CMSA POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

(Some of the Policies were reviewed and revised as of 6/1/25)

 

WEBSITE

Your team’s season schedule, current league standings information will be under the “LEAGUES” tab; weather and field cancellation information will be on the “HOME” page and all necessary contact information is available on the “CONTACT” tab on the CMSA web site; and on the C.M.S.A. Facebook page. Additional information regarding C.M.S.A. Leagues, tournaments and events can be also be accessed from these locations. Coaches and managers are responsible to check the web site and Facebook page for any schedule change; and notify all members of their team; CMSA is not responsible for any forfeit due to noncompliance of the above.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

1. Coaches/Managers must complete the online team registration. The link to the registration portal is located on the league page in the dark blue section - Registration Form. 
2. If your team does not provide the league a field for league play; your team will be required to submit a Forfeit Bond check. $200 for U07-U12 teams and $300 for U13-U18 teams. Programs/ Clubs with 3 or more teams and NO field can send a $500 bond to cover all teams.
3. If your program has been pre-approved to pay for all team fees with ONE bulk check, you will need a payment code from your program chairperson in order to complete the  on-line registration. If not approved, you will need to make the payment with a credit card to complete the online registration.
4. After we have received your CMSA team registration with payment, your team will be posted on the CMSA website under the “LEAGUES”  section on the "SCHEDULE" tab in the age group selected.

REGISTRATION and REFEREE REFUND POLICY

If any league or tournament is cancelled, or a team drops out PRIOR to the registration deadline date, the team will be guaranteed a full refund of the registration and referee fees that were paid.

If any league or tournament is cancelled or a team drops out after the registration deadline date, a prorated refund will be issued on the registration fees to cover any necessary work which was performed to get the league and/or tournament set up.  Any unused referee fees will be refunded in full.   

TEAM PLACEMENT: Division I, II & III

CMSA will operate in a 3 tier division alignment if registration permits, provided we can achieve a minimum of 4 teams registered in an age group.  We will then create competitive levels of I, II & III.  I/II combined divisions would be formed if there are less than 4 teams registered to play in division I. The North/South I/II division will have crossover games during the season. We will not combine the II & III teams unless we only have 3 - teams registered. 

 Division I (premier) – For teams made up of experienced skilled players, formed through open try- out.

 Division II (challenge) – For teams made up of a competitive mix of moderate to intermediate skilled players formed through open try-out

 Division III (classic) - For entry level recreation teams

CMSA will review your past season’s record for final placement

Teams which place themselves in the wrong division whether purposely or by mistake, and continually beat their opponents by a wide margin, will be eliminated from receiving awards from this league. 

STANDARD LEAGUE GAME DAY RULES  

Go to the link at the top of this page in the light blue section to access - the Standard League Game Day Rules

FIELD USAGE POLICY

1. We will need a copy of your field permit which assigns use to your program.
2. The permit should allow use between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
3. CMSA will not schedule games on your field unless your program is scheduled on that date.
4. For referee coverage we will need to assign 2 to 4 games on each field.
5. The fields should be properly maintained, lined, netted and with cones or flags.
6. Portable goal posts should be anchored as per county standards. They should be staked or sand-bagged to prevent them from tipping over. The referees will not allow the game to proceed if these safety regulations are not followed.
7. We will try to provide each team registered from your program (provided they are located within our service area) with at least two home games wherever time and space permits during the season. Single teams located outside of the CMSA District will, in most cases, play a “travel only” schedule.
8. All  league cancelled/make up games need to be rescheduled by the teams involved. Follow the cancelled game policy under the POLICIES tab.
9. If your team, club or program has a field for the league to  schedule games we will require at least (2) games back to back.  Clubs, Programs or single teams must submit the Field Allocation Form by the posted deadline or we will not be able to schedule your team any home games. This form is located on the league page in the dark blue section.

INCLEMENT WEATHER FIELD CANCELLATIONS

The Field Program Coordinator will receive instructions from the CMSA League office on the proper steps to take to notify the league about a field cancellation.

As each field closing is reported to us by the program field coordinator, it will be posted to the website HOME page and Facebook page. Individual team/age group schedules will not be immediately updated.

The CMSA League reserves the right to blanket cancel all games due to inclement weather and/or poor field conditions.

If inclement weather takes place after 11:00 AM cutoff time, it will then become the referee's decision to cancel the field at the site for the day.

It is the responsibility of the coaches and managers of each team to contact their players and their families regarding cancellations, field and time changes. parents should NOT contact the CMSA office, League Commissioners, Score Keepers, Etc.

Games that were suspended prior to the end of the first half will to be made up as a full game with all (Referee fees) being paid again.

Games suspended after the conclusion of the first half, are considered COMPLETE GAMES and all scores must be submitted. You will need to use the link in the dark blue section (Score Reporting Form) on the league page.

DIVISIONS OF 5, 7, 9, 11 & 13 TEAMS (ODD NUMBERED DIVISIONS)

We are limited by only having (6) weeks in the Spring and (8) weeks in the Fall to play league games; so divisions of odd numbered teams will have 1 or 2 bye weeks. The league will schedule all of their bye games as double header games. Bye Request Games will be listed as a "TBA" on your schedule.  You can also follow the rescheduling policy that is posted on the league page in the dark blue section; Reschedule Request Form.  

Mid Week/Night Games are a possibility if either team has fields. 

BYE REQUESTS

Use the link in the dark blue section (Bye Request Form) on the league page 

CMSA ROSTER PROCEDURES

Teams applying for a SAY roster must contact your Program/Club point person to get your roster completed. 

If your Program/Club did not appoint a SAY point person then you can contact Emmett Kressleinat at ekresslein@saysoccer.org at the SAY National Office. 

US Club teams need to go to the US Club website and follow their instructions for Rosters & Cards, same goes for teams carding through MSYSA.   

INSURANCE and AFFILIATION REQUIREMENTS 

First register with the CMSA league. Then all teams participating in any of the CMSA leagues or tournaments are required to be registered through the following USSF affiliate (SAY/Soccer Association for Youth , US Club Soccer or MSYSA).  If your team is rostered and carded through one of these affiliates than only your players are insured to play in our leagues and/or tournaments.  Tournament guest players must be carded through the same USSF Affiliate as the team that they are playing for. 

All teams must FIRST REGISTER WITH CMSA prior to starting the USSF affiliation process.

TO AFFILIATE SAY

Follow the instructions and procedures  posted in the Forms Tab on the CMSA website #8.

Coaches/Managers should collect their players photos and birth certificates as they will be needed to affiliate their team and players through SAY. All SAY rosters and carding will be processed directly through SAY's National Office. CMSA will continue to stamp the League Rosters Only through our league registrars.

All SAY coaches/carded adults on the roster are required to complete the SAY Volunteer Background Check application. The link is at the top of this  page in the light blue section.. After this has been completed, you will be emailed a confirmation number and form to be given to your registrar to be processed. (Teams will be charged an additional $25.00 for each carded Adult/coach, managers) for the background check. Payable to CMSA.

If you completed the application in the fall then it is good for the following Spring season.  

Once completed, your roster file is to be emailed to your assigned CMSA league registrar for processing.

Please note, that any time a team changes their SAY CMSA league roster; it must be emailed back to their CMSA registrar to be re-certified to be valid.

LEAGUE POLICY MANDATES THAT ALL CMSA LEAGUE ROSTERS ARE FROZEN AS OF THE 13th DAY OF EACH SEASON.

TO AFFILIATE US CLUB and MSYSA

All CMSA league team rosters are completed on-line through US Club & MSYSA. All teams are required after receiving their files from US Club and MSYSA to email their CMSA league roster file only to their assigned CMSA registrar for processing. Note that all coaches/carded adults on the US Club or MSYSA rosters will require to complete a background check through their USSF affiliation. Please note, that any time a team changes their US Club or MSYSA CMSA league roster; it must be emailed back to their CMSA registrar to be re-stamped to be valid for the CMSA league play.  The registrar will then email the roster back to the person who sent it. Revised rosters, the team will be charged $5.00 per new roster. This fee will need to be paid to the registrar or if your program pays by bulk check the program will be invoiced. 

 LEAGUE POLICY MANDATES THAT ALL CMSA LEAGUE ROSTERS ARE FROZEN AS OF THE 13th DAY OF EACH SEASON.

SAY/US CLUB and MSYSA ADMINISTRATIVE FEES

SAY Affiliation fees are $12.00 per player on your roster and are paid by the teams/organizations directly to SAY. After your Point Person receives the roster and ID Cards,  the roster will need to emailed to their CMSA Registrar. The SAY coaches/team administrators fee is $25.00 each for the background check that gets paid to their CMSA registrar or if the Program/Club is in the bulk check payment program then CMSA will bill the program. With US Club and MSYSA, the background check fee is paid directly to them.

US Club and MSYSA Affiliation fees are paid directly to US Club and to MSYSA or you will not receive your  roster and  cards. After teams receive their roster and ID Card files, you will only need  to email your roster file to your CMSA Point person or registrar. Your CMSA point person will email ONLY the roster file to your CMSA registrar to be processed. 

The CMSA administration fees listed below are to be paid directly to the registrar or the registrar will not process and release the paperwork. Payment must be made by a certified bank, or club/program check (No Personal Checks). Check with your Program/Club for payment.   

SAY/US Club & MSYSA Processing Fees
SAY Players (each) paid to SAY	$11.00
SAY Background Check per carded Adult on the team Roster  US Club & MSYSA background check paid to US Club & MSYSA.	$25.00 $ ???
Revised Roster	$10.00

AFFILIATED TOURNAMENT PARTICIPATION

CMSA teams participating in affiliated tournaments must have:

1. Official USSF roster through US Club Soccer, Soccer Association for Youth, or MSYSA
2. Matching USSF ID cards for all players on the roster.
3. Certain tournaments might require an additional medical release form (check with the event).
4. A Permission to Travel Permit (check with the tournament).
   • Most tournaments are open to all USSF youth affiliate organizations, unless specified as a closed (one USSF organization) tournament.
   • If you are a member of SAY and have any problems registering for any open tournament; you will need to contact Doug Wood, the
     National Director of SAY Soccer at dwood@saysoccer.org.

CMSA SPRING LEAGUE AFFILIATION PROCEDURE

SAY, US Club and MSYSA affiliated teams who are adding new players to their Fall CMSA league roster will need to create a new roster. 

SAY teams must go through their program SAY point person or directly to the SAY National Office to make changes then email their roster only to their CMSA registrar for processing.

US Club and MSYSA teams must go through the US Club and/or MSYSA website to make any changes; then email their new CMSA league roster to their CMSA registrar to be certified for CMSA league play.

SAY teams only pay for new (non-SAY affiliated) players or coaches  added for spring season. US Club and MSYSA teams need to follow US Club and MSYSA guidelines for roster changes and fees,  then only send the roster file to your CMSA league registrar to be certified

SAY, US Club and MSYSA Fall rosters can be used for the spring season, provided there are NO changes (add-ons, drops or transfers).

Teams using their Fall CMSA league roster for the Spring are required to mail in a copy of that roster to:

CMSA - P.O. Box 18403 - Baltimore, MD 21237

ADD-ONS, DROPS & RELEASES (SAY, US CLUB, MSYSA)

This must be completed by your USSF Affiliate (SAY, US Club or MSYSA ). After completed the roster file needs to be emailed back to your registrar to be recertified. 

TRANSFERS   

SAY rostered player cannot transfer on to a US Club or MSYSA team (UNLESS) the player registers as a new player for the US Club or MSYSA team through US Club or MSYSA also paying all appropriate fees. The new player must be listed on the new team roster.

US Club Rostered cannot transfer on to a SAY or MSYSA team (UNLESS) the player registers as a new player for the  SAY or MSYSA team through SAY or MSYSA also paying all appropriate fees. The new player must be listed on the new team roster.

  SAY, US Club and MSYSA teams must follow their USSF Affiliates policy on transfering players

After receiving your new revised roster, teams will need to follow CMSA rules for the new roster to be certified by their assigned CMSA registrar  

WAIVER FORMS

These forms are available directly from each of the USSF affiliates mentioned above. 

LEAGUE PLAYER

Go to the link at the top of this page in the light blue section to access the guidelines - CMSA Player Transfer and Dual Roster Policy

NO GUEST PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED FOR CMSA LEAGUE PLAY.

DUPLICATE JERSEY NUMBERS

All players on a team must have a separate jersey number; duplicate numbers are not allowed. Revised 10/15/17

If you are combining teams in the spring, all players will need to have the same (color) matching uniform and all players designated by separate jersey numbers. If you are unable to find additional jerseys to meet this requirement, then you will need purchase matching numbered t-shirts (Same Color) for the team.

If the opposing coach notices a duplicate number on any player, that coach must bring this to the officials’ attention immediately. The players cannot participate in the game until the jersey numbers have been changed. If the players  with duplicate numbers continue to play in the  game then the game will become a league scrimmage game with the team at fault being charged with a 3-0 loss. The game will be officiated and played. This infraction must be reported to your league commissioner the day of the game, in addition to notifying the referee.

If a player with a duplicate number does not enter the game there is no penalty.

LEAGUE SCRIMMAGE GAMES

To play an official league game, the referee(s) are required to check the team's certified CMSA League roster to make sure that it has been stamped by a CMSA registrar for league play. This should be preformed before the beginning of the game. 

When this does not happen, the league will not terminate the game, but will allow the participants to start the match as scheduled as a league sanctioned scrimmage game.

A scrimmage game will be assessed for the following reasons:

• If a team or teams cannot present their hard copy of their CMSA stamped/colored roster to the referee(s) prior to their game; the league will not terminate the game but will allow the participants to start the match as scheduled as a league sanctioned scrimmage game.
• If any team roster is not properly stamped for league play
• If any player(s) that has participated in the game but was identified as not being on the roster
• If players have duplicate numbers on their jerseys; refer to the Duplicate Jersey Number policy 

If any game is played as a league sanctioned scrimmaged game, the team at fault will be assessed a 3–0 loss. The game will still be played and the referee(s) will still officiate the game.

Players that are registered and carded to your CMSA/SAY League Roster, US Club CMSA League Roster or MSYSA CMSA League roster have the liability insurance in case of injury. If a coach plays a player that is not on their certified roster and that player gets injured, the only person that can be held liable is the coach/manager who played the child in the game.

Any team that causes two or more scrimmage games for any of the above reasons; will be eliminated from all end of season awards consideration.

DUAL TEAM COACHING

Coaches who have signed up to coach two or more teams on the same day of play will have NO GUARANTEE that CMSA can adjust the schedules so that they can attend and coach all teams.

All teams are responsible to have qualified, reliable assistant coaches on hand if the schedules do not work out for you.

FIELD USAGE BEHAVIOR

The coach, staff and players of both teams are mandated to set up on the same side of the field. The parents, fans and all spectators must be on the opposite side of the field. There is no coaching allowed behind the end line.
All teams are responsible to clean up their side after the game. Coaches, please inspect the area before leaving. Have your players and spectators take home what they have brought to the field if no trash cans are available.

RED CARD 

If a red card is issued in your game, the opposing coach or manager must report (within 24 hours of the conclusion of the game) to your League Commissioner. The penalty for the player or coach receiving the red card is to be suspended from the remainder of the game and the team’s next scheduled league game to be played.

If a coach is suspended due to a red card violation, only a carded manager or assistant coach can take over in the coach’s absence. If none of the above is available, the game will be terminated. The score will be posted as a 3 – 0 loss for the offending team.

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

Go to the link at the top of this page in the light blue section to access - CMSA Zero Tolerance Policy

PROTESTS

When protesting a game, Only the coach/manager of the team making the protest is responsible to notify the head referee at the game site. The coach/manager must then email their league commissioner within 24 hour of the conclusion of the game, who will forward the email to the league office.

If the problem is deemed to be protestable (Referee Judgment Calls Can Not Be Protested), the team will be required to send in a check made payable to CMSA for $50.00 prior to the protest being sent over and reviewed by the protest committee.

Mail Check To: CMSA – P. O. Box 18403 – Baltimore, Maryland 21237

FORFEITS

If your team forfeits a game, your team will be charged for “ALL” referee fees for that game plus $25.00 and a 3-0 loss. Your opponent will be refunded their referee fees paid for that game. If the game is played as a league sanctioned scrimmage game; then both teams will remain responsible for their referee fees.

INTENTIONAL FORFEIT

If a team does not show up for their scheduled posted game and/or has not notified their league commissioner a minimum of 24 hours prior to the scheduled game, it will be designated an intentional forfeit. The team will be assessed, all of the referee fees for the game, also assessed with a 3 to 0 loss and a $50.00 Fine. Your opponent will be refunded their referee fees.

Any coach/manager that pulls their team off the field before the game has finished could be charged with Forfeit and a 3-0 loss. 

TERMINATED GAME

Any game which is terminated early due to an action of a team’s coach, assistant coach, manager, or spectator; will result in that team being be accessed with a 3 to 0 loss regardless of the score at the time of the stoppage.

RESCHEDULE A CANCELLED GAME

Go to the link at the top of this page in the light blus section to access - CMSA Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy

REPORTING SCORES

The winning coach or if tied the home team coach must report their game score to the league. Please use the link (Score Reporting Form) in the dark blue section of the league page to submit your game scores. All games count towards the final standings, as there are no championship games. If a score is posted incorrectly, please contact your league commissioner for correction. Their contact inforamtion is located under the "CONTACT"section.

LEAGUE STANDINGS

All games listed on the schedule count towards your team’s final standings. 3 points for a Win, 1 point for a Tie, 0 points for a Loss. After your team has played all of its games, the team’s points total will determine their placement. The team with the most points will win the bracket.

TIE BREAKERS

The first place team is the team with the most points after all scheduled season games has been completed. The second place team is the team with the next highest number of points after all games has been completed.

First place teams (ONLY) receive awards.

• Head to Head 
• Goals allowed (entire season)
• Goal differential (maximum of 3 per game)

If three teams are tied for either first or second place with the same point total, one of the three teams must be eliminated. The following tie-breaking procedures to determine which teams will be awarded trophies are:

The first being goals against, to eliminate one team. If the three teams are still tied, then use what the goal differential (max of 3) is between the three teams.

After one of them has been eliminated then the remaining two teams use:

•   Head to Head
•   Goals allowed (entire season)
•   Goal differential (maximun of 3 per game)

COACH LICENSING 

CMSA at this time does not require a coach to have a license to participate in the league. However we strongly urge all coaches to further their coaching education and credentials for the benefit of the league and players.

CMSA TOURNAMENT GUEST PLAYERS

Any tournament sponsored by the CMSA allows three (3) guest players per team (the CMSA league roster maximum remains the same for their tournaments. All guest players must be affiliated and insured through the same USSF organization as your team is affiliated (i.e. SAY teams can add only SAY players as a guest  US Club and MSYSA teams can add only US Club and MSYSA players as their guest players).

When adding guest players, make two copies of your season’s stamped roster, adding the guest players to the roster and removing (line through in red) any players not participating in the tournament. One copy needs to be E-Mailed to the attention of the Tournament Director, the other copy is to be kept by the participating team’s coach/manager along with the ID cards of both the guest and season rostered players.

NOTE – this must be done for each tournament you register your team to be in.

If your game is protested during the tournament, and your roster is not on file with the tournament director, you will be assessed a 3 – 0 loss for all games played and will be eliminated from all awards consideration.