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| Frequently Asked Questions Q: Do I have to be a resident of Manchester to play for MNSL? A: No. We are focused on attracting players from our part of the city but we will accept players from other towns.
Q: Where will my child’s practices be held? A:
The exact location of practice will depend on the division the child
plays in. Generally speaking, all practices will be held at a location
in North Manchester. Please confirm practice location for you child’s
team with the coach when he first calls you.
Q: Where will games be played?
A:
Generally all MNSL games will be held at Livingston Field on either the
Large Field or the Small Field. Our website contains maps of the field
as configured for play during the season. Once the schedule is complete
and distributed, you can use the schedule to determine from the maps on
the website the exact field location at the Livingston complex. Older
divisions (U12 and up) may play inter league games which may be held at
Livingston or could be held at the other leagues fields. Additionally,
City and State Tournaments will be held at other locations. Please stay
in contact with your child’s coach to confirm location prior to the day
of the game.
Q: What if it rains?
A:
MNSL will make every effort to play games as scheduled, even in less
than perfect weather. We will NOT, however, compromise the safety of
participants just to get a game or practice in. Please contact your
coach directly in the event of inclement weather or call 647-1766 for up
to date weather information during the season.
Q: How are teams formed?
A:
We try to use a balance of factors in creating as equal teams as
possible. For U8 and up divisions, returning players will have been
rated by their coaches the prior season and those ratings will be used
to establish teams. Age, gender and experience are also factors that are
taken into consideration. Under NO circumstances will we allow requests
to place players on certain teams as this impedes our ability to create
evenly matched teams. The main thing to remember is that team formation
is not an exact science. We do the best we can to create evenly matched
teams in each division but we are not perfect.
Q: Is there any special equipment my child needs to play soccer? A:
MNSL will provide uniforms to each player and for younger players (U6
and U8); minimal equipment will be provided to the coaches (balls,
cones). It is the parents’ responsibility to provide soccer cleats
(round plastic studs, not rectangular plastic cleats for baseball and
definitely no metal spikes!), athletic supporter, mouth guard and so
forth. Check with your coach upon receiving his/her initial call what’s
needed to start practicing.
Q: How much will my child play during the game?
A:
MNSL is a recreational league designed to focus on skill development
and having fun. MNSL mandates that ALL players play at least half of
each game, preferably at multiple positions. Our coaches are instructed
to honor this tenet during the season.
Q: How many games will be played?
A:
Older divisions (U10 and up) play during the week as well as on
weekends, depending on the exact schedule. Coaches for these teams may
also practice during the week depending on the game schedule. Younger
divisions (U6 and U8) play on weekends and practice once during the
week.
Q: My child has never played soccer so we are new to the sport. Where should we start?
A:
MNSL is focused on skill development for new and inexperienced players
with the goal to have fun and develop a sense of pride and confidence in
each player. We offer a terrific summer camp which is an ideal starting
point for the first time player. Our website contains information and
registration forms for our camp (held in late July/early August) and
also has links to introductory material for families new to soccer with
additional links to internet resources such as New Hampshire Soccer
Association (NHSA), United State Youth Soccer Association as well as
others that provide good information on how the game is played. Ask your
coach or any MNSL Board member if you still have questions.
Q: I am interested in coaching my child’s team but have no experience, how can I become a coach? A:
Upon completing your registration form, you hopefully indicated your
interest in coaching by checking the relevant box in the Parental
Support section of the form. You do not need experience to be able to
coach a team in MNSL. What you do need is a positive attitude, the
desire and ability to serve as a good role model for the players and the
willingness to learn the skills necessary to be an effective coach.
Please note that not everyone who expresses an interest in coaching
becomes a coach. It greatly depends on the number of teams we have and
overall need. If you are selected to coach, you will contacted by a
Division Manager and/or Director of Coaching. MNSL requires coaches to
participate in coaching clinics that will be set up prior to the season
starting (any fees associated with these clinics will be reimbursed by
MNSL). In addition to this, there are a number of resources that are
available to help coaches with drills, rules of the game and so forth.
Check www.mnsl.org for more information and click on the Contact Us page to reach our Director of Coaching for more specific information.
Q: I have an older child who is interested in refereeing, how can I sign him/her up? A: MNSL
invites youth at least 12 years of age along with any interested adults
to participate as referees during the season. Advise someone on the
MNSL board of your interest either through registration or by phone or
email. Serving as a ref is a great way to be involved with the league,
develop your knowledge of the game, build self confidence, make extra
money and stay in shape. MNSL offers clinics and other resources
designed to help all coaches improve their skills. Refs with experience
and skills are often patched by the state (NHSA) and MNSL will look to
assign patched refs to games first. Any ref who aspires to become
patched will be reimbursed by MNSL for any fees incurred in the process.
Check www.mnsl.org for more information and click on the Contact Us page to reach our Director of Referees for more specific information. | |
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