The Throw-In 2023
2023 Summer Recreation Info

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To all returning players and their families, we are so excited to have you back.
To our new players and families, WELCOME! 
As we gear-up for the Summer 2023 season, it’s important to remember some important housekeeping items. 

NCSA PHILOSOPHY:  

The best place for soccer instruction is at practice, which should be as fun and educational as possible. We emphasize building soccer  skills and positive social interactions, rather than winning, as the primary focus of our recreational league. Coaches should model  sportsmanship. We are affiliated with the New York State West Youth Soccer Association.  

To sum it up, our philosophy is: Safety, good sportsmanship, equal playing time, learning new skills, and fun!

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY:
Parents will be expected to adhere to certain standards of behavior as noted in the NCSA Zero Tolerance Policy.  A copy of the policy will be emailed to all parents/guardians before the season, but the main points include the following:  

All athletes, coaches, and anyone else at soccer fields will be addressed in a positive manner.  Negative   remarks or foul language will not be permitted.

• Alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs are not allowed at any NCSA event or field.

• Dogs or other animals are not allowed at any NCSA event or field

• Unless a safety concern is in question, the parents will not interrupt games or practices to talk to coaches.  Coaches may be approached before or after games, when they do not need to focus their attention on the players.

• Parents will adhere to our Zero Tolerance Policy when addressing players, coaches, other parents and referees.  Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!  

COST OF NCSA PROGRAMS and SPONSORS:  

Our philosophy is that money should never be the reason why a child doesn’t get to play soccer.  Each year our program fees are calculated to make sure soccer is affordable while still covering all of the associated expenses.  Cost of living has gone up, which has caused us to have a slight increase from last season.  Please know that we will make every effort to make your experience worth the cost increase.  

NCSA t-shirts are more than just an advertising venue; the funds from individuals and local businesses that sponsor teams are vital to our financial base. In an effort to show our appreciation to our local sponsors, we will be highlighting several sponsors each week.  If you know of someone or a business who would like to sponsor a team, please email ncsa.concord@gmail.com.

Sick of buying snacks?  Let us take care of that for you!

One way we’re trying to cut costs for parents is to remove the expectations for you to purchase snacks for the young athletes.  The NCSA has the ability to purchase snacks in bulk and will provide each athlete with a snack after each practice or game.  Coaches won’t have to bother you and no more last minute trips to the store to purchase overpriced snacks!

AGE GROUPS and COST:  
Little Buddies:  3 Year Olds (Born in 2020) -- $50.00
                 6:00 to 6:45pm Monday OR Thursday (1 Day Only)

Little Kickers: 4 and 5 Year Olds (Born in 2018 and 2019) $50.00
               6:00 to 6:45pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, OR Thursday (1 day only)

7u: 6 and 7 Year Olds (Born in 2016 and 2017) $75
               6:00 to 7:00pm Monday and Wednesday OR Tuesday and Thursday

9u: 8 and 9 Year Olds (Born in 2014 and 2015) $75
               6:00 to 7:00pm Monday and Wednesday OR Tuesday and Thursday

11u: 10 and 11 Year Olds (Born in 2012 and 2013) $75
               7:15 to 8:15pm Monday/Wednesday (Girls)   Tuesday/Thursday (Boys)

13u: 12 and 13 Year Olds (Born in 2010 and 2011) $75
               7:15 to 8:15pm Monday/Wednesday (Girls)   Tuesday/Thursday (Boys)

NCSA SOCCER PROGRAM INFORMATION:

Location

We are happy to announce that we are returning to Fredonia High School for ALL of our NCSA Summer Recreation programs!  No more dropping kids off at one location and driving to another…we’re all at one location again.  A big thank you to Fredonia Central School District for offering us the opportunity to use their facilities. 

Start and End Date

All age groups will begin the week of June 12th and run through the first week of August finishing on August 3rd.  Please note we will not have soccer on June 19th for observation of Juneteenth and July 4th for observation of Independence Day.  

Uniforms and Equipment

All athletes will be given a jersey, shorts, and a pair of soccer socks.  These items should be worn to each practice or game.  In addition, ATHLETES IN AGE GROUPS 7U AND OLDER MUST WEAR SHIN GUARDS.  We recommend kids in Little Kickers and Little Buddies wear shin guards, but it is not mandated.  

Players from 7u through 13u should wear soccer cleats for all practices and games.  Unfortunately football or baseball cleats should not be worn due to safety reasons and athlete comfortability.  We recommend kids in Little Kickers and Little Buddies wear cleats, but sneakers are acceptable as well.  

All athletes should bring a filled water bottle to each practice or game as well.  There are no facilities to fill water bottles at the fields, so please fill them in advance at home.

COACHING INFO:  

You don’t have to be good at soccer to be a great soccer coach!  Director of Coaching Phill Cook will be offering up three coaching clinics to help give you the skills and confidence to become a great influence on our soccer youth.  These coaching clinics will be announced by mid April with more information being emailed out before then.

We’ve added a few promotions to try to entice parents to try coaching.  Not only do coaches get a free youth registration for each team they coach, but we are also giving PREFERENTIAL REGISTRATION to coaches.  That means you get first choice at days of the week before the rest of the NCSA signs up!  We’ve also taken away the responsibility of handling snacks and the end of the year party since it always seemed to be a headache!

Finally, to put your minds at ease, any NCSA coach will pass a background check and take a Risk Management class called Safe Sport.  This class helps reduce risk of injuries through prevention and observation.  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 

How will I know what team I’ve been assigned to? Email or phone calls from your coach will be made during the last week of May.  There is no reason to reach out to us before that since most coaches won’t have their rosters until the end of May.  

When will I receive my team uniform? T-shirts, shorts & socks will be distributed by your coach during the first week of practices.

Where do I meet for practices/games? A map will be emailed out and posted to the NCSA Facebook page before the first week of practices.  

What is the weather policy? Is my game canceled? Please review our weather policy on the website at https://myncsa716.net.  Games are held rain or shine based upon the criteria outlined in the weather policy. Parents/guardians should use their personal judgment to determine  their own child’s ability to play in extreme weather conditions. Our social media networks will provide up-to-the-minute information.  

Where should I park? Please use the designated parking spots behind the Fredonia Elementary/Middle School entrances, next to the tennis courts,  or near the hill closest to the Lakeview Avenue entrance. ** Please AVOID parking in the FIRE-lane circle. ** 

A SPECIAL THANK YOU:  

NCSA would like to send a special thank you to Fredonia Central School District for allowing us to use their fields for our soccer program. Without the use of this space it is likely that we would have to use a number of other locations to accommodate all of the  fields needed. 

We also want to thank all of our volunteers for their hard work and assistance.  Board members include AJ Burnside, Rob Harris, Sarah D’Amaro, Sara Kelemen, Julie Bezek, Mike Burnett, Kelly McCoy, Shelley Brautigam and Sara Henry.  Also a special thanks to Director of Coaching Phill Cook for helping make sure our coaches have the confidence to make this a great season for our kiddos!