EMSA Information - 2023/24 Indoor Season

As per the recent EMSA Board decision please note that the following procedure will take effect immediately (as of October 17, 2023)

Please see below for the new EMSA ID CARD VERIFICATION PROCESS: Team Official Card Verification Protocol

1. A designated team official will make contact with the opposing team 15 minute prior to kick off.
2. They will take the opposing team’s game sheet and check both Team Officials and players cards for that team.
3. The designate Team Official will then print their name at the top left of the opponents game sheet indicating that they checked the game sheet and all Team Officials and players cards.
4. Any uncertainty or concerns will be brought to the attention of the referee to make the final decision. 5. Any late players who are unchecked will be checked at half time by the referee.

 Referee Game sheet Responsibilities:

1. To ensure that they receive the game sheet and any trialist forms from each team.
2. To ensure that a referee Liaison is in place
3. To settle any discrepancies or disputes on player eligibility or identification
4. Properly write down the score, scorers and any cards that were given.
5. To submit the game sheet and trialist form to EMSA as per procedure directed by the Referee Assignor. The new procedure has been brought in to place to address the recent complaints regarding late start times of the scheduled games.

Indoor 2023/2024 Season Reminders:

All season information can be found on the EMSA website:  https://emsamain.com/seasoninfo/indoor-season-information/club-league-u9-u19-team-official-indoor-season-info/

Team Officials are responsible for informing themselves with the information located under Season Info on our website.

VERIFICATION OF YOUR TEAM ROSTER:

You are responsible for checking your team roster in the EMSA Portal PRIOR to playing any games.  Please ensure all team officials and players are listed.  They must be listed on the Portal roster in order to participate otherwise they will be considered illegal.  Please ensure you check otherwise you default the game and the head coach is suspended!  If anyone is missing please contact your Club Director.

I.D CARDS:

• Soccer I.D. cards can be shown on an electronic device (phone, tablet, camera).  You can download a team list of cards from the Portal  (if you use EMSA cards).  Please see season info on EMSA website for instructions.
• Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Managers must show their card/e-card prior to the start of the game otherwise they are not allowed on the bench and must sit with the spectators for the entire game even if the card arrives late.
• Players have until the end of the game to produce their card/e-card.
• NO other forms of I.D. are accepted for team officials or players.  You must have an official EMSA or District I.D. card/e-card in order to participate. 
• If you or someone on your team needs an ID card please following the instructions here:  https://emsamain.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/E-card-How-to-Obtain-your-EMSA-e-card.pdf

TEAM OFFICIALS ON THE BENCH:

• Up to five team officials (non-playing personnel) are permitted on the bench.  If you use a bench attendant, that person is considered one of the five allowed in the technical area.
• One adult in the technical area must be the same gender as the players on your team.  It can be one of the team officials or bench attendant.
• You can use one bench attendant per game.
• Bench attendants do not require a soccer I.D. card but must present a government issued photo I.D. to the referee and their name must be marked on the appropriate line on the game sheet.
• Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Managers cannot be marked in the bench attendant area of the game sheet if they forget their card/e-card.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR/TRAINERS IN THE TECHNICAL AREA:

• You can have 1 tech director/trainer in the technical area with you.
• The tech director/trainer is included in the maximum 5 personnel permitted.
• The tech director/trainer must already be on an approved list at EMSA before they can participate.
• The tech director/trainer must have a special yellow ID card from EMSA.
• The tech director/trainer must be written down on the game sheet on one of the ‘team official’ lines and include their ID card number.  You must mark “TT” OR “Tech” beside their name.

GAME SHEETS:

• Games sheets are now downloaded from the EMSA website.  BOTH the home team and the away team now have their own individual game sheet.  The home team and the away team must print off their own game sheet for every game.
• Please ensure you are completely filling out your game sheets to avoid the admin fee being issued.  Have someone from your team take a second look just to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
• You MUST CROSS OFF any players and team officials that are listed on the game sheet but are not present at the game.
• Trialist Forms need to be turned into the referee prior to the player commencing play. 
• The referees are responsible for getting the game sheets to the EMSA office.  You do not have to send in game sheets during the indoor season.
• It is your responsibility to check your game sheet at the end of the game to ensure the referee has recorded all goals, scores and infractions correctly on the game sheet.  If something is marked wrong and you do not catch it at the end of the game, please let us know.  We will contact the referee to verify the mistake.  HOWEVER, if the referee cannot remember then the issue on the game sheet stays as originally recorded, so please ensure you are checking at the end of your game.

PORTAL GAME SCORING:

The home team (as marked on the schedule) is responsible for scoring the game in the EMSA Portal by 1pm the day after the game otherwise an admin fee is issued to the team.  Instructions are listed on the EMSA website under the season info link above.  Only those team officials listed on the roster will have access to the EMSA Portal to score games.

TRIALISTS/GUEST PLAYERS:

Please ensure you have read and fully understand the trialist/guest player rules of EMSA.  If you play an illegal trialist you will default the game.  If there is any question whether or not a player is eligible to be a trialist on your team, please contact me to confirm ahead of your game.  You can use up to 5 trialists per game.  Trialists can be used for an unlimited number of games.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE EMSA OFFICE TO YOUR TEAM:

All league related information, discipline, etc. will come via email.  It is your responsibility to ensure that your email is checked on a regular basis. 

REF LIAISION:

Please ensure you designate and note on your game sheet who your mandatory ref liaison is.  They must wear the bright yellow lanyard that was provided by your Zone or Club Director.  You have a 15 minute grace period to provide an RL otherwise you will default your game.

REFEREE ABUSE:

EMSA has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to referee abuse (verbal or physical).  If you have a concern with the way a referee handled your game, please DO NOT take it up with the referee directly.  Instead, please contact the EMSA Referee Director.  Please act responsibly. 

RED CARD & SUSPENSION NOTICES:

• When a player, team official or spectator is ejected from a game, the main contact for the team in the EMSA Portal will be notified of the suspension details via email within a day or so.
• If you do not receive an email about the suspension and your next game is approaching, please ensure you contact the EMSA office to inquire about the person’s suspension duration.  Team officials are responsible for sitting out the person until official suspension notification has been received.
• Exhibition game red cards/ejections are valid and enforced just like regular games.

MERCY RULE:

The Mercy Rule only applies to divisions U11 and younger.  If you notice the referee has accidentally put a mercy rule game score on your game sheet, please mention it to them.

CONTACTING THE EMSA OFFICE:

Your first point of contact is your Club Director.  They in turn will contact the EMSA office on your behalf if they cannot answer your question or provide you with the assistance you require.