June 2021
Welcome to the Summer! We are gracious for your patronage and patience as we have worked tirelessly to resume soccer programming. Things are much different from what they were a few years ago - especially in terms of gameday operations and requirements. Thank you for complying with the COVID guidelines and requirements.
After 45 years of service to the community, we are pleased to announce GSSL has more soccer program opportunities for women. The GSSL has been working with the Washington State Women’s Soccer Association (WSWSA) to bring the women’s leagues to the GSSL. The GSSL had been discussing this transition over the past few years. After the COVID suspension, it seemed like the perfect time to bring WSWSA into the GSSL fold. The women’s programming kicked off this Summer with a Monday night Over-40 division and two Wednesday night Over-50 divisions. There is also a Monday night program at Starfire for Women for Over-55 and Over-60 players. We couldn’t be more excited about how the GSSL is growing and providing more opportunities for women.
While on the topic of GSSL expanded opportunities, we would like to recognize Sue Boettcher for her good work directing the GSSL Walking Soccer programs. Walking Soccer is a great exercise / soccer option. Fun, fitness and friendships for all. It is a great way to play another day of soccer, increase fitness and provide the aging player or the recovering player a safe environment to play. The game is still the game you love, played at a new dynamic pace. Registration for Walking Soccer programs in the Fall will be posted online in late June. Click here to download the Walking Soccer player’s guide. Fall programs will be offered at Lakeview Elementary, Grass Lawn Park, and Starfire.
MASK GUIDANCE: as a friendly reminder, per the COVID guidelines for sporting activities - players are required to wear a mask if they are not actively participating in a game/competition (bench, sidelines, substitutes, coaches, and trainers). Referees and players that are participating in a game/competition are not required to wear a mask. The GSSL will follow the mandates and recommendations set forth by the Washington State Governor’s Office and Department of Health.
REGISTER or RENEW your player card online. If you need to renew, don’t feel obligated to know your membership ID number. The GSSL employees can look that information up in the GSSL registration database. If your registration record cannot be found, the staff will reach out to you by email & communicate what is needed. The GSSL office is currently closed to the public. When the GSSL is opened to the public, there will likely be revised office hours to better accommodate employee needs. GSSL employees are working remotely, so just because the office is closed does not mean the staff is not available.
FREE AGENTS: Please don’t hesitate to email soccer@gssl.org if your team needs additional players. We have many players that have submitted their free-agent information and are eager to join a team (especially following the COVID suspension). For those of you trying to find a team, we are working to improve our player placement process. We know there are some communication gaps. Thank you for your patience as we identify player placement process improvements.
PRO TIP: Want to get credit for your steps/exercise output, but concerned about wearing your fitness tracker? Referees don’t want players wearing jewelry because they can cause injury. Why not cover that wrist accessory with a sweatband? They can be found in a variety of colors. No need to argue with the referee if you cover your fitness tracker with a wrist sweatband.
TeamSideline + Team Sites = what is all of this and why is it important to me? TeamSideline is our league management software application that provides us with the player and team registration, scheduling, referee assignments, communications, and website tools. Team Sites is an app or function of TeamSideline that provides team managers with tools to better manage rosters, attendance, communication, and league schedules. We do not require teams to use Team Sites. It is a tool we enabled for those that were interested. Team Sites provide similar functionality as Team Cowboy, Orange Slices, Team Hero, Simpler Sport, and MyTeamCaptain (to name a few). Please make sure your email settings allow communications from no-reply@teamsideline.com. Some GSSL communications are coming from this email address. We’ve had complaints about not receiving communications (because the messages are going to junk folders or not getting through spam filters).
FALL 2021 League Play | Team Registration: The Fall team registration is scheduled to open (online) on Tuesday, June 29th. The deadline to register a team for the Fall season is Friday, July 16th. Teams may register after July 16th but will be assessed a $100.00 late fee. Late Team registration will close on Wednesday, July 28th. Since the Fall is a longer season with more games, the team registration fees are higher. Like previous seasons, we are offering payment plans to allow managers more time and flexibility to pay the team fee balance. Teams that opt to go with the payment plan in the Fall will have four payments. The first payment of $600 is due when registering. The remaining 3 payments will be split evenly and collected on August 6, August 20, and September 3. For the Fall session, we are considering some changes to the Open Division playoff schedule format (semifinals on Nov. 21 and finals on Dec. 5). We are also planning to offer a Thursday night Premier division in the Fall for our most competitive Open and Over-30 teams. This would provide our younger members with a few more options to play during the week. We also hope that it will help with the referee assignments on Monday nights.
How can the GSSL improve our league programs? Would your division prefer playoffs, interested in recruiting or training events? If you have ideas, send them to us via email or use this GSSL IdeaBin form to submit your recommendations for consideration.