What is New for the 2006/07 season?

(Shhhh...posting updates shortly!)

What changes occurred last year?

Beginning in 2005/06, CJYSA games were formally structure games into two divisions.  “MAPS” will be used for games played with Youth Soccer Passes (e.g., New Jersey Youth Soccer passes, ENYYSA, EPYSA, etc.) and “MSSL” will be used for games played with US Club Cards. 

Why was the change been made?

In previous years, CJYSA allowed league play (for non-flight games not involved for State Cup qualifying purposes) with either Youth Soccer or US Club passes.  However, we have decided to split into two divisions with separate game cards to ensure that teams do not “mix” passes.

For example, if one team has Youth Soccer passes and the other team has US club passes, the game cannot be played as a league game. [Note: Teams can only play with differing sets of passes at “tournament”-style events that have hosting agreements permitting such usage.] With the two separate divisions, teams will need to be sure that both teams use the same passes, that the correct game card is used, and that the club has the appropriate certificate of insurance in its file and on file with the responsible party at the facility.  Referees will be asked to review the player passes used to ensure that they match the Game Card.

Can teams decide which passes they wish to use for a game?

Yes and No. 

Most participating CJYSA teams use their Flight games to qualify for State Cup participation, invariably in NJYS and often in EPYSA and elsewhere as well. For all in-flight games among teams seeking to qualify for their respective State Cup, Youth Soccer passes must be used.

Otherwise, while CJYSA is primarily a Youth Soccer league, teams may elect to use either USYS passes (MAPS games) or US Club Soccer passes (MSSL games). This option allows teams to utilize the roster flexibility that dual carding affords their team and club programs. All players on BOTH teams must have valid passes from the same governing body for the scheduled game.  If there is a dispute and both teams have Youth Soccer passes, then they are to be used as the default.

Note that some teams do not seek to qualify for State Cup through CJYSA; these teams may be placed in their own separate flights, and the option to agree on using either pass may apply to these flight games as well.

How will this decision impact my responsibilities as the administrator for my team/club?

If you have both USYS passes and US Club passes you will experience the following changes:

·       Teams will advise the age group Coordinator of the passes they have, and their preferences for any scheduled non-flight games. The Coordinator will issue the schedule, which will normally include both a compact number of mandatory Flight games, and fleshed out with additional non-flight games to the extent agreed upon among the teams in the age group. The Coordinator will clearly designate games as either MAPS / CJYSA Premier or as MSSL games.

·       Teams play their required MAPS and CJYSA Premier games using a MAPS game card.

·       Teams play their required MSSL games using an MSSL game card.

·       Teams must obtain appropriate Certificates of Insurance for their facilities from each governing body whose passes they will be using

o       MAPS / CJYSA Premier games must have a USYS state affiliate (e.g., New Jersey Youth Soccer, EPYSA, ENYYSA)

o       MSSL Games must have a US Club Certificate of Insurance for MSSL games from US Club

How do I get game cards?

The league stuffs the game cards into NJ player packets before sending out to teams.  If you are an out of state team, contact either your age group coordinator, or download from the website, to receive game cards.  In addition, NJ teams have been asked to keep additional cards on hand and distribute to out of state teams upon request.

What is CJYSA?

CJYSA is an acronym for Central Jersey Youth Soccer Association.  CJYSA is a member of the New Jersey Youth Soccer Association, the state organization affiliated with Region 1 and USYSA (United States Youth Soccer Association).  USYSA is a National Affiliate member of USSF (United States Soccer Federation), the governing body of soccer in the United States. 

CJYSA is a regional youth soccer league in NJ.  CJYSA invites the top teams in the region to participate in the league for fall and/or spring competition in its Premier and MAPS Flights. 

What is MAPS and how does it relate to CJYSA? 

MAPS is an acronym for Mid Atlantic Premier Soccer, and is a flight designation used by CJYSA.  Mid-Atlantic Premier Soccer (MAPS) Flights are made up of many of the top teams in the region, and are meant for teams that are ready to compete at a higher level of competency and ready to take-on the challenges on-and-off the field.  Teams invited to participate may be grouped in MAPS or Premier flighting, based upon their team record/resume. 

JAGS uses MAPS also.  Is JAGS part of CJYSA?

JAGS is an acronym for Jersey Area Girls Soccer.  JAGS is a separate and distinct league from CJYSA.  JAGS is also a member of NJYS.  JAGS was granted permission by CJYSA to use the trademarked MAPS Flight designation for their girls flighting.

What is USYSA? 

What is US Club?

US Club Soccer is a National Affiliate member of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), and as such registers players, and sanctions teams, leagues, tournaments and other soccer programs.  Once clubs are approved by US Club, either directly as a member or through an approved league, teams and clubs register with, and forward payment directly to US Club Soccer.  Players and staff pay an annual registration fee.  Further information may be found on their website: www.usclubsoccer.com . 

The administrative office is in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with regional staff in three additional locations.  Passes are requested through electronic registration and payment and issued by email.

What is MSSL that is being introduced this year?

MSSL stands for Mid-Atlantic Soccer Showcase League; MSSL is a youth league affiliated with US Club Soccer (as well as an U23 league affiliated with the US Adult Soccer Assn.) MSSL has conducted summer leagues and tournaments in recent years, and will serve to host US Club Soccer games for CJYSA teams.

How will the two leagues affect our flighting and games?

Most teams shouldn’t expect must disruption in scheduling of games.  The leagues will post two separate schedules – a MAPS schedule and an MSSL schedule for each age group.  All scheduled games must be played and the game card filled out and submitted to report the result of the game.

MSSL will post age group schedules for the “cross-over” matches in each age group.  These matches will be played using US Club passes and the MSSL game/referee reports. 

Which division (i.e., MSSL, MAPS) rules will be used in the event of disciplinary action?  For example, if a player get red carded?

The rules guiding discipline are league wide rules and thus do not differ for the divisions. 

What that means is that if a player receives a one game suspension the player must serve that suspension in the next league game that the player is otherwise eligible to participate in.

What about the three game required player hold that NJYS imposes on player transfers?

This rule is a NJYS rule that requires any transfer player (during a seasonal year fall/spring) to sit 3 games as of the date the DC validates his/her addition to a team.  MAPS, as part of a member league, is required to enforce this NJYS rule.  That means, any player added to a NJYS roster, must sit three MAPS games. (Same applies, obviously, to CJYSA Premier flight teams.) Once the player has missed the three games, they can participate in the team’s next scheduled MAPS games.  Since neither MSSL nor Region 1 matches are sanctioned by NJYSA, these games cannot be used to satisfy the NJYSA requirement to sit out three matches before playing again in a NJYSA sanctioned match.

Can I have a Guest Player(s) for league play?

No. The league policies and procedures prohibit guest players in league games for its divisions (i.e., MAPS, MSSL). 

Note that US Club Soccer policies permit movement of players onto rosters with a bit greater facility than other organizations, and teams are free to avail themselves of these policies, provided that a player is properly rostered to a team by the team the game-day roster is printed.

I have misplaced some of my Youth Soccer player passes; can I just fill in with my player’s US CLUB passes?

No pass, no play.  There are no acceptable substitute passes. All passes on both teams must be from the same governing body.  The player simply can’t play until either the original pass is found or a replacement pass is obtained.  The same logic applies to a lost US Club pass.

Without getting involved in onerous detail, let it be noted that insurance concerns are involved, besides the issues involved with unrelated soccer governing bodies. JUST DON’T DO IT!

Insurance issues have been mentioned; what do I need to do to be sure my team, players and coaches, is properly covered?

NJYS and US CLUB both provide insurance to respective teams/clubs through their pass carding/membership. 

Be sure you properly register all players and coaches on your team in accordance with each organization’s rules. 

Remember to request certificates of insurance naming your field location and its owner as additional insured for BOTH organizations, expecting you will be playing both MAPS and MSSL matches on the same fields.  Overlooking this detail could cost your team and club heavily – not just in a financial penalty, but also in use of the field! 

Example: You may request a certificate from NJYS for your matches, but forget to request one from US Club. You play a MSSL match and a player is injured during a game.  When the claims follow, the property/field owner will forward them to the insurance company through the only Certificate of Insurance on file, listing NJYS.  After investigation, NJYS will determine that the game was played with US CLUB passes, and the use of the fields should have been covered through the other sanctioning body. It will become clear that your club and team did not complete the proper certifications.  Your claim may then be rejected by one governing body as inapplicable, while not be honored by the other governing body as not covered in advance. While we hesitate to provide legal advice or expertise, this may well become an unnecessary legal and liability issue for all concerned.

JUST SIMPLY REMEMBER: CLUBS WITH TEAMS THAT PLAY UNDER BOTH USYS AND US CLUB SANCTIONING MUST OBTAIN SEPARATE CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR FACILITIES EVERY YEAR.