RECRUITMENT

ANCHORAGE DISTRICT SOCCER FEDERATION

Recruitment/Inducement Policy

INTRODUCTION

An important goal of ADSF is to allow the player and the player’s parents to make the decision regarding club and team affiliation free from influence or duress. In order to facilitate players and their parents in making this decision, a club may communicate factual, objective information to all or substantially all the eligible players in a reasonable geographic area. All such communications must be for the purpose of educating the players and the players’ parents, or for the purpose of announcing tryouts for the club.

The premise of this policy is that unsolicited communications in an effort to induce a player or specific group of players to join the club or team are inappropriate. The purpose of this policy is to deter clubs, teams and their representatives (whether authorized or not) from engaging in such conduct. The policy attempts to strike a balance between what is generally regarded as appropriate, mass informational campaigns, directed at no player or players in particular, and targeted efforts to get one or more specific players to join a team.

Human behavior is immensely varied and adaptive. It is possible to become overly legalistic and detailed in our desire to maintain high ethical standards. We have declined to undertake such an effort. Accordingly, examples of proper and improper recruiting are given merely as illustrations and guidance with the understanding there is no effort to comprehensively state all situations that are prohibited. ADSF retains its authority to discipline and sanction clubs, teams, and their representatives for unethical conduct injurious to the sport of soccer whether or not that conduct is captured in one of the examples.

POLICY

At no time may a club or team representative engage in unsolicited communication to a particular eligible player, or particular subset of eligible players, for the primary purpose of inducing the targeted player(s) to join the club’s team.

A club may communicate with all or substantially all eligible players in a reasonable geographic area through general notices which provide factual, objective information regarding the club, or which solicit all such players to participate in open tryouts for the club’s teams.

OBJECTIVES

This policy has two objectives:

To establish a clearly understood definition of, and prohibition against, improper Recruitment /Inducement; and

To establish efficient methods of filing grievances, hearing complaints, making findings, and recommending sanctions when appropriate.

ETHICAL EXPECTATIONS

The following is excerpted from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Code of Ethics and Conduct.

	“Coaches’ ethical behavior is demonstrated in relationships with athletes, colleagues, officials, parents, administrators, clients and communities. Coaches are ambassadors for the sport of soccer, their programs, clubs, association and/or institutions. They are role models and must understand the tremendous influence their words and actions have on the players who comprise their teams. For this reason, coaches should consider their primary responsibility the continuance of moral values and ethical conduct which advance the spirit of the game and adhere to established rules.”
	“It is unethical to recruit a player from another team. . . . When a student-athlete voluntarily seeks a transfer, coaches must follow established guidelines.”
	“Coaches must refrain from using non-institutional coaching responsibilities (i.e. ODP or club coaching affiliations) to enhance their programs...”

EXAMPLES OF IMPROPER RECRUITING / INDUCEMENT

1. A Team or Club Representative approaches a player on Team X, immediately after a game against Team X. The representative tells the player that he/she is very good and deserves to play on a better team. The representative suggests that the player should come and play for their team or club.

2. A Team or Club Representative is at a field where teams are between games. The representative notices a talented player on a team just finishing a game. The representative asks some players on his team to ask the player he has noticed to come to practice with their team.

3. A Team or Club Representative tells players in the soccer community that playing on their team is the best way for them to have a chance to play in college.

4. A Team or Club Representative contacts a player by phone, fax, letter, or in person to invite them to practice or play with their team.

5. A Team or Club Representative also acting as a High School Coach lets players trying out for the high school team know that in order to make the team they will need to play for one or more chosen competitive teams or Clubs in the community.

6. A Team or Club Representative lets a player on another team know that someone will pay for travel, uniforms, club fees or other expenses if they will play on their team.

7. Parents of players on a team decide that a player or group of players from another team would be a great addition to their team. The parents organize an effort to invite that player or players to practice or play with the team.

8. Any attempt by a Club or team representative to recruit or induce a player through his or her status or affiliation as a guest player on any in-state or out-of-state team.

EXAMPLES OF PROPER RECRUITING

1. A Team or Club Representative responds to a request for information from a player or parent. Persistent communications in the absence of subsequent interest expressed by the player or parent would be improper.

2. A Club announces their Club and Team tryouts and includes factual information about their Club history, Team history, time, place, age groups, fees, equipment, phone numbers and other general information. The announcement is made through newspaper advertisement, direct mail, and school bulletins, and is not targeted at Subset of Eligible Players.

3. A coach does not have a slot on his team for a player. He contacts one or more other coach or coaches to see if they will observe the player and determine whether the other coach(es) may have a spot for the player. One of the other coaches indicates he would like to see the player. The first coach provides the name and phone number of the accommodating coach to the player or the player’s parents. The player or the player’s parents contact the accommodating coach to arrange for a meeting, participation in practice, or tryout, and such arrangements are made.

FILING GRIEVANCES

Only persons directly aggrieved by a violation of this policy may file a complaint. Such persons may include a player who was the target of improper recruitment, or the club, coach or representative of the team from which the player was solicited.

Grievances filed under this Recruitment / Inducement Policy must be typed or legibly printed, and sent to the ADSF Competitive Committee by certified mail within 30 days of the complainant’s knowledge of the suspected improper recruitment / inducement. This time frame may be extended by the Committee with good reason. A fee of twenty five dollars ($25) must be enclosed. The fee is refunded if the complaint is found to have merit and sanctions of any kind are imposed, or if the complaint is withdrawn prior to the hearing. The fee is forfeited if the complaint is denied.

HEARING COMPLAINTS

A hearing on the complaint will be held within 14 days of receipt of the filing. This time frame may be extended by the Committee with good reason. The Competitive Committee will hear from affected parties and consider relevant information arising out of a filed grievance. The affected parties include the complainant, the person(s) against whom the accusation was made, and others as permitted in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee will determine the level and kind of relevant evidence it will hear or accept.

MAKING FINDINGS

The Competitive Committee will issue a written decision, which will include findings, conclusions, and, if appropriate, the sanctions to be imposed. The Competitive Committee will send a copy of the decision to the ADSF, the complainant, and the person(s) against whom the accusation was made within seven (7) days of the decision.

IMPOSING SANCTIONS

Because the nature of infractions of the Recruitment / Inducement Policy may vary widely, a range of possible sanctions for violation of the policy are included below. These possible sanctions are for illustration only. Nothing in this policy requires the Committee to be bound by these illustrations. The sanctions imposed by the Committee will be determined based on the severity of the infraction.

1. Minimum: Letter of reprimand; Suspension or revocation of Player, Coach, Team Representative, Team, or Club from participation in any ASYSA, USYSA or USSF sanctioned function for one or more weeks; Fine of up to $200.

2. Maximum: (1st report) Letter of reprimand; Suspension or revocation of Player, Coach, Team Representative, Team, or Club from participation in any ASYSA, USYSA or USSF sanctioned function for the remainder of the current season (and/or fraction of the next season); Fine of up to $500

3. Maximum: (2nd report) Suspension or revocation of Player, Coach, Team Representative, Team, or Club from participation in any ASYSA, USYSA or USSF sanctioned function for a period of two (2) years; Two (2) year suspension from any soccer related travel outside the State or Country; Fine of up to $1000.

Unusual circumstances may dictate stronger or lighter sanctions.

APPEALS

A party directly affected by a decision rendered by the Competitive Committee of the ADSF may appeal the decision to the full Board of Directors of the ADSF. Appeals must be (1) typed or legibly printed, (2) set forth the specific error(s) the Competitive Committee is alleged to have made, and (3) be sent to the ADSF Competitive Committee by certified mail within seven (7) days of receipt of the Competitive Committee decision. No additional fee shall be required. The Secretary of the ADSF shall set a date for the hearing of the appeal to the Board of Directors. The hearing shall be within forty‑five (45) days of the date of the decision rendered by the Competitive Committee.

At the Board of Directors Hearing, the Chairman of the Competitive Committee shall present the

findings of the Committee to the Board of Directors of the ADSF. The parties involved shall be given the opportunity to contest the Committee’s findings, conclusions or sanction. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be sent to the same parties who were sent the decision of the Competitive Committee by the Secretary of the ADSF, in writing, within seven (7) days of the decision.

No Club, Team, Team Representative, Coach or Player may invoke the aid of the courts or other governmental agency of any jurisdiction without first exhausting all available remedies within the body of organized soccer. For violation of this rule, the offending party or parties shall be subject to suspension from this organization and be liable for all expenses incurred for legal expenses and the time of any of the officials of the organization. These include court fees, attorneys' fees, compensation for time spent by ADSF/ASYSA/USYSA/USSF office and employees, travel expenses and expenses for special meeting necessitated by court action.

EXHAUSTION OF APPEAL REMEDIES.

The following shall be the line of authority for appeals when submitted beyond the Anchorage District Soccer Federation.

B. ASYSA Board of Directors

C. USYSA Regional Appeals Committee

D. USYSA National Appeals Committee