| Contents | |
| Introduction |
| Player Registration |
| Player Equipment |
| Player Preparation |
| Game Day Reminders |
| Sportsmanship |
| Disciplinary Procedure |
| Archived Schedules |
| Related Links | |
| Gallery |
| Buy a Jersey |
The VYS House League Over 30 Coed Division was established in 1995, as a recreational division for men and women players over age 30 participating in the VYS community. Players must be affiliated with VYS either by having a child registered in a youth program, or by volunteering to help operate the club which is run primarily by the parents of its youth membership. Hence, the term Parent League.
The primary objective of the Parent League is "to make the sport fun for the children". To this end, emphasis is on the process of playing the game, and not on a competitive end result of winning or losing. The league continues to demonstrate that providing an opportunity for the VYS adult membership to experience playing the game with their peers improves their understanding and appreciation of the sport, and prepares them to better manage VYS programs and to parent its youth players.
Playing soccer in the Parent League can offer these benefits:
Soccer is fun, outdoor recreation... it is "the Beautiful Game!", the most popular game in the world enjoyed by players of all ages and levels of skill. You will improve your knowledge of the game and develop your skills while playing recreationally with other players in your community who are able and willing to share their knowledge.
Soccer is an excellent activity that will improve your physical fitness and mental wellness. In the beginning, it's kick the ball. But as the player develops physically and mentally, the game responds with ever increasing complexity, challenge, and reward. To explore this mystery is to become a student of the game.
You will socialize and network with other VYS families in true community. Bring your kids to your games, but don't expect them to watch you play for they will be busy playing with the other kids enjoying a warm Friday evening in the park.
You will improve your understanding of the game and therefore, will better understand and empathize with your youth player's soccer experience... you will grow.
You will make new contacts and increase your knowledge of all things VYS which can enhance your experience in the community, and your participation and effectiveness in volunteering to help operate VYS programs now serving over 3000 players.
The Parent League is strictly recreational. There is no team training or practice. There is no record of scores and standings. Players seeking competitive soccer should look elsewhere.
A player wanting to play in the Parent League must register with VYS prior to each fall and spring season (twice a year) and be listed on a current team roster. Registration for the fall season opens in early June and closes in late July. Registration for the spring season opens in early January and closes in late February. Player registration can be performed online, by mail, or by attending a VYS walk-in registration event where you can ask questions and get assistance.
Space is limited so register early.
A player wanting to register to play in the the Parent League must meet the following eligibility requirements:
The player must turn age 30 on or before August 1, preceding the season of play.
The player must be affiliated with VYS in at least one of the following ways:
a. Has a youth player who will be registered with VYS during the same season, or who was registered with VYS within the past 12 months;
b. Volunteers during the same season as a VYS youth coach (head or assistant), or as another recognized VYS Volunteer.
The player must be available to play their games on Friday evenings between 6:30pm and 11:00pm. A few spring season opening games are played on a Saturday evening the first weekend due to field availability. See Archived Schedules for past game schedules.
The player must be in good standing with the club.
A player registering with VYS agrees to abide by the policies, procedures, rules, regulations, bylaws, etc. of various affiliate and host organizations including:
Online registration is the most convenient and efficient method for a player to register. All adult and youth players in a family can register online at the same time:
Complete the online registration procedure during the open registration period. Record your login credentials for later use. Returning players are required to login. You may also login to update your contact information.
If you are a returning player, make credit card payment online to DII (Demosphere International, Inc.). for the total registration fee amount determined online.
If you are a first time registrant, immediately follow-up online registration by submitting the following items by mail to VYS, P.O. Box 993, Vienna, VA 22183-0993; or bring these items to a scheduled VYS walk-in registration event:
A copy of each player's birth certificate or driver's license for proof of age;
A completed and signed US Club Soccer Adult Player Registration and Waiver Form for each adult player;
One check per player payable to VYS for the per player registration fee amount determined online.
Incomplete submittals will be returned.
Submit the following items by mail to VYS, P.O. Box 993, Vienna, VA 22183-0993; or bring these items to a scheduled VYS walk-in registration event:
A completed and signed VYS Adult Player Registration Form for each adult player.
If you are a first time registrant, attach the following items:
A copy of each player's birth certificate or driver's license for proof of age;
A completed and signed US Club Soccer Adult Player Registration and Waiver Form for each adult player.
One check per player payable to VYS for the per player registration fee amount determined on the VYS registration form. Be sure to take the multi-player discount if you are the third or fourth family member to register with VYS for the same season. There is no non-volunteer fee required for adult player registration.
Incomplete submittals will be returned.
Registration does not guarantee assignment to a team. Space is limited and teams must be competitively balanced with a minimum number of men and women players. Requests to be on a specific team may not be honored except couples are kept together. Historically, there are more men than can be accommodated so couples and women players are given preference to maintain the league as coed. The league will maintain a wait list of players to fill any openings that arise at the beginning of the season. A full refund will be made to any player not assigned to a team.
After registration is closed, players are assigned to a team by the league commissioner and will be contacted by their team manager who will provide a team roster with contact information.
Players are responsible for providing their own equipment including a RED jersey, a WHITE jersey, soccer socks and shinguards, and soccer shoes with molded rubber cleats. BLACK shorts and socks are recommended:
All players are encouraged to buy and wear the VYS adult player reversible red/white jersey (High Five Sportswear 22420 Single Layer Reversible Jersey) available online from Epic Sports as the High Five Single Reverse Soccer Jersey, Epic SKU: E113, Color: 04-Scarlet/White.
All players will wear shinguards fully covered by socks.
Goalkeepers will wear a jersey/pinny/vest of non-matching color (not red or white). Goalkeeper gloves and knee and elbow protection are recommended.
No jewelry, watches, hair clips, studded earrings, non-rubber cleats, etc. may be worn.
Prescription sports eyewear is strongly recommended, if required.
Players should consider the following in preparation for each season of play:
Pursue pre-season physical conditioning beginning in early March and in early August. The first game out is notorious for injury. The next game out is worse because your body will be sore and tight.
Reply to your team manager's initial welcome e-mail to confirm that you are still available to play on your team and that your emergency contact infomation (home phone and e-mail address) is current. Otherwise, your team manager will have to call you and/or request a replacement player from the waiting list.
Contact the league commissioner directly regarding any issues relating to your assignment to a team. Team managers will not reassign players.
Prepare your player equipment. Order the recommended jersey on your own, if you need one.
Review Sportsmanship to know the rules of the game and the recreational level of play required of all players in the Parent League.
Monitor your game schedule online from this website. Your team manager will e-mail a game reminder to your team a few days before each game. Notify your team manager in advance of any game you cannot attend so that a guest player from another team can be invited to ensure a full game.
The HOME team is the first team listed for each game on the schedule. The HOME team wears a RED jersey. The VISITING team wears a WHITE jersey. Players should bring both jerseys to every game.
Always assume your game is on and go to the field unless notified otherwise. All games will be played on time as scheduled unless canceled by your team manager in advance or by the game official at the field. When possible, the team manager will notify players of a game cancellation by 3:30pm on game day. Otherwise, the game official at the field will decide any game cancellation. Arrive 30 minutes before kickoff to warm up and stretch properly to prevent injury.
The HOME team of the first game at the field will perform Field Setup. The HOME team of the last game at the field will perform Field Takedown. If there is only one game scheduled at the field, then the VISITING team will perform Field Takedown. This allocation of field preparation responsibility is not always equitable due to scheduling constraints, so it is customary for all players at the field to pitch in and help with field setup and field takedown.
Use the same field equipment as the travel soccer program. Travel soccer field equipment storage and any specific field use requirements are noted under the respective Field Directions.
Team managers should bring the following items to every game:
A fully inflated size-5 match quality game ball supplied by VYS;
A goalkeeper jersey/pinny/vest of non-matching color (not red or white);
A team roster with emergency contact information;
A copy of the Fairfax County field permits provided by VYS. The county does visit their fields and may ask to see these permits.
fair conduct: conduct considered fitting for a sportsperson, including observance of the rules of fair play, respect for others, and graciousness in losing.
The referee enforces the Fédération Internationale de Football Association official FIFA Laws of the Game except as modified by the VYS House Rules Over 30.
The following are additional guidelines for good sportsmanship expected of all participants in the Parent League. Emphasis is on fair and safe play with minimal body contact. The referee and team managers are required to highlight and explain these rules of fair play immediately before and during each game as required to make them known and practiced by all participants:
The Parent League welcomes men and women players of all skill levels. Experienced players are expected to help teach less experienced players how to play the game.
A strong player should allow a learning player ample time and space to make their move and to play the ball without experiencing excessive, overwhelming pressure. In this way, players of all skill levels have the opportunity to enjoy playing the game together safely while learning.
A player should not call off or otherwise exclude from play any player who is ready to participate such as by taking over their throw-in, free kick, or corner kick. The team manager will encourage all players to participate in all aspects of the game. Players rescuing players while playing soccer will not be viewed as chivalrous.
Players should ensure that all players on their team enjoy equal playing time through regular substitution. The team manager will encourage all players to rotate through all playing positions on the field... defense, midfield, and forward.
The referee has complete and sole authority over the game and will issue cards as required to maintain game play within the spirit and intent of the rules of fair play. The referee's determination of the facts of the game is final and will not be challenged. Players should not make calls for the referee and should avoid speaking to the referee during a game except when necessary to clarify a call; this will allow the referee to focus on official responsibilities and to not overly focus on individual players.
Players should play in a safe and controlled manner with due consideration for the physical safety and well-being of everyone on the field. If you are charging a less skilled player at full speed and tackling for the ball with force, YOU ARE PLAYING OUT OF CONTROL in the Parent League and you will relax the level of your play immediately or leave the league. Every player should back off of a 50-50 ball to allow the ball to be safely played by one player. The referee and team managers will limit the play of any player who is overly aggressive or out of control.
It is customary for players and coaches to shake hands with and to congratulate the opposing team and referees after each game before leaving the field.
All Parent League participants are encouraged to direct comments, suggestions, questions, or complaints to their team manager or the league commissioner. Reasonable effort will be made to address membership concerns in the interest of improving the program. Team managers are required to immediately report injuries and issues to the league commissioner.
When a referee issues a Send-Off/Red Card to a player and/or terminates a game for serious player misconduct, the following disciplinary procedure will ensue to ensure that the incident is properly discovered and documented, and that appropriate disciplinary action is taken:
The referee will submit a Game Report in writing to the VYS VP of Referees, describing the incident, identifying the player(s) involved, and giving the reason for the Red Card and/or game termination. The VP of Referees will forward this report to the Parent League Commissioner (PLC). The PLC will forward this report to the player(s) and team managers involved and allow them at least 24 hours to submit any written statements they may wish.
Upon expiration of the period for the submission of written statements, a Parent League Disciplinary Board (PLDB) consisting of the PLC (Chair of the PLDB), the VP of Referees, the two team managers involved, and two additional division players who are not members of the teams involved; will review all written statements and decide the appropriate disciplinary action to be taken. In deference to the referee's authority on the field, it is highly unlikely that the PLDB will vary the required minimum disciplinary action: a player receiving a Red Card will sit out their next league game; a player receiving 2 Red Cards in the same season will be suspended from the league for the remainder of the season.
If the PLDB finds sufficient reason to vary the required minimum disciplinary action, such as will be mandatory in any incident involving injury or physical abuse, then the PLDB will meet to consider the severity of the player misconduct and to decide the appropriate discipline to be imposed on the player(s). This can include the decision to ban a player from future participation in the league.
The PLC will submit the decision of the PLDB in writing to the player(s), team managers, and referee involved. A decision to ban a player from future participation in the league will also be submitted in writing to the VYS Registrar.
The decision of the PLDB may be appealed to the Metropolitan DC-Virginia Soccer Association (MDCVSA) pursuant to their procedures.
An archived schedule is a static version of the actual online schedule hosted on a third party website. Archived schedules are for historical reference, and for when the online scheduling service is unavailable.