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Fairbanks Youth Soccer Association

Youth Indoor Soccer

Update. Saturday 1/1/22 at 4:50pm
Registration ended at midnight last night and at this time we are working on organizing teams and schedules. Late registration is now open and will remain so until all spots are filled. Some divisions are in a Waitlist status while others will reach that point soon. Those who are registered, keep an eye out next week for a 'season prep status update' email to be sent out.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
-FYSA

FYSA indoor soccer programs are a great way for youth to keep active during the long winter months. Here we will share information for all youth programs. As always, if you can't find answers to a question here, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call 907-456-3972

CLICK HERE to view the Indoor Soccer Program Handbook. This resource is for coaches, parents, players and referees and includes general program policies, guidance as well as rules for our indoor soccer league games.

   


NOTE: the information below has been updated as of 11/1/21 and all details pertain to the coming 'Winter 2022' season. Thank you to our Fall 2021 season participants!
The Winter 2022 season will have VERY limited space due to gym availability. Register early!


Who Can Participate
Program options are available for all school-aged youth in grades Kindergarten through High School. (PreK program currently on hold due to limitations in gym space).

Divisions for the Winter 2022 season will include:
Kindergarten - 4 teams max
1st-2nd Grade - 6 teams max
3rd-4th Grade - 6 teams max
5th-6th Grade - 6 teams max
Middle School - 5 teams max
High School - 5 teams max

* FYSA will use the established grade-based birthdate windows utilized by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, which begins with 'Age 5 by Sept. 1st for those in Kindergarten' and 'Age 6 by Sept. 1st for those in 1st Grade' etc. Players whose birthdate/grade combination are outside of these typical parameters are welcome to contact FYSA to have their registration options adjusted accordingly.

** Unlike the Fall 2021 season, we will not have enough gym space for the Winter 2022 season to offer a separate 'recreational' and 'advanced' bracket for the 1st-2nd, 3rd-4th and 5th-6th grade divisions. Instead we will have a single division for all ages. ALL divisions of all ages are still considered recreational and expectations for positive sportsmanship remain.  
  


Registration Period
SPACE WILL BE VERY LIMITED, WITH ENROLLMENT CAPS IN PLACE! Registration ends Wednesday, December 29th at 11:59pm. At that point, the office will close for the remainder of that week to allow staff to organize teams and begin forming schedules. This process takes significant time and focus and our goal is to get schedules and teams finalized and posted as soon as possible after registration ends. Registration closes at this time, but will reopen to allow any late registrations to fill remaining open spots OR to allow for Waitlist registrations (no cost) should a spot become available. 

Season Dates, Season Length, and Schedule Details
GAMES: All divisions for grades Kindergarten through High School will have a 8 total games for the season. Games take place on Saturdays between 12pm and 6pm. It is anticipated that the Middle School and High School divisions will have their first games on Saturday January 29th and teams in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade having first games on Saturday February 5th. Game times will vary but generally stay within a consistent range. The 'Who plays when?' question cannot be determined until after registration closes, due to parameters that may need to be met for volunteers who coach more than one team, gym allocations by FNSBSD, etc.

PRACTICES: All teams will also have a weekly practice on a weeknight between 6pm and 9pm (younger time slots are always used first for the youngest teams, with 8pm practices used only for older teams and only when absolutely necessary due to gym availability). We anticipate teams having their first practices in the week prior to their first game (see previous section for start dates). Games and practices are always scheduled in 1-hour time slots. Occasionally an age group may have an odd number of teams, which will result in 1 team having a 'bye' week (no game, possibly no practice). If you notice a gap in your schedule, it is likely due to having an odd number of teams in your division. Additionally, with an odd number of teams in a bracket, the season's 8 games may occur over a 9 or even 10 week timeframe.

  


General Program Info

All activities take place in local school gyms. All teams are co-ed, with games for all divisions typically played as 5v5 (4 players plus a goalie) in a 'futsal' style format. (Note: teams playing in Ryan Middle School gym will usually be expected to play 6v6, with details to be communicated to those applicable.)

'Futsal' balls are slightly smaller and slightly heavier than a typical outdoor soccer ball and a are 'low-bounce' ball which allows for better ball control and skill development. In the smaller space of a school gym, keeping the ball closer to the ground and at the feet of players is a significant aspect of indoor soccer. Coaches will be given a small set of futsal balls. Players will not be required to have their own futsal ball, but these WILL be available for purchase through the online registration process. There are additional adjustments to the rules for play for futsal compared to outdoor soccer (kick-ins vs. throw-ins, no sliding, etc.) but those will be conveyed to coaches and included in an updated Program Handbook prior to the start of the season.

Teams are general formed based on geographic zones. However, there are no guarantees that teams are assigned specific gym locations as that is based on what is allocated to FYSA by the school district for specific nights. Our goal with using a geographical zone data-point is for youth to have the chance to see a familiar face or two on their team.

During team formation, we strive to make all teams as balanced as possible. This is easier said than done and even an age group that appears perfectly 'balanced' on paper likely may not be due to each unique player's experience. While all teams are co-ed, there are no specific requirements for the ratio or number of players of each gender out on the court at all times during matches. The best way to keep things balanced is our Fair Play Policy, which ensures that all players receive a minimum of 50% of playing time during matches they are present. Additionally, rosters are kept to and appropriate size to allow players to have as much, usually more, time on the court vs. on the bench (ex. age groups playing 5v5 would have a roster max of 10).

One of the more common questions we get pertains to carpooling needs. During registration, you can provide a name of a specific player to be considered for team placement. Additionally, players wanting to play up into an older age group should contact FYSA prior to registering.


COVID-19 Considerations
Players, coaches, spectators, and referees will be expected to follow common best practices for matters pertaining to COVID-19 exposure and spread. Hand sanitizer should be a part of every player and coach's soccer gear, individuals should not share water bottles, and team gear should be laundered after each activity. The nature of indoor soccer is such that there will of course be closer proximity and frequent, short moment of close contact. Those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms are directed to refrain from participation until they are symptom free, following guidance from health professionals and published protocols. As of January 2022, FNSBSD will NOT require masks/face coverings for individuals within school buildings. Players who choose to wear a mask or face covering as welcome to if they desire, provided it is of a soft material, not a hard-shell or face-shield style.
  

If you have any questions about any indoor program details, feel free to contact FYSA at [email protected] or 907-456-3972

Uniform and Gear Info

        

"What does my player need to play?"

A soccer player's uniform consists of 5 items and they all begin with 'S': Shirt, Shorts, Shinguards, Socks and Shoes. Please read through each category to understand uniform guidelines for your child.

SHIRTS. Every player needs to have one of the FYSA blue/green reversible jerseys as shown in the image above. These were introduced for the summer 2017 season. Any players who still have their jersey should continue to use it! If a player is new to our league, has lost their jersey, grown out of it or worn it out, they need to buy a new reversible jersey. This can be done during registration. Be sure to check 'Yes' when asked about purchasing a new jersey ($16). If someone forgets to add this during registration or if they accidentally paid for a jersey that they didn't need, just contact FYSA to get things squared away.

SHORTS. PreK players are permitted to wear athletic pants, sweats, etc. All recreational players in grades K-12 shall wear BLACK shorts for soccer games. FYSA has these for sales for $4 each, however you don't have to wear 'our' brand/style. They should just be black and be the loose, athletic style. Volleyball, spandex, denim or cycling type shorts are not acceptable. Goalkeepers are permitted to wear pants as are other players with religious considerations (skirts are acceptable). 

SHINGUARDS. All players in grades K-12 shall wear shinguards for all soccer activities. Shinguards are option for PreK players. However, because they are required for all games in K-12 divisions, the PreK stage is the perfect time to get used to the feeling of this important piece of equipment. FYSA has shinguards for sale for $10.

SOCKS. This is an easy one! Socks must cover the shinguards completely. Note: unlike a player's shorts (black), there is no mandated color requirement for socks for our league. FYSA has these for sale for $4 each.

SHOES. No cleats. Indoor soccer shoes or non-marking tennis shoes are to be worn.

BALL. Indoor soccer programs utilize a 'futsal' ball, which is a slightly heavier and smaller, low-bounce ball, meant to keep the play low to the ground and closer to your feet. Futsal is the name of hard-court, indoor soccer around the world and futsal balls are a standard piece of equipment that help better suit the unique gameplay of the indoor game. Players are not required to own their own futsal balls. Coaches will receive a small batch of balls to use for practices and games. However, a new futsal ball can be purchased during registration for $20.

A final note on player equipment: JEWELRY: No jewelry of any kind, including watches, shall be worn while playing soccer. This includes rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other piercings. Simply putting a piece of tape over a piece of metal does almost nothing to prevent possible injury. There are plenty of horrific images available (which we're inclined to not post here!) to illustrate potential damage to oneself or another player, that can be prevented by removing jewelry prior to soccer activities. While some may respond that new piercings can't be taken out otherwise the tissue might close, this is not the case for the short period of time a player is on the field. If there is a concern of this nature, a parent can help a player replace the piercing as soon as a player is subbed off the field and remove them before going back in. Just like other preventable injuries, no one who has had this happen to themselves would have thought it was possible that it would be a such a concern, until it was. It might be uncomfortable to remove and replace a piercing, but the potential for serious injury is of far more concern.  

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Contact

Fairbanks Youth Soccer Association

PO Box 73915 
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707

Phone: 907-456-3972
Email: [email protected]

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