HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER of the Metro DC-VA Soccer Association
1) From the MDCVSA Bylaws -- Any organization desiring to become member of this Association shall submit a written letter to the President, explaining why they wish to join. The applicant shall include with the letter, copies of its charter or articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules, regulations, any rules of play, and/or any other governing documents appropriate to understanding the structure and activities of the organization. This can be done via email to:
mdcvsaprez@gmail.com
2) Registration Data must be submitted for all of the players in your league. It is extremely important (and required) that each league submit the required player information for all of its players. Incomplete data will not be accepted. To help leagues comply with the electronic registration requirements, we have posted an Electronic Registration Template form (using Microsoft Excel®) to the web site.
Registration Excel Data Spreadsheet
3) Payment should be submitted with a League Remittance Form.
The use of the Remittance Form will make it easier to keep track of the number of registered players so that we can, in turn, ensure that all appropriate fees are being paid to the USASA. Please do not send payment until our Registrar has had a chance to review your Data, and account for duplicates or any mistakes, to give you an accurate number for payment, and in turn, send you a remittance form. The league must register and pay for all of its players.
4) A league affiliation form will also need to be completed and submitted. This form lists the league's officers and contact information.
Please complete all of the information requested in the cells that are shaded in gray. This form helps us keep in touch with league officers and lets us know what information can be posted on our web site. This form also lets each league tell us about its seasonal schedule (such as whether the league plays in the fall, winter, spring, and summer).
MDCVSA Affiliation Form
5) After we have received all the required information and payment, the Executive Committee can grant provisional affiliation (you will be "affiliated" and insured at that point).
It is also highly recommended that you retain a hard copy of all completed forms. While e-mail is a fairly reliable means of communication, it is not foolproof, so please keep hard copies of the submitted Remittance Form, all payment checks, and the completed Electronic Registration Template for your league's own internal records. This will ensure that you have a written record of what was sent.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the State Administrator, Mary Beth Falk, at:
mdcvsa.info@gmail.com
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AFFILIATING WITH THE MDCVSA?
Why should I consider joining an affiliated league? As a league administrator, why should I consider affiliating my league with MDCVSA?
Answer: Many local soccer leagues have decided to join the Metropolitan D.C. - Virginia Soccer Association (MDCVSA). The MDCVSA is a State Association, and is a member of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).
Info on the many benefits of this organization is listed here:
http://www.usasa.com/About/Join/149194.html
In turn, the USASA is a member of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF).
A number of administrative bodies work together (admittedly, sometimes they compete, but generally they work together) towards the overall development of soccer within the United States.
Support for the United States Soccer Federation
The USSF sets aside substantial resources for the men’s national team (currently in the top 15 in the world) and the women’s national team (always within the top 3 teams in the world). In addition, the USSF has set aside resources for eight youth national teams - four boy’s teams and four girls’ teams. The USSF & the U.S. Soccer Foundation have developed the National Training Center in Los Angeles, along with the Bradenton Academy in Florida, to develop and educate these athletes.
These are the types of programs that happen at the national level. U.S. Soccer can only exist with income from member organizations like the USASA and MDCVSA. If we want soccer to grow as a sport, we need to support the overall administrative framework.
Support for Professional and Semi-Professional Leagues
The MDCVSA supports the efforts of the several professional and semi-professional teams in Virginia and Washington, DC:
• DC United of Major League Soccer
• Richmond Kickers and Virginia Beach Mariners of the A-League
• Northern Virginia Royals of the D-III Pro Soccer League
• Northern Virginia Majestic’s, Richmond Kickers Destiny and Hampton Road Piranhas of the W-League
• Washington Freedom
Support for Recreational Leagues, Teams, and Players
What about those recreational adult players who don’t want to compete at the professional or international level? How does the Metropolitan D.C. - Virginia Soccer Association (MDCVSA) benefit these players? To help league managers, the MDCVSA State Association provides liability insurance, which covers up to $1 million in damages. This is important piece-of-mind coverage for all league and team managers.
The State Association also provides secondary medical insurance to uninsured and underinsured players, with a $400 deductible and a $5,000 maximum. The majority of your membership fees go to providing this important medical coverage.
The State Association supports one of the best State Referee Programs in the country. The State Referee Program offers training for new officials (and there’s always a shortage of officials), and provides assessments and advancement opportunities for experienced officials. Should you ever have a case of referee abuse or referee assault in your league, you can turn to the MDCVSA to handle the disciplinary hearing for your player -- and any enforcement actions would carry state-wide for that player. In that capacity, the MDCVSA protect the interests of the referees, leagues and players.
The State Association actively supports our affiliated tournaments. In addition, we regularly sponsor the MDCVSA State Cup competition and run the in-state qualifying for the USASA National Cups.
Finally, the State Association works to promote friendship and consistency across its member leagues, players, and teams. Through this impartial governing body, teams and leagues can participate in a legitimate appeals process.