As we prepare to start our regular season this weekend I do have some reminders:

1. Communication. Please reach out to the opposing team to confirm playing times, locations, jersey colors (Home is Dark, Away is Light), and COVID regulations of the home field, if any. For those of you playing this weekend, the Home team should have initiated conversation, if they have not, the Away team should reach out on Thursday. If COVID events or weather events necessitate reschedules please let everyone know with as much notice as possible. Remember, if the fields are still safe, we can play in the rain, home team makes the call on field conditions up until the start of the game. Once the game has started the referees make the call on game conditions. If you are playing on turf though, generally rain is not a reason to cancel a game unless it is accompanied by thunderstorms with lightning.

2. No Mandatory COVID Playdown Rules. Mandatory COVID playdown rules are not in effect for JV/Varsity. If a team shows up short you may play down, but you are not required to at the JV/Varsity level. If a developmental team doesn’t have enough players work with the other team to ensure some parity, whether that involves reducing your players on field or lending the other team a few of your players each half. The goal at the developmental level is to get everyone touches, develop skills, and have a fun time while doing so.

3. Sportsmanship. A lot of time was spent trying to get the brackets as even as possible. That being said, there will probably be some times this season where you find yourself mismatched either to your advantage or disadvantage. If you find yourself up on a team early, switch some players around and have them play where they are not as strong yet (its great development for them), adjust the style of the game and play possession, shoot with your non-dominant foot, play a man or two (or more down), or if the referees permit it, allow the other team to add a player or two. There are other score mitigation solutions discussed in our rule book as well that might be helpful. If you beat a team by 8 goals or more the game and the circumstances will be reviewed. If we feel that a pattern is emerging or that even absent a pattern, a team is not exercising good sportsmanship, the league reserves the right to set aside wins that have a goal differential of 8 or more. Remember, at the JV/V level, goal differential is capped at 4 goals per game so anything over 4 won’t count come playoffs

4. Referee Fees. At the JV and Varsity Level each game will have two Referees at the Referee’s fees are $45 per referee per game, payable by the home team. In the event that only one referee shows up, the game should proceed with the one referee and two linesmen, one from each team. Coaches should pick linesmen that can be fair and impartial, have a basic knowledge of the game, can call a ball in or out, and ideally some understanding of the offside rule. This does not occur often, but if it does, its better to get the game in than to have to try to reschedule. If no referees show up please call me and/or the referee coordinator on our cell phones. One of us should answer and we will try to figure something out. This has never happened yet, but it is good to have a plan in place in case it does.

5. Rescheduling Requirements. Remember, the schedule last circulated is the schedule. If you need to reschedule the following should occur: 1. Notify the other team of the issue, cc: the referee coordinator (only for JV/Varsity or if you are using PIAA referees at developmental), the Webmaster and me on the request (that contact information is in the coach’s contact sheets). If the request is less than 48 hours you should also phone the referee coordinator (only for JV/Varsity or if you are using PIAA referees at developmental) and the opposing coach. For JV/Varsity or if you are using PIAA referees at developmental, if it is too short of notice or you don’t follow the above procedures you may still be responsible to pay the referee fees regardless of whether the game is played. 2. Both teams need to agree on a date and time. For JV/Varsity or if you are using PIAA referees at developmental, once that is established, notify the referee coordinator (only for JV/Varsity or if you are using PIAA referees at developmental), the Webmaster and me and obtain the referee coordinators sign off. If you do not obtain the referee’s sign off please reach out to me, as you cannot assume that everything is fine without their signoff. At both the Developmental level and the JV/V level, all games should be played. Refusing to travel to a team to play can result in league imposed sanctions (see earlier email for more details on this topic). For JV/Varsity games all games must be played by 10/31 in order to count for standings. If you are having difficulty having another team agree to a reschedule, please let me know, I will assist in the effort. Ultimately, unplayed games will either be a non-score or a forfeit, depending on the circumstances involved.

6. Team Rosters. Please remember to turn the Team Rosters, they are due Friday.

7. Website. I will let you all know once our website is updated for the fall season. As a reminder, our web address is https://pittdsl.org/

8. Developmental and All Girls JV/V Tournament and JV/V Championship Series (A/K/A Playoffs). I will have some tentative information on the Postseason DSL Play here shortly. Please keep 10/30 for the Dev. Tournament and All Girls Tournament as a placeholder and 11/6 and 11/7 as a placeholder for the JV/V Championship Series. I am finalizing some details there but hope to get you all information within the next week.

That is all for me, good luck to the teams that start their season this week and for the rest of you, enjoy the Labor Day weekend and good luck the following week.