MTOC Team Considerations

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MTOC Team Considerations Revised 24 Jan 2024

Background:

Audience – This is intended for both club administrators as well as team coaches

MTOC teams have some special considerations that administrators and coaches need to be aware of to plan properly and prevent surprises.  If the team is placed in Girls or Boys Grade 6 Division 1 or 2, Grade 8 Division 1 or 2, Grade 10 Division 1 or 2, or Grade 12/PG Division 1, either voluntarily or involuntarily - it is an MTOC team and needs to abide by the special rules for them.  For more details on MTOC see the BAYS website "MTOC information" under the MTOC Tournament drop down.

Pre-Season:

  • Player Photos.  Should the team advance to MTOC, player identification is required.  Pre-season, take a picture of each player and coach as you don't want to wait until the day before.  Each player needs a recent color photo that is mostly face and front view.  You have three options to produce the required documentation, player addendum sheet which becomes page 2 of the roster, BAYS photo id which becomes sheet 2 of the roster or player passcards.  Player passcards are stand alone and not attached to the roster as the other two methods are.  Your registration software will often have a module to make player passcards (SportConnect the state software does as well)  The registrar can also order blank stock from MYSA and do it manually (with a typewriter - remember those?).  See notes at the end for links.
  • Validated (stamped) Roster.  Rosters are submitted to the BAYS Registrar  for validation through the Roster Dashboard.  If acceptable, the BAYS Registrar uploads a stamped roster for the division director to approve.  Once the division director approves, the club registrar will download the stamped roster and give to the coach for use during the regular season and playoff matches.   
  • Roster Size limits.  Grade 6 is 18 players - others are 22.  Exceed that via waiver, you give up MTOC eligibility.  This waiver also has a suggested deadline of March 15th so the placement and playoff committees are aware of which teams wish to give up their MTOC eligibility. 
  • Interleague Waivers.  If the player resides outside a town serviced by BAYS but inside Mass, permission from the residence town president and the league president where the town plays is required as well as the usual BAYS waiver reason.  Technically four approvals are needed, BAYS assumes you have the receiving club President approval if you make the waiver request and the BAYS waiver processor gets the BAYS President approval.  These can take some time to gather the permissions so plan early.
  • Grade/Age waivers - should you have a player utilizing a waiver that requires Leagues Committee approval (over age player by up to one year or advanced grade), be aware that the Leagues Committee may not approve it in which case the team either needs to remove the player or give up its MTOC eligibility.  Be sure to inform the waiver director and the League Registrar so we can help expedite.
  • Waiver limits - Grade 6 and 8 teams must have 75% of the players from your club (on a 15 player roster for example, you may only have 3 residency waiver players).  Grade 10 and older require 75% from our League (only interleague or out of state waivers count against the limit)
  • Out of State Players - MTOC limits any MTOC roster to no more than three out of state players.  BAYS does not have a limit.  The BAYS Registrar should let you know if your roster is not conforming.  Contact the BAYS Registrar  if you have any questions about rostering out of state players.
  • Placement - be sure of your requested placement as swaps are much more difficult in MTOC sections.

During the Season:

  • Validated (stamped) Roster.  Bring two copies to each match.
  • Unique Numbers - ensure the copies given out at the match have the current shirt numbers and each number is unique.  Athletic tape of the right color is a valuable addition to the coach's bag to change a duplicate 12 to 112 or 121 on one of the players with a duplicate number.
  • Roster Alterations.  The only alterations permitted are adjusting shirt numbers, crossing out players not participating in the match, signing the coach certification and adding substitute coaches not on the roster (properly credentialed of course).
  • Player Movement - players may be added or removed from the roster as needed up until the roster freeze.  After the final affiliation date, the BAYS Registrar verifies any new players have been affiliated before validating the roster.  Note that it may take a few days for the ticket to go through so make allowances.  In a pinch the BAYS Registrar  can upload the player.  Also be aware that once a player is removed from a roster, they may not return to the roster without permission from the placement committee.  Several teams tried to use this strategy to get around roster player limits. 
  • Report your score promptly and follow the division director's requests and guidance on all matters.  In MTOC sections, BAYS assigns our most experienced and senior division directors.  It is not their first rodeo and their subterfuge detectors are highly attuned.  If you have an issue bring it up when you are aware of it, waiting until the playoffs to bring up an old issue is not a good plan.  If you believe the division director to be wrong, the proper escalation is to the grade director.
  • Become familiar with the rules - especially regarding playing the schedule and follow the division directors guidance as to how they want to be involved in the postponement/reschedulement process.

Roster Freeze:

                        In MTOC sections there is a roster freeze date.  Any changes to player or coach list - adds or deletes must be in the BAYS Registrar  inbox by the time and date specified by the BAYS Registrar.  Current practice is to establish the date in August for the following spring.  The BAYS MTOC roster freeze date for 2024 is Sunday May 12, 2024. If the BAYS Registrar  finds an issue in a not yet validated roster submitted before the BAYS Roster freeze date, the club registrar will be allowed to fix the roster provided the fixes are done and the roster validated prior to the state-wide freeze date which is currently May 15.  Note that the roster has to be submitted through the roster dashboard on or before the BAYS MTOC roster freeze date and validated and processed by the BAYS Registrar  before the state-wide freeze date.    Asking for special dispensation to replace a player with a season ending injury in June won't happen.  Make sure all your changes are done by the BAYS MTOC roster freeze date. 

Playoff Preparation:

  • Submit your player IDs to the BAYS Registrar for approval.  BAYS rules require the use of player photo ID (Photo sheet, photo addendum or player passcard) for use at the BAYS playoffs.  Submitting them the day before the first playoff match makes an unhappy BAYS Registrar .
  • Poll your team as to player availability noting whether the player conflict is school-based or other.
    • For every day of playoff week - starting the Sunday of week 10 through the following Sunday.
    • For MTOC weekend - All day Friday and Saturday for group phase and Sunday for semi-finals and finals.
  • Understand the playoff qualifications - how are the playoff participants chosen?  Also don't assume you are out because teams above you may decline to go if they have insufficient numbers.  Until the playoff seeds are published and you are not among them, keep doing the tasks required of playoff seeds.
  • Fill out the playoff availability spreadsheet when it becomes available in late May or early June.  Unless it is abundantly clear you won't qualify - fill it out.  There will be the ability to opt out if you don't feel you will have a team due to player conflicts.  There is a substantial penalty if you enter the playoffs and secure an MTOC spot and then back out.  Before the playoffs start ensure you are capable of fielding a team at MTOC.
    • List all school conflicts for EACH day and the type of conflict (e.g. grade 8 moving on ceremony NOT School conflict).  Even if your division is scheduled for Mon/Wed/Sat and your team has a Thursday conflict, rain or your opponent's conflict may move the game from the scheduled day, bringing it up while the BAYS Playoff Committee is rearranging matches may mean it won't be honored.
    • Ensure you have a designated contact person who will be available for phone communications during working hours as things move quickly playoff week and email is not timely.

Playoff Week:

            Your division director is your primary point of contact for match information.  We try and keep the web up to date but we ALWAYS keep the division director in the loop as to the progress of their section playoffs.  The choice of fields and kick off is at the discretion of the playoff committee.  Volunteering your home field or negotiating with your opponent for a change of venue or time is not permitted.  BAYS will always assign neutral referees for a playoff match.  Please allow for traffic delays and plan to arrive in plenty of time for warm ups and an on-time kick off.  BAYS playoffs are like regular BAYS games with two stamped rosters required.  Each field complex will have a field marshal present.  Report any issues to them immediately.  Your division director will know who the assigned field marshal is if you are not sure who it is.

Pre-MTOC:

Should your team be the BAYS representative there are several pre-MTOC tasks

  • The BAYS Registrar  will confirm the roster to be used including jersey numbers that may not change during the tournament.  Remember that Goalkeepers need numbers as well.  Should the team have an alternate kit and the numbers match there is no extra work but if the player has a different number that is listed on the roster as well.  For example in the standard blue kit the player is 77 but in the red kit the player is 15, the player jersey number is 77/15.  At the top of the jersey column put Blu/Red.  Plan on bringing 10 copies of the roster.  The BAYS Registrar turns in master copies of the roster to MTOC Registration and if the roster used for the team is different - there can be severe penalties up to elimination from the tournament and a hefty fine to BAYS that gets passed to your club.
  • MTOC rules require Player IDs used at MTOC to be approved by the League Registrar.  Before the end of the playoffs, the League Registrar will review and approve your player IDs.  Roster Photo Addendum and BAYS Photo ID sheets will be stamped and attached to the MTOC Roster and given to the Club Registrar for passing on to the team officials going to MTOC.  Passcards must be submitted to the BAYS Registrar in unburst condition.  The BAYS Registrar will stamp the passcards on the sheet of paper and return it to the registrar who will print in color, cut into individual passcards and laminate them.  Once that is done, they are given to the coach for MTOC.
  • If the BAYS President sends out an MTOC letter - read thoroughly and understand as it often contains last minute changes and details.
  • Review the Rules of the Competition - know that there are differences between BAYS Playing Rules and MTOC Playing Rules.  One example is that in Grade 6, BAYS allows a goalkeeper distribution to go anywhere on the field.  At MTOC, a goalkeeper distribution entering the opposing team's penalty area in the air without touching the ground outside the area is an infraction.  The timekeeping rules and rain out rules are different.  Review them.
  • Discipline - note that if your team receives 2 ejections for any reason, that game becomes a forfeit.  If you as a coach receive an ejection, you are done for the tournament, not just for coaching the team you received the ejection for but for all teams for the remainder of the tournament.  Don't do it.
  • Ensure the Head Coach and other sideline personnel have their MYSA Adult Credentials.  They should have been wearing them all season.  If no credential worn at MTOC, they may only be considered a parent.
  • Ensure that the person checking in the team the first time has all the coaches' MYSA Adult Credentials with them so they may receive the sideline sticker validation. Without the sticker, the coach is relegated to a parent and not allowed on the team sideline.  Note that there are only three coaches per team for each game.  Even if you have four coaches, you may only have three on the sideline.  If the coaches can't make a decision, the referee will pick who to send across the field.
  • Review kits with your team.  Now is the time to make sure socks match and you all have the same generation of uniform.  The less you give the registration inspectors to comment and review - the quicker through the process.
  • Determine your team ID (it will be on the contact list distributed by the Registrar) as well as on the BAYS Website with the playoff seeds.  Unless we have a wildcard, there will only be one BAYS team in the gender/grade group/Division.  Know your 4 digit MTOC ID as all the schedules are built around that.  Digit one is the grade/age group - 2 for Grade 6 (before it was 12U), 4 for Grade 8, 6 for Grade 10 and 8 or 9 for Grade 12/PG.  Digit 2 is the division - 1 for Division 1, 2 for Division 2.  Digit 3 and 4 are the unique team identifier.  Typically 01-12 for the boys with 01-04 being flight A; 05-08 Flight B; 09-12 Flight C; the girls start at 51 with 51-54 Flight A; 55-58 Flight B; 59-62 Flight C.  There may be different configurations (e.g. two flights of five) that will have a similar pattern where the boys begin at 01 and the girls at 51.  
  • Work out your schedule.  If any matches are unreasonable (like a noon Friday match when your players are in school until 2 PM) contact the BAYS President who is responsible for bringing up valid conflicts with the tournament committee.  The BAYS President decision is final as to whether the conflict is forwarded to the tournament committee.  It is suggested any conflicts be given to the BAYS President no later than Sunday evening before the tournament (for most teams that will be the day after winning the finals).
  • Monitor the schedule daily (MYSA web site) as other leagues may turn in conflicts and the scheduling manager makes changes as the conflicts are resolved.
  • Arrange meeting times AND places for your team for required team events - registration before the match for example and end of the day instructions.  What is the backup plan if a player is late for any reason.  Know where you can warm up and still keep an eye on the field as when one game ends, the next one begins with referee check in and the whistle.  You may not delay the kick off to finish your warm up.  You will not have the field for warm up as the time between matches is typically less than 5 minutes.
  • Have a complete list of contact information for each player and adult you may need to contact.  Make sure you have the BAYS President and other BAYS officials contact information either in your phone or on a contact sheet.  The BAYS Registrar typically sends a spreadsheet with this information as your rosters are reviewed for MTOC (usually making sure the jersey numbers are accurate and not duplicated)
  • Hold a team meeting with parents and stress the importance of good and positive behavior as field marshals have been known to eject spectators not behaving properly.  There will also be sportsmanship volunteers circulating to determining sportsmanship winners.  BAYS highly prizes sportsmanship winners.  

At the Tournament

  • Head Coach and each coach should have their MYSA credential which will be stickered when registering for the first match.  Only one coach needs to go to registration but all could.  It is a good practice to make sure each coach has multiple sets of the rosters.  Two need to be given to registration to be reviewed when you check in for a match.  Registration retains one copy and the other one is given to the coach to give to the match official (after registration has done their thing - typically a sticker and other information is added). 
  • Know where you are going to park and where you need to register.  Typically the teams with matches on fields 1-10 park in the main lot although if full will need to go to the Quarry Lot.  Fields 11-16 typically park at the Quarry Lot. 
  • Typically there are two registration areas during the group phase - Pavilion for fields 1-10 and between field 11 and 12 by the Porta-Potties for fields 11-16.
  • Have a complete set of mesh pinnies in case of color conflict and two gam_ball_quality soccer balls of the correct size.  It wouldn't hurt to have spare uniform parts in case some go missing (socks, shorts etc)
  • Follow the time recommendations - if the paperwork suggest you be at registration an hour before scheduled kickoff, be there 75 minutes early to organize things, don't show up 15 minutes before and expect to be rushed through.
  • Know the MTOC rules - they will be in the tournament books and available on the web site.  Remember group phase games are 2x25 minute halves running time with no allowance for injury or time wasting.  In case of rain during the match, games in the 2nd half are considered complete and games not having reached the second half are replayed in their entirety.  If there is rain during the day that has suspended play and you are scheduled for an afternoon game after the rain is gone - it will kick off on time and the suspended games get moved to free slots later in the tournament.
  • Know the requirements to get to the final four.  Wildcard tiebreakers can be tricky.  Before your team leaves the complex on Saturday be sure you know whether you are coming back on Sunday and when.  The final tiebreaker is kicks from the mark and it is held at the end of the day on Saturday, time and place at the discretion of the tournament committee.  We have had one BAYS team where the coach had two hours to track down his team and get a minimum of seven players back to the complex (45min drive) to participate in kicks from the mark when they had left thinking they were done 4 hours earlier.  Don't be that coach.
  • When you arrive at your game field, note where the field marshal and medical golf carts are located.  There will be multiple  field marshals observing the fields for inappropriate behavior.  There will be golf carts with a red cross pennant responsible for fields.  They are staffed by an EMT and have ice and first aid materials as well as radios to call for ambulance or additional help should the need arise.
  • Should you feel the need to protest anything, seek the counsel of the BAYS President.  If advised that it is protestable and has merit ensure you have the protest fee available in whatever form is necessary (plan on cash although they may take other payments).   Be prepared to do some writing as protests have to be filed timely and in writing not orally.  You have one hour from the time a match ends to protest anything about the game.  In 2023 the protest fine was $250 in cash.

 

Notes:

Link for Roster Photo Addendum:

 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11SBwvoQeZcHUCCAnJknPHUaqnU0QK5rI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114377078884188371338&rtpof=true&sd=true

 

Link for BAYS Team Photo ID Sheet

https://bays.org/mybays/clubreg/team_admin/team_photo_sheets

Revision: A                                                                                          Last Edit Date: 24-Jan 2024  

David Dalrymple BAYS Registrar