Every coach must ensure directly or through designated team parents that the fields and goals are safe for their players – every time they step on the field. Do not assume that the teams playing prior to your games checked the security of the goals. Your players' safety depends on your vigilance.

Coach should arrive at the fields with adequate time to perform the following tasks prior to the start of the game:

1. Ensure the placement of the field’s goals are in the proper location
2. Ensure the goals are anchored down either using available sand bags or such other mechanism as utilized by MTsc
3. Ensure the field is free of debris and any other objects that may cause a safety issue/concern
4. Take the necessary action prior to the start of the game to ensure items 1-3 are met.

Coaches, please notify the office every time you must take action to ensure compliance with the items above so that MTsc can address them permanently.

Also please view the Goal Safety related video to obtain a further understanding of the importance of goal inspections.

The following are not allowed at the MTsc U Soccer Facilities:

In addition, all who enter shall:

1. Follow all rules and policies set forth by the Club, Regional, State, and National Associations
2. Be a positive role model
3. Work in the spirit of cooperation with officials, administrators, coaches, and spectators
4. Demonstrate positive support for all players, coaches, and officials
5. Treat officials with respect and dignity
6. In all instances, provide a safe and healthy environment

Violators, if requested, will be required to leave the SoccerPlex

and

MTsc U reserves the right to deny violators future access to any MTsc U SoccerPlex

In the event lightning is detected, MTsc Referees will issue a command for everyone to depart to your vehicles. This will be initiated through the sound of an air horn blast and additionally visually through pulsating blue lights from atop the Referee Shack to inform MTsc referees, teams and patrons to immediately abandon their match and go to their vehicles. MTsc requires that all fields be cleared; teams DO NOT have an option to remain on the field – everyone MUST immediately go to and remain in their vehicles and wait for the signal to return to their match.

Teams will be notified by air horn and through the visible return of referees to the fields that it is okay to return to the fields and resume play. Additionally by visual inspection of the blue lights atop the referee shack if the lights are (a) off then it is safe to come on to the fields otherwise (b) on then remain in your vehicle and monitor the situation.

The following air horn blasts will be used to notify referees, teams and patrons to either (a) clear the fields and wait in their vehicles or (b) return to the fields and resume their match:

One long blast from the air horns means to clear the field.

Two or Three short blasts from the air horns mean that players and parents can return to the fields and resume play.

For real time game day updates please follow MTsc by Liking “Metro Tulsa Soccer Club” on Facebook or follow "MetroTulsaSC" on Twitter.  Remember MTsc's policy is all games are on as scheduled UNLESS posted otherwise.

You may also follow an active feed from Twitter on www.MetroTulsaSoccer.com by clicking on the FB/Twitter logos on the right side of our homepage but recognize that the responsiveness of the feed is technology driven by Twitter and Sport Ngin (MTsc's website host provider) and therefore expect to have to continually refresh the homepage for delayed information to become available. Also note that responsiveness of the feed may also be impacted by the browser you are using. Fire Fox/Mozilla, Google Chrome and Safari have been found to occasionally be more responsive than Internet Explorer.

In the event it is formally reported to MTsc that there is any threat of actual abuse to oneself or to any others (which includes physical, verbal or psychological and threats to perpetrate any of these types of acts), MTsc at a minimum will ask such person to be removed or to remove themselves from the MTsc team and premises (if applicable) until such time that a medical assessment is provided to MTsc stating that such person is not a threat to harm themselves or anyone else. This applies to players as well as adults. This action will be taken in the best interests of safety for all others involved in or supporting MTsc and its players and administrators.

THANK YOU very much for YOUR SUPPORT and COOPERATION with these IMPORTANT POLICIES!!

United States Soccer Federation (USSF) Law 4 - The Players Equipment / Safety

A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewelry).  All items of jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, rubber bands, etc.) are strictly forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewelry is not acceptable.  Referees are also prohibited from wearing jewelry (except for a watch or similar device for timing the match).

Disciplinary Actions - The players are to be inspected before the match begins and substitutes before they enter the field of play. If a player is discovered to be wearing unauthorized clothing or jewelry during play, the referee must:

1. Inform the player that the item in question must be removed
2. Order the player to leave the field of play at the next stoppage if he is unable or unwilling to comply caution the player if he willfully refuses to comply or, having been told to remove the item, is discovered to be wearing the item again
3. If play is stopped to caution the player, an indirect free kick must be awarded to the opposing team from the position of the ball when play was stopped

Beginning February 2016, U.S. Soccer recommends that heading the ball be prohibited for children 10 and under (U12 and younger), and to limit the activity to practice only for children ages 11 to 13 (U12-U14).

1. For U12 and younger (recreational only).  U.S. Soccer recommends that players in U12 programs and younger shall not engage in heading, either in practices or in games.
2. For U12 and U13.  U.S. Soccer further recommends for players in U12 and U13 programs, that heading training be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes per week with no more that 15-20 headers per player, per week. Recognize due to MTsc United having mixed age U13/14, the recommendations associated with U13 apply to the U13/14 league.
3. All coaches must teach and emphasize the importance of proper techniques for heading the ball.
4. Additionally, when a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick (IFK) will be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense.  If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick will be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred. If a player does not deliberately head the ball, then play should continue.

Children are more susceptible to heat illness than adults. With this in mind and the summer heat, the U.S. Soccer Federation - the governing body of all soccer in the United States - has taken a leadership role to develop and distribute Youth Soccer Heat Stress Guidelines for youth coaches, parents and players.

The goal is to help prevent the potentially deadly effects of heat illness among children who play soccer.  The guidelines provide an overview of the latest research and information regarding: 1) the physiological factors and soccer-specific factors that place young athletes at risk for heat illness, 2) heat illness prevention techniques and 3) the signs and symptoms of dehydration and heat illness.

To ensure the key points from the guidelines are memorable for coaches, parents and kids, the U.S. Soccer Federation has developed the acronym - G.O.A.L.  Please click on the link to the left and make yourself familiar with this important safety aspect of the game of soccer.