A.
Games & Practices
1.
What if it rains? (or snows, or...)
If
it rains on a practice night, assume that practice will be held unless your coach
tells you otherwise. Cancelling a practice is the coaches' responsibility,
not HYR's. If it rains on a game day, you should assume that games will
be played unless you are called and told otherwise. HYR will make the decision
to cancel games. Soccer is often played in the rain, unless there is lightening.
2. When
will my child's games be played?
3. Where will my child's games be played?
You should receive a season schedule on the first practice night.
The schedule shows when and where games will be played. If you do not have
a schedule but remember the team name, first check the schedules page on this
site. If you do not know the team name or coach name, contact HCM
Executive Director Stan Esterle at 451-3695,
email us at HYRSports@aol.com or call Director
Leslie Gross at 454-4488. HYR games will take place at Atherton High School
or at Highland Middle School. Back
to Top 4.
When are practices?
You should receive a call from your
child's coach the weekend before the first week of practice. Practices are
scheduled to accommodate as many teams as possible. If you do not know the
team name or coach name, contact HCM Executive Director Stan Esterle at 451-3695,
email us at HYRSports@aol.com
or call Director Leslie Gross at 454-4488. 5.
What does my child need to bring to practice?
For soccer, your child should bring
a ball, shin guards, and water. For baseball, T-Ball, or softball, your
child should bring a glove and water. 6.
Where are the bathrooms?
At
Atherton, a port-o-potty is available. It is located by the main gate to
the fields, behind the service wall. No bathroom is available at Highland
Middle School. 7.
How long are practices and how often?
Practices
are scheduled to last one hour, once a week, beginning the week of the first Saturday
game. Practices for very young ages, such as soccer Division I & II,
may be shorter. No team should be practicing more than once a week. Back
to Top 8.
Do I have to stay during my child's practice?
We request
that you stay during your child' practice for several reasons. First, we
encourage you to get involved by helping the coach if needed, or by encouraging
your child during practice. Second, in the unlikely event your child is
injured during practice, we do not want to have to find you, and your child cannot
receive treatment unless you authorize such. Third, when practice is over,
the coach should not have to be responsible for your child in case you are late
getting back. 9.
How long is the season?
Soccer seasons generally are anywhere
from seven to nine weeks long. Baseball season is usually eight weeks. For specific
season info, check the soccer or baseball
pages. 10.
When does HYR play soccer?
HYR offers soccer twice a year,
in the spring and in the fall. 11.
When does HYR play baseball, T-Ball, and Softball?
HYR
offers baseball, T-ball, and softball once a year, in the spring. The season
usually begins right after Derby, around the second weekend in May. 12.
Does HYR offer any other sports?
No, HYR does not offer
any other sports besides soccer, baseball, T-ball, and softball. Back
to Top 13.
Do I have to provide snacks?
Parents taking turns bringing
snacks and drinks to games and/or practices is a long-standing tradition at HYR,
however it is not a requirement, and you do not have to participate if you do
not wish. If you do want to bring snacks and or drinks to a game or practice,
your coach will usually pass around a sign-up sheet at the first practice. B.
Equipment & Clothing
1. Does my child have to have shin guards to play
soccer?
Yes, shin guards
are required for practices and games. Your child will not be allowed to
play in a game unless he or she is wearing shin guards. 2.
Does my child have to wear cleats or special shoes?
No.
Cleats may make it easier for your child to stay on his or her feet, especially
in wet conditions, but no special shoes are required. 3.
Why can't my child wear baseball cleats to play soccer?
Baseball
cleats usually have a toe cleat, while soccer shoes do not. A toe cleat
is dangerous in soccer, where it is not uncommon for the toe to make contact with
another player's foot or leg. 4.
What if I can't find my child's team shirt?
Your child
may wear a shirt similar in color to the team shirt. Unfortunately HYR cannot
replace lost shirts. 5.
What kind of pants can my child wear?
While shorts are
preferable in soccer, there are no restrictions on what types of pants may be
worn. In baseball, shorts are fine at younger ages, although older players
(10 and up) may wish to wear long or baseball-type pants to avoid injury if sliding. Back
to Top 6.
Can my child wear jewelry?
The Laws of the Game prohibit
anything which is dangerous to a player or other players. Referees determine
if an item can be worn without being dangerous. We recommend that you not
wear jewelry while playing a sport, especially soccer. Necklaces should
be removed, and earrings are best removed or taped over for safety. Ultimately
the decision is the referee's and must be respected. 7.
Do I need to buy a soccer ball?
While you are not required
to purchase a soccer ball, the game is best learned by constant practice with
the ball. Ideally each child should have a ball for practices. 8.
If I do buy a soccer ball, what size soccer ball should I buy?
Soccer
ball size depends on your child's age. At HYR, Division 1 & 2 (ages
5-7) use a size 3 ball. Division 3, 4 & 5 (ages 8-12) use a size 4 ball,
and Division 6 and up use a size 5 ball. Soccer ball size is usually indicated
on the ball.
9.
What equipment will my child need to play baseball/softball/T-ball?
Your child will need a baseball/softball glove, and in some cases a baseball
cap. Bats, balls, and if appropriate, tees, are provided. Baseball
caps are provided in some divisions. 10.
Where can I get a cool HYR T-shirt or bumper sticker?
HYR T-shirts and bumper stickers are
sometimes sold at sign-ups or on game days. If you haven't seen them for
sale, or just want one NOW, Contact HYR director Leslie Gross at HYRSports@aol.com
or 454-4488. Back
to Top C.
HYR Administrative
1. Who are
the referees?
HYR referees are often HYR players from older
divisions, former HYR players, or parents. Referees are paid. Leslie
Gross supervises the referees. 2.
How can I be a referee?
Contact HYR director Leslie Gross
at HYRSports@aol.com or 454-4488.
HYR referees are not required to be licensed referees, but appropriate experience
with the game and knowledge of the Laws of the Game is required. 3.
Who are the coaches?
HYR coaches are you - the parents,
grandparents, and even siblings of HYR players. We are always in need of
coaches for soccer or baseball, T-ball, and softball. If makes no difference
if you ever coached, or even played the sport - you can make a real difference. Back
to Top 4.
How can I be a coach?
When
you fill out your registration form there is a space to indicate that you are
willing to coach, or assistant coach. You don't have to go it alone either,
you can partner with one or several other parents to coach a team. The pay
isn't great, but the benefits are wonderful! 5.
How can I find out who my child's coach is?
Your coach
will contact you the weekend before the first practice to let you know what time
the practice is. Your coaches name and phone is printed on the schedule
that you should receive at the first practice. If you do not have a schedule
contact HCM Executive Director Stan Esterle
at 451-3695, or HYR director Leslie Gross at
HYRSports@aol.com or 454-4488. 6.
Who is in charge of HYR?
HYR is operated by a steering
committee and director. You can find out more about them by clicking
here. Back
to Top D.
Miscellaneous
1. Why does
the soccer coach take my child out of the game even if he or she is playing well?
Part of HYR's goal is to "have fun, to
grow, and to learn the game." The best way to learn any game is by
playing it. HYR strives to ensure that every child has equal learning time
on the field. That means playing time is based on everyone getting an equal
amount of time in the game, not on athletic ability. That keeps it fun for
all, and lets everyone grow together. 2.
Why doesn't HYR keep score?
HYR's focus is on having fun
and learning the game. Keeping score takes the focus off of learning the
game and having fun, and puts it on winning. We stress equal learning time
for all children, regardless of ability. That's not to say that we don't
teach children how to win - just that it's not the most important part of the
game. Children who grow up in the HYR community display the sportsmanship
and fair play that they learn at HYR for the rest of their lives. And if
that's not a satisfactory answer, just remember, the children always seem to know
the score anyway. Back
to Top 3.
HYR is noncompetitive - what does that mean?
Noncompetitive
means simply that competing is not all about winning. HYR's goal is to
teach children the game, and to allow each child to develop his or her potential.
Noncompetitive means we don't keep score, we emphasize equal playing time regardless
of ability, and we encourage and cheer on every child regardless of whose team
they're on. 4.
Why aren't the teams "even" sometimes?
Teams
are built by dedicated volunteers who give up a very long night each season to
put together the best teams possible. Consideration is given to which weeknights
players can practice, carpool situations, gender, ages, and when the volunteer
coaches can coach. Teams are not built based on skill level, since this
is usually an unknown. Most of the time the teams are pretty even,
sometimes they are not. Rest assured there is no "stacking" of
teams, and that every effort is made to ensure an even set of teams in each division. Back
to Top 5.
When is picture day?
Picture day is normally four or five
weeks into the season, on game day (Saturday). For specific dates, check
your player's schedule that you received at the start of the season, or the online schedule for your child's division.
Team pictures are taken immediately after your game that day. There are
no individual pictures. 6.
Sometimes when our team is ahead our coach puts some of out better players in
back, or tells them to pass the ball instead of scoring. Why?
Even though we don't keep score, and the emphasis is not on winning,
children also do know when they are getting"beaten." We do not
tolerate "racking up" the score at HYR, and it is up to the coaches
and referees to find creative ways to keep this from happening without damaging
anyone's esteem. Sometimes this can mean keeping the stronger players back
at defense, sometimes it means telling children to try shooting with their opposite
foot, sometimes it means asking them to focus on passing instead of shooting.
It can be tricky not to make the game boring for one team just to keep the score
down, but the end result is that the team who is getting scored on does not become
demoralized or even lose interest in the sport. Back
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