Friendship Team Information

This page is intended to help you understand Friendship Teams; what they are, how they are created, how you add players, and the rules you must follow to form one.

Background and Definition

MTsc had long recognized that kids like to play soccer with their friends and that we had lost players to other sports when that privelege was systematically and repeatedly denied. No longer. In 2005, MTsc originated a program with the goal of permitting friends to form teams around those friendships. Friendship Teams are designed to be exactly that; soccer teams made up of players that are friends. And after several years of working with them, we have found that the vast majority of Friendship Teams are not "coach-stacked" or "super" teams made up of the best players a coach can find, but teams of friends from school, church, scouts, neighborhoods, etc. Evidence of this is that each season more than two-thirds of all teams at MTsc are formed as Friendship Teams. This is a testament to the enormous success of the program.

How to Form a Friendship Team

The process is relatively straightforward. Just follow these steps:

• The most important step is for you to turn in your Friendship Team Form on time with the minimum number of kids for your age group registered, paid, and ready to go. If you do that, the rest is easy. It's when you are late or don't have enough kids that you start having problems.
• The deadline for all Friendship Team forms is late January (for Spring) and late June (for Fall). See the Calendar link for exact dates. Late forms will not be accepted.
• All players on the requested Friendship Team must register or be registered online under RECREATIONAL PROGRAM, pay all registration/uniform fees and provide a birth certificate by the deadline.
• Friendship Teams must have a minimum number of players and no more than the maximum number allowed.  That number is the team size plus 2 for (U5-U10) or plus 3 for (U12).  Thus, maximum number of players allowed is:
  • U5/6 – 5 min/6 max
  • U7/U8 – 6 min/8 max
  • U9/U10 – 8 min/10 max
  • U11/U12 – 11 min/14 max
• Any player on a Friendship Team may play up upon request.  Players may play up one (1) age division without a signed Play Up Waiver or more than one age division with a signed Play Up Waiver (form posted at www.metrotulsasoccer.com).  Similarly, any team may request to play up one or more age brackets, but in the event that this results in any player playing up more than one age bracket, she/he must submit a signed Play Up Waiver.
• Procedure to add players to a Friendship Team:  (1) Parent of new player must sign a copy of the original FT form and return to MTsc office.  (2) Coach must send an email to mtsc@metrotulsasoccer.com providing notification of the addition, including team name, team age group, and new players name.  (3)  The player should register online (after office notification above), pay all fees, and submit a copy of the player’s birth certificate.  (4)  ALL steps above must be completed before the last day of registration as posted on the MTsc website.            
• As always, MTsc reserves the right to schedule U9 and U10 within a league and U7 and U8 within a league, Friendship Teams against Random Draw Teams or other combinations to find the best balance for optimal fun for all in a league.

The intent of this approach to soccer for MTsc is to allow friends to play with friends.  The logistics of doing so can be tremendous and therefore parent support, patience and timely assistance with the requirements above is absolutely required.  It is also MTsc’s intention to have divisional play depending on the number of teams relative to separate Random Draw and Friendship Team leagues and mix as appropriate in an attempt to provide the best reasonable playing experience for all.

Friendship Teams

Friendship Teams (FTs) allow friends to play together on the same team in a Recreational League (at MTsc or in an area Rec or Rec-Plus League through GCSA).  The logistics of supporting FTs, can be complex.  Therefore, parent support, patience and assistance is needed.

How to Make a Friendship Team

The following steps should be followed to form a Friendship Team.

• One parent volunteers to be the “Team Parent” to manage the completion of the FT form.  This does not have to be the coach.
• Team Parent downloads the Friendship Team Form from the MTsc website and fills out the “Issuing Team Parent” box on the form.
• Team Parent routes the form to the other parents.
• Each parent adds his/her child to the roster and signs the form, thus the team roster may be easily controlled by the parents and not the coach.
• The team may, if desired, request a coach and/or assistant coach by completing the appropriate boxes on the form.  This request is neither required nor assured.  MTsc reserves the right to accept or reject any coach at any time.
• Each FT form must have at least the minimum team size to be submitted.  The minimum team size varies by age group:

• The FT form must be submitted to the MTsc office prior to the deadlines published on the website calendar each season.  There are three deadlines associated with Friendship Teams, as follows:
• Unrestricted Deadline – Before this date, an FT form may be submitted regardless of the registration status of the players.
• Restricted Deadline – After this date, no new Friendship Teams will be accepted.
• Additions Deadline – After this date, no new players may be added to Friendship Teams.

Therefore, prior to the Unrestricted Deadline, an FT form may include players that have already registered.  Between the Unrestricted and Restricted Deadlines, a new FT form may be submitted, but only if all of the players have not yet registered or been placed on another team (e.g., via another FT form, random draw process, etc.).  Once players are assigned to teams, they may not be removed.  Therefore, it is imperative that all additions to an existing FT be submitted to the MTsc office (via email) before the added player registers.

• All players on the FT form must completely register as a Recreational Player (complete the online registration process, pay the appropriate fees, submit a valid birth certificate, etc.)

Playing Up on a Friendship Team

Playing up is only permitted when a player is on a Friendship Team.

Any player may play up one age bracket to an older age bracket without a parental approval or waiver.  Every player that plays up must be clearly identified on the Friendship Team form.

Any player may play up more than one age bracket if that player is on a Friendship Team AND if a parent or guardian has submitted a signed waiver (available from the office) in advance of the deadline to the club office.  Every player that plays up must be clearly identified on the Friendship Team form.

An entire Friendship Team may play up one age bracket if all of the parents so desire and signify such by signing on the Friendship Team form.  Signature on the Friendship Team form is the parents means of communicating that desire.  MTsc expects parents to keep the players’ best interests in mind when making this selection.  If a team playing up results in any players playing up more than one age bracket, then those players’ parents or guardians must submit signed waivers in advance of the deadline to the club office.

No player may play down for any reason.

Adding Players to a Friendship Team

Players may be added to an existing Friendship Team up until the Additions Deadline (see above).  To add a player, you must do these steps:

• The Team Parent must have the new player’s parent add the player to and sign a copy of the original FT form and turn it in to MTsc office
• Before the player being added registers online, the Team Parent or Coach must send an email to mtsc@metrotulsasoccer.com providing notification of the addition, including team name, team age group, and new players name.
• The player should register online (after completing step 2 above), pay associated fees, and submit a copy of his/her birth certificate (as required) to the MTsc office.
• The updated FT form, notifying email, and player registration must be received before the Additions Deadline posted on the MTsc website.

Leaguing Friendship Teams

MTsc reserves the right to schedule pure age groups together, as needed.  For example, U9 and U10 teams may be combined into one schedule, if needed.  MTsc also reserves the right to schedule Friendship Teams against Random Draw Teams in any combination to achieve an optimal level of fun for all parties in the league.