Nelson Soccer Association Rep Team Manager’s Handbook
Thank you for volunteering as a Rep Team Manager and supporting Nelson Rep Soccer. Being a manager of a rep team is an important role and contributes to the success of our rep teams and the program as a whole. The manager will work with the coaches and act as the liaison between them and the parents. Your knowledge, support, and commitment with the team is an integral part of the Rep program. A good team manager becomes a vital source of information for the players, parents and coaches. This manual will help you understand the duties and responsibilities of being a team manager.
Once again, thank you very much for taking on this vital role with Nelson Soccer Association!
Roles, Responsibilities, and Duties
Communication
Managers are the liaison between parents and the coaches. If directed, the manager can organize parent meetings as well as communicate information through Team SNAP (Team has to pay for membership), Power Up, WhatsApp or email.
Parents should be kept up to date with:
- Any changes to upcoming games or practices
- Tournaments: accommodation, schedules, locations, cost.
- Volunteer duties
- Any concerns the coaches/organization might have.
- Team SNAP / Power Up / WhatsApp:
- Parents, Coaches and Team officials must download whichever app the team chooses. There is a cost for Team SNAP that must be covered by the team.
- This is the REP programs mainline of communication. Managers may update player information, including jersey numbers and pictures.
- Players are not to use it as a social network; it is meant for team business only and communication about REP.
Manager Binder (Supplied by NSA)
Should include but not limited to:
- Player ID Card: Anyone who is on the bench must have one: players, coaches, managers, and Brett. Blank player cards can be picked up from the office. Managers are responsible for taking individual pictures (1″ x 1″) of each individual that might be on the bench.
- Medical release and Player code of Conduct forms:
- Have all players and parents fill out and sign the Player Code of Conduct form. Note: Completed/signed forms must be returned to the manager prior to the first tournament. You may have to send out reminders if a tournament is approaching and not all forms are back.
- Send out a link to the fillable Medical Release Form to all the parents. Note: Completed forms must be returned to the manager prior to the first tournament.
- Rep Policy, Manager handbook, Concussion Policy, Incident report forms.
- A list of players’ names, jersey numbers, birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, emergency contacts, allergy alerts.
Registration
Managers with direction from the coaches, are responsible for registering their team(s) for Tournaments. 2 tournaments are included in the Rep fees.
- Nelson TWT and Cranbrook Rover Classic are the ONLY mandatory tournaments and those fees are included in the Rep fees.
- If coaches choose to go to more tournaments, managers will be responsible for registering the team, collecting fees, and paying. NSA admin will not be involved with any additional tournaments. *If your team chooses to go to the USA for tournaments see below for details.*
Out of Country Tournaments and Travel
USA tournaments require travel insurance through BC soccer. Application for this is a lengthy process as it must be approved by NSA, then the district, BC soccer, and finally Canada Soccer. This can take up to 30 days.
- Fill out travel form from BC soccer website and send to nsa@nelsonsoccer.ca.
- The manager will be given “travel papers” by the executive Director prior to travel. These travel papers MUST be given to the tournament directors at tournament check-in, good idea to place in your binder for safekeeping.
- Each child traveling must have two pieces of ID, one being a photo ID or a passport. If the player is traveling with someone other than his/her parent, they must have a letter from all guardians giving permission for travel (more details can be found on the board services website).
Tournament Accommodation
Discuss with coaches when picking hotels. It’s nice if all our Nelson teams can stay at the same location. (Especially at Provincials)
- Book blocks of rooms at hotels for tournaments.
- Many hotels will give discounted rates.
- Families may choose alternative accommodation and that’s okay for most tournaments.
- Make sure to send out reminders letting families know what hotel you have chosen, and be clear on the deadlines to book, as hotels will only hold the block of rooms for so long.
- Some tournaments might have affiliated hotels they require teams to use, in this case look at the tournament information page for more details. (ex. Kelowna Ice Breaker, Provincials).
Tournaments/Competitions Duties
(BRING BINDER TO EVERY TOURNAMENT/COMPETITION)
- Sign/Check in:
- Check in at tournaments must be done a minimum of 1 hour prior to the first game. Some tournaments may have the open check in the day prior to the tournament.
- Hand in team roster: which should include all information on the rep ID cards. Also include team manager(s) and coaching staff. Complete any other forms required.
- Confirm schedule, game times, field locations, and amenities. (Communicate this with your team).
Nutrition and Hydration
- Managers can discuss with coaches and parents if they want to provide half time snacks. Like house soccer a parent snack schedule can be developed or managers may collect a reasonable fee from each parent and take this task on themselves.
- Water: All players should come with a full water bottle. Managers should bring an extra water cooler to ensure players stay well hydrated, especially in hot weather. (Spray bottles are a nice touch).
Equipment
- Coaches bag includes: first aid kit, ice packs, cones, pinnies, white board and markers.
- Coaches may ask you to help restock. (This can be done at the field house prior to tournaments, usually during rep practice).
- Tote for tournaments should include but not limited to:
- Manager Binder with all essential paperwork.
- Blankets and towels to sit on, tarps are nice if it’s wet.
- Kleenex, paper towel, hand sanitizer.
- Pens, pencils, scissors.
- Plastic bags for garbage, ziplocks for ice.
Tent and Benches
For tournaments, collect from NSA field house.
- Can be delegated to other parents.
- Some tournaments require teams to bring them, some supply them.
Nelson Terry Walgren Memorial Tournament & Jamboree (May 5-8 2026)
Managers can reach out to team members to communicate duties.
- For the Nelson tournament in May, shifts in the concession are required for EVERY team.
- The Concession Manager will be organizing the “master” schedule and call with your team’s times to fill. This won’t happen until the tournament schedule is made, so you won’t be working at the concession when your team is playing.
- Volunteers for TWMT will be required in other capacities as well, set up, take down, etc.
Managers of U14-U18 Teams ONLY: Provincials and Playdowns
Between the ages of U14 and U18, teams can qualify for entry into the Provincial Championship. Nelson teams generally compete in the Les Sinnott Memorial Boys Provincial B Cup, and Girls Provincial B Cup. Date and location TBA.
Playdowns are games played to qualify for Provincials. Only one team in each age division participates from each region (we are the Kootenay Region). Once a team commits to competing in playdowns, they are committed to the Provincial Cup for that season.
- Each district in the Kootenay Region that has a rep program participates in playdowns.
- How it works: if there are U14G teams in Kootenay South, Cranbrook and Nelson, all three teams would compete in playdowns; the winning team would then go on to compete at Provincials. If there are no other teams in an age category in the region to play, then the team automatically gets a spot at provincials.
- Playdowns this year will be held the first weekend in June, in Nelson (Boys) and Castlegar (Girls). This can vary from year to year between Nelson, Castlegar & Cranbrook. Dates to be confirmed by mid May.
Manager Tasks for Playdowns and Provincials
See BC Soccer Website for more information.
Youth Provincial Championship Rules and Regulations: View Here
- Collect $400.00 signed deposit form from each player:
- Once teams for provincials have been confirmed, managers are to collect a form from each player allowing NSA to charge the credit card on file. You can assure parents credit cards will only be charged if a player drops out of provincials without an approved absence before May 1st.
- A handwritten letter from a player/parents can be submitted before May 1st requesting absence from Provincials.
- There are occasions where a player cannot attend Provincials because of injury. Season ending injury must be accompanied by a doctor’s note.
- Rosters:
- Team rosters must be submitted to the Rep director by May 1st. Complete official team rosters must be submitted to the BC Soccer offices no later than June 1st.
- Rosters must contain all players who will participate in the provincial playdowns and the Provincial B cup competition.
- Team rosters must consist of a minimum of 14 registered players. The maximum roster size is 20 players.
- No new registrations or transfers are permitted after June 1st.
- Player Pick Up: Request forms will be distributed to managers for this purpose, if required.
- Pick up forms must be submitted to BCSA offices at least 14 days prior to the Provincial Cup. Pick up forms must be submitted to the Rep Directory. A picked up player must be the same age or younger than the replaced player and be registered to play in that team’s district.
- Teams may pick up a maximum of three (3) players to replace players registered with the Team Roster who are unable to take part in the Provincial Championships.
- Team Officials (Coaches/Managers/Technical director):
- For all Provincial Cups, a maximum of five (5) team officials shall be listed on the team roster.
- Only team officials listed on the Official Team Roster in COMET are eligible to be on the team bench and in the team technical area during the game.
- All team officials must have a current BC Soccer Photo Identification Card, and photo uploaded into competitions management system.
Competition Management Expert System (COMET) – MANDATORY!
- Download the APP. Upload PHOTOS.
- ID Cards: All players and team officials will be required to have a photo uploaded into COMET. This will be checked by the referee before each match. Electronic forms of ID cards must be officially validated by the league or club the team participates within.
- Club Kits: Include NSA Rep colors (Navy blue shorts, socks, and Navy Blue and White Jerseys). All players must have 2 colored jerseys to choose from.
- Accommodations/Host Hotel obligations:
- All teams competing in Provincial Championship are obligated to stay at the host hotel(s).
- Ideally all Nelson teams will stay at the same hotel.
- The host of the competition will block a minimum of 8 hotel rooms per team. TBA.
- If teams do not fulfill the obligation to stay at the host hotels NSA could be fined.
We appreciate all our managers! Thank you for your hard work and commitment to your team and the Rep soccer program!
