It is the philosophy of Norwood Youth Soccer to emphasize the enjoyment, sportsmanship, team play and development of skills associated with the game of soccer, as well as equal participation in games and practices, by all players.
The ultimate goal of the program is to ensure as many children are playing and enjoying the game as possible. Equitable playing time promotes more player development and results in a much stronger, more balanced program, that is more capable of fielding competitive teams at each level of play.
As a result, it is the policy of Norwood Youth Soccer to give substantially equal playing time to all players regardless of skill level and coaches should try to make sure that no player is on the field for less than half of each game. This policy recognizes the developmental mission of the program, and applies to all players who attend practice regularly and display a positive attitude.
Coaches should give all players the opportunity to play all positions in a game during a season, including goal, to ensure each child can fully appreciate the game of soccer. This is also how players learn the game, and no player should be specializing in any one position before Grade 7/8 (and even then, the players should continue to have the opportunity to play in more than one field position). This prevents typecasting players too early in their development. Goalies should play no more than one half in goal unless consented to by the player and a parent or guardian. Playing one half in goal is not considered playing half the game. The goalie must receive at least the prorated minimum amount of field time the half they are not in the goal.
If a coach has an attitude or commitment problem with a child, the coach must speak with the parent(s) or guardian in an effort to remedy the problem. If the problem persists after that conversation, a coach has the discretion to reduce playing time to less than the recommended amount. The reduction in playing time should be commensurate with the degree of the problem. Note that skill level should at no time be considered an attitude or commitment problem.