Guide for Travel Coaches

BAYS posts the game schedules approximately two weeks prior to the season opener.  Visit https://bays.org/bays/organizations/view/NEG to search for your team’s schedule.

Coaches are responsible for keeping the schedule up to date in TeamSnap.  Changes made in the BAYS game management system do NOT automatically update in TeamSnap.

Prior to the schedule being released, it may be helpful to know the general game times:

• Grade 3 Girls – 10:30 AM Saturdays
• Grade 4 Girls – 11:45 AM Saturdays
• Grade 5 Girls – 11:45 AM Saturdays
• Grade 6 Girls – 10:30 AM Saturdays
• Grade 7 – 8 Girls – 9:00 AM Saturdays
• Grade 9 – 12 Girls – 1:30 PM Sundays

Teams must make every effort to play games as scheduled. Missing your best players is not a legitimate reason to cancel. There are only a few allowable reasons to reschedule a game:

• • • Mutually Agreed Upon Preponement – Any game can be pre-played prior to the original scheduled date if both coaches agree.
    • Religious holidays: A coach may unilaterally decide to reschedule a game when the schedule conflicts with the observance of a religious holiday.
    • Three-Day Holiday Weekends – A team may elect to unilaterally reschedule its regularly scheduled game for Columbus Day weekend (by 9/15) or Memorial Day weekend (by 5/1).
    • Field scheduling conflict – If it is known in advance that a game cannot be played due to field unavailability, the other team may be given the option to host or the game may be rescheduled.
    • Unplayable Field – If a field is declared unplayable by an official representative of the organization before or on the day of the game, the home team coach shall notify the away team by 7:00 am on the day of the game (for morning games) or by 10:00 am (for afternoon games). Referees or coaches cannot declare a field playable that an organization has declared unplayable.

Coaches must follow this process to reschedule a BAYS home game. No-shows and last-minute cancellations are unacceptable.

1. As soon as it becomes clear that a BAYS home game must be rescheduled, you must immediately inform all relevant parties of the cancellation, even if you do not have a make-up date yet. Ideally, we need 10-days of notice for reschedules and postponements. Please contact the following people:
   • • Opposing coach – Find their contact information on the BAYS website.
     • Team – Update TeamSnap and send families a message.
     • Referee Coordinator and Field Scheduler – Notify Ioannis Kyratzoglou at newtonrefereeassignor@gmail.com and Ed Jenkinson at doc@newtonsoccer.org so they can update the BAYS game management system and cancel referees. If you don’t do this at least 48 hours before the scheduled game and the referees show up for a game that isn’t played, you can be held responsible for paying them.
2. Arrange a mutually agreeable make-up date with the opposing coach. It is also advisable to agree on a backup date in case the first reschedule date is unavailable. Please follow all BAYS guidelines for rescheduling:
   • • Offer the opposing team at least 3 alternate dates.
     • Pre-play is expected for games cancelled for reasons other than weather. Preponed games can be rescheduled virtually any time.
     • Rainouts must be rescheduled no more than 2 weeks after the original game date. 
3. Once you and the opposing team have agreed on a make-up date, use the rescheduling form link on this page to request a field.
   • • If you have multiple rescheduling requests, you must fill out a separate form for each one and send separate e-mail notifications. Each rescheduled game is its own unique request. No rescheduling request will be considered without a properly filled-out form.
     • To fill out this form, you will need two crucial numbers: Your unique alphanumeric team identifier (G805, B602, etc.) and your BAYS game number. BAYS game numbers are located in the far left column of the schedule on your BAYS team page.
4. Once you have submitted the rescheduling form, send an e-mail alerting the Fields Scheduler and the Referee Coordinator that your request has been submitted. The Fields Scheduler will reply with your new field assignment and notify the Referee Coordinator that it is okay to assign referees to the rescheduled game.
5. After receiving your rescheduled field assignment, follow up with the Referee Coordinator and the opposing coach to confirm that all elements of the game are in place.
6. Inform your BAYS Division Director within 24 hours of any games that will NOT be played as scheduled and the planned timing of any make-up games that have been agreed to be played.

Notes and Tips

• • • Whenever possible, schedule makeup games for your approved practice time and field. This cuts down on player and parent availability issues and these requests will almost always be granted.
    • Popular practice nights like Friday and Tuesday and the lighted fields at Albemarle and Forte are very difficult to schedule due to their popularity and our limited space. Avoid these if possible.
    • BAYS games take priority over scheduled practices. If need be we will bump teams off their practice fields to open space for rescheduled games. The Fields Scheduler will notify the practice team and help them find alternate space.
    • Public School use of fields trumps our games and practices. If you find that you have conflicts with school-based teams or activities, please calmly and patiently work things out at that time and send the Fields Scheduler a note so the conflict can be avoided in the future.

Submit Reschedule Request

The home team is responsible for rescheduling a game, including field space and referees.

If a team must reschedule a BAYS away game, the NGS coach must immediately notify their opposing coach that the team cannot play as scheduled. The opposing coach will complete the steps above. No-shows and last-minute cancellations are unacceptable.

• Step 1 – As soon as you have your team’s roster, survey the families to identify 1 or 2 days that will work for most players.
• Step 2 – Approximately 6 weeks before as season starts, head coaches will receive instructions and options for requesting a practice time and location. Respect the deadline. Teams that request space after all requests are filled with be given space available.
• Step 3 – After teams have submitted their requests, a final schedule will be released, and you may notify your team and update TeamSnap.

Notes:

• Practice Time Duration – 75 minutes minimum for all teams will be accommodated. If 90 minutes works for our field schedule, it will be allowed.
• Only the fields listed on the Practice Grid are available to us. Some fields are restricted by certain days or times. We recommend that teams take up Friday and/or Sunday practice session where possible, as those days have the most availability.
• Consider all options before submitting a request. We work hard to provide you your first choice of location, but providing an alternative that works for you is VERY helpful. Please don’t assume your first choice is possible.
• In most instances, you will be sharing an age-appropriate field with another team of your grade.
• Schools take priority. You must wait until any school program that is on the field, vacates the field before you enter.
• Teams may only use an assigned field during the times specified by our permit. For example, in spring 2024 our field permits start on Monday, April 1st and run through June 16th, 2024.

Yes. Each team will receive an equipment bag at the start of the season. It will include supplies such as game balls, ball pump, pinnies, cones, and ice packs.

Tips:

• PLEASE use Game Balls ONLY for games.
• DO NOT write on equipment (other than “NGS“).
• Players should provide their own goalie gloves.
• Check the field after every game and practice.
• Dry out all pinnies and gloves after games and practices.
• Wash your pinnies regularly.
• If you need additional supplies, email our equipment manager, Craig Greiner.
• Equipment must be returned at the end of the season.