Haverhill PAL Soccer
Late Registration/Waitlist Process
Policy Explanation

In past soccer seasons, acceptance of excessive numbers of late registrations negatively impacted our collective ability to manage the league. The following information describes Late Fee Registration, Waitlist procedure/policy and rationale.

Late Fee:   In an effort to encourage early registration to our programs, Haverhill PAL Soccer will provide standard registration date ranges and subsequent late fee registration date ranges.  Standard and late fee registration dates will be displayed on the “online registration” page of the Haverhill PAL Soccer website and typically in any email communications regarding registration. 

All players are requested to register during the standard registration date range to avoid late fees (and the potential for being placed on a waitlist).  After the final day of any standard fee registration period – the registration process will move into a late fee registration period.  After the final day of any late fee registration period – the registration for that program is officially closed and NO additional registrations will be accepted. 

During the late fee registration period – the late fee equals ½ the amount of the single registration value for EACH late registrant in our In-Town program or ¼ the amount of the single registration value for EACH late registrant in our Travel program.

Waitlist:  There are often maximum player limits per age/gender grouping based on recommended roster sizes, field availability, coaches and organizational support.  This is another reason to register as early as possible during the standard fee registration date ranges.  Players desiring a position after maximum player limit has been reached in an age/gender grouping will be waitlisted and payment is required to be placed on that waitlist (if a waitlist registration request occurs during the late fee registration period – the player will also be charged a late fee per the late fee definition outlined above).

At the discretion of the registrar and if slots are available to fill out rosters to the maximum size in any given age/gender bracket, then parents will be notified of an opening on a first-wait-listed, first-placed basis.  If a team is below the maximum roster size and does not yet have a coach, and a qualified* parent volunteers to coach that team, then her/his child will get priority placement.  The waitlist process will most likely NOT be used to start new teams since two teams are required for each bracket and the Board would then have to find additional volunteers to coach.

* At U5 – U8, persons who have an interest in coaching can follow MYSA weekly training plans and successfully teach the children.  As the age brackets increase, the effective volunteer should have previous coaching experience and/or obtain a “G-license” or higher (F or E).  Although, Haverhill PAL strongly recommends that all coach volunteers should have previous coaching experience and/or obtain a “G-license” for U5/U6/U7, an "F-license" for U8/U10 and an "E-License" for U12/U14.

Slots may or may not be available for any particular age/gender grouping.  Slots may become available at any time between closure of registration and the first week or two of the season as pre-registered children may drop out.

Organizational Timelines

As an organization, we need to establish key dates in order to meet deadlines to the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA).  Each season, registrations are used to create soccer teams, to create rosters for coaches, to develop age bracket schedules and to submit to the higher level governing bodies.  One of the most important things MYSA does for us is to provide insurance for our players; part of your registration fee funds this insurance premium. The initial registration submission to MYSA is typically 5 weeks prior to the start of soccer season. Our registrar(s) need(s) to manage hundreds of registrations for the in-town program and several hundred more for the travel program.  This deadline allows sufficient time to compile all the necessary data so we avoid late charges that potentially impact all registrants in the form of future increases to our fee structure.  Also understand that volunteers need to do a significant amount of work in the weeks leading to the start of each season to be compliant with governing bodies, to be respectful of our coaching volunteers and those who registered on time.

Signup Opportunities and Notifications

• On-line registration has been adopted as the exclusive means to register for Haverhill PAL Soccer programs (In-Town, Travel, Summer Series, etc.).  Parents/participants can conveniently signup 7 days per week, 24 hours per day during established registration date ranges.  See the “Online Registration” tab on our home page for more information.
• All past players that are listed in our SportsPilot registration system will receive email invitations to register (as well as reminder emails).
• Typically on the last two Saturdays of every soccer season from 9AM to 3PM, we will provide registration notification flyers at the In-Town field (St. James or J.G Whittier Middle School) for the following season.  Volunteers staff the tables all day to answer questions (“paper” registrations will not be accepted).
• Registration notification flyers are also typically distributed through the Haverhill school system primarily to grades K-2.
• The Haverhill PAL website advertises registration dates in the “NEWS” section as well as the Spring/Fall Calendar tab.  
• Registration dates are advertised in the Gazette and Tribune as frequently as possible (Thank You to the Gazette and the Tribune).
• We may also issue reminders and/or a “last call” reminder to all persons who entered their email address in the blue box on our home page “Join the Haverhill PAL Soccer E-Mail List!”

So how does one late registration really affect Haverhill PAL?

One late registration can be dealt with if we are still within the deadlines established by MYSA and there are slots to fill.  But everyone's "just one" can quickly become many tens, every season.  In the fall of 2005, we had a record number of late registrations well after the deadline and that severely infringed on the time to submit registrations to MYSA and had a severely negative impact on our volunteer base (organization and coaches. 

Deadlines are necessary in order to start the season on time and with the proper endorsements. We must enforce timelines.  We intend to be equitable to parents and players who sign up on time, to the coaching volunteers who are anxiously awaiting rosters and the volunteers who need to run this league.

We are a volunteer organization always looking to keep costs down, to improve all aspects of our operation and to best serve the extended soccer community.  Constructive criticism is always welcome.  We can always use help for the many small and large tasks to be done throughout the soccer season.  Please consider volunteering this season.  Contact any board of director in person or via our website.

Haverhill PAL Board of Directors