401.5 POACHING
There is to be NO improper contact between the prospective team and the player/parents of currently
registered and/or rostered players. Any coach or member of a team having contact with a player after a
player is registered and/or rostered, without first obtaining written permission from that player’s coach,
will be construed as having had improper contact with a player, and such action can result in a charge of
poaching.
1. Improper contact is defined as any communication with a player other than the most casual, cordial
communication necessary such as congratulations at the end of a match or similar such conversations.
This contact specifically includes, but is not limited to, players participating in practices, training
sessions, scrimmages or other soccer-related functions.
2. Improper contact shall also include, but is not limited to, meetings with players/parents, attendance at
team social functions when the player is not registered to that team, etc.
3. Any such improper contact, no matter how generated, is prohibited without prior written notification
and written consent of the player’s current head coach, the club director of coaching and/or players, or
the Agent of Record of the club to which the player is currently registered and/or rostered. A
coach/volunteer or member of a team having contact with a player is charged with the knowledge of
that player’s registration and/or roster status and shall be held accountable for any unauthorized
contact with any player currently not rostered to his team, regardless of how that contact is initiated or
by whom.
Page 52 of 118 As of 8/20/19 2019-2020 Seasonal Year
A. No coach, assistant coach, trainer, team representative, registered player, parent or advertisement may
offer any kind of inducement to recruit a player and/or to transfer from his/her respective team, during
the seasonal year as defined September 1 though August 31.
Inducing a player includes, but is not limited solicitation to leave the current affiliate, offering a
currently rostered player a roster spot on an existing team, or a roster spot for the next seasonal year.
Coaches are responsible for the actions of the all of the above listed participants of their team.
B. Players:
Players shall be allowed to attend publicly announced tryouts held in accordance with Rule 401.6 for
the next seasonal year of any FYSA affiliated club. Players will not be required to obtain written
permission from their current affiliate.
All currently registered players shall become free agents at the completion of FYSA’s State Cup Final
Four or elimination from National Championship Competitions (whichever is later) or at a date as
may be set by the BOD.
At this time, all restrictions as to guest playing and contact between parties shall be lifted until such
time as the player (and parent) executes a contract or registration for the next seasonal year.
C. Coach:
All coaches are obligated to the registering affiliate for the complete seasonal year defined as
September 1 through August 31. Agreement by contract between the parties may shorten or lengthen
this period. A coach shall be bound by the following conditions:
1. For an affiliate to recruit the services of a registered coach, the requesting affiliate must first
notify in writing the agent of record of the coach’s current club. There shall be no contact with
any currently registered coach prior to March 1st
, unless permission is granted in writing by the
affiliate’s agent of record, or designee.
2. A currently registered coach may not contact a prospective club prior to March 1st, without
written permission of their currently registered affiliate’s agent of record, or designee. After
March 1st contact may be affected with written notification to the current affiliate. Once tryouts
have commenced, coaches are bound to the affiliate.
3. A currently registered coach who decide during a seasonal year to change clubs shall not solicit,
entice or induce in any manner players they are currently coaching to move to his/her new club
until after the completion of State Cup Finals or further National Championship competitions.
4. Violation of any of the above standards is tantamount to poaching.
D. Disciplinary Sanctions
Minimum disciplinary actions/sanctions to be taken against any coach or member of a team found
guilty of the violation of any of the above conditions shall be:
• 1st Offense -- Six (6) months suspension; club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with
the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• 2nd Offense -- Minimum three (3) year suspension; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs
associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• Conviction of a poaching charge by any member of a team may cause the team to which that
player/coach is registered to forfeit its privilege to participate in any and all FYSA-sponsored
events (i.e., State Cup, President’s Cup, etc.) for the remainder of the seasonal year. The team
Page 53 of 118 As of 8/20/19 2019-2020 Seasonal Year
sanctioning will apply only to the team that is involved in the poaching incident, not multiple
teams if the player/coach or team member is registered to more than one team.
• The RVP, upon receipt of notification of a conviction for poaching, shall empanel a committee of
not less that three (3) neutral members that shall request from the convicted party(s) and the
affected affiliate a brief in mitigation as to:
1. Should the team be permitted to continue to compete in FYSA sponsored events for the
remainder of the seasonal year.
2. And/or should the player(s) subject of the charges be permitted to participate in FYSA
sponsored events with said team for the remainder of the seasonal year.
3. The committee’s decision in this matter shall be final and binding.
There is to be NO improper contact between the prospective team and the player/parents of currently
registered and/or rostered players. Any coach or member of a team having contact with a player after a
player is registered and/or rostered, without first obtaining written permission from that player’s coach,
will be construed as having had improper contact with a player, and such action can result in a charge of
poaching.
1. Improper contact is defined as any communication with a player other than the most casual, cordial
communication necessary such as congratulations at the end of a match or similar such conversations.
This contact specifically includes, but is not limited to, players participating in practices, training
sessions, scrimmages or other soccer-related functions.
2. Improper contact shall also include, but is not limited to, meetings with players/parents, attendance at
team social functions when the player is not registered to that team, etc.
3. Any such improper contact, no matter how generated, is prohibited without prior written notification
and written consent of the player’s current head coach, the club director of coaching and/or players, or
the Agent of Record of the club to which the player is currently registered and/or rostered. A
coach/volunteer or member of a team having contact with a player is charged with the knowledge of
that player’s registration and/or roster status and shall be held accountable for any unauthorized
contact with any player currently not rostered to his team, regardless of how that contact is initiated or
by whom.
Page 52 of 118 As of 8/20/19 2019-2020 Seasonal Year
A. No coach, assistant coach, trainer, team representative, registered player, parent or advertisement may
offer any kind of inducement to recruit a player and/or to transfer from his/her respective team, during
the seasonal year as defined September 1 though August 31.
Inducing a player includes, but is not limited solicitation to leave the current affiliate, offering a
currently rostered player a roster spot on an existing team, or a roster spot for the next seasonal year.
Coaches are responsible for the actions of the all of the above listed participants of their team.
B. Players:
Players shall be allowed to attend publicly announced tryouts held in accordance with Rule 401.6 for
the next seasonal year of any FYSA affiliated club. Players will not be required to obtain written
permission from their current affiliate.
All currently registered players shall become free agents at the completion of FYSA’s State Cup Final
Four or elimination from National Championship Competitions (whichever is later) or at a date as
may be set by the BOD.
At this time, all restrictions as to guest playing and contact between parties shall be lifted until such
time as the player (and parent) executes a contract or registration for the next seasonal year.
C. Coach:
All coaches are obligated to the registering affiliate for the complete seasonal year defined as
September 1 through August 31. Agreement by contract between the parties may shorten or lengthen
this period. A coach shall be bound by the following conditions:
1. For an affiliate to recruit the services of a registered coach, the requesting affiliate must first
notify in writing the agent of record of the coach’s current club. There shall be no contact with
any currently registered coach prior to March 1st
, unless permission is granted in writing by the
affiliate’s agent of record, or designee.
2. A currently registered coach may not contact a prospective club prior to March 1st, without
written permission of their currently registered affiliate’s agent of record, or designee. After
March 1st contact may be affected with written notification to the current affiliate. Once tryouts
have commenced, coaches are bound to the affiliate.
3. A currently registered coach who decide during a seasonal year to change clubs shall not solicit,
entice or induce in any manner players they are currently coaching to move to his/her new club
until after the completion of State Cup Finals or further National Championship competitions.
4. Violation of any of the above standards is tantamount to poaching.
D. Disciplinary Sanctions
Minimum disciplinary actions/sanctions to be taken against any coach or member of a team found
guilty of the violation of any of the above conditions shall be:
• 1st Offense -- Six (6) months suspension; club to be fined $100.00 plus any costs associated with
the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• 2nd Offense -- Minimum three (3) year suspension; club to be fined $500.00 plus any costs
associated with the holding of the hearing including copying charges, postage, etc.
• Conviction of a poaching charge by any member of a team may cause the team to which that
player/coach is registered to forfeit its privilege to participate in any and all FYSA-sponsored
events (i.e., State Cup, President’s Cup, etc.) for the remainder of the seasonal year. The team
Page 53 of 118 As of 8/20/19 2019-2020 Seasonal Year
sanctioning will apply only to the team that is involved in the poaching incident, not multiple
teams if the player/coach or team member is registered to more than one team.
• The RVP, upon receipt of notification of a conviction for poaching, shall empanel a committee of
not less that three (3) neutral members that shall request from the convicted party(s) and the
affected affiliate a brief in mitigation as to:
1. Should the team be permitted to continue to compete in FYSA sponsored events for the
remainder of the seasonal year.
2. And/or should the player(s) subject of the charges be permitted to participate in FYSA
sponsored events with said team for the remainder of the seasonal year.
3. The committee’s decision in this matter shall be final and binding.
Comment