This email is addressed to our small sided-teams, u8G Tornados, u8B Vipers, u9G Mons, u9B Jags; this email will also apply to any u10 (Typh, Pyth) teams remaining 8v8 this Spring (max roster size 13 per team);  for all of you playing 8v8 this Spring and maintaining each team roster at 13 players or less, the purpose of this email to get some information from you and also to explain how the new field priority allocation process that will apply to you.  Herein and going forward, we shall endearingly refer to our small sided teams as Babies or Baby Teams.

1)  I need to know which of the u10 teams are playing 8v8 and which are playing 11v11. 

2)  I need to know with certainty how many teams are in your program. Some fields have headcount or space limitations so I need to know your teamcount and approx headcount per team.  If you haven't divided up into teams yet, then send me your projected teamcount and overall program headcount (and qualify these as such).

3)  It is important you all read the new Field Allocation PIM posted at www.mvlasc.org .  You may not understand the subsequent bullets if you are not familiar with the new PIM terminology.

4) I am assigning all teams within a given program to train together.  I know the Jags have a difficult situation, but I am going to see what we can do here before I split up the group.  I may need Jags to consider all training together Wed in the early slot, which may mean one of your coaches (Rafa) won't do Jags on Weds this Spring.  I am still working on things.

5)  For Baby Teams, the field fee portion of your club dues will be charged at the lowest rate (75% of Standard), since you are small-sided and I will be allocating the Babies pretty much separately from the rest of the teams and altogether as a group.  If you look at the fee matrix we will be posting in a couple days, you will look in the rightmost column for the league you play under "Bottom fields" to find your team fee.  Put another way, Baby Teams get discounted one tier's worth of field rates.

6)  BUT, if your team wants to be pulled up out of the Baby Group and allocated at a higher priority than the rest of the Baby Teams, your team must pay one level higher, the Standard Rate, for your league type.  I suggest any team that needs to be conjoined/interlinked with elder teams and wants a better shot at getting field proximity, or a certain time slot, or other pivotal factor, then your teams may as well pay the upgrade to buy the priority allocation. All teams within a program must pay the higher rate since you are all assigned together.  Make sure your Spring field requests reflect your position on paying the higher rate (100% of Standard) to get priority.

7)  Reminder:  DST is 3/9/08, so we have only one time slot first week March, and two time slots at most fields after DST.  A couple fields will get 3 time slots after DST.  Therefore, I advise Baby programs to consider starting Spring practice week of March 9 if you are interlinked with other teams and need stacked time slots.  In my allocations, all assignments will be effective week of Mar 2 (before DST).  So for those teams that are indeed interlinked with older (u11+) teams, you need to understand those older teams will have priority over you until we pass DST.  If you can work out shorter practice times (one hour each, or something), I leave that up to you.  But you cannot expect to bump a late slot older team (u11+) so late that their slot runs into dark that first week.

8)  The Premium fields for this age group are Hillview and Grant, but keep in mind that the only possible slots that may up available at these fields will be the early slot.  Also remember Grant opens early May.

9)  The rest of the fields for Babies will be considered Standard fields (you will pay the LOWEST field fee since you are small sided).  The Standard fields to which you may be allocated fall into two categories:  a)  Baby-Targeted Standard Fields and b) older-targeted Standard fields that may have opens slots.

9a)  Expected Baby-Targeted Standard fields:
Huff M-F, slots at 3:30, 5, 6:30, or 4 & 5:30, depending on utilization and demand
LAHS grass M-F slot at 6pm, later out at end May, slots become 5, 6:30 (if necessary)
Santa Rita T,Th,1/2 of Fri, slots 4, 5:30

9b)  u11+ Targeted Standard fields that may end up with space for you:
Egan M-F 5:30 until girls soccer over, then 4:30&6, always cancel for TrackMeets
Blach Soccer M-F, same as above
Blach patch M-F, same as above
Sylvan M/T, Th/F (no Wed), 3:30, 5, 6:30
Eagle M-F 3:30, 5, 6:30

10) One last comment about rankings as they apply to the Baby teams.  To be frank, competitive information means little at u8/u9, and that is how it should be.  For u10, it starts to be germane, especially as you establish your class 1 reputation.  But u10s are still very much program-tied.  So while I will gladly tally any competitive information for your programs or individual member-teams, my greater priority for the Babies is to make the allocation fit and work within the larger Spring allocation matrix and make sure your respective program teams are training together.

Hope this helps, call me if you have questions,

Jeanine
cell 408 921 4313
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