Frequently Asked Questions
What does the registration fee pay for? The fee covers registration with our parent organization (North Texas Soccer), who provides insurance, the uniform (jersey, shorts, and socks), referee fees, and maintenance of the soccer complex (mowing, fertilizing, watering, trash, etc). The full fee is due at the time of registration. A payment plan can be arranged through the Registrar, but full payment must be made by the first game. A small amount of financial aid is available each season and is approved on a case by case basis.
Why does CISA need a copy of the birth certificate? All associations within North Texas Soccer form teams based on ages. The birth certificate is used to verify the date of birth. Players must play in their age group or may request to play up one year of age. Players may not play down unless North Texas allows it for a medical reason. This protects your child from playing against a much older player. On some occasions, an association is asked to provide proof of a player’s date of birth.
My child played before, why are we being asked to provide another copy of the birth certificate? Copies of the birth certificate are shredded if the player does not play for CISA for over one year. This is personal information that we protect for you.
What age group team will my child be on? North Texas sets the age brackets. The soccer age calendar runs from August 1st to July 31st. The age that your child will turn during that time period determines the age bracket. If your child would turn 8, then he/she will be on a U8 team. All teams are gender specific except the U5 & 6 is a coed program.
When will we know what team/coach my child will play for? Once registration closes, the team formation committee places players on a team. The coaches receive their team roster at the coach’s meetings. These meetings are in early February for the spring and early August for the fall. Coaches are asked to call parents ASAP and schedule a team meeting. If you do not hear from a coach 2-3 weeks prior to the start of a season, contact the commissioner for that age group.
When, how often and where will practices be held? Those decisions are made by the volunteer coach and the team. Teams are formed by school areas, if possible.
Can I request a team or coach for my child? The only requests that CISA will honor is in the 5 and 6 year old age groups. Our parent organization, North Texas, prohibits the building of teams. A built team takes away from the philosophy of recreational soccer. In recreational soccer, all players learn skills, sportsmanship, and play at least 50% of the game. Requests for reasons of rides, best friend, etc are occasionally considered in special cases, but are rarely honored.
When and where are games played? The majority of games are played on Saturday. There will be some Sunday and weeknight games. The U5 & 6 games are played at the CISA complex at 1505 Longhorn Trail in Crowley. The U7 & 8 games are played at CISA or Burleson. The U9 and older games are played in the Metroplex Association area. Half the games are home and half are away. Maps for all associations are on the web site.
What is my child required to wear to play soccer? The players must be in uniform, have shingards under their socks, and either cleats or tennis shoes. NO JEWERLY IS ALLOWED. This is a safety rule that is enforced by CISA. Uniforms are distributed to the coach the week prior to the start of the season. Any additional uniform (or part of) can be purchased at the time of registration for an additional fee.
Why are the fundraiser (or opt out) and pictures necessary? Since the registration fees only cover the expenses of the season, CISA has a fundraiser each season to raise money for improvements to the complex. Pictures are also a fundraiser. You will not be required to purchase any pictures, but please participate.
If I have a question about the association, the laws of the games, or who to contact, where can I find this information? CISA has the Bylaws, Playing Rules, and board member contact information on our web site.
How are adults screened to ensure my child is safe? Any adult (board member, referee, coach, assistant coach, team parent) is required to complete a criminal background check that is submitted to North Texas. This person has to pass this check annually before they are allowed to work with the players.
What is expected of the parents? First is to promote a positive experience for your child. Read the Code of Ethics (found in the Playing Rules) for parents and players. Make the game fun for your child. Let them learn from their mistakes. PROMOTE GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP! Do not yell at the opposing players, coaches, or referees. If a parent is ejected from a game for poor sportsmanship, the coach is ejected also. Help your coach maintain control. Be sure that your child attends practice to learn the game and is picked up timely. Assist the coach with practices, fundraisers, pictures, snacks, phone calls, etc. Your child needs to have fun and know that you love them for trying.
Can my child play on an Academy, select, or another recreational team? Academy is a skills training program that many select clubs have. These are designed for the U7 and 10 age groups. The U9 and U10 group may also participate in Academy games. However, if there is a conflict with a recreational and an academy game, then per North Texas rules, the player must play the recreational game. A player may register as an Academy only player and this must be done through their home association. A recreational player may guest play for another recreational or a select team if they obtain a release form. These are to be signed by the Registrar. A player can only be assigned to one team.
General Information: CISA is an all volunteer non-profit association. Our board is open to all to attend and our minutes are posted on the web site. CISA must abide by all North Texas Bylaws and rules. Decisions made by the board are made based on the whole of the membership, not for an individual or team. We are not supported by either the cities of Crowley or Fort Worth, which is why the word independent is in our name. CISA owns the land that the U6, U8, and U10 fields are on. We lease and must maintain (mow, fertilize, pay for watering, etc) the big fields in the All Sport Complex from the city of Crowley. Our assigned area is the zip codes 76036, 76123, and 76134. We are not a part of Crowley Youth Association.
Please help us continue to improve our organization for the kids. Provide feedback about your experiences and ways to improve our association.