Soccer Challenge Guidelines - Council Level
The council Soccer Challenge chairman should follow these guidelines:
• Always use the program’s official name: Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge.
• Order the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge kit (#SC-Kit).
• Set a time and place. Contact schools, community centers or youth centers and reserve a soccer field. Ask local sports teams, colleges or universities to work with your council on the Soccer Challenge Championship as part of their community outreach program. While September is the month for conducting a council competition, councils can should be flexible and work around the schedules of local school’s teams. All local competitions should be held so that the winners can participate in the district competitions.
• Contact the schools in your area to explain the program. Seek permission of the principals, athletic directors, and superintendents to conduct the program as part of their physical education or intramural program, or ask for an endorsement encouraging students to participate in this community sports program. High school athletes should be reminded to check with their state high school athletic association/athletic director about possible eligibility conflicts. Contact officials from the town recreation department or local youth soccer leagues to promote the competition among their players. Teams and schools can hold preliminary competitions to determine winners by age groups to advance to the council competition. Make sure that entry forms/score sheets are distributed in advance to the officials of the leagues or coaches of the teams.
• Display Soccer Challenge posters prominently to generate attention and participation. Ask to display posters in elementary schools, middle or junior high schools, youth centers, church halls, libraries, Boys & Girls clubs, shopping centers, YMCA and YWCA buildings and the council meeting place. On the poster indicate the name of the contact person; the date, time and location of the competition; and a telephone number to call for additional information. Supplement these posters with newspaper ads, radio and TV spots and other publicity.
• Preregistration of athletes will boost the number of participants and save time at the actual event. Distribute entry forms/score sheets to approved locations. Personally deliver entry forms/score sheets to physical education teachers and coaches when possible. Try to collect completed forms and proof-of-age documents before the competition to get a general estimate on the number of participants. Plan the competition based on these numbers. Have an announcement made in school or send out a reminder of the competition immediately before the event. Be ready to accept entry forms/score sheets from walk-in participants on the day of the competition.
• Cash or bonds must not be awarded at any level of competition since that may compromise the amateur status of the contestant.
• Build public interest. Use the sample press release to announce the competition in local newspapers and through radio announcements. Always use the program’s official name: Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge.
• Conduct the competition by the rules. Plan to open the field an hour before the actual event to allow for the registration of walk-in participants. Organize entry forms/score sheets by age and gender. Make a final check of equipment and see that the regulation-size soccer balls are available and that the 12-yard penalty lines are clearly marked. Verify that judges and scorers have been properly advised of their duties and responsibilities. Use the entry form/score sheet to record each participant’s score. This form, and proof of age, must accompany each competitor as he or she progresses through the higher levels of competition. All council-level participants will compete during the scheduled hours of the competition and under the same conditions as all other competitors. No participants should be allowed to compete at any other time.
• Present Participation Certificates (#4573) to all participants, and Council Champion Certificates (#4575) to the winners at the end of the competition. The Soccer Challenge Kit contains seventy-five Certificates for competitors and ten champions' certificates.
• The Supreme Council Supply Department has plaques, prizes, and promotional items available which are suitable for council champions. These items include regulation-size soccer balls, glow-in-the-dark miniature balls, plaques, and trophies all bearing the K of C logo.
• Personalize the sample press release announcing the council winners and send copies to local and diocesan newspapers and radio stations.
• Immediately following your council’s championship, the grand knight must complete and submit the Soccer Challenge Participation Form (#4567). This feedback provides valuable statistics for participation and an overall assessment of the program. Include the number of participants in the council’s competition as well as the number who participated in any preliminary school or league competitions.
• Provide the entry forms/score sheets and the proof of age for the council winners to the district deputy for the district competition. Inform council competition winners of the date, time and location of the district competition and any other levels of competition to which they are advancing.
• Be sure that a council official accompanies council winners to all upcoming competitions as they advance. In the event that a winner in any level cannot participate in the next level of competition, the second-place winner should represent the area.