Club responsibilities

1. Player Registration  - Requirements Individual player

   • All players must register with their own Member Organization.

   • The player is registered from the moment the player or the player’s agent signs the Registration form and pays the appropriate fees (registration and insurance).

   • Once a player has registered with a Member Organization for a specific level of play, he/she must remain with that organization until a request for transfer is approved by both the organization the player desires to register with and the organization the player is leaving.

   • A player must be within the age specified by the US Youth Soccer. Proof of birth consists of any of the following: 

     1. A birth certificate, 

     2. A valid driver’s license,

     3. A Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card (DD Form 1173) issued by the Uniformed Services of the United States, or birth registration issued by an appropriate government agency, board of health records,

     4. Passport, 

     5. Alien registration card issued by the United States government (i.e. I 94), 

     6. A certificate issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service attesting to age or a certificate of an American citizen born abroad issued by the appropriate government agency, 

     7. A birth registration issued by an appropriate government agency or board of health records, 

     8. An unexpired federal, state or local government identification card (if documentation of date of birth is required), 

     9. A certification of a United State Citizen board issued by the appropriate government agency. 

     10. Hospital, baptismal or religious certificates will not be accepted

   • Each Member Organization is responsible for proof of age of its registered players. If the age of a player is challenged through the appeals process, the Member Organization must furnish the Kentucky Youth Soccer Discipline Committee with proof of the player’s age

   • • Younger players can play “up” in age group, however player’s too old can’t play “down” in age group.  

   • Each player must be registered with US Youth Soccer, and be listed on the team’s roster which must include the player's birthdate. 

   • “Over-Age” Player Registration (FALL SEASON ONLY)

     1. For fall seasons, Under 14 teams may add up to five (5) over-age (Under 15) players to their roster. The players must be a true U15 player and must be in 8th Grade to be eligible.

     2. The team will be rostered as an Under 14 team through Kentucky Youth Soccer.

     3. The over-age players should be dropped from that U14 roster by December 1.

   • To participate in a match, a player must be listed on the official team roster. Any player who does not conform to this rule will be considered ineligible. Any match in which an ineligible player participates shall be forfeited. 

   • Multiple Registration - Players already rostered/registered to a team, wishing to roster/register with an additional team, may do so. No player may be rostered/registered to play on more than two (2) teams. If a player is rostered/registered on two (2) select and/or recreational teams they must declare a primary and secondary team. In the event of a conflict in match schedules a player must play with their primary team.

   • If a player wishes to roster/register on both a recreational and select team they may do so, however, if there is a conflict in match schedule, that player must play for the team of the highest level of competition (i.e. Select before Recreational).

2. Penalties for Ineligible Players

   • Any Kentucky Youth Soccer Member Organization or team accused or identified as using an ineligible player will be investigated by Kentucky Youth Soccer. Member Organizations MUST follow the procedure below once an investigation has begun:

   • Within 24 hours of initial investigation, respond via email or telephone call to Kentucky Youth Soccer with information regarding player accused to be in violation.

   • Within 48 hours of initial investigation, provide an original copy of birth certificate or legal age verification document in accordance with the Kentucky State Rules on “Age Limit Definitions and Roster Limitation, Section 3,“Proof of Age” for the player(s)in question to the Kentucky Youth Soccer State Office

   • Within 48 hours of initial investigation, provide a copy of approved team roster and original member pass(es) of player(s) accused to be in violation to Kentucky Youth Soccer.

   • Pending a hearing in by the Kentucky Youth Soccer Discipline Committee, any Member Organization or team found guilty of using an ineligible player may be subject to the following penalties:

   • First Club Offense

     1. A 1 year suspension of player(s)found in violation

     2. 1 year suspension of club registrar

     3. $2500 Member Organization fine. Any fines not paid by date defined places Member Organization in bad standing with Kentucky Youth Soccer

   • Third Member Organization Offense 

     1. A 1 year suspension of player(s)found in violation 

     2. Member Organization removed from KYSA membership

   • A player must be within the age specified by the US Youth Soccer. Proof of birth consists of any of the following: Birth certificate; Board of Health Records; Passport or Alien Registration Card issued by the United States Government; Certificate of Naturalization issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service; 

   • Clubs must insure that all players are placed on the proper age appropriate team per US soccer age guidelines for recreational soccer, which can be found on KYSA website.  Younger players can play “up” in age group, however player’s too old can’t play “down” in age group. There is a $1,000.00 penalty assessed by KYSA for players that are deemed too old for an age group. 

   • Each player must be registered with US Youth Soccer, and be listed on the team’s roster which must include the player's birthdate. 

   • To participate in a match, a player must be listed on the official team roster. Any player who does not conform to this rule will be considered ineligible. Any match in which an ineligible player participates shall be forfeited. 

   • Players can be registered on select teams and also playing with a recreational team.

3. Team formation Requirements - Team 

• Recreational Team Formation - The team formation process will be random in nature. “Special” requests by players, coaches, or parents for specific team assignments are strongly discouraged.

  1. Criteria for player assignment will include NO consideration for the ability of the player or the relative strength of the team.

  2. All forms of recruiting, invitations, and tryouts are specifically prohibited at the recreational level.

  3. Coaches will have no direct input to, or involvement with, the assignment of players to their teams.

  4. Deliberate creation of single birth year teams is not permitted. Team formation procedures will avoid assignment of a disproportionate number of players with the same birth year to the same team.

  5. Minimum half game playing time is mandatory for all Member Organizations in recreational play.

  6. Teams which fail to meet one or more of the rules for Recreational team formation and player assignment specified herein may be considered as select teams in any Association sponsored competitions, including tournaments or inter-district competitions. The team status/eligibility will be determined by the State Tournament Committee for all competitions conducted by KYSA.

• Maximum Roster

  1. 11 v 11 team rosters may have a maximum of 22 players, unless a larger number is specifically authorized for that Division by the League Playing Rules. 

  2. 9 v 9 team rosters may have a maximum of 18 players. 

  3. 7v7 team rosters may have a maximum of 14 players

  4. 5v5 team rosters may have a maximum of 10 players

• Each team must bring a copy of their KYSA Team Roster to every match. These must be made available, upon request, to the referee or the opposing coach for checking. In the event that a team arrives at the field without their roster, all team members shall be required on a sheet of paper to sign their names, list their birth dates, street address and telephone number. 

• The method of team pool selection and makeup of the team is solely the responsibility of the individual Club and must follow KYSA recreational guidelines. 

4. Team Registration for NKSL

• • All teams participating in NKSL must be affiliated with a Club. 

  • Each Club is responsible for team formation and rosters to be maintained in the KYSA online system, currently Stack sports, which provides player’s insurance and field insurance for game and practice fields.  Payment for teams submitted to NKSL each season is to be made by the Club. 

  • Each Club is responsible for submitting teams during the NKSL bracketing timeframe.  At the bracketing meeting each Club makes the best effort to bracket the teams in appropriate divisions to allow a similar competitive environment for the teams in that division.  While team standings are not recorded and typically individual team formation changes year to year or even season to season, per recreational team formation pool guidelines. 

  • Due to number of teams in a specific age and gender there may only be a single division offered.

5. Fields 

• • Each Club is responsible for providing sufficient home fields to permit scheduling of all games. The League boys/Girls Directors shall determine what number of fields is sufficient. All home fields must be of appropriate size for the age group assigned to play on that field. In the event the Club cannot provide sufficient appropriately sized fields or fields, the NKSL Board of Directors can limit the number of teams from that Club that will be allowed to play in the league that season. 

  • Each Club is responsible for maintaining their home fields in a playable condition and properly marked with marble dust or paint.

  • Each Club is responsible for ensuring that nets and corner flags are available for all their home games. 

  • Each Club is responsible for closing the fields in the event of inclement weather. This Field Coordinator’s name must be posted on the NKSL website to benefit all members of NKSL. In addition, each Club will provide a hotline number or a telephone number that can be called by visiting teams to find out field status during inclement weather. 

6.Referees 

• • NKSL will coordinate referee assignments following USSF policies using a certified USSF referee assignor.  Each Club will assist in recruiting referees from members in their area

    • Provide information on how to become a referee via social media, club website and player registrations

    • Encourage the current referees in the area to use the buddy system and encourage friends and family to referee local games 

7. Training 

• • Each Club is responsible for encouraging their members to attend referee/coaches clinics held in their area. 

8. Committees 

• • Each Club shall provide personnel to attend NKSL President’s meetings, typically the Club president and/or registrar attend, but it is not limited to only those Club positions.