Unlike some other youth sports (little league, baseball, etc.), soccer does not have strict geographical boundaries that limit where or in what league a player can play based on where they reside. A player living in Central Florida can play for any team in the state that will register them. As a result, the governing authority for youth soccer in the state (FYSA) has specific rules about registering players to clubs, and about how players movement between clubs is controlled. In order to prevent inappropriate efforts to recruit players into other clubs or onto other teams, the FYSA has a specific rule about ’poaching’. Please read the entire excerpt - as the period during which players become ’free agents’ is often misunderstood. The following is an excerpt from the FYSA Bylaws and Rules, 2005-2006:

"401.5 POACHING

 

There is to be NO improper contact between the prospective team and the player/parents of currently registered and/or rostered players. Any coach or member of a team having contact with a player after a player is registered and/or rostered, without first obtaining written permission from that player’s coach, will be construed as having had improper contact with a player, and such action can result in a charge of poaching. 

1. Improper contact is defined as any communication with a player other than the most casual, cordial communication necessary such as congratulations at the end of a match or similar such conversations. This contact specifically includes, but is not limited to, players participating in practices, training sessions, scrimmages or other soccer-related functions.

 

2. Improper contact shall also include, but is not limited to, meetings with players/parents, attendance at team social functions when the player is not registered to that team, etc.

 

3. Any such improper contact, no matter how generated, is prohibited without prior written notification and written consent of the player’s current head coach, the club director of coaching and/or players, or the Agent of Record of the club to which the player is currently registered and/or rostered. A coach/volunteer or member of a team having contact with a player is charged with the knowledge of that player’s registration and/or roster status and shall be held accountable for any unauthorized contact with any player currently not rostered to his team, regardless of how that contact is initiated or by whom.

A. No coach, assistant coach, trainer, team representative, registered player, parent or advertisement may offer any kind of inducement to recruit a player and/or to transfer from his/her respective team, during the seasonal year as defined September 1 though August 31.

 

Inducing a player includes, but is not limited solicitation to leave the current affiliate, offering a currently rostered player a roster spot on an existing team, or a roster spot for the next seasonal year.

 

Coaches are responsible for the actions of the all of the above listed participants of their team.

 

B. Players: All currently registered players shall become free agents at the completion of FYSA’s State Cup Final Four or elimination from National Championship Competitions (whichever is later) or at a date as may be set by the BOD.

 

At this time, all restrictions as to guest playing and contact between parties shall be lifted until such time as the player (and parent) executes a contract or registration for the next seasonal year.

1. Player contracts or registrations for returning players may be effected on or after July 1st; contracts or registrations for all others shall have an effective date of July 15th or at a date as may be set by the BOD.

2. A contract or registration for a non-returning player may be revoked prior to the date set in Section 1 above by notification in writing to the affiliate. Any matter as to the refund of registration fees paid shall be governed under the terms and conditions of the contract or registration.

C. Coach: All coaches are obligated to the registering affiliate for the complete seasonal year defined as September 1 through August 31. Agreement by contract between the parties may shorten or lengthen this period.

1. A coach who resigns a position shall be bound by the following conditions.

2. Any coach who during a seasonal year attempts to register with a new affiliate shall be first reactivated back to the registering affiliate who may then object to the “transfer” to the registration committee.

3. For an affiliate to recruit the services of a registered coach, the requesting affiliate must first notify in writing the agent of record of the coach’s current club. There shall be no contact with any registered coach prior to May 1st, unless permission is granted in writing by the affiliate’s agent of record, or designee.

Page 52 of 114 As of 09/24/2008 2008-2009 Seasonal Year

4. A currently registered coach may not contact a prospective club prior to May lst, without written permission of their currently registered affiliate’s agent of record, or designee. After May lst contact may be affected with written notification to the current affiliate.

5. A currently registered coach who decide during a seasonal year to change clubs shall not solicit, entice or induce in any manner players they are currently coaching to move to his/her new club until after the completion of State Cup Final Four or further National Championship competitions.

6. Violation of any of the above standards is tantamount to poaching.

D. Disciplinary Sanctions Minimum disciplinary actions/sanctions to be taken against any coach or member of a team found guilty of the violation of any of the above conditions shall be:

• 1st Offense -- Six (6) months suspension; club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• 2nd Offense -- Minimum three (3) year suspension; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• Conviction of a poaching charge by any member of a team may cause the team to which that player/coach is registered to forfeit its privilege to participate in any and all FYSA-sponsored events (i.e., State Cup, President’s Cup, etc.) for the remainder of the seasonal year. The team sanctioning will apply only to the team that is involved in the poaching incident, not multiple teams if the player/coach or team member is registered to more than one team.
• The RVP, upon receipt of notification of a conviction for poaching, shall empanel a committee of not less that three (3) neutral members that shall request from the convicted party(s) and the affected affiliate a brief in mitigation as to:

1. Should the team be permitted to continue to compete in FYSA sponsored events for the remainder of the seasonal year.

2. And/or should the player(s) subject of the charges be permitted to participate in FYSA sponsored events with said team for the remainder of the seasonal year.

3. The committee’s decision in this matter shall be final and binding."