Indoor Soccer for Adults - Fall 2021

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

Register to play in an adult indoor soccer league with FYSA!

Note: the information below has been updated as of 11/1/21 to include information pertaining to the 'Winter 2022' season. Thank you to all our Fall 2021 participants!

Games are expected to start the week or January 24th. Registration ends December 30th. HOWEVER! Due to limited gym space allocated to FYSA for the 2021-2022 school year, divisions will be VERY limited in capacity. Register early to avoid being Waitlisted. A division may very well fill up prior to the deadline, so register early to avoid being Waitlisted. Team Captains (i.e. those who desire to set their own team), see specific notes further below on this page regarding these limitations and registering.

Game slots are 1 hour, with 25 min. halves, a max of 5 min. halftime, and 5 min. buffer between matches. Game time will be go time!

Options for the Winter 2022 season include:
Co-ed Recreational. Games Tuesdays at 7pm or 8pm at Randy Smith Middle School. $85. There is a limit of 5 teams for this division.
Co-ed Competitive. Games Wednesdays at 7pm or 8pm at Tanana MS. $100. There is a limit of 9 teams for this division.
Each division's schedule will include 9 of games per team.
Because of the significant limits on league size, we ask that players only register for ONE division.
Read below for details and online registration!

General Info for All Divisions

Registration will close at 11:59pm on December 30th in order for us to form teams, create schedules, etc. Games will begin the week of January 24th.

All players register individually and will be considered a 'free-agent' unless they indicate a specific team they are registering to participate with. Those without a full team can still indicate during registration any requested teammates to be paired with. FYSA will create teams with those individuals or keep together any requested teammates. These FYSA-formed teams will typically be capped at rosters of 10. Pre-formed teams must have at least 8 registered players to be considered an independent team, otherwise FYSA reserves the right to place individual players with your team to reach that minimum threshold. Our costs for gyms and referees (where applicable) are based on expectations of minimum team sizes to cover expenses for the league.

If someone wants to serve as a Team Captain, they will sign up for that during registration. Captains should communicate with FYSA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE any roster information so we can know to block out player spots for their squad. Failure to do so may mean that we take on registrants that would occupy player spots that otherwise have been used for your team. We will NOT cancel someone who signs up simply because named players on a Team Captain's roster are late to register. So Captains, make sure your players sign up early. Since all players register individually, we will already have their information, so Team Captains just need let us know their names. Team Captains are expected to set the example in regards to sportsmanship, conveying information relevant to their team and keeping FYSA informed of anything we should be aware of. Note: FYSA-formed teams, aka the free-agent teams, will also need a captain, so feel free to register if you want to take on that role even without a fully formed team. Captains will receive a game ball to use for the season, which is theirs to keep at the end of the season.

Only those listed on a team's Roster are permitted to participate in league games, unless otherwise approved in advance by the FYSA Executive Director and/or Program Coordinator. Those wishing to be added can register online or contact FYSA directly if registration has closed.

Gameplay. Matches are played on hard court, school gym surfaces with a futsal ball (smaller, low bounce). Futsal is the standard for hard-court indoor soccer across the world, meant to keep the ball lower to the ground and closer to your feet. A brand new game ball will be provided to each team captain at the start of the season. Players can also purchase a new futsal ball of their own during registration ($20) if they'd like. No other types of soccer balls are to be used for games. Substitutions take place 'on the fly', with games typically played as 5v5, playing off the walls and other surfaces. Slide tackling is not permitted for indoor soccer programs. Specific details regarding gameplay will be conveyed prior to the start of games. Goals are provided by FYSA and stored outside at the facilities we rent. These are to be brought in by the first teams and returned outside by the final teams each night unless directed otherwise.

Schedules will be created and uploaded into the system after registration closes. These are viewable within your FYSA account as well as the website's 'Posted Schedules' page (see menu above). Use the drop-down menus to filter and view your schedule; you just need to know your team name. The goal is for all divisions to have their first games the week of January 24th, with 9 total matches for everyone. There are some dates that are not available due to gym availability and divisions may have an odd number of teams. As such, it may take more than 9 weeks for all teams to get their 9 matches, and there may be instances where a team has a 'bye' week, with no game. Games are scheduled in a 1-hour slot at either 7pm or 8pm. As mentioned earlier on this page, our options for gym rentals have been reduced and will end at 9pm instead of 10pm. Thus, games will include two 25-minute halves, with no more than a 5 minute halftime break. It is vital that games start and end on time.

Co-ed Recreational games will take place at Randy Smith Middle School. This is meant to be a fun, low-key option for any and all players. Since our options for indoor space are limited this year, we ask that players only register for either the recreational OR competitive division, so that as many people as possible can play. HOWEVER, the system will still allow you to sign up for both and we will respect those who do so, understanding that this is a great outlet and way to stay active in the winter and one night may not be enough for some soccer itches that need scratched! Regardless, it is expected that no matter what skill level is present on the court for this division, a recreational attitude will prevail at all times. Those who are found to be creating an overly competitive environment in the recreational division will be asked to remove themselves and FYSA reserves the right to do so directly if necessary.

Co-ed Competitive games will take place on Wednesdays at Tanana Middle School. While this division involves a competitive level of play, good sportsmanship is still expected from all players and teams. This is often the best opportunity for highly-skilled high school aged teams to have a chance to stay sharp with their skills. Most everyone will be heading back to work or school the next morning, so we want to see the high skill that exists in our soccer community, while keeping things in appropriate lanes and restraint exercised when prudent.

The minimum age to participate in an adult division is 14. For the purpose of setting up registration, that will be '14 as of the first scheduled game' for each division. As the game schedules will not conflict, youth participating in an adult division are also permitted to register for their respective youth league division.

Players and teams that are members of Eclipse Soccer Club should make sure they follow Alaska Youth Soccer’s policy on ‘Youth Players in Adult League’ to maintain their youth status and insurance. This policy can be found at www.alaskayouthsoccer.org Team coaches/managers can contact FYSA for details on this approval process.

Our divisions are 'Co-ed'. The only requirement regarding this parameter that is expected to be followed is that the technical status of 'co-ed' is maintained at all times. In other words, there must be always be at least one player from each gender on the court during the course of the match.

A $10 volume discount will automatically apply in the checkout screen for those who participate in more than one winter 2021-2022 divisions. This applies even if you register at different times. A $10 family discount will also automatically apply to any additional family members registering for either adult divisions (spouses, parent/child, sibling, etc).

Uniforms. All players on the same team need to wear the same jersey. FYSA has a standard reversible red/silver jersey that is meant to be used for all players, unless the entire team has their own matching jerseys. During registration, you will be asked about jersey size and purchase needs. New players or those that need a new jersey can add one to their order for $16 which will be usable for future seasons as well. Shorts and socks are also available for purchase through FYSA ($4 each) as well as shinguards ($10). Players can also purchase their own futsal ball ($20). Team captains will each receive one futsal ball at the start of the season, which is theirs to keep. All players should be wearing shinguards during league games. Failure to do so is at your own risk.

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.

Referees will be scheduled for the competitive division, but not for the recreational division. When present and acting in their role as an official, referees are to be respected, even when a call is not in a team's favor. Any player dismissed (red card) from a match is to leave the facility promptly. Refusal to do so may result in the match being terminated. If a game has been terminated by a referee, teams continuing to play are doing so at their own risk. Such gameplay would not be considered a sanctioned activity and any league insurance coverage is not extended. Teams/players that do not abide by the authority of referees or league officials/administrators may be removed from participation, either temporarily or for the remainder of the season without refund of registration payments. The need for more adults to step up and serve as referees in the Fairbanks soccer community is as dire as ever. For FYSA to continue to provide adult soccer programming, individuals are needed to answer the call. If you are interested in becoming a referee, please contact us for more information. Referees are not volunteers and are paid by the league for their time and effort. Training is provided at no cost and individuals can serve in whatever capacity they are comfortable with flexible scheduling.

Sportsmanship! During registration every player will be required to accept a waiver that includes a commitment to good sportsmanship as well as liability of risk, privacy policy, and other language necessary for the running of a sports league such as ours. All players are expected to abide by principles of good sportsmanship, at all times, even if they feel wronged or disagree with a call by a referee or actions of an opponent. This applies to interactions with opponents, referees, spectators, league administrators as well as their own teammates. Failure to follow sportsmanship commitments may result in a player or team’s disciplinary action per FYSA policies. Those playing in more than one division (including youth) may have disciplinary actions that result from misconduct carry over into their other division. There are no rankings being kept or trophies to be awarded at the end of each season. We are all part of the same soccer community in one way or other and our goal is to keep that spirit of the game present in all our activities.

COVID-19 Considerations
Participants will be expected to follow common best practices for matters pertaining to COVID-19 exposure and spread. 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 the September 7th School Board meeting, FNSBSD will now require masks/face coverings for individuals within school buildings. For FYSA's indoor soccer activities, this applies to everyone present EXCEPT for players who are actively participating in a practice or game. 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.