Health & Safety

U16 girls 2016

COVID-19 Guidelines

AUSC COVID-19 Point of Contact

Director of Coaching
director@addisonunitedvt.com

Medical Insurance Claims

Parents or guardians need to file medical claims from the claims form available on the Vermont Soccer Association website.

  • Parents/guardians have up to 15 months from the date of the injury to submit a claim form
  • For claims to be eligible for coverage, you must seek medical attention within 90 days of injury.

Player Concussion Policy

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that changes the way the brain functions. A concussion is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.

Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If an athlete reports one or more symptoms of concussion listed in the links above after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, s/he should be kept out of play the day of the injury and until a health care professional, experienced in evaluating for concussion, says s/he is symptom-free and it’s OK to return to play.

U11 Heading & Concussion Information

The following information is regarding heading for 11-year-olds and younger. This is a USSF mandate effective January 1, 2016:

“IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR U.S. SOCCER’S PLAYER SAFETY CAMPAIGN CONCUSSION INITIATIVES & HEADING FOR VERMONT SOCCER ASSOCIATION YOUTH PLAYERS

The Vermont Soccer Association is providing the following implementation guidelines for U.S. Soccer’s Recognize to Recover Player Safety Campaign, specifically, as it relates to concussion initiatives and heading for VSA youth players:

The U.S. Soccer Federation is recommending, and Vermont Soccer Association Board of Directors has voted to require all member clubs and leagues to adopt, the new rules as it relates to heading, as follows:

  • Players in U11 programs and younger shall not engage in heading, either in practices or in games.
  • Limited heading in practice for players in U12 and U13 programs. More specifically, these players shall be limited to a maximum of 30 minutes of heading training per week, with no more than 15-20 headers per player, per week.
  • Referees should enforce these restrictions by age group according to the specified rules. Referees will not be assessing the age of individual players on the field; they will enforce the rules for the age group.
  • VSA clubs and leagues are free to set their own standards, as long as the minimum requirements outlined above are met. An example of this would be that clubs/leagues can mandate that no heading would be allowed at any time for U12 and below.
  • VSA Travel Clubs need to be aware of the rules that will apply when traveling out of state. Confirm how this rule will be applied with the tournament prior to the event.
  • In adherence to these new requirements, referees have been instructed by U.S. Soccer of the following rule addition: When a player deliberately heads the ball in a game, an indirect free kick (IFK) should be awarded to the opposing team from the spot of the offense. If the deliberate header occurs within the goal area, the indirect free kick should be taken on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the infringement occurred.
  • Modified substitution rules also took effect Jan. 1, 2016, as follows: Any player suspected of suffering a head injury may be substituted for evaluation without the substitution counting against the team’s total number of allowed substitutions during the game. Head injuries MUST be reported on the referee game report.”

Inclement Weather Policy

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AUSC’s primary concern is always for the safety of our players, families, and staff. When your School District closes school due to weather, most likely club activities will also be canceled. Assessments of the weather, the weather forecast, and road conditions all factor into the Club’s decision to cancel activities. These assessments take place across a broad geographical area, and conditions in your neighborhood or on your route to/from club activities may differ from the rest of the region. If you are concerned that it is not safe for you or your child to be on the road, please stay home. The final decision about coming to club activities in inclement weather is yours.

Inclement Weather Notifications

Email: An email will be sent to parent’s primary addresses from their player’s coach/team manager, by 2 PM for practices/games played after 5 PM.

Club Credentials

  • AUSC follows the VSA Zero Tolerance Policy against abuse.
  • Every member of the AUSC board, staff, AUSC coaches, assistants, and managers must complete an annual background check.
  • Every member of the AUSC board, staff, AUSC coaches, assistants, and managers must complete biannual ImPACT concussion training.
  • Every member of the AUSC board, staff, AUSC coaches, assistants, and managers must complete annual SafeSport certification.
  • Each coach follows the US Soccer Player Development curriculum and best practices.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent nonprofit committed to ending all forms of abuse in sport. This includes bullying, harassment, hazing, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual misconduct and abuse. The Center is the first and only national organization of its kind. The Center provides services to sport entities on abuse prevention techniques, policies, and programs and provides a safe, professional, and confidential place for individuals to report sexual abuse