Below is some important information to get ready for this season:

A.  The season will begin the weekend of September 16/17

• The season should be completed by October 29th.
  

• Playoffs: there will only be Playoffs for the Varsity, JV and 3^rd-4^th Grade age groups this year.  

  • Depending on the Division and the number of teams in each Division, there could be either (a) one playoff game played on the final weekend of the season, or (b) a semi-final and final format played over two weekends.  

  • For Divisions with 4 teams, those Divisions will only have one playoff game - the championship game (1st vs 2nd as determined by the regular season standings).   

  • For Divisions with 5 or 6 teams, those Divisions will play a semi-final and final format.  Playoff match-ups will be determined based on regular season standings (Semi-finals: 1st vs. 4th; 2nd vs. 3rd).
  • We have found in the past that teams are not interested in playing the game to determine 3rd and 4th place, and the league has gone through the trouble of scheduling the referee(s) and field for a game that is not played.  Therefore, this year, if your team is in the 3rd/4th place game, you will be required to contact the other team's coach and determine if the game will be played.  The league will then schedule the referee(s) and field if needed.
  • Divisions: as in the past, each age group will have two Divisions (Bishop and Cardinal).  The goal is to divide the Divisions into teams that are similar in competitiveness and/or age groups.  We will try our best to group the teams appropriately.  Because of problems identifying teams to play in some Cardinal Divisions, the league has attempted to clarify Division placements in Rule 4.  See current League Rules.   

B.  League Fees: we have been successful in holding costs down in comparison to other sports in the Diocese.  The cost for 2023 season will again be $200.00 per team.

Please submit a check made out to “Father Baker Soccer League” no later than Friday, September 29th.

Checks can be mailed to:       

Father Baker Soccer League, C/O Malia DeAngelis, 3 Tranquility Lane, Orchard Park NY 14127.

D.  Reporting of scores: the procedure for reporting scores is summarized below.  

• The Coach of the winning team will email the score of the game (indentifying the age group and division) to:  johnny14d@hotmail.com , huck4tf@yahoo.com

• Please instruct your coaches to report the scores as soon as possible after the game is played, no later than Sunday evening.

• The purpose of the 1/2 grade divisions is for player development, school spirit, getting exercise, and having fun! Therefore, we do not record the scores of the games in the 1/2 grade divisions.

This process is designed to eliminate delays in reporting scores that have happened in the past, and to give coaches an immediate opportunity to correct any mistakenly reported scores. 

 F.  Field Locations: 

• Varsity: Games will be played at Mulroy, St. Francis, and Canisius fields.

• JV: Games will be played at Mulroy, St. Francis, and Canisius fields.

• 3^rd-4^th Grade:  Games will be played at Cazenovia Park - near the tennis courts.

• 1^st-2^nd Grade:  Games will be played at Cazenovia Park - behind Tosh.

 H.  Rules for 2023 Season:    

       REFER TO THE 2023 LEAGUE RULES TAB ABOVE FOR A FULL LIST OF RULES

1.  No “borrowing” players:  We are implementing a hard-and-fast rule that eliminates the use of “borrowing” players from another team.  No players will be permitted to play for more than one team.     

• • The practice of “borrowing” players, and the rules governing the use of “borrowed” players in the past, has been ripe for abuse.  As a result, in order to eliminate any uncertainty and the possibility of a team getting an unfair competitive advantage, the League is implementing a hard-and-fast “no borrowing” rule this season. 

  • All players are limited to playing for one, and only one, team all season. 

  • Sixth graders are permitted to play at the Varsity level, but if they are placed on a Varsity team, that is the only team that player can play for (he/she cannot then also play for a JV team). 

  • Fourth graders are permitted to play at the JV level, but if they are placed on a JV team, that is the only team that player can play for (he/she cannot then also play for a 3^rd-4^th grade team).    

2.  Rosters:  all teams must submit a Roster to the league before the first game of the season.   See League Rule No. 2. 

• • Players on that roster can only play for that Team for the entire season. 

  • The roster must include the player’s full name, jersey number, gender, and grade. 

  • If in any game a Team uses a player that is rostered on a different team, the Team will forfeit that game.  

3.  JV Division will continue to play a 9v9 format.  

• • The purpose of this change is to mimic the format used by players in these age groups during summer leagues, which follows the US Youth Soccer recommendation for the U11 and U12 age groups. 

  • The games will be played with 8 field players, plus a Goal Keeper. 

  • At least three girls must be on the field at all times.

4.  Tie-Breakers:  the League is altering the Tie Breaker rules for determining playoff seeding.  

• The primary change is that a maximum Goal Differential of +4 will be applied for all games. 

• The purpose of the change is to eliminate the motivation for Teams to run up scores. 

• The new Tie Breaker format is as follows: 

(1)   Total Points

(2)   Head-to-head

(3)   Number of victories

(4)   Goals against

(5)   Goals for, with a maximum of +4 goals per game

(6)   Coin flip

Olmstead Parks and several high schools have graciously allowed us to use their fields. Please do not park on the grass at any of our field locations.

Please do not climb, pull branches off, or pick the fruit of any trees at any of the locations.

Coaches, players and spectators are responsible to clean up trash after their matches and to keep the fields clean.