Introduction: What is a Signature League? Where are the Signature Leagues? Rules and Forms Signature League Calendar Schedules, Scores and Standings F.A.Q.

Introduction: What is a Signature League?

Each year many soccer families are faced with a dilemma: continue playing recreational soccer or make the big jump to competitive soccer. For those recreational players that have developed a higher level of soccer skill, the natural progression is to make the move to competitive soccer. However, this jump requires a family making a sizable commitment in terms of both time and financial resources.

For years, there has been a definite expressed need to provide an opportunity for young players to play soccer at an intermediate level, between the strict recreational play and the highly committed competitive play. Hence the birth of the Cal South Signature Leagues.

Signature Leagues are "localized" playing circuits formed by nearby recreational leagues that are comprised of "all-star" teams selected by the individual leagues through a selection process published by the individual recreational leagues. Each Signature League playing circuit is operated by a coordinator selected by the participating leagues who is responsible for ensuring the scheduling of games through the participating leagues.

There are a number of rules that are unique to the Signature League such as a 50% play rule for all players, a limit on the annual financial responsibility of the players, and a limitation on distance of travel.

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Where are the Signature Leagues?

Ready to play? Contact a Circuit Director below, or read further on to see how you can start a Signature League in your area.
 
North Orange County Signature League
Circuit Director: Ed Bonkoski
e-mail: nocplayingcircuit@hotmail.com
phone: 714.993.7683
 
South Orange County Signature League
Circuit Director: Mike Affleck
e-mail: mike@elitesoccerleague.com

Interested in forming a Signature League closer to home? Here’s a “starter” list of what needs to happen:

• Contact Luis Salcedo, Director of Competition/Member Development at 714.451.1507
• Select a Director/Coordinator for the Signature League Circuit playing in your area
• Develop a set of criteria for player and coach selection and selection for team(s)
• Provide field space and referees for all home games

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	2008 Signature League Rules
	Signature League: League Application
	Signature League: Team Application

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Signature League Schedule (To Be Released Soon)

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1. How and where will the individual Signature League circuits be formed? Signature League playing circuits are being established throughout Southern California where strong interest exists and where an individual or individuals are willing to step forward to take the reigns and do the work to form an Individual circuit in their area. The entire infrastructure for the program in regard to league procedures, playing rules, application forms, league website, scheduling, league communication software, and game cards has been established - the first priority for a circuit director in your area would be to decide if there is strong interest by the leagues in their surrounding area and then establish some semblance of their circuit boundaries in an effort to keep team travel minimal. We will provide the highest level of support to facilitate the success of this program.

2. What is the rationale behind the decision on limiting this to the U9–U14 age groups? With Competitive club soccer starting younger and younger in conjunction with the dramatic increases in bronze level teams at these younger ages, we felt it was very important to start as young as the U9 age group in an effort to provide these players with more of a transition before jumping into all-out competitive play. We feel that we have addressed this transition in our league by adhering to the recreational playing time stipulations (min. 50%), setting constraints on the financial burden incurred by parents/players, limiting distance of travel for regular season games and our commitment to provide a positive environment for all participants involved. We rounded off the age groups with U14 because we felt this provided a reasonable range to get the program started and it directly fell into the purpose for which this program was established… “to provide our members with an intermediary playing level that better prepares players, parents and coaches in the transition from recreational to competitive play”.

3. May a playing circuit be formed for older age groups? The basic Signature League concept and rules are designed for younger age groups. These same rules may very well fit for an older age groups “recreational only” program. the creation of any older age group program is at the discretion of the local circuit league director and participating leagues/clubs.

4. Is the Signature League only open to recreational leagues or can clubs place bronze level or newly formed teams in this league? The Signature League circuits are open to both recreational or club teams as long as they abide by all of the stipulations as imposed by the league rules and policies. More specifically - rules regarding the formation of teams, $ per player cap, and minimum 50% playing time for everyone. All participating teams should be at the level of a Recreational All-Star team.

5. Who selects the coach for a team? Each participating league selects the coaches for teams participating in the circuit.

6. How are team rosters formed? Teams may start with 5 freeze players on their roster. All other players must attend a Player Evaluation on the field. After each player has been given the opportunity to show their skills and be evaluated, the coach or league will select the players to make up the entire roster for the team. (Players are registered as "recreational players" and under Cal South regulations, teams may not have more than 5 freeze players when being formed for each playing season).

7. We have a team of 9 returning players and we'd like to participate in the circuit. Can't we just add a few new players to complete our roster? The criteria for new teams and for returning teams are identical. The team may start with 5 freeze players on the roster. All other returning players and any new players seeking a place on the team roster must attend a Player Evaluation on the field.

8. Who selects the players for the team roster? The selection of players is up to the participating league as to how they would like to handle this situation. In most cases, it would be handled by the team coach/coaches, a small body of league representatives or a combination of both. Once again, this will need to be established by the individual league itself.

9. Can players be selected for the team if they are from outside the participating league area? Each participating league will have to determine whether players from outside the normal league area can be selected for any team roster.

10. Is there a limit on the number of teams that a participating league can send for each age bracket? There is no limit to the number of teams that a league can send to the circuit in any age bracket. Each league should evaluate coaching experience, player experience and overall skill level when determining the number of teams they want to sponsor into the circuit.

11. Applications are due by May 31st and teams will be notified by June 10th if they will be selected into the circuit. Might a team be rejected? A team might be rejected if they submit an application without an application fee and/or a playing field available for the season.

12. Why allow 2 different size goals for the U-9 and U-10 teams? Many leagues started participating in 8v8 and 7v7 small sided games when the goal size was set at 6'x18' and purchased goals that size. Later, US Youth Soccer established guidelines for a goal size of 7'x21'. Placing a financial burden on league to obtain the 7'x21' goals was deemed too great a burden at this time. So, for the present, both size goals will be allowed for play.

13. What happens if we lose players after the team roster is formed? The participating league should assist any team in obtaining replacement players if players have been lost after the initial roster has been formed. (Playing circuits will ask for a roster of team players.) While teams would like to ensure that players are frozen to a team once they are selected, the reality of it is that players within Cal South can change teams until July 31st. At that time, players selected to a team's roster are basically frozen until the Monday after Thanksgiving. After that time, players could transfer to other teams.

14. With the mandatory playing time, how do you handle player injuries? Injured players may be substituted for during the game. Injuries should be noted on the game card. (Injured players may not be subject to the 50% playing rule). Injured players may re-enter the game at the next substitution opportunity if they are deemed able to play again by the coach and referee.

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