HOW HAS KMC DISTRICT PREPARED FOR TRAINING DURING COVID-19?

KMC District Soccer Club, ProSoc GmbH, & US Youth Soccer consider the health and safety of our members and their families our top priority. All training will be carried out under the precondition of the DOSB (German Olympic Sports Confederation) guard rails. We have taken the following steps to deal with the coronavirus (formally known as COVID-19), and will remain consistent with Federal, State, and Federation guidance

– A hygiene officer has been appointed by ProSoc Academy, who is responsible for all concerns and inquiries regarding the resumption of training.
– All Coaches and responsible club employees are trained in the requirements for training operations and the measures of the club
– Documentation of training participation will be collected and all members will sign an agreement stating that they understand the rules for training and agree to follow them before they are allowed to participate in training.
– Protocols have been established to maintain the six (6) foot physical distance among participants, where possible, and between youth, adult leaders and coaches, and parents or other spectators.
– One half of the training space will be used by a maximum of one training group. The training times are to be organized so that a meeting of several training groups is avoided as best as possible
– Players can have access to the fields only when their team is scheduled for practice.
– Limit, where possible, physical contact among participants. No physical greeting rituals, including handshakes/high fives before or during training.
– Wash hands (at least 30 seconds and with soap) before and immediately after the training session.
– Players must bring their own beverage bottle; Players must not share cups, water bottles or other items
– Accompanying spectators are not recommended during training and should be avoided if possible.
– The shared use of changing rooms and showers is suspended for the time being.
– Access to toilets and wash basins with soap will be available. Only one person will be allowed in the bathroom at a time.
– The catering areas, social and community rooms of the clubs remain closed
– Players must avoid spitting and blowing their nose on the field.
– EVERYONE must leave the training area immediately after training; NO showering at the training grounds

We will continue to monitor COVID-19 and will provide updates to you with any and all changes.

1. WHO IS KMC DISTRICT SOCCER?
Answer: We are a private non-profit organization which provides developmental and competitive soccer to train and develop U.S. citizens and U.S. citizenship-eligible youth soccer players under the age of 18 in the Kaiserslautern Military Community and surrounding areas. For example, kids of military, civilian, and contractors can all play for KMC. We are not part of the Department of Defense, and we do not have government status. Our district is the largest district in Southern Germany affiliated with the United States Youth Soccer Europe (USYSE) program. We will follow our trilogy of success, developing American soccer players, coached by professional coaches from ProSoc Academy (PSA), and competing in a competitive German Soccer League (DFB). Our program is focused on development, addressing the skills of all our players. We also strive to prepare every competitive player to be able to play at the next level. We play a ten month season and move indoors for the winter months.

2. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KMC AND A VILLAGE TEAM?
Answer: Before we answer that question. The first question that needs to be addressed is; what is your child(s) goal in playing soccer. What is their dream? To play for fun, develop into a soccer player, play competitively? KMC is focused on promoting a positive environment for players to reach their fullest potential on and off the field via through developmental and competitive soccer. At the same time, we want to make soccer a pleasant, safe, and rewarding experience for everyone involved.
The main difference between KMC and a Village team is that KMC provides Professional Coaches, through our partners ProSoc Academy. Our coaches are either highly licensed or former professional players, and are all fluent in English. Secondly, players on our developmental teams are guaranteed equal playing time to foster their development. In contrast, Village soccer coaches are typically volunteers and not necessarily licensed coaches. In regards to development, it is the German practice to have unlimited numbers of players on a team, however, only an allotted number is allowed to dress for games. We have had quite a few families who have left their German village teams to come to KMC because their children trained for an entire season, or more, and never got to play in o a game. Lastly, due to the use of professional coaches and our partnerships with USYS, KMC’s fees are higher than those of a Village team.

3. WHAT ARE KMC’S FEES?
Answer: The KMC District Soccer membership fee is €170 and is nonrefundable. The fee breaks down as follows: 50€ for the uniform, equipment, tournaments, admin fees, and indoor facilities; €40 for US Youth Soccer Europe membership; €80 for the US Youth Soccer Europe e.V fees, which include field rental, player card, and insurance. For more information, please see the KMC Registration Fee Breakdown fact sheet KMC 2019-2020 Registration Fee Breakdownv1.xlsx (prosocacademy.com). Once a player registers with KMC District, he/she will receive an email invitation to register with ProSoc for training. ProSoc Academy fees are separate from the KMC District registration fee and specific to the team the player is assigned. A tutorial on how to register with ProSoc is located at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcLEbX-iZZQ&feature=youtu.be.b.

4. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KMC’S DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPETITIVE TEAMS?
Answer: Developmental teams are focused on improving every player’s skills and abilities. Each player is guaranteed equal playing time. U7 and U9 programs follow a developmental strategy. Competitive and semi-competitive teams are more focused on team advancement. This means players will have to earn play time. U11 and up programs support a more competitive approach. These age groups typically have multiple teams at each age group with team 1 being competitive and teams 2 and 3 being semi-competitive. Semi-competitive means these teams are focused on both player development and team advancement.

5. HOW DOES KMC CONDUCT EVALUATIONS?
Answer: Evaluations are open to all players from U7 to high school. There are multiple ways to be evaluated. During the season, new players can be evaluated during a regular season practice at the age level of that particular player. During the off season (summer), prospective players can attend one of the scheduled evaluation dates or they can participate in one of ProSoc Academy’s camps or the Summer Session trainings where they can be evaluated by coaches. Evaluation dates are posted on the KMC’s homepage. To be evaluated, the player should contact the Board via email, facebook message, or phone call to schedule the evaluation

6. HOW ARE TEAMS SELECTED?
Answer: The Director of Coaching (DOC) and the coaches evaluate players and make team assignments. The DOC and the coaches continually monitor player performance during all training and games. They make all decisions regarding team placement. The DOC and the coaches can move players between teams at any time during the season. Typically, player movement occurs during transitional times of the program: changing from outdoor to indoor and again from indoor to outdoor. If the DOC and the coach deem it necessary to move a player, they will inform parents. They may ask for a meeting to discuss player performance and movement and may share the development plan for the player. This decision isstrictly made by the DOC and the coaches.

7. DOES KMC REQUIRE VOLUNTEER HOURS?
Answer: Yes. Each KMC family will be required to provide Ten (10) hours (5 completed in the Fall ; 5 completed in the Spring) of Club service (August 2020-June 2021) PER FAMILY. Families will have the option of paying a Service Fee in lieu of the Ten (10) hours of Club service. The fee is €100.00. A fee of €10 per hour will be charged for any hour not fulfilled. Unfulfilled Fall hours fees are due NLT 15 December 2020; Unfulfilled Spring hours fees are due NLT 15 May 2020

8. WHAT COMES WITH THE KMC UNIFORM?
Answer: We follow the German process for uniforms. Players will be given their uniform the day of the game and will return it immediately after the game. No changes or alterations to the uniforms can be made. Players not wearing the correct uniform at games will not be allowed to play. The DFB will levy fines to our club for not wearing the correct uniform. ProSoc will provide two training shirts that should be worn to team training. A volunteer parent will wash the uniforms after each game and return them to the coach or team parent prior to the next match.