Good afternoon club members,
First, we continue to hope all our members and their families are safe & healthy!
This email is to help guide and answer some questions that members have contacted us with.
Practice - can teams practice during this suspension of play? In March, when the COVID-19 virus pandemic started, OSA suspended league play and clubs suspended their in-house leagues and team practice. As such, any practice is unsanctioned, insurances and protections are no longer provided. On the legal side, the Governor has a "shelter in place" order and we have the CDC guidelines of stay at home, practice six feet distancing, and group size limitations. Together, adhering to these guidelines will get us back on the soccer field sooner where we ALL want to be.
19U and 16U Leagues - We have received a very positive interest in the development of a soccer league play for those players affected by the loss of high school soccer. We have over 14 clubs interested in participating! Next steps, register your players, finalize and form your teams. This will be an "open" league meaning any appropriate aged player can participate. Dave Moore will set up a HS Club League registration for registrars to enter teams. There is no league fee - just a requirement to have fun and respect the game. The league will follow the approximate dates outlined in yesterday's email, appears that the league can be regionally scheduled, and we may also include a mini championship tournament on the last weekend of play! OSA will work with any team that desires to play on the weekends of Tournament of Champions (recreational players only), State Gold Cup, President's Silver and Bronze Cups, or Adult State Cup (yes, 19U teams are eligible!)
If your club is interested in participating and have not yet completed the survey - here is the link so we can include your club in play:
https://idevforms.americaneagle.com/oklahomasa/form937301024/secure_index.html?1587141995700
Registration - OSA has delayed invoicing clubs for registration which is due April 1 for youth members. The priority of keeping our members safe, providing communication of play, and gain a better understanding of how this virus is going to affect the soccer community took precedence. On Monday, OSA will begin the invoicing for new member registration. Youth clubs and adult leagues will have through April 30 to forward fees. Any invoice amount that is currently in your Gotsoccer account are for late fall registrations or unpaid fall fees and not spring registration.
League Schedules - David (recreational) and Pauletta (competitive) will be working on updating league schedules this week. Skeleton schedules will be in registrar hands by Friday, April 24 for field and schedule adjustments.
State Tournaments - Registration is open for all Tournaments with the Tournament of Champions and Adult State Cup through May 30. The Oklahoma State Gold Cup, Oklahoma President's Silver and Bronze Cup will close May 15. These are "unrestricted" tournaments meaning they are open to all US Soccer members with the goals being a "Cerebration of Soccer for Everyone" and determine the state champions in Oklahoma. Let's come together and enjoy a return to soccer!
Links to register for any of theses tournaments are here: http://www.oksoccer.com/tournaments/tournaments/
Coaching Education - All US Soccer coaching education courses through June 30 have been cancelled. David Yates will be in contact with coaches that have registered for the National C License course in May or D License course in June on rescheduled dates.
Next email update will be Friday, April 23.
Thank you everyone for your time and commitment to our youth and adult members - please stay safe, healthy and have a great weekend!
Yours in Soccer,
Sid Goodrich
OSA Executive Director