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Frequently Asked Questions
What ages are accepted
for the EYSA?
We accept girls from
age 5 to 16 and boys from age 5 to 15. This is based on their age as of
September 1st of the current year.
What does my child need to play in the EYSA?
All players must wear shinguards, covered by socks. Soccer cleats are
recommended, but not required regular sneakers can be worn. No football
or baseball cleats are allowed, the toe cleat is dangerous in the game
of soccer. The team shirt must be worn at each game, no alterations are
allowed to the t-shirt (do not cut off the sleeves, add a name to the
back, etc.).
How often do teams practice?
Coaches are asked to limit practices to twice a week. The time and location
are at the volunteer coach's convenience.
When does the season begin and end?
Practices can begin in May, games begin in June and end by the end of
July, with a few age groups spilling over into the first week in August.
What if
I miss sign-ups?
It may still be possible
for your child to play. If there is an opening in your child's age group
we can arrange a late registration. You need to contact us at 835-2185
or contact an area director to inquire about openings. Late registrations
will only be offered spots where they exist. You may not be able to get
on a team in your area or with a particular coach or player.
Can players wear earrings or other jewelry during a game?
For the safety of all players, no jewelry is to be worn by any player.
That includes pierced earrings, they must be removed for the duration
of the game.
Can a player participate if they are wearing a cast?
No orthopedic casts are allowed.
What is the policy regarding game cancellations?
Games will be called by the referee if conditions are too dangerous to
play.
If a referee spots lightning during a game, he/she will call the game
at that time. Subsequent games will be decided upon when the actual game
time arrives.
Occasionally a game may be called off ahead of time if excessive rain
has caused the field to be under water and dangerous to play on. Under
those circumstances, the Area Director will let the affected coaches know.
If a coach feels they need to cancel a game due to an inadequate number
of players, they need to inform their area director of that decision prior
to game day so the opposing team can be made aware of the situation.
What is the EYSA Philosophy?
The Erie Youth Soccer Association is a volunteer organization with the
primary objective to bring summer soccer to as many participants as possible.
Our Association promotes the teaching of soccer to our youngsters in an
atmosphere that is noncompetitive, fun and helps our participants become
the best they can be. We do not honor individuals or teams in our Association.
We encourage you to support all players efforts and to promote good sportsmanship
and fair team play.
What is the EYSA Civil Behavior Policy?
Erie Youth Soccer Association conducts a developmental youth soccer
program where players are expected to learn basic skills and the rules
of the game. As a part of the program, players are also learning how to
conduct themselves as responsible youth. To that end, EYSA expects that
only the most civil behavior will be practiced on the soccer field by
players, parents, referees, coaches, other spectators and officials. It
is the responsibility of each individual to ensure that they use a polite,
courteous manner in their interaction with others and to follow the spirit
as well as the letter of the EYSA rules. It is also the responsibility
of the coach to remove one of his or her players from a game if the coach
believes that the player's behavior is not meeting the standards. A referee
has the responsibility to speak to any player, coach or spectator if he
or she believes that their behavior is inappropriate, and to eject any
individual from the game should the warnings not be heeded. The EYSA field
general or other EYSA official has the responsibility as well to monitor
these behaviors and take appropriate action; including speaking to the
referee if the official is not practicing civil behavior.
The Erie Youth Soccer Association began in 1974. It was founded by a group of 7 fathers looking for a soccer experience for their children. Jerry Gould, Jim Faulkner, Walt Horner, John Kane, Herb Lauffer, Ken Ledbury and Rick Santos began the organization with Sunday games on the grounds of Behrend College. The inaugural season had 167 soccer players on 12 teams, ranging in age from 6 to 17.
The second season saw a doubling of participants. This required the addition of Saturday games at Behrend. The organization continued to grow over the years to a high of 4000 players in the mid 1980’s.
In the early 1980’s the organization branched into various geographic areas through-out Erie County. The initial EYSA areas were Fairview/Girard, West Millcreek, East Millcreek, East Erie and North Central Erie. In 1989 Greene Township and North East Township were added. 1990 saw the addition of Waterford and Summit Townships. Edinboro and McKean came on board in 1994. Also added in 1994 were the 5 year old age group and the small sided format.
In 2001 we added 2 $500 scholarships for a boy and a girl over the age of 16. This scholarship is in memory of long time EYSA supporter Rand Garrity.
2002 marked the launching of the Erie Youth Soccer website (www.erieyouthsoccer.org). We hope to add to and improve the site each year. Currently you can fill out a satisfaction survey, join an e-mail update list, find information on upcoming events, locate contact information and play a few games on the site. We hope to add schedules to the site as well.
Last year we began a pre-season player training program. This involved two sessions designed to give some skills training to the players and some practice drill ideas to the coaches. We hope to continue and expand that program this year and beyond.
In 1980 the Erie Youth Soccer Association hosted the US Olympic soccer team in a match against the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate All Star Team. The event attracted 7500 spectators to Veteran’s Stadium. The final score was USA 3 – West. PA 1.
That year was the beginning of the growth of soccer in the US. It was the first year that the men’s team had qualified for the Olympics since 1972, but they were unable to compete because the US had decided to boycott the 1980 games in the Soviet Union.
While soccer supporters are fanatical in other countries, that has not been the case here in the US. The US men’s team’s best finish was a 4th place in the 2000 games in Atlanta. The history of women’s teams in the Olympics is short, first competing in 1996. But for the US Women’s Team the results have been extraordinary. They took the gold in 1996 and the silver in 2000. EYSA has supported the inclusion of girls in the program from the beginning!
The Erie Youth Soccer Association continues to be committed to friendly, fair fun on the soccer field for the children of Erie County. We are holding steady with about 3000 participants. Of course we could not exist without the support of our sponsors and the help of our many volunteers.
The Board Members and Area Directors volunteer a tremendous amount of time each year to insure that soccer is played in each area. The volunteer coaches are dedicated to providing a fair and enjoyable experience for their players. A big thank-you to all who make our season happen year after year!
What is the history of the Erie Youth Soccer Association?