STORM SOCCER CLUB POLICIES

Our players are rostered on the teams for the playing year of August 1 through July 31. Players are registered with US Club Soccer. Bylaws, Policies, & Guidelines can be found on the US Club Soccer website.

We are a largely volunteer organization- dedicated to teaching the game of soccer and developing young men and women of strong moral and physical character. Storm works on the principle that parents and coaches can work together to create the best situation for their children and their development. In order to achieve the best results, we do have a framework that we work within – making it easier for everyone to be on the same page about soccer.

All Idaho Storm players, parents, coaches, and administrators will, at all times, conduct themselves in a manner that complies with the bylaws and any applicable participation rules of US Club Soccer, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, or any USSF sanctioning body of the competition. Idaho Storm will seek Affiliate membership status with US Club Soccer and take steps to meet any requirements necessary to remain in good standing with US Club Soccer.

Idaho Storm makes every effort to ask for only the minimal amount of personal information needed from its players and parents. US Club Soccer will verify birth certificates. No personal information is stored or downloaded and once verified, the birth certificates are encrypted and removed.  Idaho Storm will never intentionally misrepresent the age of any of its players to any league, association, or tournament and considers it a serious ethical violation to do so. If it later is discovered that an inaccurate birth date was supplied for a player, that player will face serious sanctions up to and including expulsion from the club with no refund of any fees and receiving a permanent ban from any Idaho Storm or US Club sanctioned events.

Idaho Storm makes every effort to ask for only the minimal amount of personal information needed from its players and parents. When Emergency Medical Services (EMS) respond to an event involving a minor, EMS personnel will most likely not treat the minor until they have consent from the parent or are presented with a signed medical release form.

In the highly unlikely event that emergency medical services need to be called to treat an Idaho Storm player for an injury received while participating in a sanctioned event, Idaho Storm would like for EMS to provide care to the injured player as quickly as possible. Since parents will frequently not be present while a child is participating in Idaho Storm sanctioned events it will be necessary to have a signed medical release form on location.

Idaho Storm will require each coach to have a signed medical release form for each player present at every practice, game, or other sanctioned event. The form MUST have the players name, list any allergies or medical conditions, contact information for at least one parent, and be signed. Providing the emergency contacts and insurance information is recommended but not required.

Once a player signs the commitment form, he or she is committed to playing soccer for Idaho Storm during the fall and spring seasons of the playing year, unless it is a Spring-only league. Once a guardian and/or parent signs the commitment form you fully understand and accept all responsibility for club dues associated with this commitment, including an immediate $100.00 non-refundable deposit and any remaining balance due. We understand the time commitment required for this and agree to attend all required team activities. We also commit to supporting any required homework and/or assignments that will improve the player’s playing condition and skills.

Once the commitment form is signed and returned to Idaho Storm Soccer Club the parent and/or guardian of the player assumes all responsibility of club dues. If player club dues are not paid by club due dates or payment arrangements have not been made, the player may be suspended from participating in team activities, games and tournaments. All payment arrangements beyond regularly scheduled payments must be approved by the Idaho Storm Soccer Board.

If a player decides to quit or leave Idaho Storm Soccer Club before the season starts or in the middle of a season and said player has already submitted a commitment form, there will be no refunds for club dues responsible by the parent and/or guardian. Players who leave Idaho Storm Soccer Club after submitting a commitment form will not be permitted to play for another Soccer Club associated with that year. Any player interested in a release from the commitment will need to request an appeal to members of the board and explain their request. An appeal does not guarantee a player will be released from the commitment associated with the specified year. If a player is granted a release of commitment, club dues associated with the said commitment form must be paid in full.

In the event of a Health related incident or crisis (e.g., COVID-19 or player injury), the Storm Board will review any refund or withdrawal requests on a case-by-case basis and will factor in guidance from IPL and other regulatory authorities in determining any refunds.

Pursuant to the Idaho Premier League Handbook, throughout a soccer seasonal year (Aug 1 – Jul 31), players may request transfers into and out of the Club.  The Idaho Premier League Handbook is very specific regarding steps that are required during this process and prior to a player being able to transfer.  The following is Idaho Storms policy and procedures related to such transfers, which line up with US Club Soccer and The Idaho Premier League handbook.

To facilitate and ensure adherence to the above steps, Idaho Storm will filter all player transfer requests through its Director of Coaching. Player transfer requests will first require the following information to help the Director of Coaching in following up with the appropriate club and individuals for approval according to US Club Soccer Policy and the Idaho Premier League handbook: Player Name, Player Age/Birth Year, Current Club Affiliation, Registration Year, Commitment, Current Coach

Anyone contacted regarding player transfers are to send the above general information to Idaho Storm Admin at info@idahostormsoccer.com. No further contact is to be made with the requesting player until proper approval is obtained by the Director of Coaching.

Throughout the year, our staff, coaches, managers, parents, and representatives may be at soccer activities and games to take pictures and write about the good news happening in our Club for social media, website, newsletters and other print and electronic publications, as well as for newspaper, television, and radio coverage. These tend to be “human interest” or “good news” stories to recognize player and team achievements. We also understand that some parents have concerns about the use of pictures of their players.  If you object to having your player participate in media/photo coverage, please contact us via email or letter within 30 days of registration to let us know. If we do not hear from you, we will assume your consent to use such media, player photos, and team photos.

Idaho Storm Soccer Club believes that many concerns and/or complaints (grievances) received by a youth soccer organization can be adequately addressed internally by the parties involved, by the coaches themselves, or with input from the club’s Director of Coaching. The soccer club expects direct communication among coaches, players and parents. Players are instructed to address their concerns directly with their coach, while parents do so with each other and their coaches. However, in the rare event that grievances are not satisfactorily resolved, there is a specific process that needs to be followed. The following policy explains this process.

A. Definition: A grievance is a complaint of a general nature, which may be based upon a specific rule violation, or upon a specific administrative decision (or lack of decision).

B. Informal Procedure: Parents may approach coaches to voice complaints or displeasure with coaching actions and/or decisions, however, a period of 24 hours should pass after the game or practice in question. The parent should arrange a meeting to speak directly with the team’s coach. This should be done when the coach is not coaching and when there are no other players or parents present.  If the grievance is not resolved by the individuals on a one-to-one basis, then a formal procedure begins.

C. Formal Procedure: When grievances do occur and need a formal resolution, the following course of action will be taken by the person or persons bringing it forward:

• • Step 1. If a parent-parent issue is unresolvable, the grievance will then be brought to the attention of the team coach(s) for further review and resolution. If coaches are unable to find a satisfactory settlement to the conflict, then it will be brought to the Board of Directors (in writing) through the Director of Coaching for evaluation.  Director of Coaching shall acknowledge receipt of written grievance to the person(s) making the grievance.

• • Step 2.  Grievances that have been made through the Director of Coaching and are not satisfactorily resolved by all parties will then be addressed by the whole board, reviewed and a timeline for resolution established.  If the Board of Directors takes on a grievance that has been passed on by the Director of Coaching, contact with the person(s) making the grievance will be conducted as expeditiously as possible to achieve the best resolution available.
  • If the grievance does not have a basis in an existing rule, the grievance essentially presents a perceived problem which may require the adoption of new rules and/or club policies. If a grievance takes place as part of a tournament, league, or other competition that is sponsored and operated under the direction of other clubs or the Idaho Premier League (IPL), the event director of a specific competition does not have authority to modify rules in response to a grievance. An event director who receives a grievance shall forward the complaint to the appropriate club for review.

D. Hearing by Board of Directors: The Board of Directors of the club is ultimately responsible for making the final decision on a grievance. Confidentiality must be maintained by all board members throughout the entire grievance process. The Board shall determine the procedures necessary for dealing with any specific grievance. Some of the options a Board may choose to use in handling a grievance once it has been passed on by the Director of Coaching to the full board include:

1. 1. The Board may create a subcommittee to hear and decide the grievance. Any subcommittee shall, however, have no fewer than three members.
   2. The Board may hear the grievance at any Board meeting. Quorum requirements for Board action as specified in the club bylaws will apply to making any decision on the grievance.
   3. The Board may conduct an open hearing and invite testimony from additional parties.
   4. The Board may conduct a closed hearing and reach a decision based on the documents submitted with the grievance.
   5. The Board may appoint one or more persons to investigate the grievance and submit a report to the Board, then decide the grievance based upon the report.
   6. The Board may adopt any other procedure that it believes will assist it in making an informed decision on the grievance.

E. Time of Decision: Unless the Board specifically extends the time to decide a grievance, a final decision on the grievance shall be made within 30 days after initial receipt of the complaint.

F. Notification of Decision: The Board shall provide written notification to the party submitting the grievance of its final decision.

G. No Appeal: The decision of the Board is final on any grievance. No appeal is available from the decision of the Board.

H. Grievance/Complaint: Format and Contents of written grievance: If an attempt to resolve the conflict with a parent or coach was made and no satisfactory resolution was achieved; the next step is to bring it to the Director of Coaching, using the following procedures.

1. The initial grievance/complaint must be documented in writing and will contain, at a minimum, the following:

1. 1. The name of the person or organization against whom the grievance is submitted.
   2. The name of the person submitting the grievance.
   3. The nature and specifics of the grievance with sufficient detail, in order that the opposing party will be able to appropriately respond to the allegations.
   4. The steps that have been taken so far in addressing the grievance.
   5. A listing of the rules or procedures that have been violated.
   6. Appropriate documentation supporting the allegations. Details may include items such as dates and times, name of team, coaches, players, referees and other staff.
   7. A statement outlining the desired result.

2. A Referee Game Report may be accepted as a document of support in an official allegation of misconduct, regardless of the format in which it has been filed.