FAQ
This page has general information on playing soccer with EMSA West. For more specific information on registration or coaching, please click on the links below.
What equipment does my child need to play soccer?
Shorts, socks, athletic shoes (indoor or outdoor cleats at your discretion), and shin pads are mandatory.
Where do you find your schedule?
Indoor:
U4 – U5: see the EMSA West website
U7 – U19: see the EMSA Main website
Outdoor:
U4 – U11: see the EMSA West website
U13 – U19: see the EMSA Main Website
The season has started and I have some concerns about the way my child’s coach speaks to the kids. Is there anything I can do?
EMSA West strives to have only the best coaches for our children. Please remember all coaches are volunteers. We have more than 300 head coaches and 600 assistant coaches and managers, each with their own personalities, which may occasionally lead to conflict. Please report all concerns to your community coordinator.
My child’s coach is clearly not playing my child as much as the other players. I don’t think this is fair. Is there anything I can do about this?
Yes. The first thing you should do is approach the coach in a respectful manner and discuss your concerns with him/her. If you are not satisfied with the coach’s response or if the situation does not change, please talk to your community coordinator.
Our policy, philosophy and bylaws state that each child must and shall play equally. In other words, “you pay the same, you play the same”. It is our position that not playing a player equally is detrimental to the child’s self-confidence and self-esteem.
There are exceptions to this rule, including but not limited to injury/sickness, a discipline issue, or the team only has one designated goalkeeper (in this case, the Coach is allowed to keep this player in goal the entire game).
Player/Coach Cards. Who needs one, and where do you get one?
Card information can be found on the EMSA Main website.
How much does a community league membership cost?
Memberships vary based on the community. Visit the Edmonton Federation of Community League website for further information.
I always thought that soccer would be such a cheap game to play. After all, you only need a ball. Where does my registration fee go?
It would be nice if you only needed a ball. Unfortunately, there is much more to running a comprehensive soccer program for community and competitive soccer. Besides purchasing soccer balls (10-16 per team), your registration money also goes towards equipment bags, nets, flags, cones, first-aid kits, player jerseys, lining the fields, field paint, medals, trophies, referee fees, photo-copying, computer and office equipment, website, email, office overhead, salary for full-time staff, volunteer appreciation, coach training/ASA course, and appreciation nights. There is also insurance, Edmonton Minor Soccer Association, Alberta Soccer Association and Canada Soccer Association fees.
We save a small fortune in salary because every person on our Executive Board is a volunteer who gives hundreds of hours of their time each season. Our Executive Board has the responsibility to ensure that all registration fees are kept to a minimum and that all expenditures are justified. We also apply for every available grant to help us subsidize our program to keep costs down.
We are a not-for-profit registered society governed by the Societies Act, and our books are audited each year.
Your Executive Board sounds like a really good group of people, who are really contributing to the community and area. How do I get involved?
We are always looking for volunteers to help us in the office, act as Field Marshals at tournaments, help out with equipment handouts, etc. If you have some time and want to contribute some energy to a good cause, simply send us an email or give us a call at (780) 451-6453.
Our Annual General Meetings are held in November each year, and virtually every position is open for election each year. If you are running for a position on our Executive Board, you should first find out a little about the position that you are running for. We certainly don’t want to scare anyone off, but before you take a key position on our Executive Board, make sure that you can do what the job requires and that you will have the time to meet those commitments.
Is EMSA West a for-profit organization?
EMSA West is a not-for-profit organization run by a volunteer board of directors.
Not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs) do not earn profit for their owners. All money earned through pursuing business activities or through donations goes right back into running the organization.
What is EMSA West’s primary source of income?
EMSA West runs two tournaments each year: the Slush Cup (February) and the Slurpee Cup (June). The income from them covers staff wages and helps subsidize programs.
How are soccer fees comprised?
- EMSA Fee: Fixed Costs, ASA/CSA Fee, field and or field marking, referee fees (age and season dependant)
- Zone Fee: includes, but is not limited to, Zone Fixed Costs, field and or field marking, referee fees (age and season dependent)
- Fixed cost: a cost that does not change with an increase or decrease in the amount of goods or services produced or sold. Fixed costs are expenses that have to be paid by a company, independent of any specific business activities.
- Community Fee: any additional costs need to host a soccer program.
Why am I charged an Admin Fee this season when asking to cancel my registration before the season starts?
As mentioned above, the zone has fixed costs, and this fee covers the credit card fee charged by our provider.