SPRING 2026 UNIFIED LEAGUE PRESEASON MEETING
March 22, 2026, 4 PM, TeleConference via Zoom App
Summary:
The meeting reviewed logistics and operating procedures for the Unified League spring season, including scheduling, rescheduling, field and weather policies, roster check-in, referee processes, and format-specific rules. Roger Bush opened with league context, thanked volunteers, and noted technical limitations with AthleteOne and other platforms, directing teams to rely on the Unified League website for schedules and standings. The group then explained the reschedule workflow: coaches should first contact opponents via the Team Contacts spreadsheet, then submit a complete schedule-request form for Catherine and Roger to confirm field and referee availability; rescheduling is discouraged except when necessary and the feedback window is closed.
Discussion emphasized player safety and turf protection as primary drivers for cancellations and timing decisions, particularly before grass recovery. Catherine will resend rosters to youth development teams and referees will verify rosters via roll call at kickoff. Kyle Oren outlined referee assignment and mentoring, urged patience with new youth referees, clarified exact payment amounts and denominations, and recommended coin tosses and halftime score confirmations to minimize disputes. Rules clarifications covered 4v4 timing (four 10-minute quarters treated as two 20-minute halves) and offside enforcement in 7v7 using the buildout line with leniency for single-referee mechanics. Action items noted included confirming halftime scores, uploading postgame score reports, updating roster rules, distributing roster templates, and scheduling coaching clinics.
Chapters & Topics:
Introductions and attendance logistics
The meeting began with casual openings, attendance checks, and instructions for signing in via a QR code to capture call participants. Roger confirmed roles and introduced Catherine and Kyle in their operational capacities while attendees resolved audio and mute issues.
Roles and league overview
Roger described the league and West Side Alliance Soccer Club responsibilities, clarified the club's scope (registration, curriculum, facilities) and the league's role as the competition platform, and noted occasional partnerships with other clubs.
Schedule access and platform issues
The team reviewed how to access schedules on the Unified League website, advised bookmarking the direct link, explained team-specific schedule views, and warned about erroneous autogenerated games (e.g., January 1 entries).
* The Unified League schedule is posted on the Unified League website. AthleteOne platform has had issues
Rescheduling policy and process
Rescheduling is discouraged but permitted through a detailed schedule-request form; coaches must contact opponents directly using Team Contacts and submit full details so the league can cancel referees and fields as needed. Catherine confirmed the described process is standard.
* Reschedule requests must follow the form process and require coaches to coordinate directly with opponents first
* The Team Contacts spreadsheet is incomplete and needs updating to include missing teams (e.g., Josie's, Perry's, 3D Hornbills)
Handling specific reschedule requests
Roger addressed an existing request from Coach Roger Howell, explained the league may locate substitute opponents if necessary, and emphasized communication expectations and form completion to confirm mutual agreement before moving forward.
Weather, field protection, and referee assignment sensitivity
The league described weather-monitoring procedures, prioritization of player safety over convenience, and heightened sensitivity to turf damage in the early season; Kyle's role assigning referees and logistical complexities (e.g., travel, hotels) were noted.
* Field and weather decisions prioritize player safety and turf preservation, affecting early-season scheduling
Facilities, training spots, and game-day roster procedures
The meeting covered available training facilities (Salvation Army and West Bank), reasons goals are not stored onsite, the process for requesting training space (WSA Website homepage), and the requirement that coaches present rosters at games for referee roll-call and payment arrangements.
* Referees will perform roster roll-call and enforce pregame check-in
* Catherine will resend player rosters for YDP teams and coaches must supply jersey numbers if missing
Referee payment and check-in procedures
Roger instructed that the home team should pay the referee before the match and that visiting teams do not pay, and he advised coaches to introduce themselves, thank the referee, have rosters ready, and follow the referee's preferred check-in process including roll call and equipment checks. He also introduced the league's requirement for referees to write final scores on both teams' rosters after the game.
* Home teams are responsible for paying referees before the match and should thank the referee at check-in.
* The league uses an online score report form; both teams are expected to upload the final score after the game.
Referee staffing, mentoring, and fees (Kyle)
Roger introduced Kyle Orn, the referee assigner, who described volunteering at fields to mentor many new youth referees certified in a recent course and requested patience from coaches for mistakes from inexperienced referees. Kyle stressed correct cash denominations for referee payment and suggested coin tosses and halftime score confirmations as best practices.
* Kyle is mentoring a new cohort of youth referees and asks coaches to be patient and report significant mistakes to Kyle, Roger, or Catherine.
* Referee fees are $40 for 7v7 and $30 for 4v4; coaches should bring correct change
Roster questions, registration, and recommendations
Jose asked about carrying extra players across 7v7 and 4v4 games and whether to add them to rosters; Roger confirmed flexibility with roster recommendations (12 for 7v7, 8 for 4v4) provided players are registered, and he instructed coaches to notify organizers if exceptions apply and to maintain rosters listing last name, first name, and date of birth. Roger warned against playing unregistered players due to insurance and liability concerns.
* Roster size recommendations are 12 for 7v7 and 8 for 4v4, but exceptions are allowed if players are registered and playing-time is managed.
* Coaches must not play unregistered players due to liability and insurance concerns.
Roster enforcement and league rules clarification
Roger described the roster format and suggested including jersey numbers if available to assist referees, noted that send-offs require referee-coach communication, and committed to updating league rules to explicitly allow exceptions to roster recommendations and to reduce over reliance on informal practices. He also noted efforts to integrate Athlete One rosters and to standardize roster handling.
4v4 rules, match flow, and coaching guidance
A 4v4 coach asked about game duration and Roger answered that 4v4 will be four 10-minute quarters (two 20-minute halves with a short break at 10 minute mark of each half), and he discouraged using a stationary "goal-box" player, advising coaches to prioritize engagement and development. Kyle and Roger discussed limitations of single referees for close offside calls in 7v7 and encouraged respect for veteran referees alongside integration of youth referees.
* 4v4 matches will be played as four 10-minute quarters, effectively two 20-minute halves with a short break mid-half.
* Offside in 7v7 will be enforced via the buildout line and referees will call clear cases only due to single-referee positioning constraints.
Score reporting, halftime confirmation, and opening-week evaluations
Roger emphasized re-evaluating lopsided scores after opening weekend and requested both teams upload score reports so schedulers can review and adjust matchups if necessary. He clarified end-of-game procedure: referees should write the score and their name on both teams' rosters, both coaches should upload the score report, and halftime confirmation of the score is recommended to prevent discrepancies.
* The league will review lopsided scores in the opening weeks to consider re-scheduling or re-evaluating matchups.
* Referees should write the score and their name on both teams' rosters at the end of the game, and confirming the score at halftime is recommended.
Meeting close and logistics reminder
The meeting concluded with thanks to volunteer coaches, a reminder about opening weekend, and closing pleasantries from Roger and attendees.
Action Items:
* Roger Bush will repost the QR code before the meeting ends so late joiners can sign in - forgot to do this.
* Coaches will contact their scheduled opponents directly and submit a schedule-request form with full details when requesting a reschedule
* Roger Bush and Catherine Grona will update the Team Contacts spreadsheet to include missing teams such as Jose's team, Coach Perry's team, and the 3D Hornbills
* Catherine Grona will resend each YDP team's registered player roster and request jersey numbers from coaches
* Kyle Orn will confirm halftime scores with referees during matches and be available for major referee issues reported by coaches
* Coaches will upload the game score using the league's score report form after each match
* Roger Bush will add a rules clarification that exceptions to roster recommendations are allowed when players are registered
* Catherine Grona will send roster templates to the YDP teams
* Organizers (Roger/Catherine) will schedule coaching clinics on practice session design and small-sided play to support coach development and player engagement
* Roger Bush and organizers will review opening-week scores and consider re-evaluating matchups for lopsided results
* Both coaches and referees will ensure the referee writes the final score and their name on both teams' rosters at the end of the game
Key Questions:
* If I carry extra players between 7v7 and 4v4 on the same day, do I need to add them to the roster or can I write them in?
* What is the duration and structure of 4v4 games (halves/quarters and lengths)?
* Will offside be enforced in 7v7 and how will single-referee limitations affect calls?
* How should end-of-game scoring be handled to ensure accurate reporting?
Notepad:
* No notes
March 22, 2026, 4 PM, TeleConference via Zoom App
Summary:
The meeting reviewed logistics and operating procedures for the Unified League spring season, including scheduling, rescheduling, field and weather policies, roster check-in, referee processes, and format-specific rules. Roger Bush opened with league context, thanked volunteers, and noted technical limitations with AthleteOne and other platforms, directing teams to rely on the Unified League website for schedules and standings. The group then explained the reschedule workflow: coaches should first contact opponents via the Team Contacts spreadsheet, then submit a complete schedule-request form for Catherine and Roger to confirm field and referee availability; rescheduling is discouraged except when necessary and the feedback window is closed.
Discussion emphasized player safety and turf protection as primary drivers for cancellations and timing decisions, particularly before grass recovery. Catherine will resend rosters to youth development teams and referees will verify rosters via roll call at kickoff. Kyle Oren outlined referee assignment and mentoring, urged patience with new youth referees, clarified exact payment amounts and denominations, and recommended coin tosses and halftime score confirmations to minimize disputes. Rules clarifications covered 4v4 timing (four 10-minute quarters treated as two 20-minute halves) and offside enforcement in 7v7 using the buildout line with leniency for single-referee mechanics. Action items noted included confirming halftime scores, uploading postgame score reports, updating roster rules, distributing roster templates, and scheduling coaching clinics.
Chapters & Topics:
Introductions and attendance logistics
The meeting began with casual openings, attendance checks, and instructions for signing in via a QR code to capture call participants. Roger confirmed roles and introduced Catherine and Kyle in their operational capacities while attendees resolved audio and mute issues.
Roles and league overview
Roger described the league and West Side Alliance Soccer Club responsibilities, clarified the club's scope (registration, curriculum, facilities) and the league's role as the competition platform, and noted occasional partnerships with other clubs.
Schedule access and platform issues
The team reviewed how to access schedules on the Unified League website, advised bookmarking the direct link, explained team-specific schedule views, and warned about erroneous autogenerated games (e.g., January 1 entries).
* The Unified League schedule is posted on the Unified League website. AthleteOne platform has had issues
Rescheduling policy and process
Rescheduling is discouraged but permitted through a detailed schedule-request form; coaches must contact opponents directly using Team Contacts and submit full details so the league can cancel referees and fields as needed. Catherine confirmed the described process is standard.
* Reschedule requests must follow the form process and require coaches to coordinate directly with opponents first
* The Team Contacts spreadsheet is incomplete and needs updating to include missing teams (e.g., Josie's, Perry's, 3D Hornbills)
Handling specific reschedule requests
Roger addressed an existing request from Coach Roger Howell, explained the league may locate substitute opponents if necessary, and emphasized communication expectations and form completion to confirm mutual agreement before moving forward.
Weather, field protection, and referee assignment sensitivity
The league described weather-monitoring procedures, prioritization of player safety over convenience, and heightened sensitivity to turf damage in the early season; Kyle's role assigning referees and logistical complexities (e.g., travel, hotels) were noted.
* Field and weather decisions prioritize player safety and turf preservation, affecting early-season scheduling
Facilities, training spots, and game-day roster procedures
The meeting covered available training facilities (Salvation Army and West Bank), reasons goals are not stored onsite, the process for requesting training space (WSA Website homepage), and the requirement that coaches present rosters at games for referee roll-call and payment arrangements.
* Referees will perform roster roll-call and enforce pregame check-in
* Catherine will resend player rosters for YDP teams and coaches must supply jersey numbers if missing
Referee payment and check-in procedures
Roger instructed that the home team should pay the referee before the match and that visiting teams do not pay, and he advised coaches to introduce themselves, thank the referee, have rosters ready, and follow the referee's preferred check-in process including roll call and equipment checks. He also introduced the league's requirement for referees to write final scores on both teams' rosters after the game.
* Home teams are responsible for paying referees before the match and should thank the referee at check-in.
* The league uses an online score report form; both teams are expected to upload the final score after the game.
Referee staffing, mentoring, and fees (Kyle)
Roger introduced Kyle Orn, the referee assigner, who described volunteering at fields to mentor many new youth referees certified in a recent course and requested patience from coaches for mistakes from inexperienced referees. Kyle stressed correct cash denominations for referee payment and suggested coin tosses and halftime score confirmations as best practices.
* Kyle is mentoring a new cohort of youth referees and asks coaches to be patient and report significant mistakes to Kyle, Roger, or Catherine.
* Referee fees are $40 for 7v7 and $30 for 4v4; coaches should bring correct change
Roster questions, registration, and recommendations
Jose asked about carrying extra players across 7v7 and 4v4 games and whether to add them to rosters; Roger confirmed flexibility with roster recommendations (12 for 7v7, 8 for 4v4) provided players are registered, and he instructed coaches to notify organizers if exceptions apply and to maintain rosters listing last name, first name, and date of birth. Roger warned against playing unregistered players due to insurance and liability concerns.
* Roster size recommendations are 12 for 7v7 and 8 for 4v4, but exceptions are allowed if players are registered and playing-time is managed.
* Coaches must not play unregistered players due to liability and insurance concerns.
Roster enforcement and league rules clarification
Roger described the roster format and suggested including jersey numbers if available to assist referees, noted that send-offs require referee-coach communication, and committed to updating league rules to explicitly allow exceptions to roster recommendations and to reduce over reliance on informal practices. He also noted efforts to integrate Athlete One rosters and to standardize roster handling.
4v4 rules, match flow, and coaching guidance
A 4v4 coach asked about game duration and Roger answered that 4v4 will be four 10-minute quarters (two 20-minute halves with a short break at 10 minute mark of each half), and he discouraged using a stationary "goal-box" player, advising coaches to prioritize engagement and development. Kyle and Roger discussed limitations of single referees for close offside calls in 7v7 and encouraged respect for veteran referees alongside integration of youth referees.
* 4v4 matches will be played as four 10-minute quarters, effectively two 20-minute halves with a short break mid-half.
* Offside in 7v7 will be enforced via the buildout line and referees will call clear cases only due to single-referee positioning constraints.
Score reporting, halftime confirmation, and opening-week evaluations
Roger emphasized re-evaluating lopsided scores after opening weekend and requested both teams upload score reports so schedulers can review and adjust matchups if necessary. He clarified end-of-game procedure: referees should write the score and their name on both teams' rosters, both coaches should upload the score report, and halftime confirmation of the score is recommended to prevent discrepancies.
* The league will review lopsided scores in the opening weeks to consider re-scheduling or re-evaluating matchups.
* Referees should write the score and their name on both teams' rosters at the end of the game, and confirming the score at halftime is recommended.
Meeting close and logistics reminder
The meeting concluded with thanks to volunteer coaches, a reminder about opening weekend, and closing pleasantries from Roger and attendees.
Action Items:
* Roger Bush will repost the QR code before the meeting ends so late joiners can sign in - forgot to do this.
* Coaches will contact their scheduled opponents directly and submit a schedule-request form with full details when requesting a reschedule
* Roger Bush and Catherine Grona will update the Team Contacts spreadsheet to include missing teams such as Jose's team, Coach Perry's team, and the 3D Hornbills
* Catherine Grona will resend each YDP team's registered player roster and request jersey numbers from coaches
* Kyle Orn will confirm halftime scores with referees during matches and be available for major referee issues reported by coaches
* Coaches will upload the game score using the league's score report form after each match
* Roger Bush will add a rules clarification that exceptions to roster recommendations are allowed when players are registered
* Catherine Grona will send roster templates to the YDP teams
* Organizers (Roger/Catherine) will schedule coaching clinics on practice session design and small-sided play to support coach development and player engagement
* Roger Bush and organizers will review opening-week scores and consider re-evaluating matchups for lopsided results
* Both coaches and referees will ensure the referee writes the final score and their name on both teams' rosters at the end of the game
Key Questions:
* If I carry extra players between 7v7 and 4v4 on the same day, do I need to add them to the roster or can I write them in?
* What is the duration and structure of 4v4 games (halves/quarters and lengths)?
* Will offside be enforced in 7v7 and how will single-referee limitations affect calls?
* How should end-of-game scoring be handled to ensure accurate reporting?
Notepad:
* No notes
PRESEASON ZOOM CALL RECORDING (40 mins+)
Fast Forward ahead to approx 4 minutes in for beginning of the call.