Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I register a team for SISL?

A. A step-by step process for registering can be found on our home page.

Q. How many players play on a team?

A. U8 thru U10 teams play 4 v 4 with one goalie & 3 other players on the floor. Maximum roster size is 8 players. U11 thru U19 teams play 5 v 5 with one goalie & 4 other players on the floor. Maximum roster size is 9 players. There are no exceptions to the maximum roster size.

Q. I have a child who wants to play indoor soccer, but is not currently on an outdoor fall team. Is there a way to register an individual player?

A. It is true SISL accepts team applications only. However, SISL does maintain a list comprised of individual players. This list is emailed to the coaches just after the application deadline in December. To put your child on the list, email the following info: Child's name, gender, date of birth, skill level, position played, parent's name and contact info (cell phone or home phone). Enter in the Subject Line: Player for Reserve List. Coaches will contact you directly. Although we make the best efforts, there is no guarantee that your child will be placed on a team.

Q. Are there any special requirements for Coach?

A. Age 18 or older. No particular qualifications are needed - a player's parent is fine. Suggestions: Review the rules of the game. Attend the mandatory coaches meeting. Attend the referee info meeting. Attend all games. Every team must have a coach or manager on the court while the team is playing.

Q. Who can play?

A. SISL is classified as a recreational soccer league; so, all girls and boys aged U19 and younger are eligible to play.

Q. Does SISL accept co-ed teams?

A. Yes, they will be placed in a BOYS division.

Q. When do we play?

A. SISL tournaments are played during December. Your team's tournament will begin and end on one day only, either a Saturday or Sunday. SISL season games are played on Saturdays and Sundays in January and February. Your team's division will be assigned either day. There are no games held during the week. Games usually begin at 8:00am and end at 9:30pm. There may be exceptions.

Q. Where do we play?

A. SISL games are held in the gyms in the Virginia Beach Public Middle Schools. In the past, games have been at Virginia Beach Middle, Great Neck Middle, Bayside Middle, Salem Middle. The school sites change year to year due to space availability.

Q. What equipment is needed?

A. Non-marking sneakers or indoor soccer shoes, shin pads, long socks to cover shin pads, shorts, jersey provided by SISL. In addition, goalies may wear long pants and gloves, as well as a long-sleeved jersey. Kneepads are highly recommended for goalies. We play with a Futsal© indoor ball - it is sized between an outdoor #4 and #5 ball. The indoor ball weighs more.

Q. Info about Tournaments & Awards

A. SISL tournaments are invitational and are open to all soccer teams. In the past, teams from Virginia outside Hampton Roads, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania have participated. Teams may wear their Fall team jerseys, or other jersey of their choice, to play during the tournaments. There is a guaranteed 3-game minimum with additional games for those teams advancing into the semi-finals and final games. Champion and Finalist Trophies are awarded after the division's last game. Your team's tournament will begin and end on one day, either Saturday or Sunday in December. Please see the SISL home page for dates.

Q. Info about Regular Season Games & Awards

A. SISL distributes jerseys to all teams registered for season play. There are 8 games minimum in a season usually one game per weekend. Your team may be scheduled for more than 8, if necessary. Champion and Finalist Medals are awarded during the Closing Meeting and Reception held 2 weeks after the season's last weekend.

Q. Will the games have Referees?

A. Yes, SISL games have referees. There is one referee per game. Many refs are the same ones who oversee the outdoor games. SISL contracts with the Referee Assignor to provide USSF referees for the games. SISL has no control over the referees or their assignments. The referees are not employees of SISL.

Q. Where can my team practice for indoor soccer?

A. Since SISL owns no soccer courts, SISL cannot make any provision for practice time. Teams that wish to practice might consider basketball or tennis courts. A smooth-surfaced area will imitate indoor soccer conditions on a hardwood floor.

Q. Does SISL have any Fund-raising opportunities?

A. Volunteers are the people who make SISL happen for the players. However, because of its relationship with the Virginia Beach Schools, SISL requires a responsible adult on each court for each game each weekend. There is an opportunity for your team parents to volunteer as SISL "Site Coordinators," indoor's field marshals, as a team fundraiser. Please see the link on the SISL home page for more information. All inquiries for Site Coordinator Teams are welcomed!

Q. What do I do if my team runs into scheduling conflicts?

A. On the Application itself, please write a special request stating when and why the team has scheduling conflicts during the league season in Jan and Feb. The request will be considered during the scheduling process. SISL cannot guarantee that the special request will be honored. However, we have been able to accommodate special requests with very few unsolvable conflicts in the past.

Q. May a player be rostered on two SISL teams?

A. The short answer is no. A player may be rostered on one team only for the duration of the tournament. (This is stated in the Tournament Rules on the website.) A player may only be rostered on one team only for the duration of the league season. (This is in SISL's Policies and Procedures Manual.) In other words, "One player--One team". This does leave open the option to a player of playing for one team for the Tournament, and playing during the league season on another team. Again, she cannot be rostered on two SISL teams at the same time.

Q. May a player be listed on the rosters of 2 Tournament teams if they are in different age groups?

A. Yes, as long as the two teams play on 2 different days. It is a matter of player safety to limit the numbers of indoor games played per day.

Q. May my team forego the December tournament and play in the League Season only?

A. Your team is not required to play in the tournament, however, please understand there is no discount for not being in the tournament. The reasoning is this: We highly encourage all the teams to play in the tournament, especially if they have never played indoor soccer according to Futsal© rules. It usually takes the players by surprise how different it is from an outdoor game. The tournament is also a useful tool for us to assess the team vis-a-vis the other teams, especially when it comes to making divisions for the league season. The tournament helps to make the SISL program successful. SISL was set up to give players the right amount of competition to keep them conditioned for soccer during the winter months, hone skills they are developing, and foster closer team work, and have fun playing soccer. (For some players, this last idea of fun is the most important. I have had players tell me that they were thinking of giving up on soccer because of outdoor experiences, but changed their minds after playing indoor soccer.) On the lighter side, most players love to play in the tournament. The tournament for each age group is on one day only, and it is a very full day of soccer competition. It becomes very fun and exciting, especially as the day progresses and the players and the audience watches and cheers. Because it is inside and a more intimate setting than outdoors, everything becomes amplified--you can really feel the excitement in the air, and observe instances of good sportsmanship. We hope your team will participate in the tournament!

The Sport for All Seasons - Go Play Inside!

Southside Indoor Soccer League

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