Frequently Asked Questions
Registering
Q: How do I register.?
A: Click on the "join us/register" button and fill in the form.
Q: Where do I download the registration
form, I can't find it?
A: There is no registration form. Players input their
information themselves, this will reduce error when transcribing information.
Players can register on-line from home or using computers set up on registration
days. There is usually a queue on registration days so we suggest if you are a
returning player or know "the drill" that you register from home.
Q: How young can my child start?
A: Typically about a quarter of our under 6s are aged
4 at the start of the year. A child turning 5 this year is not necessarily out
of place, it depends on the child. Players are graded on ability not age, there
is a tendency for younger players to be placed in lower graded U6 teams and for
those players returning to U6 for a second year to be placed in higher teams.
Football Federation of Australia sets a minimum age requirement, your child must
be turning 5 in the year of their registration.
Q: Can girls play?
A: Certainly, girls are integrated with the boys up to
the age 10. After this, most choose to play in an all girls/women competition
(played Sundays). Some choose to remain in the boys competition. Also, some
girls who would normally play in the U10s mixed competition choose to move
across to the U12 girls team early.
Q: Why are registrations so early.
A: The timetable of events is
- Registrations completed by mid February
- Grading days last 2 weeks of February
- Teams created first week in March
- Draw prepared 2nd and 3rd week of March
- Training Commences mid march
- First game first week in April (season
runs until the end of August)
Q: If I register am I guaranteed a
place?
A: Each age group has a minimum and maximum team size,
at times the number of registrations in a particular age group will be such that
it is not possible to accommodate all players. For the ages U6 to U12 and adult
teams we have so many players that this is never a problem. If we experience
problems with the U14-U18 age groups we can normally contact the clubs in the
adjoining suburbs and make arrangements for players to be offered a place.
Q: Can I register late.
A: Once the KDSA has prepared the draw it is not
possible to add teams. As a result, late registrations can only be accommodated
provided teams have vacancies. The most important thing is that you may well
miss out on playing with friends
Q: Can my child play with a friend?
A: Yes, there is a space on the registration form to
request this.
The club policy
is that friends asking to play together can do so but the request MUST be mutual
and fit within the constraints of team size.
Consideration can be given to grouping small groups of friends
to play together. Group sizes cannot exceed 3 and requests must be mutual.
Requests for larger groups to play together will be determined by the age
coordinator.
You can also request to be with potential new friends. If your child is starting at a new school you can request to be placed with other children from that school. This often occurs with those starting kindergarten or moving to a new school eg St Ives North Kids.
Q: Where and when will I play?
A: Games are played at our home grounds in St Ives and
at the home grounds of our opposition eg Asquith, Wahroonga
U6-U18 will have games scheduled for between 8:30 and 1:30
Saturday morning
Girls/Women's teams play on Sundays
Special Needs play Saturday afternoon at Toolang
Q: When and where will I train?
A: Training is arranged at the convenience of the
coach. As these people are volunteers we fit in training around when they are
available. The only way to be certain when training will be is to volunteer to
coach, then you get to choose. In 2010 we will have a professional coaches
available for all U6-U10 players Tuesday or Thursday afternoon. Parents will still need to
be present to manage the kids but will not require football experience.
Generally, the U6 and U7s train one weekday afternoon at Warrimoo, Toolang, St Ives Park Primary School or St Ives Primary School. U8-U16s train one weekday afternoon at Warrimoo, Acron or Barra Brui. Adult teams train 7:30-9:30 at Warrimoo or Barra Brui or Samuel King. Some teams also choose to train on Sundays as this is when their coach is available.
If training days are not convenient we will do our best to come to some arrangement by moving players to a lower team or training with another team. This is not always possible in the older age groups where there are fewer teams.
Q: How long is the season?
A: The season normally runs for 18-20 weeks starting in
the first week of April. Adult games run each weekend, children do not have
games on weekends in the middle of school holidays (but do on weekends that
start or end holidays). After the end of the season there is a series of "Gala
Days" where teams participate in a combination round-robin then knockout short
games on a single day. Each team plays at least 2 and as many as 5 half length
games. After the season and gala days are completed the club has a trophy day.
Games are also played in the "off" season with 5-a-side games for U10 and above played at St Ives showground.
Q: Can my child play above his/her age
group?
A: Yes, a player can potentially register in a higher
age group, the team they are selected for will be limited by their ability.
Q: Is there a competition, league table
etc?
A: Only U11 and above have
published tables of results and standings. KDSA publishes individual match
results for ages below this level but does not rank teams against each other.
This means each team is able to see its own results but has no idea of which
division they are in.
Each age group has a number of divisions, prior to the start of the season St Ives Soccer club nominates the number of teams in each age group it expects to field and a division for them to play in. KDSA may adjust this nomination to ensure even sized divisions. Once the season starts, junior teams are reviewed several times during the year and moved either up or down a division if their results show them to be out of place.
Q: What do the different team names
mean U06, U12w etc
A: U06 = Under 6 years of age,
G12 = Under 12
women's/girls, MAA =
mens all age (18-34),
M35 = Mens Over 35, Special Needs =
Intellectual disability.
Q: My school plays sport on Saturday mornings, can I play
Saturday afternoons?
A: KDSA allows some clubs to stipulate particular
teams as "Saturday afternoons only" for their game times. On the 2004
registration form we asked if players wanted this option and got no response. We
cannot envisage offering this option in the foreseeable future. Players
requiring this option should contact clubs like Clark Rd
http://www.geocities.com/clarkerdsoccer/Registration.html (most of their
players attend private schools), Lindfield
http://www.lsc.asn.au/ or Wahroonga
http://www.wahroongasoccer.info/ and check their policy on this issue.
Q: When is the draw available?
A: Unfortunately we are not privy to any inside
information for this. In recent years it has been published less than a week
prior to games. For U6-U10 there is a regrading process after week 5, 10 and 15
so the draw for week 6-10 is not prepared until after the end of week 5
Q: Who will coach my child?
A: The coach and the manager for each team are
elected from the parents or those with an interest in the team. The club
does not appoint coaches or managers. Teams that cannot find a coach
or manager cannot take the field. The club will support both coaches and
managers with training or in any other way they can.
Q: What happens if my child doesn't like playing, can I get
a refund?
A: Yes, our refund policy is on the registration form.
In brief,
- if you withdraw up until early March you get a full refund.
- if you withdraw before the first game you get a refund less the costs
the club has incured on your behalf (about $25 for juniors)
- Refunds are reduced by a further 15% for the number of weeks into the
season (after 6 weeks no refund)
Q: Can I pay after grading day?
A: No. We cannot let a player take the field without
insurance and our policy is such that coverage is extended only to those who
have a valid registration. If you choose not to continue after grading you can
receive a full refund.
Q: Are there any discounts?
A: Yes. The third and subsequent registration from any
one family receives a 50% rebate, applied to the youngest players and paid by
cheque after registrations are completed. Also, if you are experiencing
difficulties paying please contact either our president or registrar.
Q: Why does soccer cost so much/little?
A: Registration fees make up almost all of our income.
Unlike many clubs we do not have fundraising events like chocolate drives,
raffles etc.
You can see a breakdown of our expenditure over recent years in our "about us"
section of the web site. The majority of our expenditure goes to the Ku-Ring-gai
District Soccer Association (KDSA). They, in turn, spend the majority of their
funds on ground hire, insurance and referees.
Q: Are my details safe?
A: Yes, the player details are kept secure on a system
that has been in use for many years. Payment details are not accessible to the
club, when registering you are passed to a "gateway" that takes payment and
provides confirmation to the club that you have paid. The company used for this
gateway is the same as is used by paypal and one of the largest such providers
in the world.
Q: Are there any hidden
costs/fundraisers?
A: The club does not have any fundraising events or
drives. Any event organised by the Management Committee is intended to be social
and designed to break even. Once registered, the only costs are for boots, socks
etc and perhaps your rostered turn on bring the team oranges.
Starting Out
Q: What clothing/gear do I need?
A: The club provides shirts to each team which are
returned at the end of the year. Players need their own shorts and socks which
are available from the canteen at Warrimoo Oval and boots and shin pads which
are available from sports and shoe stores. Most sports stores offer 5% discount
if you mention you are with a sporting club.
Wet Weather
Falling rain does not normally stop play or training, we play rain or shine.
Lightning will always stop play and training.
Grounds may be closed if playing on them would cause too much impact.
In the case of wet weather, the decision to close grounds is
made by the local council (usually at 4
There are several ways to check grounds closure.