NASSC 2024

We have made it to June and this week we get to welcome you to the 2023 Ferguson North American Sand Soccer Championships! We are so excited to see you!

 

Get your beach towel ready, gather up your gear, and pack your bags – it’s beach soccer time!

 

Here are some important reminders to share with your team:

• Event updates including emergency or weather related changes will be communicated via our website, social media and the bulletins within the NASSC Mobile App (Available from Google Play or App Store)
• Come prepared for ALL types of weather. Sunscreen & hydration are a must.
• Pop-up tents are not allowed along the boardwalk or sea wall. No personal items allowed within 10 feet of any field sidelines or within any field goals or end lines. Tents & umbrellas obstructing the view of NASSC Headquarters Tents & Field staff may be asked to move. If left at fields overnight, they will be removed by Security.
• Teams are responsible for cleaning the player sideline area following their match. Do not leave water bottles and trash behind.  We appreciate all participants helping to keep all areas of the beach clean.  Trash and recycling receptacles are provided.

 

 

​** Late Team Check-in Requests ** If you have ANY participant who did not get registration materials completed, if you need to make a roster change because of extenuating circumstances, or you did not complete online team check-in, request a Late Check-in no later than Wednesday, June 7 @ 12:00 NOON. Send Subject: Late check-in and include the exact team name and division in the body of your email to info@sandsoccer.com.

 

If your team is in a “Pending Approval” late check-in is required. See Resources.

 

Feature(s) of the week:

• Know Before You Go – coming to your email box soon and featured on this Team Manager webpage
• Check out our Event Schedule, show up for the Kids’ Clinic, visit our beer garden and watch the pros in the stadium, and don’t forget to download the NASSC Mobile app for viewing schedules and standings over the weekend. 

Sneak Peek – Save the date for next year June 7-9, 2024

Rosters LOCK this Wednesday, May 31 @ 7 PM

AND

Team Check-In Ends Sunday,  June 4 @ 7 PM

 

Ruh Roh!

It’s all about the dates, ‘bout the dates, ‘bout the dates! … Rosters are locking and teams need to start checking in!

 

Simply put, if you haven’t scrutinized your roster with the eye of a detective AND checked your team in, this is your very last chance.

• URGENT! Finalize your roster today and confirm ALL team members have completed their registration materials no later than 6:59 PM on May 31
  • a BLUE (not gray) page icon (not the bed) means the team member has completed materials. As long as the PAGE icon is BLUE, do not worry about a pending approval status
• URGENT! Manager must check the team in online no later than 6:59 PM on June 4
• No person may participate with a team unless he/she/they completes registration materials with that team 

                   **This includes managers & coaches!**

 

• Persons who do not complete registration materials will NOT be included on the OFFICIAL roster
• The OFFICIAL roster is kept by NASSC and may differ from team members shown on your team dashboard
• No person may enter the player sideline nor the field of play unless on the OFFICIAL roster for that team - no substitute players, coaches or managers who are not registered to the team!
• Youth teams and teams in a Coed division have roster rules specific to their division - see Rules

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Troubleshooting: If a team member has completed waivers but the materials are not attaching to them on the team dashboard (no Blue page icon), or if the link to the team member’s registration materials is not showing, they should contact EventConnect for tech help at support@eventconnect.io, via live chat, or 1-888-723-2064. Be sure to include the team name and division.

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Resources to assist with the above are all found through the Team Manager webpage at sandsoccer.com. For help reviewing your team members’ progress on registration, also see this help article from EventConnect.  When reviewing your players’ progress, do not worry about any hotel/bed icon shown – as long as your team members include accurate information about accommodations, that is all we need for check-in. And remember, allow one full business day after a team member submits materials before the “Pending Approval” status changes.

 

As long as a team member’s page icon is Blue, not gray, a “pending approval” status will not impact check-in. It just takes time for us to update the status after we receive the materials. Managers and coaches will not show a status by their names but should have the same blue icon if they have completed materials.

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Features of the week:

Hey Kids! Have you heard about Kids’ Clinic? Participants up to age 13, show up at 27^th Street, near our stadium, Friday night, 6-7:30 PM, to learn from the pros. And, it’s all FREE.  The U.S. Open lineup is

 

2023 Men’s U.S. Open

Barre de Santiago BSC (El Salvador) - Tacoma Stars – Maryzillans - SoCal BSC

Punta Hermosa BSC (Peru) – Imane BSC (Japan/Thailand) – Beach Soccer VB – CRUZN

HRSC Elite – Coastal BSC – Tidewater Captains – Toronto BSC (Canada)

 

2023 Women’s U.S. Open

Beach Soccer LA – Coastal BSC – Beach Soccer VB Elite

SEVWSA – Beach Soccer VB Premier - SBSC

 

Sneak Peek - Next week will be the final Management Monday issue. We’ll remind you what to bring to the beach, what isn’t allowed, and how to find event communications during the weekend in case of weather delays or emergency situations.

Team check-in opens in four more days! Are you ready?

 

It’s “Must get serious Monday!” and the theme is ASSUME NOTHING.

Go to your team dashboard now and REVIEW your roster. Do not submit team check-in until you have carefully reviewed your roster AND verified every single team member has submitted full registration materials.

Pssst …have you noticed the Secret Link? When we learn new tricks, we love to share. On your team dashboard you’ll find a “Team Dashboard Link” specific to, you guessed it, your team! Feel free to share it with your team members as a bit of a short-cut to logging in to their dashboards.

Need more help understanding how to navigate to and around the team dashboards? See Using EventConnect on our manager webpage at sandsoccer.com.

Part 1   “The BLUE NOTEPAD”

• Look next to each of your team members’ names – and check your own. Any team member who has a BLUE notepad icon (not a bed icon) has completed registration materials.

If the notepad icon is gray, using the 3-vertical dots next to each team members’ name, resend the invitation to those needing a reminder, and follow-up to make sure their materials are completed by May 31 and before you check your team in, whichever comes first.

 

          ** Players will remain in a “Pending Approval” status until their materials are completed AND NASSC confirms receipt. Allow one full business day for status to change after the materials are submitted.

 

          See the Team Manager webpage for more info regarding “Pending Approval” status as it may apply to a team member, or to the entire team.

 

Part 2   “Before The Check-In”

• Carefully walk through this checklist. Remember, ASSUME NOTHING

Part 3   “Let’s Not Forget”

• YOUTH TEAMS ONLY (U08-U18/19 and High School Coed): Do you have at least TWO coaches/managers added to your team, over the age of 25, and one of whom will be on the player sideline during all matches? While “coaching” is the role, the key qualification for a backup is good sportsmanship so, even if it’s a team parent willing to step in if needed that is fine with us.

            We strongly recommend two "over 25" non-players for all youth teams so you always have a back-up and avoid a forfeit.

 

• COED DIVISIONS - High School & Adult: If your team is in a “Coed” division, do you have at least three (3) female players on the team roster?

             Now is a good time to review the rules regarding coed divisions.

 

• RECREATIONAL YOUTH DIVISIONS may not have any player who is a member of a youth travel league, whether or not that player participated in the league. No Travel Players Allowed – No Exceptions. Review this division requirement carefully under Event Details – Competition Levels. If you have any uncertainty regarding whether you have a travel player, contact me.

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Rosters lock May 31 @ 7PM

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If you are 129% certain your roster is ready and you’ve walked through the checklist with the precision of a surgeon, then all you need to do is check your team in between May 26-June 4 @ 7PM (and, of course, watch for our final emails).

 

Check-in will appear as a new survey in your Registration Requirements box May 26.

 

More resources and tips are on our Team Manager webpage at sandsoccer.com, including useful tips for logging in to EventConnect and navigating to the team dashboard. Share the info with your team members.

Features of the week: ​

Need more players? Make use of our Player Portal ​to find extra players.

 

Volunteer  We want YOU to wear our super sweet t-shirt and be part of the best volunteer team ever! We have many different jobs, will work around your game schedule, have food & drink during your shift, and offer community service hours to our high school volunteers.

 

Start reviewing the 2023 Rules. Pay attention to highlighted changes for 2024.

 

Sneak Peek Mark your calendar for our FREE Kids’ Clinic with the pros for ages 13 and under – 6 PM Friday, June 9. More details next week including the U.S. Open Men’s and Women’s lineup.

Monday's don't have to be manic! Think sun and good vibes because NASSC is only 26 days away! Here are your Monday highlight to help you prepare.

 

By now, we hope you have added your coach, backup coach (especially youth teams), and players to your team list.

 

As you add team members, make sure every one of them is getting their registration materials completed.

• Log In to EventConnect and navigate to your team dashboard (see Using EventConnect)
• Start by checking your own progress in the Registration Requirements box. If you have completed your personal registration materials, you'll see a green check next to that particular requirement. If you have any gray checks, take care of the requirement this week.
• Youth teams are strongly encouraged to have a backup coach (over 25). See rules.
• Coed teams: review roster requirements for coed divisions
• Take at look at how your team members are doing (coaches included). Under "Manage Roster" on your dashboard, look to see that you have every team member listed. A blue note icon indicates that person has complete required materials.

"Pending Approval" will appear next to any player who hasn't completed materials; however, if the player's page icon is blue yet the player still shows as "pending approval", don't worry:  NASSC typically updates the status of players within one business day of their completing their registration materials.

 

Need More Players? Try posting in our Player Portal.

 

Feature(s) of the week: check out the 2023 Fields Map and don't forget to consider our Volunteer Opportunities and claim your super sweet volunteer t-shirt!

 

Reminder: our mobile app will be useful during the event but it is NOT for team management. Log on to EventConnect to complete management tasks.

 

​Sneak Peek - ​preview what team check-in will look like. Will your team be ready?

 

 

The beach is calling! We’ll see you soon!

Your NASSC Team

Volume 1 - May 8, 2023

You submitted your team application. Now what?

• Pay the team fees: Your team is in an UNPAID Log on to the team manager dashboard and take care of team fees this week.
• Build your team: to avoid mistakes and extra work, review "Adding Team Members" before
  • inviting coach(es)
  • Inviting players
• Using Event Details, check your players' eligibility, make sure the team is in the correct division, and review roster requirements for adult coed divisions (if applicable)

 

YOUTH TEAMS: We recommend youth teams have at least two coaches over the age of 25. See the Over 25 rule. Participating with any person on the player sideline who is not on the official roster may result in a forfeit AND a youth team must have a rostered person over the age of 25 on the player sideline during the entire match. Things happen - have a back up!

 

"Pending Approval" panic?  No need to panic yet -- learn more from our Manager Resources.

 

​Feature(s) of the week: Be sure to check out the new layout of our Team Manager webpage at sandsoccer.com. ​Need more players? Make use of our Player Portal ​to add to your roster.​

​

Volunteer with us - NASSC relies heavily on volunteers to provide safe, fun, and memorable experiences for our players and spectators.​ See what's available and Sign Up to Volunteer - we'll work around your game schedule and provide you with a super sweet t-shirt! We have positions before, during, and after the event. Our high school volunteers can earn community service hours.

​Sneak Peek - ​next week's Monday Management will focus how to review your roster and make sure your teammates have completed their participant registrations, including waivers.

 

Questions? Send your TEAM NAME and DIVISION to gina.koehler@sandsoccer.com.

 

We’ll see you on the beach soon!

Your NASSC Team