FAQs

THE TAUGHANNOCK SOCCER CLUB-
SUMMER CAMP

THE BASICS:

What happens in the event of bad weather?

Camp goes on, rain or shine. If the field becomes unplayable or the weather is dangerous (e.g., lightening), space has been reserved in the school buildings to temporarily house the campers until camp can resume. If the forecast is unsettled, campers should bring appropriate clothes in their backpack.

If weather forces cancellation of an entire day or days, make ups will be scheduled in the evenings and/or on the Saturday of the camp week. Because the coaches are committed to other camps the following week, no makeup time can be scheduled beyond Saturday. MLS will do everything possible to make up missed time within these constraints. Because the Club is financially obligated to MLS for the camp regardless of weather, the Club cannot issue refunds if weather interferes with normal camp operation.

Is it possible for a team to register and participate as a group?

That will be possible this year, but must be arranged through the team coach. If you are interested, your coach should email Bill Coon at wfcoon@yahoo.com, to discuss the requirements for participating as a team camp.

What is your cancellation policy?

· Requests for cancellation received by July 1: Refund less $35 (per family)

· July 1- start of camp: Refund at discretion of camp committee, and only for extraordinary circumstances

· Once camp starts: No refund for any reason

What is the camp’s tax identification number if I want to submit the camp fees under my employer’s dependent care expense reimbursement plan?

Use the tax ID number of the Taughannock Soccer Club, which is 412100198. If you need a receipt for these purposes, email rdg9@cornell.edu

ARRIVING AND DEPARTING:

What is the procedure for the first day of camp?

For all campers under age 16, a parent or other responsible adult MUST be present on the first day to sign in each camper. At the sign in, the responsible adult will be:

· asked to verify the camper’s emergency contact number(s) in the event the camp has to reach someone about the camper during the day

· reminded about the Pick-up Policy – see next question

· asked to verify any important medical info about camper (Epipens, allergies, etc.)

· given a phone number to reach someone at the camp in case of questions or need to contact the camper

· have the chance to sign a permission slip if you want a camper age 13 or under to be able to leave camp at the end of the day without an adult

What should I know about pick-up?

Half-day camp ends at 12:00; full-day camp ends at 3:00. A parent or other responsible person should walk out onto the field to pick up the camper. Feel free to come early and watch some of the camp!

For the safety of our children, no child age 13 or under will be permitted to leave the camp on his or her own unless the parent or responsible adult has signed a permission form.

PLEASE NOTE that there is a 15-minute grace period for pick-up after each camp. After that period, there is a charge of $1.00 per minute for late pick-up. This charge will have to be paid before the camper is permitted to participate in the next day’s camp.

What if I need to contact my child or someone at the camp during the day?

One of the reasons why the camp requires a parent or responsible adult to sign in the camper on the first day is to receive a phone number at which it will be possible to contact someone at the camp while camp is in session. It is equally important that camp personnel have a number at which we can reliably contact you during the day in the event we need to!

WHAT THE CAMP WILL BE LIKE:

What should campers plan to bring?

Required

· shin guards (no guards, no participation!)

· water bottle

· lunch for full-day campers

Recommended

· plenty of healthy snacks for all campers (campers will be active, and hungry!)

· a soccer ball

· sun screen and bug repellent

· backpack with extra clothes, depending on weather

Cleats are optional. PLEASE NOTE that metal cleats are not permitted for the safety of other campers.

Necklaces and earrings (including posts) should not be worn, for safety reasons.

Can campers buy food or drink at the camp?

Some organization – the PTO and/or a booster club – is likely to run a concession stand. Check the website closer to the camp date for further information on what’s available.

Campers will NOT be allowed to leave the camp during the day, so unless this option becomes available, any food campers need MUST be brought with them from home. We will provide drinking water refills, but campers should have a water bottle or other non-glass container.

What about bringing electronic games to camp?

We strongly advise against it for the simple reason of security. There will be more than 200 people coming and going over the course of the camp. Camp personnel will be busy supervising camp activities and transitions between camps. Games and other valuables, such as money, in backpacks are vulnerable at such times. Let’s not lead our kids into temptation!

PLEASE NOTE: Taughannock Soccer Club and MLS cannot guarantee the security of campers’ property and assumes NO liability for lost or stolen property

What is a typical camp day?

Half-day:

9:00-10:30 soccer theme/technique of the day, high energy fun and fast-paced games

10:30-11:00 snack break* and fun-filled activities which will have a different theme each day

11:00-12:00 games designed to work further on techniques learned at the beginning of the session

(*campers must supply own snacks)

Full-day:

9:00-10:30 warm-ups, high enthusiasm games which are all specific to the soccer-related theme of the day (e.g., Possession)

10:30-11:00 snack break* with skill activities

11:00-12:00 drills become more advanced and team play is introduced

12:00-12:35 lunch

12:40 – 2:00 team dynamics and position specific games

2:00 – 3:00 scrimmages within own and against other groups of same level

(*campers must supply own snacks)

What about first aid?

All the MLS coaches are trained in basic first aid, and first aid kits will be on site. Obviously, any more serious incident would be dealt with by calling the Trumansburg Fire & Rescue squad, who are fortunately housed within a short distance from the campus.

It is YOUR responsibility to give accurate information about any existing health issues on the medical information portion of the registration form.

When do we get the soccer ball and MLS t-shirt – and how will parents know how campers are doing with their skill development?

Campers will probably receive their soccer balls on the second day; t-shirts will be given out on the last day at the Graduation Ceremony along with other gifts.

Parents are always welcome to check in with coaches about their camper’s progress (although please be aware that, particularly after the morning session, coaches will still have responsibilities to full-day campers). At the end of the week, each camper will receive an individualized, written review that contains both a detailed assessment of individual skill areas and an overall evaluation.

What if the group to which my child is initially assigned is either too advanced, or too basic, for him or her?

Initial assignments will be made based on the information about coach and team you provide at registration. MLS coaches are trained specifically to assess and work with kids of different skill levels. If it looks like a camper is seriously misassigned, a change will be made if possible. However, we are committed to a small and equitable camper-coach ratio, and changes will depend on the relative size and composition of the various groups.

When might my child be asked to leave the Camp?

All campers are expected to conform to the TSC Code of Conduct. The Code will be distributed to campers and discussed with them the first day.

Violations of the Code may result in the camper being required to sit out portions of the camp. Violations that endanger the camper or others, or that disrupt camp operations, may result in the camper being excluded from the camp entirely, without refund.

COACH HOUSING:

We volunteered to house a coach. When will we hear about that?

Thanks for volunteering! Housing the coaches not only can be a great experience for families but also helps keep the costs of the camp down. During June, we will sort out how many host families we need. We will contact every family who volunteered, to accept your offer, to ask you to be on standby, or let you know that we’re grateful but probably won’t need your housing this year.

© 2006 TSC