Updated 01/31/2025

Coaches and Team Managers (hereafter referenced as “The Volunteer”) shall comply with the following as a condition of participating with West Seattle Soccer Club (WSSC) teams:

1. The Volunteer shall embrace the recreational focus of WSSC and prioritize developing all players, at all skill levels over winning games.  

2. The Volunteer shall focus on a Mastery Environment for their team’s culture emphasizing:

   a.  Effort over Results.
   b.  Learning and Improvement.
   c.  Mistakes are ok and are a natural part of learning.

3.  The Volunteer shall ensure the following criteria for any adults acting as either Coaches or Team Managers with the team during all practices or games:

   a.  The adult is RMA (Risk Management Application) approved (i.e. background check cleared).
   b.  The adult is registered and explicitly listed on the team roster for the current season.

4.  The Volunteer shall adhere to the team’s league score-differential policy and take active action during the game to comply with the score-differential policy when either winning or losing.

    

5.  The Volunteer shall comply with local municipal codes for practices and games.  For games in the City of Seattle, this includes but not is limited to:

   a.  SMC 12A.24.025 - Unlawful consuming of liquor, opening a container of liquor, or possessing an open container of liquor, each in a public place.
   b.  SMC 18.12.080 – Animals running at large prohibited (i.e. no dogs at Play Areas or Organized Athletic Fields)
   c.  SMC 25.08.500 – Public disturbance noises (i.e. no air horns).

6. The Volunteer shall read, understand, implement, and follow their team’s league rules both in letter and in spirt.  This includes, but is  not limited to:

   a. Players & Coaches may only enter the field of play with referee’s permission (IFAB - Laws of the Game:  3.3, 3.4, and 3.7)
   b.  All items of [a Player’s] jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewelry is not permitted. (IFAB - Laws of the Game:  4.1)
   c.  Coaches and Team Officials are subject to disciplinary action (yellow or red cards) for their sideline’s behavior (IFAB – Laws of the Game: 12.3)

7. The Volunteer shall confirm game and practice field conditions are safe for use before and after games, including but not limited to:

   a.  Ensuring goals are properly secured on the field in accordance with league policy
   b.  Ensuring goals stowed properly when the games and practices are completed.
   c.  Verifying the field is free of hazards; or
   d.  Hazards are marked or partitioned if they cannot be removed. 

8. The Volunteer shall honor the referees’ by:

   a.  Recognizing the referee’s decision is final, and non-negotiable.
   b.  Acknowledging that accepting the referee’s opinion is a core concept in soccer officiating and the game itself.
   c.  Using only the communications methods of Clause 9a. below to relay information about referee performance.

9.  The Volunteer shall report comments, complements, and concerns in a timely manner, defined as 30 calendar days from the event, by the appropriate means below:

   a.  Referees:  Using the Trias Soccer Central website, Evaluate Referee Link.
   b.  All other topics:  Contacting WSSC via:
   i.    Email to [email protected]
   ii.   Phone call to 206.395.3997
   iii.  Letter to P.O. Box 16266, Seattle WA  98116