Volunteer Opportunities
West Side Soccer League has volunteer opportunities for every parent and for teenagers as well. If every parent volunteers -- even to take on a small task that helps in some way -- the League is so much stronger and runs so much better.
Some volunteer jobs are obvious ones, like coach and referee. Others, like helping collect signed medical waivers on the first day of skills training to make sure that coaches are free to coach, are not as obvious... but very helpful. An hour at photo day marshalling the troops or allowing uniforms to be delivered and picked up from your home are also extremely helpful.
Don't think that just because you are not a soccer aficionado, don't have that much time to give or could only do something from behind a desk, you would not be helpful to the league! You ARE! If you are not going to coach or become a referee, do something good for your team, your division or the league as a whole. We are counting on you!!
Teen Volunteers
In addition to parents, aunts and uncles, West Side Soccer League has great opportunities for teenagers to volunteer. WSSL provides training and support for teens to become referees and to become buddies to children with disabilities in our VIP program. The schedule for volunteering is flexible as games take place on both Saturdays and Sundays at various times. Teens can earn valuable Community Service Credits for participating in training and for serving as referees or VIP buddies.
For more information on the Teen Referee Program, click here.
The VIP Program only runs in the Fall and more information is available here.
League Volunteers
The Board also needs volunteers to help it with the Herculean task of managing this league. Some jobs are seasonal, some ongoing, some big, some small. Big jobs include Division Head or Chief Referee, others include helping with training registration, in person registration, photo day or equipment deliveries. If you are interested and willing, we will find a good job for you that will be very meaningful to the league.
Currently, WSSL is looking for the following League volunteers to fill vacant positions or to take over for volunteers who will vacate their positions in the next year or so.
Treasurer: POSITION FILLED!
Auditor: (two professional references required)
Webmaster: makes changes and updates to the website in a timely manner
Uniform Director: POSITION FILLED!
Photo Day Coordinator: POSITION FILLED!
In-person Registration Chief: POSITION FILLED!
Central Park Field Manager: oversees operations on weekends in Central Park involving equipment (Fall only)
Permit Administrator: works with Commissioner to apply for permits, check permits, distribute permits
Indoor Space Coordinator: works with Commissioner to secure indoor space for volunteer training and meetings
Training Schedule Master: POSITION FILLED!
Administrative Support: Maintain league calendar and send meeting reminders
Divisional Volunteers
You can volunteer to help your Division by becoming a referee or by helping your Division Head with some administrative, operational or management tasks.
Divisional Tournament Director
This volunteer will help to organize teams to participate in local tournaments outside of WSSL. One or two teams per division usually participate. Tasks include communication with teams and with outside tournament organizations regarding registration etc. For Columbus Day Weekend in the Fall, this volunteer job would extend to Core WSSL players who would like to add a weekend of games by participating in the League's own round robin tournament.
Referee
The Referee is the ultimate authority during the game. The Referee's primary responsibilities are to insure the safety of the players and to enforce the Laws of Soccer. To accomplish this in an authoritative manner, Referees must have knowledge of the applicable Laws for the age group with which they are involved. Every prospective Referee is required to attend a training session and become certified at the appropriate referee level for their division. For U6, U7 and U8 levels, a three and a half hour course is required. For U9 and older levels, an additional four hour course is required. Referees will be expected to commit to officiating at least five times each season for games in which their child is NOT playing. Every team is expected to have at least one or two parent volunteers to Referee.
Refereeing your own child’s game is not a recommended practice and is discouraged, especially as they get older, because of the likelihood of perception of bias. It can be a challenge to recruit Referees, and in some situations when there is a shortage of Referees, having a parent Referee her own child’s game may be the only option. However, it is best if this situation can be avoided.
Assistant Referee
Assistant Referees (ARs) are trained and utilized in divisions where goalkeepers are used and Offside infractions are called (ages 9 and older). ARs are uniformed officials who assist the Referee from the touch line by indicating offside infractions, fouls and penalties outside the Referee's view, balls out of play, and other duties assigned by the Referee. Unlike Referees, ARs may officiate their own child's games. This position provides parents with an excellent opportunity to participate in their children's activity and enables them to experience the excitement and enjoyment of soccer officiating. ARs are required to be certified by taking the appropriate training sessions.
Team Volunteers
Coach
The Coach is the focal point for teaching soccer and team skills with the purpose of playing safe and fun games. Coaches are responsible for their teams, both at games and at practices. Coaches of 8 year olds and older are expected to hold at least one non-game day practice each week during the playing season. Every Coach is required to attend a Safe-Haven clinic (3 hr) at least once in their career and to be certified at the age-appropriate Coaching Clinic.
Assistant Coach
Every team will have an Assistant Coach whose function is to help the Coach at games and practices and to substitute for the Coach in his/her absence. Assistant Coaches are also expected to attend Safe-Haven and Coaching Clinics.
Team Manager
The Team Manager is responsible for all of the administrative work necessary for running a team including setting up a phone tree for communication between the Coach and the players' families and distributing team rosters and other information from the Coach and the League. The Team Manager is also responsible for scheduling snack days, assisting at Photo Day, arranging team activities at Awards Day and any other duties assigned by the Coach. There is no special training required for this position and there is usually only one Team Manager per team.