Thanks for volunteering your time and effort to CBAA’s Intramural Soccer Program. This is an introduction to CBAA soccer and describes some general coaching rules, guidelines and philosophies which CBAA asks that you follow for our intramural sports program.

League Objectives: Depending on your age group, your players are beginning to acquire a basic understanding of the game of soccer and to gain a grasp of fundamental soccer techniques. The focus of your efforts in this group of leagues is to continue to build a solid foundation in soccer fundamentals, to provide information on offensive and defensive play, and to introduce players to the advantages of teamwork. For the most part, this means providing drills to instill basic kicking, passing, and dribbling skills, beginning to work on defensive and offensive play at the different soccer positions, and showing small groups of players how they can gain advantage by working together. But the primary objective of soccer at the younger age groups is to ensure that players, parents and volunteers alike have fun and learn, together, about the game of soccer. Winning should be secondary to ensuring that all players get lots of playing time, are given the opportunity to play at each position, and have fun during their intramural experience. Please take the time to read the article "Let Them Play" which is included in your Coach Packet. As these young athletes get older, there will be plenty of time to focus on the goal of winning. But for now, forget the score, help them develop their basis soccer skills and, most importantly, let them play!

Roster Changes: Team rosters are filled with players who have officially registered with CBAA. The CBAA League Directors maintain waiting lists for each League. If a roster position becomes available, coaches should notify the responsible League Director as soon as possible. Under no circumstances will players be added to a team roster without specific direction from the CBAA League Director. Unless a player is officially registered through CBAA, he/she is not insured for injury. If you know of a player who would like to play soccer with CBAA, have them e-mail us at info@cbaasoccer.com.

Equipment: Each coach will receive a brand new game ball for each soccer season. It's yours to keep (a small "thank you" to our head coach volunteers!). To provide additional soccer balls for your practice sessions, your players should bring their own, clearly marked, soccer balls. At games, however, it is best that players do not bring their own soccer balls because of the difficulty in keeping track of individual player equipment during the pre- and post-game activities. For safety and insurance reasons, all players are required to wear shin guards and cleated shoes at practices and games. Players are also not permitted to wear jewelry or like items of any kind at practices and games. This helps prevent personal injury, as well as injury to other players. It also helps avoid the loss of such items on the playing fields.

Warming up: It is important to continue to teach players the importance of physical conditioning. Take the time to have your players warm up before every practice and game.

Team Practices: All team practices will be held only on the soccer fields allocated for your League. Under no circumstances will practices be held at the coach's home or any other location! There will be no weekday practice for the Under-5 and Under-6 leagues. For U7 and up, practices are limited to one hour on one evening per week. Practice times should start on the hour, if possible, to help your League Coordinator schedule field availability among the teams. Re-scheduling of practices must be approved by your League Coordinator to ensure that fields and goals will be available.

League Games: Have your team arrive at the field at least 15 minutes prior to kickoff. Games will start on time even if all players have not arrived yet. PLEASE stress this point to your parents and other coaches. All games will be held on CBAA-approved soccer fields allocated for your League. Be sure to provide an off-color shirt or pinnie for your goalie which is of a different color than your team jersey. In the spirit of sportsmanship, fairness and fun, you are expected to adjust your lineup according to the number of players available on your opponent’s team. You must reduce the number of players in your lineup if your opponent does not have a full squad available to play.

Sportsmanship: CBAA attempts to provide balance in team assignments. Even when this goal is achieved, there are times when a hot team can begin to build a large goal differential. If your team is in this position, work quickly to counterbalance it. As an example, you can restructure your lineup to give your team a real defensive test. Work with your top players to build other skills, such as using their weaker foot or playing a possession game that requires that the ball be passed back to the keeper. Remember - running up the score only creates bad feelings and is inconsistent with our objectives.

Playing Time: It is the policy of CBAA to provide each player an equal amount of playing time during a season regardless of skill. Substitutions should be made ONLY at the quarter breaks or in the case of player injury.  Coaches should try to give each player the opportunity to play every soccer position. At the end of the season, each child should have played an equal amount of time.

Getting Organized: Each team is expected to provide a linesperson for each game. Instructions on how to run the line are included in your Coach Packet. Each player should bring his/her own water bottle.

Parent Support: Parents are required to attend all team practices and games or have a designated adult supervisor for their child. You are coaches, not volunteer baby-sitters. Also, it’s extremely difficult if not impossible to deal with illness or injury without the help of attending parents. If a trip home or to a hospital is required, the logistics of transporting the injured person together with the entire team and equipment complement in a single vehicle is a challenge you’ll want to avoid!

Injury Reporting: In the event that a player suffers an injury requiring medical attention during a game or practice, please contact your League Director immediately.

Emotion Control: Soccer is a competitive sport, and emotions can sometimes threaten to get the better of us. It is the coach’s responsibility to ensure appropriate behavior by your parents and players. Coaches and parents are required to stay at the center of the playing field sideline. No one is permitted to run up and down the sideline or stand behind a goal. As your players get near the opponent’s goal (or are defending their own), let them concentrate on their jobs rather than trying to listen to a chorus of screaming adults. Remember to cheer for the team, instead of individual players.

Team Coordination: It is very important for coaches and assistants to work closely to coordinate all practices and games. Conflicts due to work commitments, other family members' commitments, etc., can arise and complicate who will run a practice or a game. Team assistants and co-coaches should be prepared to “take the reins” if called upon. NEVER ASSUME that someone will show up to manage practices or games. A simple phone call can avoid a very embarrassing and unpleasant situation.

Rainouts: When Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, CBAA Intramural Soccer may cancel league games. Cancellation notices will be posted on this website.  Use your best judgment before holding a practice in the event that the weather is bad, or has been bad prior to your practice. If the field has standing water or could otherwise be damaged by your practice session, do not hold your practice.

Team Banquets and Awards: Although CBAA does not formally endorse team banquets or awards, coaching staffs and parents may provide such recognition to their players at season’s end. The decision to approve such activity rests with the head coach. Under no circumstances shall any player be excluded from receiving a trophy in the event his/her parents are unable or unwilling to contribute toward team trophies. If parents want to contribute, it should be their option - not obligation. Also, ALWAYS pick an off-site location (not at the playing fields) for an award event to prevent other teams from observing your celebration.

We Need Your Inputs: CBAA is an association of players, parents, and volunteers. To improve our intramural soccer program, we need feedback from all participants. Please contact your League Coordinator with your comments and suggestions for improving our soccer programs.

Below are links to the coaching documents available for download. Copies of these materials were provided to you in your coaching package. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with these documents prior to the start of the season.

Under-5 League Documents:

• Coach's Checklist
• Coaching and Referee Guide
• Under-5 League Rules
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

Under-6 League Documents:

• Coaching and Referee Guide
• Under-6 League Rules
• Coach's Checklist
• Micro-Soccer Guidelines
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

 

Under-7 League Documents:

• Coach's Checklist
• Coaching and Referee Guide
• Under-7 League Rules
• Ball In and Out of Play
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

 

Under-8 League Documents:

• Coach's Checklist
• Coaching and Referee Guide
• Under-8 League Rules
• Ball In and Out of Play
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

 

Under-10 League Documents:

• Coach's Checklist
• Under-10 League Rules
• Ball In and Out of Play
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

 

Seniors Division League Documents:

• Coach's Checklist
• Seniors Division League Rules
• Ball In and Out of Play
• Positive Coaching Alliance Parents' Pledge
• Parents' Roles for Intramural Soccer

COACHES, PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO THE PLAYERS ON YOUR TEAM!! Please take note that there is a strict NO PETS policy at Herbst field as CBAA in not insured for the loss of a pet nor the unfortunate occurrence of an injury due to a pet. Some families are new to the league and need to be reminded about this policy, and we expect coaches to police this by politely excusing parents to take pets home if they unexpectedly appear. Signs are posted at the field, but some families have not noticed and need to be reminded. Thanks for everybody's cooperation!!

Hello coaches The rules for Buckingham Township field usage in raint weather: 1. No games may take place if it is raining 2. No games may take place if the fields received 1" or more of rain the day before (for Sunday games) 3. If it is not raining in the morning, but starts to rain during the day, those games may not be played. I know this poses a problem for travel teams as some visiting teams come a long distance to play. These rules do not apply to Herbst or the school fields, but I ask you to use common sense about playing on the fields during bad weather. (Especially fields like Holicong Jr High that do not have much grass to begin with. 4. Our policy regarding thunder and lightening, is that no one may be on the fields for at least 1/2 hour after the last thunder or lightening strike. 5. Every coach is responsible for the condition of the fields after play; water bottles, snack wrappers, balls, and personal items are to be removed from the field. I get at least 1/2 dozen calls every year from our field providers regarding how we leave the fields. It is never a fun call. 6. At all times, the safety of the players is the most important part of the coaches job. If a field in not safe, (holes, ruts, glass, etc), do not use it. And let me know immediately. If we know the conditions are bad, the information about field closures will be posted in advance. If it starts raining during the day, it tends to be a mad scramble to get the information out. Please check the website before they leave for a game. CBAAIM President