THE EACH OTHER COVENANT
THE SIDE PARENT & PLAYER & CLUB COMMITMENTS

The undersigned parent and player fully understand and agree to the following:

➢ Selection to a WSA soccer team comes with high expectations.  WSA players are expected to invest and commit their efforts toward improvement as a soccer player, teammate, and person at standards of a highly competitive athlete and highly motivated person. The club at an organizational level is expected to reciprocate this investment of effort on behalf of the players and members (parents, coaches, referees, administrators, staff). 

➢ Selection to the team and playing time are not guaranteed. Players will be evaluated by the WSA coaching staff using standards in the areas of fitness, physical ability, tactical understanding, technical ability, growth mindset, leadership, and attitude.  WSA coaches are expected to apply age-specific objectives for development, game typology modeling (from curriculum), proper empowering communication to players, and honest feedback to parents and age accountable young adults regarding playing time. 

➢ Selection to a WSA team carries with it the obligation to remain on the team the entire seasonal year unless granted a release by your WSA coach.  It is understood that WSA players are expected to give WSA coaches the courtesy of notifying them if they are being recruited or pursued by other teams, talking to other team reps, or if they are considering leaving the WSA club to play for another club. WSA staff are expected to commit to players, teams and those understandings within for an entire seasonal year. 

➢ Being released from the WSA team does not constitute a release of the parent/player from past, current or future financial obligation to the WSA team/club.  A release from financial commitment and obligation is with sole approval of the WSA Executive Council with guidance afforded from the team coach.

➢ Parents and /or players are required to maintain current financial standings with WSA and their respective teams.  Failure to maintain current financial standings will begin with discussion of this delinquency with parent/player up to suspension/dismissal from the team/club.  Unforeseen and unpredictable circumstances are understood to arise and will be taken into consideration by the WSA Board of Directors and Executive Council.  WSA will honor pay to WSA Staff in spite of team delinquencies, but at any point that a delinquency or a team arrears situation crosses a 3-month duration period, the club will request coach intervention for remediation. 

➢ WSA players/parents are committed to full participation in team activities including leagues, tournaments and other team events that are set forth by WSA coaches throughout the year.  Players are expected to responsibly forecast their schedule and communicate with their team coach about issues that prevent them from full participation.  It is understood that a player’s inability to participate in a team/club event does NOT excuse that player from financial obligation to that event. Likewise WSA coaches are committed to professional communication, planning, scheduling, and budgeting related to team activities with an understanding that soccer is "part of" a player's and family's commitments.  The WSA club is committed to advocacy for coaches to fulfill this responsibility and accountability measures to support teams in these areas of operations. 

➢ WSA parents understand that a significant volume of the club’s labor force is volunteer based.  Parents and players understand that the club operates on the premise of player and parent participation in the WSA program activities INCLUDING but not limited to WSA hosted tournaments, club fundraisers, field maintenance, etc.  Participation in all these events is mandatory as required by club per team. WSA at an organizational level, at the leadership level, will likewise make sacrifices that allow the club to fulfill its mission to serve and provide access to the game to many. 

➢ Parents and players understand that WSA retains the right to use for publicity and advertising of team and club, player photographs, videos, and namesakes on the club website, social media outlets, and news feeds.  WSA's Media Relations department promises to exercise sound judgments on use of media materials, that are family centered and will discern where permission should be required for release of any information. 

➢ Parents and players understand WSA maintains a concussion management program, and will adhere to the concussion management program guidelines and expectations (see West Side Alliance S.C. concussion information and waiver).  The coaching staff will participate in the club's in-house Concussion Education programming, become certified, and adhere to coach expectations regarding player health and well being.  The club will support this program, education, and the infrastructure and protocols required to create a safe playing environment. 

➢ WSA is a club who forms teams to be highly competitive at the state, regional and national levels.  WSA will require players to work hard, dedicate, sacrifice, and devote toward the pursuit of lofty and ambitious goals.  Players are expected to train and prepare with a growth mindset, which requires maximal effort, and a measurement of progress and development relevant to the player's best.  Failure towards maximal effort is expected, and learning and growing through failure is encouraged. WSA leadership, coaches, and staff will create an environmental culture that cultivates the "growth mindset".  

➢ Players and parents entrust the WSA coaching staff to do what is necessary and in the best interest of the team in preparing the team for the field of play and creating a memorable and lifelong learning experience for the player.  WSA coaching staff will make decisions regarding training, style and method of play, match day line-ups, game day tactical adjustments, team discipline, and team planning derived from the WSA Way curriculum.  WSA coaches will focus on a "player-first" model of training, teaching, leading, which is outlined by club core values, core competencies, and also The WSA Way Curriculum.  Players and parents will support this effort with a "team" attitude.

➢ Parents and players will represent WSA at all events with the highest level of SPORTSMANSHIP AND CONDUCT.  WSA embraces the idea that parent example of conduct, behavior, & healthy choices are considered important in role modeling for youth.  Parents are expected to accept the responsibility of their position as role model as important & significant in the atmosphere we create for our kids.  Players are expected to prioritize sportsmanship.  Coaches are expected to lead all of the preceding by example of action and conduct, and then explicit direction of a positive team culture aligned with the club's mission and values. Coaches should be held to a standard upon inspection that is beyond reproach.  

➢ Post Season commitments.  Teams qualifying for post season events, will often overlap the "tryout and player placement period".  This provides an opportunity for a player to become uncommitted to their existing team, for the subsequent year, or to become committed to another team for the subsequent year, prior to the conclusion of the current year's team's post season pathway.   Any player NOT committed, signed and confirmed to their existing WSA team, for the subsequent year, will be considered "uncommitted" for the following year, and will be treated as an "uncommitted player".  Postseason privileges and opportunities will cease to be guaranteed.  Each player situation will be decided on a case by case basis and should be confirmed by coach and player and parent during the post season period.  For point of clarification:  A WSA Coach is NOT obligated to provide an "uncommitted" player a roster spot for post season play.  The player may still be invited to participate by the coach.   This policy is not meant to persuade or pressurize a decision for the player, but to protect and honor the integrity of team, healthy social interaction, and create and honor continuity for a team's sustainability. 

➢ Finally it is understood that WSA expects players to maintain a high level of commitment not only in the soccer arena but in the classroom and within the COMMUNITY as well.  WSA strives to facilitate development of soccer players and good people. WSA expects every player to participate in an annual Community Action Program (CAP) project, and to learn and abide by the club’s core competencies and core values. WSA is expected to provide the atmosphere for this growth of our youth as they transition towards community servants, community leaders, obedient followers, and a next generation of culture builders for the purpose of leading future families, leading in their community, and leading inside their chosen industry. 

This covenant is binding for the entire competitive soccer year from May 1, the current year, thru June 1, of the subsequent year, or after June 1st if my team is eliminated from postseason pathways competition after June 1st. WSA coaches have committed to taking players on the team under the terms of this covenant.  If the covenant is broken by a WSA player or parent, WSA coaches reserve the right under the rules of team discipline, set forth by WSA Club & League Platform National standing resolutions, to release the player.

The undersigned have read and understand the covenant commitments herein.