UCSC Club Coach Information Guide
Introduction
Welcome, and thank you for volunteering to coach with UCSC. I know your time is valuable, and hopefully having this information online is easier than meeting in person. You should be able to find everything you need here or on the website’s Coach’s Page.
My goal is to make coaching a positive and rewarding experience for you and your players. Please reach out if you ever have concerns during the season—I’d much rather help early than find out at the end that a coach had a bad experience.
Resources
As a coach, you have two main resources:
- Coach’s Tab on the Website – Includes important coaching resources, rules, schedules, and game-day information.
- Coach’s Cheat Sheet – We used to hand out a physical copy, but it is now online so you can look it up anytime.
Game Day – What to Expect
For new and returning coaches, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect on game day.
Schedules
We are trying to get everyone to use My Team Schedule because it was made to help our club communicate better. There are a few bugs we are working out, so thanks for your patience. Schedules will be updated in the app when changes are made.
The problem with UCSC teams is that the state does not automatically send us schedule updates. Once I upload your schedules, you may need to update My Team Schedule yourself if changes are made.
Get schedules the old way: In case there is an issue, you can still access your team information through UYSA Affinity / Sports Connect .
The time shown on the schedule is the actual game start time, not the warm-up time. Any end time shown is approximate.
Roster
- How to get to your game-day roster
- How to print your roster – Your printable game-day roster normally becomes available approximately 24 hours before each game.
- It is required to have a roster.
- The referee will use the roster to check players in. If you forget your roster, sometimes you can use the opposing team’s copy if it contains both teams. But try not to forget it.
Arrival
- Referees will usually check your team in 10–15 minutes before kickoff.
Player Check-In
Referees will line up your players and check for unsafe equipment. This includes things such as:
- Football cleats with toe spikes
- Baseball cleats with metal prongs
- Jewelry or earrings
- Other equipment considered unsafe
They will call out player names and compare the players to the photos on the roster.
Clarify With the Referee
After check-in, confirm with the referee the age group and half lengths for your game. This avoids confusion later. That information is also on your coach card.
With the heat this fall, there may be water breaks. You may want to talk to the referee about that possibility before the game.
Halftime is 5 minutes.
Referees
People will sometimes say, “We want the better referees.” These are many of the same referees who officiate everybody else’s games. It is the same referee pool.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a referee does not show up. If Torri and I know before the game that you will not have a referee, we will notify you.
For state/club games, we will let you know the night before the game if referees are not available.
I have written a referee assignment program that we will soon give coaches access to, which will allow you to confirm whether referees are assigned to your game.
Until then, please do not call asking if you have referees. If we know there will not be referees available, we will contact you.
To give you an idea of the referee scheduling task: on August 21, 2026, our club alone had more than 210 referee positions to fill.
Referee Payment
UCSC has paid the state, and the state then pays referees for state games. This process is a little different for N1, and we are working through that.
Game Scoring
Believe it or not, teams do not keep official standings for U9, U10, and U11. Teams self-align, so please still keep track of how your team is doing so we can adjust your alignment in the spring if needed.
Fields & Equipment
Home Fields
UCSC uses several home fields. Some require special handling for goals and nets.
Example: Aspen – If no game follows yours, you are responsible for taking down the nets and putting them away. If another team is warming up, leave them in place.
Where are the nets?
On the east side of the school, in the parking area between the school and portables,
in buckets behind the green electrical transformer.
Please don’t forget this—it’s one of the most common issues we run into.
What Side Do You Sit On?
Teams sit on opposite sides of the field. The home team gets to pick the side that they want.
Build-Out Line – U9/U10
The build-out line is a U.S. Soccer requirement for U9 and U10 fields.
I’m personally not a big fan of it, but it is required. Please review the information before your first game so you understand how it works.
Practices
- You can practice anywhere with grass—you do not need goals.
- Alpine School District fields are first come, first served unless they are reserved and paid for, as they are for our games.
- NUCS also has access to Meadow Elementary, Willow Creek, Mountain Ridge, and Aspen fields for practices.
Practice Plans and Coaching Drills
Reschedules
Most free days for rescheduled games are Monday or Friday.
Please follow the UCSC reschedule process so that the field and referees are properly assigned.
Club Game Reschedule Instructions
Rules & Laws of the Game
Review the Laws of the Game and the simplified youth soccer rules on the Coach’s Page.
- Be aware of youth modifications to the standard Laws of the Game.
- Teams and spectators sit on opposite sidelines according to state guidelines.
Official IFAB Laws of the Game
Referees
We need more referees! Encourage players, parents, or older siblings to consider becoming certified.
If a referee does not show up, text or call David or Torri immediately. They are supposed to arrive early, but often they get there only a few minutes before the game.
We have a shortage of referees but have them at games more than 98% of the time.
What happens if you do not have referees? You should almost always have at least a center referee. If you do not have one or more assistant referees, the center referee may ask one of your parents to serve as a club line.
Speaking of Referees...
U.S. Soccer has introduced stronger referee abuse prevention policies. This applies to coaches and spectators.
You can and should be able to respectfully ask questions of a referee. I suggest asking the referee before the game how they would like you to communicate if you have a question or concern during the game.
Read Utah Youth Soccer's Zero Tolerance Policy
What the Policy Covers
U.S. Soccer's referee abuse prevention policies reinforce a zero-tolerance stance against both physical and non-physical abuse toward officials.
Non-Physical Abuse Sanctions
| Level | Violation | Minimum Sanction |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Verbal Taunting | 2-game suspension |
| Level 2 | Harassment / Intimidation | 4-game suspension |
| Level 3 | Threats / Derogatory Language | 6-game and/or 6–12 month suspension |
| Level 4 | Discriminatory or Offensive Acts | 10-game and/or 12–24 month suspension |
Physical Abuse Sanctions
| Level | Violation | Minimum Sanction |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Minor Touching | 3-game and/or 1–6 month suspension |
| Level 2 | Physical confrontation such as pushing, grabbing, slapping, or property damage | 10-game and/or 6–24 month suspension |
| Level 3 | Violent contact such as hitting, spitting, biting, or throwing objects | 12-month suspension up to lifetime |
Communication To You
You may receive information through several channels:
- My Team Schedule – This will include league texting as additional communication features are added.
- Affinity Emails – These often show as “No Reply.”
- Email: [email protected]
- Direct Text: 801-830-0220
- League Text Service – Used for urgent updates such as field closures, reschedules, and other important information.
Communication To Me
Holy cow, most of you have been so much better at this the past few weeks. It has helped me tremendously, and I really appreciate it. I am much more efficient when I am not constantly checking texts and taking phone calls. It also helps prevent interruptions during my work meetings.
✅ 1. First Step – Please Email Me
Email is the best way to contact me for non-urgent matters such as:
- Roster questions
- Equipment needs
- Schedule clarifications
- General information
Always include your team name, team gender, and age group in the subject or body.
Example: NUCS U13 Boys Davis
Include all relevant information or questions in one message to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.
Email allows me to search, track, and respond much more efficiently. Please realize that sometimes I have to triage responses, and it may take more than 48 hours for a response.
⏳ 2. If No Response in 48 Hours – Then Text Me
If you’ve emailed me and haven’t heard back after 48 hours, feel free to send me a text to follow up.
Please mention that you already sent an email and include your team name, team gender, and age group again in the text.
⚠️ 3. Urgent Issues – Text or Call
Please text or call me only for time-sensitive or urgent issues, such as:
- Field problems during or just before a game
- Referee no-shows or conflicts at the field
- Game-day emergencies
By following this process, we can reduce confusion, prevent lost messages, and help me support all teams more effectively. I appreciate your help in making our club run as smoothly as possible.
One of My Most Important Thoughts...
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND: If you have issues with players, coaches, spectators, or referees, ask a parent to start recording whatever the issue is.
Then, when we need to make corrections—for example, working with a referee— we have concrete information that we can use to help train them.
Final Note
Coaching is about more than soccer—it’s about helping kids learn teamwork, confidence, and resilience.
Thank you for stepping up to volunteer; we couldn’t run UCSC without you.
If you need anything, please reach out. I’ll do my best to help.
— David Josse