MANHATTAN KICKERS FC
General Introduction
Our mission is to create a high-level academy-style training environment for the serious youth soccer player in metropolitan New York. The goal of the Manhattan Kickers FC ("MKFC") is to teach our kids to enjoy and appreciate the game of soccer from a global perspective, while we provide them with the necessary skills and values to succeed in soccer and more importantly, in life. We, the board of directors of the MKFC, wish for all the children to learn sportsmanship, improve their soccer skills, make new friends, and strive to be the best they can be. The MKFC has a responsibility to achieve these things in a safe, youth-friendly environment.
This Code of Conduct is a contract among the parents, players and coaches. This document reflects the essence of our goals and objectives and, thus, adherence to it is of primary importance.
PARENTS CODE
As a parent, you play a special role in contributing to the needs and development of our youngsters. Through your encouragement and good example, you can help our children learn good sportsmanship and self-discipline. At MKFC, young people learn to work together, to sacrifice for the good of the team, to enjoy winning and deal appropriately with defeat, all while becoming physically fit and healthy. Best of all, you must be one of the conduits to helping the children have fun and learn.
Support Your Child:
Supporting your child by giving encouragement and showing interest in his or her team is very important. Help your child work toward skill development and good sportsmanship at all times. Make sure your child attends every practice. Teach your child that hard work and honest effort are often more important than victory. In this way your child will always be a winner despite the outcome of the game.
Always Be Positive:
Parents serve as role models for their children. Be aware of this and work to be a positive role model for all the children on the team. Applaud good plays by your child as well as his or her teammates. As an MKFC parent, we expect you to be supportive of all our players. Under no circumstances should any negative comments or remarks about teammates, coaches, referees, or officials be made in public. This admonition applies to your child’s team players, coaches and parents as well as the opposing team’s coaches, players, and parents, and the referee.
Remember Your Child Wants To Have Fun:
Remember that your child is the one playing soccer, not you. It is very important to let children establish their own goals and to play the game for themselves. Take care not to impose your own standards and goals on them. Children play for the love of playing and parents must foster the proper balance in their children between striving for success and enjoying soccer.
Don’t Be A Sideline Coach:
One of the biggest problems in youth soccer involves a parent’s opinion about his or her child’s proper position and playing time. The MKFC gives responsibility for these decisions to the coaches, within the guidelines of the club. We believe it is the responsibility of the parents, along with the coach, to teach the children that all positions are of equal importance. Remember, the coach is the coach of all the children. A parent sometimes has a biased opinion of his or her child’s soccer abilities and may not always be looking at the team as a whole. A coach’s role is to do what is in the best interests of the entire team.
Communications:
As our children get older they develop the ability to communicate their feelings directly with the coach. As a parent you should encourage them to do so and should refrain from interjecting on your child’s behalf. However, if parents feel it is absolutely necessary to discuss their child with a coach they must follow the following rules regarding coach contact:
1. Discuss the problem directly with the coach, not with other parents;
2. Discuss only at a time mutually agreed upon with the coach, usually by email; and
3. Neverinitiate the conversation directly prior to, during, or directly after a game.
As a parent of a player in the MKFC, each parent must agree as follows:
1. I will volunteer my services and talents to the MKFC when needed;
2. I will volunteer my services and talents to our team when needed. I also realize that our team may be engaged in various fundraising activities and I will fully participate and fulfill all my obligations;
3. I will strive to make sure my child is on time for practice and comes prepared to complete practice without any parental help or intervention (e.g., shoelaces, water bottles, gear management). I understand that practices are closed to parents and will only observe practice from a distance unless otherwise requested by the coach. Furthermore, I will be available as soon as practice is over to take my child home;
4. I realize that practice is important. I will make every effort to bring my child to every practice. By choosing to participate in the Travel Programs of the MKFC I understand that it is my responsibility to have my child attend practice;
5. When I am unable to attend a practice, game, or tournament I will call and inform the coach/manager in a reasonable timeframe with a valid excuse. I realize that my child’s failure to attend practice may result in reduced playing time or even suspension/dismissal from the team;
6. I will always be supportive of our coach, I realize he/she puts in a great deal of time and has the best interest of my child in mind;
7. I recognize that we are joining a “travel” soccer club and that my child will be asked to travel to games & tournaments both in state and out of state. In order to remain in good standing, my child will make every effort to attend the games regardless of distance or inconvenience to our family’s schedule;
8. I will comply with all rules, policies, procedures, and obligations of the MKFC and my child’s team as they apply to me;
9. Under no circumstances will I ever be either physically or verbally abusive toward any coach, player, director, officer or other official, or another parent involved with the MKFC or our opponents. I realize that these actions will likely lead to dismissal and or suspension of my family from the club; and
10.I realize that my child’s enjoyment of the game may be enhanced by my support and enthusiasm. I will make my best efforts to participate by attending games or otherwise supporting his/her enthusiasm and interest.
The MKFC Board of Directors believes that parents can help children rejoice in victory, cope with defeat, celebrate success, deal with adversity, and most of all that parents have the ability to make soccer an enjoyable and rewarding experience for their children.
COACHES CODE
The position of coach in the MKFC carries an important responsibility. The behavior of the coach is constantly on display for all the children, parents, officials, and members of other clubs. Players will often imitate the actions of their coach. As a coach of the MKFC you are held to a higher standard. You are expected to rise above the negative actions of others. As an official representative of the MKFC you are expected to uphold the high standards of our club.
The MKFC is very supportive of its coaches. The board of directors of the club has carefully selected each travel coach. We appreciate the tremendous time and effort that each coach contributes. Our coaches are more than just coaches; they are the individuals who spend the most time developing our children’s ability as soccer players. We expect all players and parents to give the coach respect and, when necessary, the "benefit of the doubt."
Paid Coaches:
The MKFC directors have determined that using paid coaches is the appropriate way fully to develop our children as soccer players. Therefore, club management will in most cases select a non-parent coach who will be paid for his/her services as a coach. The coaching fees will be included in the yearly fee and presented to each parent in advance of the season to enable each family to decide whether to participate. Any team can request a specific coach or trainer; however, the directors reserve the right to approve or disapprove a paid coach for any MKFC team.
The Coach as a Facilitator:
As an MKFC coach you must try to impart a love of soccer to the players. You must do your best to make sure the children enjoy their time playing soccer. You will make reasonable demands on a young player’s time, energy, enthusiasm and performance on the field. As the MKFC coach you will apply all the rules of the team and the club fairly.
The Coach as a Role Model and Leader:
You will try to set a good example. Decorum during games and practices should at all times be first rate and reflect the Club culture.
The Coach as a Trainer:
You should be on time and prepared for practices. Training exercises should be appropriate for the age and ability level of the players. You will always keep informed of sound principles of both coaching and child development. You will always be generous with praise when it is deserved and fair when discipline it is required.
The Coach as a Tactician:
It is your responsibility as coach to decide on players’ positions and to handle substitutions. You must recognize that all of your players will almost always want to be playing and may have preferences as to where they play. You will remain aware of your responsibility to all the team players in this regard and try to be as delicate and understanding as possible when making these decisions.
Safety:
You will do all you can to make sure that the equipment and the playing facilities are safe. You will always follow the advice of a physician and the parent in determining when an injured child is ready to return to play.
The Coach as Administrator:
You acknowledge that there are a number of administrative tasks that need attention in order for the team to be permitted to participate in travel league play, tournaments, and State Cup competition. As coach, you agree to assist the process by communicating promptly & efficiently with your team parent manager at all times.
PLAYERS CODE
As a player in the Manhattan Kickers FC your responsibilities are as follows;
1. I will play for the fun of soccer, not just to please my parents or coach.
2. I realize that all positions in soccer are of equal importance.
3. I will never argue with or complain about a referee’s calls or decisions.
4. I will always work to control my temper.
5. I will always cooperate with my coach, teammates and officials.
6. I will train and play to the best of my ability.
7. I will not practice or play games with any other organization without my coach’s approval.
8. I will have a positive attitude and never quit.
9. I will attend and be on time for all games and practices.
10.I will dress appropriately for all games and will not wear my game uniform to practices.
11.I will always give encouragement to my teammates.
12.I will respect my coach and all club managers.
13.I will always treat all players the way that I would like to be treated.
14.I will display modesty in victory and graciousness in defeat.
15.Most of all, I will never forget that I represent the MKFC at all times and will conduct myself accordingly.
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING ENFORCEMENT OF THE MKFC CODE OF CONDUCT
The principles in this Statement serve the interests of all participants in the MKFC. Therefore, it is in the best interest of all participants fully to comply with this Code of Conduct and other applicable requirements. The MKFC expects that all participants will comply fully. Nevertheless, the quality of any Code of Conduct is no greater than the means through which it is enforced. The purpose of enforcement is not solely to punish noncompliance for its own sake, but also to foster compliance with this Code of Conduct by all participants.
Many acts of noncompliance with this Statement will and should be resolved immediately and without any formal procedure, and will involve comparatively minor sanctions such as verbal correction. Such sanctions should be applied fairly and generally consistently, given that the nature of the offense and sanction does not warrant formal procedures or other substantive due process.
At the other end of the spectrum, some acts of noncompliance will be so serious as to necessitate severe sanctions and formal processes to ensure that those alleged acts of noncompliance are investigated and adjudicated appropriately.
COMPLIANCE TO THE MANHATTAN KICKERS FC CODE OF CONDUCT
All MKFC directors, officers, players, parents and coaches agree to read all the material in the MKFC Code of Conduct. All MKFC directors, officers, players, parents and coaches agree that they fully understand their responsibilities, obligations and the philosophy of the MKFC.
Each MKFC director, officer, player, parent, and coach agrees to abide by all of its guidelines and fulfill all their responsibilities and obligations. Each MKFC director, officer, player, parent, and coach understands that his/her failure to do so may result in removal or suspension from participation in the MKFC.
NOTICES AND GENERAL MKFC INFORMATION
The MKFC maintains an extensive description of the travel soccer program on its website http://www.manhattankickersfc.com. The MKFC uses its website to distribute information of importance to MKFC players, parents and coaches. Please review it on a regular basis for current information. 
