Peterborough City Soccer Association
2150 Ashburnham Drive K9L 1P8 Peterborough, ON, Canada

August 24 Newsletter - from the PCSA Board of Directors We hope you and your families are staying healthy and safe. 2020 Season... Although the Ontario Government and Ontario Soccer announced that amateur teams can begin training in small groups, there is no clear, safe and effective path to play inter-club competitive games any time soon. In consultation with our district association, and with the health and safety of players foremost in mind, PCSA (in unison with all amateur soccer clubs in the district) made the decision on June 15 to cancel the remainder of the 2020 outdoor playing season. 2021 Tryouts Ontario Soccer has confirmed that open tryouts, such as we normally hold in September each year, are not permitted under phase two of Return to Play guidelines. Therefore PCSA is obligated to postpone tryouts until a later date. If conditions allow, tryouts and orientation will be scheduled in the spring of 2021. 2020-2021 Academy PCSA considered the feasibility of commencing Academy training in the fall of 2020. There are, unfortunately, several obstacles that preclude this, including: - The Ontario Soccer insurance policy for players and coaches does not cover claims due to COVID-19 and private insurance is not available, leaving the club, directors and team officials with the potential burden of liability arising from any COVID-related legal action; - School gym permits have been suspended; - All soccer activity in our District (ECOSA) remains suspended. Given these considerations, the PCSA Board has regretfully decided that the PCSA Academy will be suspended until 2021. The Board will continue to monitor the evolving situation and assess the possibility of resuming the Academy early in 2021. --

Inspiring story about hard work, dedication and the joy of soccer. Way to go Hussein!

Reminder: August 1st deadline for Mark Forster Scholarships & Hogan Awards August 1 is the application deadline for two important PCSA programs: - Mark Forster Scholarship applications... - Joanne and Mark Hogan Award nominations The Mark Forster Scholarship will be of interest to current Peterborough City players who are set to begin their first year of post-secondary studies at a Canadian college or university in the fall. The Joanne and Mark Hogan Award is presented annually to one male and one female Peterborough City youth player best representing skill in soccer, commitment to the game, team and club and team leadership. Any Peterborough City youth player can be nominated for this award by a member of the Board, the coaching staff, or their peers. Learn more and apply for the Forster Scholarship: https://www.pcsasoccer.com/mark-foster-scholarship/ Learn more and nominate someone for the Hogan Award: https://www.pcsasoccer.com/joanne-mark-hogan-award/

Team Head Coaches and Technical Coaches for 2021 Season - Apply Now Peterborough City Soccer Association is accepting applications for Head Coaches for the 2021 season for all age divisions from U9 to U18 boys and girls as well as U21 and Senior Men’s and Women’s teams. The club is also accepting applications for technical coaches. The application deadline is Monday August 10, 2020 at 6 p.m.... Please go to the Position Opportunities page for details: https://www.pcsasoccer.com/position-opportunities-at-pcsa/ Photo credit: Alnis Dickson

New Director of Coaching (DOC) Appointed Following the recent open competitive application and interview process, the PCSA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Biren Patel as the Director of Coaching for a two year term. A long time Peterborough resident, Biren brings many years of coaching, volunteering, administrative and business experience to the position. He is an enthusiastic adherent and supporter of Long Term Player Development. He is committe...d to seeing our young athletes, as well as our senior players, continue to grow, develop and thrive in the game of soccer. We are excited about the many ideas that he plans to implement when soccer resumes. Biren took on the role of DOC in February on an interim basis.

Letter from PCSA President Dan Moore: 2020 OUTDOOR SEASON IS CANCELLED We hope you and your families are staying healthy and safe.... Although the Ontario Government announced that Outdoor Amateur Team Sports can begin training in specific regions of the province, there is no clear, safe and effective path forward that will allow players onto the field any time soon. Following the suggestion of our district association, and with the health and safety of players foremost in mind, PCSA (in unison with all amateur soccer clubs in the district) has decided to cancel the remainder of the 2020 outdoor playing season. Other considerations that led to this decision include: - The City of Peterborough will not issue field permits - The Ontario Soccer insurance policy for players and coaches does not cover claims due to Covid-19 - The leagues in which our teams play have not been able to provide a schedule due to a host of uncertainties - Many of the clubs in our loop have already cancelled their season The suspension of all PCSA soccer activity, which began on March 13, remains in effect for the remainder of the 2020 outdoor season. Registered players will receive a partial refund based on expenses already incurred and on cost savings that result from the cancellation. It will take some time to calculate the amount of the refund for each division pending input from the leagues. The club will contact the members directly as soon as all the relevant details are available.

INCHING CLOSER TO REOPENING The Ontario Government announced that Outdoor Amateur Team Sports can begin training in specific regions of the province, effective Friday, June 12. This includes the Peterborough region. There are a few more hurdles to cross before we will see players on the field, but we are moving closer. See below for more information: --... The Ontario Government announced that Outdoor Amateur Team Sports can begin training in specific regions of the province, effective Friday, June 12. This includes the Peterborough region, but not Durham, York or Toronto. Ontario Soccer plans to share its Return to Play Guide Protocols and Recommendations with clubs in the coming days. In addition to compliance with the Ontario Soccer protocols, we are also waiting for an announcement from the City regarding opening of the soccer fields before team training can commence. If you would like to read the latest Ontario Soccer information bulletins + Updates on COVID-19 Impacted Activities and FAQ’s, please follow the link to their COVID-19 Updates page: https://www.ontariosoccer.net//sh/5697170-covid-19-updates

Director of Coaching Position Apply Now Peterborough City Soccer Association is accepting applications for Director of Coaching. This will be for a two-year appointment starting July 1st. The application deadline is Saturday June 20, 2020. Please go to the Position Opportunities page for details: https://www.pcsasoccer.com/position-opportunities-at-pcsa/

Volunteer of the Year Dale Bolton The PCSA Board announces Dale Bolton as the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award for 2019. Dale has served as Club Treasurer for many years, as well as making a tremendous contribution to the club in numerous other ways. She is always ready to pitch in when something needs doing. Dale is also active in the broader soccer community, with a focus on youth. Thank-you for all that you do Dale!!!

Letter from Club President Dan Moore: Dear PCSA players, parents and coaches, On behalf of the board of directors, I wanted to provide an update on the status of the summer soccer season during these unusual times. ... The PCSA board would like to thank you for your patience in the face of so much uncertainty. We are guided by the provincial and municipal authorities, Canadian and Ontario soccer associations, and our leagues. The possible resumption of soccer is very much out of our hands. There are contingency plans at the various levels sketching out possible scenarios, but they are dependent on many variables that change on a daily basis. The probability is impossible to calculate. We are mindful that the economic situation is difficult for families. Should the season be cancelled, we are committed to equitably refund each participant whatever unspent funds remain, e.g. the funds set aside for field and referee costs, etc. Preseason expenses like training facilities and uniforms are already money spent, so the refund would reflect that. All uniforms were ordered in January and February and were received by the club in March. We have stored them until we can safely distribute them. If the season does proceed, it will be compressed; however, the number of fixtures will depend on a number of unforeseeable factors. This could reduce some expenses, but we cannot with any certainty calculate savings until a decision is made by the leagues and associations in partnership with government authorities. In the event that the season progresses, we would have to assess the viability of a refund, depending on the fees incurred. Without a crystal ball, we can only hope that whatever the decisions from above dictate, we will all remain safe and the effects will be minimized. We humbly request that you remain patient in the face of so much uncertainty, and we hope to retain the trust you have placed in the club. We will do all we can. For now, however, we must wait until the many decisions out or our control are made. Rest assured we will act swiftly and decisively when this happens. On behalf of the PCSA board, Best regards, Dan Moore President PCSA

An interesting read... https://positivecoach.org//dealing-with-disappointment-du/

ALL SOCCER ACTIVITIES CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE In response to concern about the spread of COVID-19, Ontario Soccer has directed that all soccer related activity be suspended until further notice. This includes competitions, training, education sessions and team building activities. As a result, PCSA has suspended all soccer activity until further notice. ... Remember to keep up your cardio and touches on the ball during this period. The backyard or nearest park is your new best friend (maintaining six feet of physical distancing of course). YouTube has many, many simple training videos and ideas to keep up touches on the ball. Here's one of my solo workout classics that combines ball touches with fitness. Start with a five minute warm-up (e.g. light jog) then do the 30-minute workout. When finished, drink chocolate milk (or some sort of protein) within 15-20 minutes to help with muscle recovery. It may seem simple but it works! https://www.onlinesocceracademy.com//soccer-training-sessi

2019 Hogan Award Winner Announced Congratulations to Eden Hazeldine (U14 Girls), winner of the 2019 Hogan Award! This award is made annually to the Peterborough City youth player best representing skill in soccer, commitment to the game, team and club and team leadership. The award honours the memory of PCSA U12 player Mark Hogan and his mother Joanne who were killed in an automobile accident in 1999. Eden was presented with the award by PCSA president Dan Moore during a break in Academy training at the Spiplex on February 18th, 2020.

Becoming a Referee If you are 12 years of age or older on 31 March 2020, you might want to consider becoming a referee. It could be the right call and get you involved in a pastime that you can enjoy for a lifetime. The Peterborough Youth Soccer Club hosts several certification courses for new referees before the start of the outdoor season. You can find out how to get involved by visiting our Referees page: https://www.pcsasoccer.com/referees/