Attendance Policy

Shawnee Boys Soccer Attendance Policy

               Joining the Shawnee Boys Soccer program means that you are committing to a team and as such attending all of our scheduled practices, scrimmages, and games once preseason begins each year.  This may involve sacrificing time with friends and vacations to build chemistry with your teammates and improve yourself as a player and athlete during our training and games.  This comes with the territory of being part of a team.  If all of your teammates are out working hard, you should be there with them.  Excessive unexcused absences from our training and games may result in dismissal from the program.  Please see the below guidelines for more details.

NJ State Rule: 6 days of practice must be completed before anyone is allowed to participate in a scrimmage or game per NJSIAA rules.

Excused Absences: Absences are excused for the following reasons: sickness, extra-help with academics, religious holidays, funerals, and college visits (college visits are NOT excused on game days).  These absences will only be excused if the coaches are made aware in advance of the practice/game; you as the player should be making the coach aware – not your parents.  This is your team – not theirs.  Players that come in the next day and then report to the coach that they were at a college visit, etc., will not be excused.  Obviously, extenuating circumstances in regards to sickness will be considered, but please make every effort to inform your coach if you’re not in school on a certain day, need to leave early, or won’t be at practice for a doctor’s appointment.  No consequences will be faced for these infractions. 

Missed Day Before Game: If a player has an unexcused missed day the practice directly before a game, he will not be allowed to play in that game regardless of the below policies.  If a player is injured and cannot play in the practice before a game, he will not be allowed to play in that game for safety concerns.  (i.e. If a player is too hurt to play on Thursday, he can’t sit out practice to get better for Friday.  We would rather he take two days off to heal completely with the long-run interest of the player’s health in mind.)

Unexcused Missed Days in a Row

1.     1 unexcused missed day = not playing in the first half of the next game/scrimmage

2.     2 unexcused days in a row = not playing in the next game/scrimmage

3.     3 or more unexcused days in a row = not playing in the next game/scrimmage for however many days were missed (3 days = 2 games, 4 days = 3 games, 5 days = 4 games, etc.)

Separate Occurrences of Unexcused Missed Days

4.     First occurrence – see above Unexcused Missed Days in a Row policies

5.     Second occurrence – automatically move to step 2 above (i.e. even 1 unexcused missed day will result in not being allowed to play in the next game if it is a separate occurrence from the first day or set of missed days)

o   2nd occurrence – 1 missed day = 1 game

o   2nd occurrence – 2 missed days = 2 games

o   2nd occurrence – 3 missed days = 3 games

6.     Third occurrence – Minimum week long suspension from games, possible removal from program

Unexcused Late to Practice/Game/Mandatory Team Meeting

1.     First occurrence – warning

2.     Second occurrence – reduced role in playing time (not starting, reduction in minutes, etc.)

3.     Third occurrence – not playing in the next game/scrimmage