do we need to weed out coaches or players who have a history of non-commitment?  Madison informed the group that at the State level, there is a fine of $100 for a missed game.  OASL is considering this suggestion. 

 

The President asked for volunteers to form a subcommittee to address the issue of unplayed or rescheduled games.  Independence, Madison, N Olmsted, N Royalton, Orange and Strongsville agreed to participate.  A meeting will be held in July to brainstorm solutions to this problem. 

 

NOGSL is moving its rules and procedures to be more in line with National.  A new document on small sided game rules will be issued for this season.  There will no longer be an 11v11 bracket for U-12 teams.  The 8v8 bracket for U-13s and U-14s will remain if needed.

 

OYSAN has not given us their new schedule of fees.  We will get that information out ASAP when we get it.  Fees that we do know so far are:

Team Declaration/Commitment fee:  $100 for U-9 to U-11; $125 for U-12 to U-14

Player/Coach registration fee:  $12 each

Referee Fees:  $24 for 6v6, $28 for 8v8, $32 for 11v11

 

Next Meeting:  July 28th at 7:30 pm:  Final Scheduling for Fall 2008 Season

 

 Respectfully Submitted:

 

Mary Killoran

NOGSL Secretary