Parents as Volunteers

Connect to Your Child’s World!

Community-based sports rely almost entirely upon volunteers. Your commitment is vital to ensure our Players have the very best possible experience.
And it is also the perfect opportunity to get involved in a meaningful way with this important part of your child’s life, by embracing the NVFC's Core Value of Community.

Every year, we welcome the help of just under1000 Parent volunteers, just like you!

We ask that every Member of our Club contribute a minimum of 3 hours a year … and of course we won't say no to more! Check out our current available Club volunteer positions and job descriptions here. And don't forget your own Team! Ways to help out are listed below (see: Tips for Team Organization.)

Why Volunteer?

There are a lot of great reasons people like you decide to contribute their time to a non-profit. These range from connecting with family & community, to learning new skills through meaningful work. We invite you to watch this video – it brings life to an inspiring message about how being a volunteer can positively affect your life and the world around you!  

live-inspired.com - 1: How many people does it take to make a difference? By Dan Zadra & Kobi Yamada
(Please note: this is not an official Club endorsement of any company or product. Just a great video we wanted to share!)

If you would like more information on how you can contribute, please contact out Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@nvfc.ca.

(Keep scrolling... this page is full of info you need to know!)

Spectator 101 - a parent & audience field guide

FAIR PLAY CODES (for players, coaches, parents & spectators)

If you remeber only one thing, remember this: Soccer is supposed to be fun!

The bottom line is, if our Players are not enjoying themselves, they wont learn the skills and sportsmanship that go with this Beautiful Game.

 Ways to support your Player:

• Reward effort: disappointments will happen – but if a Player knows their hard work is valued, they will keep on trying.
• Be realistic: don’t push an unwilling child to participate. Everyone has an off day; young Players who truly want to play will let you know when they are ready.
• Walk the walk: being a respectful and patient Spectator will go a long way to demonstrating the kind of sportsmanship we all want our kids to own.
• Cheer: applaud good plays by both your team and by members of the opposing team (Remember, the other Players and parents are also your North Shore neighbours!)
• Respect the FIFA Laws of the Game: never question the judgment of the Officials (including your Coaches, Manager, and Referees) during the game.

Sometimes we really feel the need to speak up. However, cornering your Coach on the field is not the best play. If want to talk to the Coach about your child’s development, please call and ask your Coach for a good time to discuss your concerns.

And of course, remember to maintain your naturally respectful manner – After all, our Officials and Referees are also volunteers, willingly providing their time and effort for the benefit of all our Players.

Also on this page - other stuff you really need to know! 

• MAPS & FIELD INFO
• F IELD LINERS
• INSURANCE
• PRACTICE AND GAME PREPARATION
• REGISTRATION FEES
• TEAM PHOTOS
• TIPS FOR TEAM ORGANIZATION
• UNIFORMS AND DRESS CODE
• NEIGHBOURHOOD PARK-WATCH
  

MAPS & FIELD INFO - Please see the following links for information on North Shore fields & facilities:

North Vancouver Field Location & Status

FIELD LINERS - see NVFC Field Lining for information regarding soccer field lining in North Vancouver.

PLEASE PUT THE LINERS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG! There is nothing more frustrating in soccer than finding that there are no liners in the shed and your game starts in ninety minutes. No doubt most coaches and assistants have had that experience at least once and have raced around from field to field looking for a liner.

In the Seymour area: field liners andwhiting are at presently kept in the Whiting Sheds at Myrtle Park, Parkgate Park, McCartney Parks, Blueridge Park, Inter-River lower,middle & upper& Seylynn Park.

In the Lynn Valley area: field liners and whiting are stored in the Whiting Sheds at Loutet, Kirkstone, Lynn Valley and Kilmer Parks.

In the Capilano area: field liners and whiting are stored in the Whiting Sheds at Cleveland, Eldon, Delbrook and Heywood Parks.

 

Guidelines for field lining:

DO:

• Pick up liners closest to field you are playing at and return the liners to same shed immediately so the next team can have use of liner.
• When lining fields, continue to line until the liner is empty.
• On wet days, bring a sharp object to unclog the liner.
• Contact the NVFC Equipment Director or Manager IF:
• There is a maintenance problem with a liner;
• You see a liner where it shouldn't be!
  

          NVFC Equipment Director:  wightman@telus.net

DO NOT:

• Leave liners with lining chalk in the hopper: the chauk will harden into something resembling cement.
• Put empty bags in the liner hoppers.
• Put full chalk bags in or on top of a liner to move them. Use a wheelbarrow if you cannot carry the bags.
• Kick, hammer, punch, or bounce a liner when it is clogged with chalk. Use your sharp object to dislodge and stir the clogged chalk.
• Leave empty chalk bags on fields or school grounds. Garbage bins are provided near the liner storage sheds.

FIELD of PLAY - For information & diagrams on how to line a field, please see the Fields & Maps page.

INSURANCE
Insurance claim forms and information can be found on the BC Soccer website at: BCSA Member Services - Insurance .

If you require proof of insurance, please download and print this Certificate of Insurance, as provided by All Sport Insurance Marketing Ltd.

PRACTICE AND GAME PREPARATION
Although teenage boys can probably metabolize a Mack truck full of pizza and hamburgers with no ill effects, it is widely accepted that a carbohydrate meal well before a game is most suitable for soccer players, so go easy on protein and fat intake before a game, and drink lots of fluids, preferably water. Please do not eat a big meal before a game or practice. It is best to have a good snack after school and then wait until after the practice for the family meal. This will enable your child to participate vigorously in any drills or games without any problems. Players should drink plenty of water before, during and after each game or practice. Bring your own water bottle to every game and practice.

REGISTRATION FEES

Ever wonder what your Registration Fees pay for??

Yes, fees do go up over time - we are subject to increases in our field & facilities costs, BCSA and CSA association fees, insurance costs, and the normal day-to-day life expenses we all face. 

To give you a better idea of what your fees cover, this classic pie chart is divided into these basic areas:

Blue - Operational Expenses:

• Fields & Faciliities – including North Vancouver Rec Commission AT and Grass fields; School District of North Vancouver SD44 Gravel fields and Gym rentals
• Uniforms & Equipment – including field liners & chaulk, soccer balls, nets, and storage facility rentals and insurance
• Photo Day – including a complementary team picture for every player, facilities rentals, photographer fees
• Club Administrator – our Full-time employee who keeps our Registration on track and our paper flowing

Yellow - Development (NSSDC costs; coaching training; ref training)

Green - Community (incl tournament fees here etc.)

Purple - Finances (incl bank costs, insurance fees to BCSA, registration systems and site maintenance etc) 

What we DON’T pay for:
The thousands and thousands of unpaid volunteer work hours that go into keeping our Club functioning! 

Thank you, again, to our Volunteers – we couldn’t make it without you!!

TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS
Your team photos are included in the cost of your registration. There is also the opportunity to purchase additional items, includings sports trading cards and magazine 'covers' featuring your fav player, and individual and team combo options.

Please be sure to have your Player at your scheduled photo shoot ON TIME! These sessions move along very fast!

TIPS FOR TEAM ORGANIZATION
The NVFC Soccer Association operates on a volunteer basis and each family will be called upon to play a role by selecting a job to be performed at some time during the season. These jobs include:

FIELD LINER: It is the home team"s responsibility to line the fields. This means that if your game is scheduled at 8:45 or 9:00 you will have to have the field lined and ready to play on. Some parents undertake to do this for the season which, if luck is on your side, would be 5 to 10 times depending on the game schedule. Other parents rotate the parents through the task once, usually in teams.

PHONE TREE: Many teams find that it works well to have the manager phone 3 or 4 parents who each in turn phone 3 or 4 specified other members of the team to pass on information. Other teams have found that a phone committee works better, with two or three parents calling the players to advise of games, field changes, etc.

LINESMAN: At games each team should supply one linesman to run the sidelines and help the referee. The referee will explain the requirements of the job if necessary. Only league linesmen call offsides. Club linesmen only signal if the ball is out of play - i.e. if the whole of the ball has crossed the end-lines or the sidelines.

FIRST AID: One person should be designated to maintain the first aid kit and medical records and bring the kit and forms, as well as ice, to all practices and games. All teams should have a basic first aid kit. Ice should be on hand at all games. A cost effective idea is to freeze water in paper cups and take one or two along in case of injury.

SOCIAL CONVENER: One person should be designated to organise team parties, parents" tables at the NVFC Dance, etc.

TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS: One person should be designated to organise the team for this event. Collect one filled out envelope per child. Prepare Master Sheet with envelopes attached in alphabetical order. Have team lined up in same order 10 minutes prior to photo shoot time. Hand over paperwork and team to photo organiser at shoot time.

EQUIPMENT MANAGER: One person should be designated to take responsibility for minimising the loss of equipment during the season, and report the condition of cones, balls, nets, corner flags when called upon.

HALF-TIME REFRESHMENT: One person should be designated to collect money and provide half-time refreshment for the players, or arrange a rotating schedule for this task.

TOURNAMENT ENTRY FEES
NVFC will reimburse tournament entry fees to a maximum of $250.00 once a year per team. See details on our Tournaments & Camps page .

UNIFORMS AND DRESS CODE

SHIN PADS, KNEE PADS AND GLOVES
Shin pads are mandatory for all age groups. Wear them to practices as well as games. Players will be ejected from the game unless they are wearing proper equipment. For Pee Wee games played on gravel fields, knee pads and gloves are highly recommended.

OFFICIAL CLUB UNIFORMS
The NVFC provides uniforms for use during the season at no charge over and above the annual registration fee. Only NVFC-issued uniforms may be worn to league and cup games, and tournaments, and the uniforms MUST be worn as issued - no replacement shorts of a different style or colour. Approved alternate uniforms have been purchased and are available in the event there is a colour clash for your next game.

Please contact the Uniforms manager (see the Executive list), or your age-group co-ordinator, to obtain these uniforms. Strict enforcement of this Dress Code has been called for by FIFA. The approximate cost of each uniform is in excess of $50 and represents a very significant cost to the Club. A number of rules about the care and use of uniforms are therefore important:

NVFC Club Uniforms are for game time only and they are not to be used for practices or other activities. They will not withstand running through the brambles or being worn to play street hockey.

Uniforms are to be cleaned before each game. Alternates are to be washed, folded and returned to your age-group co-ordinator. Do not put your uniform shorts and jersey in a clothes dryer as that can damage the fabric. Hang your uniform up to dry. It is imperative that this equipment, which is assigned to your team for use only by your team, BE RETURNED WHOLE AND IN RE-USABLE CONDITION AT THE END OF EACH SEASON. If any equipment is lost or damaged during the season, please advise the equipment manager.

All uniforms are to be returned to the uniform manager on specified return dates. These dates will be emailed to all teams at the end of the season. Mark on the box or the sheet (Uniform Content Sheet), the numbers of jerseys and sizes plus the number or shorts and their sizes. Please note any missing uniforms and who used that particular uniform.

The club will charge parents for lost or damaged property, and to prevent registration for a subsequent season if such charges are not paid. PARENTS: Since you are the ones paying the registration costs and any extra charges, it would obviously be in your financial best interests to encourage your son to respect Club property.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PARK-WATCH
The following is an explanation by the North Vancouver Recreation Commission of the Neighbourhood Park-Watch Program:
The soccer season is a long one, played over some of the foulest weather that our climate and geography can throw at us. Apart from sniffles and soggy socks, the main casualty is the wear and tear on our sensitive sand-turf (grass) fields. This is why practices are not permitted on grass after September 15. This is also why the grass fields in North Vancouver must occasionally be closed from play.

Every season, however, reports come our way that "someone" was playing or practising on a closed field. Unless they are casual users from the neighbourhood throwing a football, they should know better. Both the Recreation Commission Office and the District Parks department would like to be able to follow up with offending groups, but without identification, we usually have nothing to go on. Where there is a field closure, and you see a team practising on a grass field, please contact one of the following numbers:

Parks Department 604-986-9141
Control Centre 604-980-7575
North Vancouver Recreation Commission 604-983-6318

After hours, leave a message after the recording. The more information you can find out about the users, the better. A jersey, car bumper sticker, or even a business card on a dashboard may help us track the team or league down. No one is expected to enforce a field closure, so NEVER CONFRONT AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP. Needless to say, outright vandalism hurts us all, so your vigilance is important for the protection of our scarce resources. If you see vandalism occurring, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. Then call either of the following to hasten repairs:

Parks Department 604-986-9141
School District 44 604-987-8141
Fire Dept. Non Emergency604- 985-7575

FOR NON EMERGENCY PARK REPAIR
Please report any field damage which constitutes a dangerous situation to:
Donna Martin, Field Sport Administrator
North Vancouver Recreation Commission
600 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC  V7N 2L3
Tel: 604-983-6318 Fax: 604-984-4294