CHAPTER 3
RULES AND REGULATIONS
OF THE
NORTH TEXAS STATE SOCCER ASSOCIATION, INC.

3.10.3
Soccer Academies

1. A “Soccer Academy”is a group of Under 9 through Under 10 registered NTSSA recreational players who desire to participate with other players without following the recreational team formation rules. Players must register with their home association and may or
may not be on a recreational team, unless required to be on a recreational team by their home association. Academies are to be governed by NTSSA Youth Associations, and NTSSA Youth Associations may host as many Soccer Academies as they deem desirable. Academy teams are governed by the league in which they participate. (If more than one association is involved in an academy league an A&D committee should be in place.)

2. Coaches, trainers, administrators, etc., of Soccer Academies must have satisfactorily passed the criminal background check and information sent to NTSSA.

3. Soccer Academy play is in addition to recreational play. Players may join any Soccer Academy of their choosing within their age group, and are not required to obtain a release from their NTSSA recreational team to participate on an Academy team. Players must present a form of proof of registration signed by their home association registrar each time they participate with an Academy. Players may join as many Soccer Academies as they like as long as the Soccer Academy is recognized by a North Texas Soccer Member Youth Association. No formal contract or written commitment may be signed by or on behalf of the player to commit a player to an Academy team. The Academies may charge a fee to cover expenses in addition to the player’s recreational soccer registration fees. Academy players are limited to one (1) practice per week with each of their Academy team(s). Academy players may only play in one (1) Academy game per week, except tournaments. Academy players may participate in only one Academy tournament at a time. Violations of this rule shall result in sanctions against the offending party (coach, assistant coach, manager, parent, or other team representative), which could include suspension from all soccer activities for a period of time.

Exception 1:
Academy players and/or Academy teams that are domiciled outside of a one hundred (100) mile radius of the Dallas/Fort Worth airport and participate in an Academy league within the one hundred (100) mile radius shall be allowed to practice and play up to two(2) Academy games and/or practices per week, with a maximum of two (2) academy games per two (2) week period.

Exception 2:
Make up games scheduled due to inclement weather or field closures (outside the control of the participating teams) will be counted as played when originally scheduled and will not be used when calculating the maximum number of games played during any one (1) or two (2) week period.

4. Member Associations may provide league play if they have enough teams, or may coordinate with other Member Associations to provide a league or games between Soccer Academy teams from different home associations. Age division play will be designated as Under 9 or Under 10. Scores and standings should not be kept. Under 7 and 8 players may participate with Academy teams for one practice only per week and may not compete in any games (league, tournament, or scrimmage games).

5. Soccer Academy teams are not considered “registered teams,” and therefore do not have to follow recreational team formation rules. Soccer Academy teams may not enter NTSSA sanctioned tournaments unless the tournament has specified a “Soccer Academy” bracket. In that event, players must declare which Soccer Academy team they will play with in the tournament and may only play for one team in a tournament. Soccer Academy teams may not travel out of NTSSA as a team to play in tournaments.

---