Rules & Regulations
I MEMBERSHIP
1. General
a) The Association will consider accepting into membership clubs, leagues and other such organizations, operating in the district, as well as school, college and university leagues, and organizations representing coaches, referees and trainers.
b) Application for membership renewal within the Association will be made annually, prior to February 15 of each year, on a form to be provided by the Association on or before December 15. The completed application form must be accompanied by the required membership fee, together with a copy of the applicant`s current constitution (if there have been any changes since the last filing), a list of current Officers and the members previous year`s financial statement.
c) New applications from organizations wishing to be considered for membership in the S.O.S.A. must be received on or before October 15 of the previous year.
Subject to Section III (Club), new members may be admitted based on compliance with the following:
i. Availability of players
ii. Headquarters of applicant being in the district.
iii. Following an examination ensuring no possible harm is caused to an existing member.
iv. Submission of a proper constitution governing the applicant`s operation.
v. Responsible officers being elected.
vi. Past record, if available, being satisfactory.
d) Acceptance of membership renewals and new membership applications after the October 31st deadline shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
e) Where warranted the Board of Directors will require the Discipline Committee to review the performance of any club and/or any of its teams before authorizing its acceptance for the following year.
f) New members that are accepted into membership with the Association will be automatically placed on a one (1) year probationary period.
g) By virtue of its membership, member clubs agree to register all of its affiliated players, teams, and leagues with The Association.
2. Life Membership
a) Life Members shall be admitted from time to time at the discretion of the Association.
b) The admission of a Life Member shall require the affirmation of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the voting delegates present at a General Meeting of the Association.
c) All Life Membership nominations shall be submitted in writing thirty (30) days prior to the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
d) No incumbent Officer of the Association shall be eligible for nomination to Life Membership.
3. Associate Membership
a) Associate Members shall be admitted from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
b) The acceptance of new or renewing Associate Members is subject to the conditions of membership as outlined in Rule I: Membership, 1: General.
c) Associate Members are not entitled to the services of The Association except at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
II LEAGUE REGISTRATION
Shall be in accordance with O.S.A. Published Rules.
a) As a condition of membership, all leagues (including club leagues, multi-jurisdictional leagues, district leagues, senior or youth recreational leagues, and indoor leagues) will provide a League Discipline Summary to The Association within sixty (60) days of the conclusion of the league`s season.
b) League Terms of Operation shall be received by the district no later than March 31 for outdoor and no later than Sept 30 for indoor.
III CLUB REGISTRATION
Shall be in accordance with O.S.A. Published Rules. In addition:
1. Clubs (General)
a) Each Club shall register no fewer than four (4) youth teams.
b) Senior Clubs shall register one team of senior classified players to be eligible for membership
c) The Association may approve or require the amalgamation of adjacent clubs
2. Youth Clubs
Any clubs wishing to operate a youth program is subject to the following:
i. Shall identify its proposed area of operation. New member clubs must have their proposed area of operation approved by the Board.
ii. Shall assume responsibility for all youth soccer development within its approved area of operation.
iii. Shall operate a youth development program consisting of a club (house) league or operate and/or participate within a multi-jurisdictional club (house) league.
iv. May affiliate with an adjacent club to meet the requirement in (iii) above
IV TEAM REGISTRATION
Shall be in accordance with the O.S.A. Published Rules
V PLAYER, TEAM OFFICIAL & ADMINISTRATOR REGISTRATION
Shall be in accordance with O.S.A. Published Rules. In addition:
1. Registration Deadlines
2. Outdoor Season - The deadline for registration of all Youth and Senior players shall be July 31st for all teams playing in leagues affiliated with the S.O.S.A. with the following exception.
3. Indoor Season - The deadline for registration of all Indoor players shall be January 31st of the current season for all teams participating in Indoor Leagues affiliated with the S.O.S.A.
The exception noted in (i) (above) will apply to this deadline.
VI TRANSFER OF PLAYERS
Shall be in accordance with O.S.A. Published Rules.
1. In addition, any player transferring to a team within the Club he/she is currently registered with shall complete the O.S.A. Player Transfer Form and submit the appropriate fee.
2. The fee payable for transfers shall be determined annually by the Board of Directors. The fee together with a copy of the transfer form, shall be sent to the O.S.A. by the Association within seven (7) days of such a transfer.
VII MOVEMENT OF PLAYERS (PLAYING UP)
Shall be in accordance with the O.S.A. Published Rules. In addition:
1. Players shall be subject to any additional restrictions set out in the competition (league, tournament, cup competition, etc.) in which they are competing.
VIII AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Clubs in Membership and members of the Board of Directors may propose changes to the Rules and Regulations which may only be amended at an Annual General Meeting or a Special Meeting called for that purpose.
2. Adoption of any proposed amendment to the Rules and Regulations shall require only a simple majority of the votes eligible to be cast by the members present.
3. A copy of every amendment approved at a General or Special Meeting shall be forwarded by the Secretary to the members within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the meeting.
IX MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS
1. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of the Association Board and they shall be submitted for ratification at the next relevant meeting.
2. Copies of minutes of each Board meeting shall be submitted promptly to Board members.
3. Copies of minutes of Board meetings shall be furnished to any members upon written request.
X DISCIPLINE
All discipline matters shall be conducted in accordance with the O.S.A. Discipline Policies and Procedures.
1. Players and club or team officials reported for misconduct shall be dealt with by The Association`s Disciplinary Committee, except as stipulated by the O.S.A.
2. The Association has the right to take corrective action in dealing with the conduct of its members. Corrective action is defined as, but not limited to, penalties etc. prescribed by a higher body where applicable or where not defined shall cover suspension, fine, ejection from The Association, posting of bonds, deduction of points, re-assignment within the categories/divisions of play, or any combination. Posting of bonds or other sureties shall not exceed $6,000.00.
XI PROTESTS
Protests on games shall be made according to the rules of the competition in which the game was played.
XII APPEALS
Shall be in accordance with the O.S.A Published Rules.
1. Any registrant individual or active member, directly affected by a decision made by a governing organization may, appeal that decision to the next higher organization.
2. Appeals of decisions made by the Leagues or The Association Discipline Committee shall be submitted, as a receipted request to The Association It is the responsibility of The Association to inform all relevant parties and to provide them with a copy of the appeal.
3. The letter of appeal must be accompanied by the correct fee of one hundred dollars ($100) in the form of a cheque or money order, together with the Canada Post registration receipt (or a copy thereof) and a copy of the decision being appealed.
4. The letter of appeal must be postmarked no more than five (5) business days from the receipt, in writing, of the decisions being appealed and the rights of appeal information.
5. Any appeal, which is not submitted in compliance with all of the preceding regulations, will be ruled out of order and will not be heard.
6. If an appeal is upheld, the appeal fee shall be refunded.
XIII REFEREES
1. Shall be registered in accordance with the O.S.A. Published Rules.
2. Shall comply with the Published Rules established by the Ontario Soccer Association.
3 The Association shall appoint or cause to be appointed referees to all games played under the Association`s jurisdiction.
XIV COACHES
Shall comply with the Published Rules established by the Ontario Soccer Association.
XV CUP COMPETITIONS
1. The Association may establish policies and procedures governing the hosting of Cup Competitions within its jurisdiction.
2. Any member of The Association wishing to host a Cup Competition shall apply annually, in writing, for the approval to host said competition. A copy of the competitions rules must accompany the application.
3. The Association reserves the right to deny the application of a member that does not fulfill the requirements established in the policies and procedures.
XVI TOURNAMENTS
Tournaments are to be conducted as per the Ontario Soccer Association Policies and Procedures and the "Tournament Application - Conditions for Approval" policy of the Association.
XVII FEES FOR SERVICES
The District Association may, at its discretion, levy fees for the provision of services to its members.
XVIII DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Where not specifically forbidden to do so by the regulations of a higher authority, the District Association may, at its discretion, delegate the operational responsibility for any function within its jurisdiction.
The Board of Directors of the District Association may delegate to any of its committees the authority to make binding decisions on its behalf unless forbidden to do so by any higher authority.
XIX GENERAL RULES
1. The Association`s competitions shall take precedence over all other competitions in the Province, except those arranged by the O.S.A. or by the Canadian Soccer Association.
2. Any club or league desiring to arrange an exhibition game involving a team from another district association must apply to do so on a form supplied by the Association and according to the requirements of the O.S.A. sending a copy of the request to the (District) Association.
3. In all games played under the jurisdiction of the Association all competitively registered players shall wear numbered shirts. No two players on a team shall wear the same number. No player may change his number during the game without the permission of the referee.
4. All clubs under the jurisdiction of the Association shall place their players at the service of the Association.
5. Any clubs having two or more players selected for an Association representative team, a Provincial team or a CSA National team may have any affected games within The Association`s jurisdiction postponed.
6. The Association shall issue identification cards to its Officers, Directors, Life members and other persons acting on its behalf, and holders of such cards shall be admitted to the grounds of all affiliated clubs or sanctioned competitions upon its presentation.
7. The Board may declare up to two (2) closed dates per calendar year in the Association`s Region. On those dates no soccer other than the game(s) for which the closed dates have been called shall be played in the Association Region. A minimum of three (3) weeks notice shall be given of such closed dates.
8. Any Club wishing to enter a team in a league outside its normal jurisdiction shall apply in accordance with O.S.A. Published Rules. In addition, any applicant club and/or team must be a member in good standing of The Association.
9. Whenever a postmark is a qualifying requirement it shall be construed to mean a postmark affixed by Canada Post. Metered postmarks shall not be accepted
