Club Nationals

Last Updated: Jun 17th, 2010

 Click here to view the updated listing of the 2009-2014 Hosting Venues.

For a listing and rating of all clubs that have competed in the Canadian Club Championships from 1984-2008, please read Dick Labrom's Report.

Coaching Staff

Having a solid and committed Coaching Staff is the first step to ensure that teams from the NWT get the most out of their national competition experience.

The CSA requires that all coaches have a minimum certification at the 'Community Coach' level.

A requirement imposed by the NWT Soccer Association to ensure the safety of our members and to enhance the competition experience is for any team traveling to the Club Nationals must identify two (2) appropriate chaperones to travel with the team.  This is an extremely important function because it will relieve some of the responsibility of the coaches and provide additional support and supervision to the players.  The selection of appropriate chaperones should be based on the following minimum criteria:

  • Knowledge of team dynamics;
  • Ability to chaperone large groups of athletes;
  • Comfortable with driving groups of athletes to and from venues;
  • Valid CPIC and vulnerable sector check.

Administration

A lot of work from the Host Province, the CSA, and the NWT Soccer Association is put in to the organization, confirmation and delivery of this event.  A manager from one of the Club Teams attending the Club Nationals Championship will be designated to act as the liaison with the Canadian Soccer Association on behalf of the NWT Soccer Association.  This designate must communicate all correspondence to all potential teams involved with the Club Nationals and the NWT Soccer Association in a prompt and respectful manner.  The designate is not authorized to make any decisions on behalf of the NWT Soccer Association or any of the potential club teams without first having consulted the appropriate individuals (Board Members). 

Teams interested in attending the Club National Championships on behalf of NWT Soccer must submit a letter of intention to the NWT Soccer Association before February 21st of the year of the games.  This must be accompanied by a draft roster of their team and a cheque for $1000 made out to The NWT Soccer Association, to be held as a deposit.  This amount is the standard penalty for a team withdrawing from the competition after the deadline. 

Before September 5th of the year of the competition, each team must submit:

  • CSA Team Credentials Form to the Club Nationals liaison;
  • the Airline Tickets Spreadsheet to the Club Nationals liaison;
  • digital pictures and the following information for each team member (including personnel) to create ID badges as required by the competition to the designate at Sport North:
    •  full name;
    • birth date;
    • NWTSA Membership number;
    • affiliation i.e. Player, Coach, Trainer, NWTSA Rep etc..

If there is more than one club team wishing to represent NWT Soccer at the Club Championship each year, a territorial play-down will be completed before September 1st of that year.

Territorial Play-Downs

The play-down will consist of a two (2) game play-down, the winner being determined by the total number of points (WIN = 3 pts, TIE = 1pt) after two matches.  The first game can end in a tie, however, if the two teams are tied in points at the end of regulation time after the second match, one (1) overtime period, consisting of two (2) halves in which the length of each half shall be determined according to the age guidelines specified by the CSA.  To determine a winner, "Total Points" are considered first, then "Goal Differential, then "Penalty Kicks".

If no winner has been determined after the overtime period, 5 kicks for each team of players present on the field when the match ends shall take kicks from the penalty mark. If after five (5) penalty kicks, no winner has been determined, sudden death kicks from the penalty mark will be used to determine the winner.  The order of shooting for the sudden death penalty kicks must go through all eleven (11) players on the field each time before any player can kick again.  For both the play-downs and the Club Nationals Competition itself, every player must have matching team jerseys and socks.

The NWT Soccer Association will provide up to three (3) certified match officials for the play-down.  The NWT Soccer Association will cover the costs of their accommodations, game fees and transportation to and from the play-down. Any other costs associated with the play-down will be divided evenly amongst the teams competing and paid for prior to the competition.

Competitions

There are many requirements for teams traveling to the Club Nationals outlined in the Competitions Handbook that will be updated and distributed by the CSA each year.  The CSA will book all flights for teams up to a maximum of 24 persons per team (4 coaching staff and 20 players) and provide a subsidy for 18 seats at a percentage based on the total number of teams attending the competition that year (~25-35%).  The CSA also covers the cost of any ground transportation to and from the airport to the hotels assuming that teams aren't intending on making any deviation from the route from the airport to the hotels.  Many of the logistical details regarding travel and accommodations will be announced and circulated to teams closer to the date of the competition and is the responsibility of the Provincial or Territorial Host Association to organize and circulate.

A requirement of the Club Nationals is that each competition attended by a Provincial or Territorial Association must have a representative from that Association present.  The representative should ideally be a candidate who is not directly affiliated with the team i.e. not a member of the coaching staff or parent of a player on the team.  The NWT Soccer Association is responsible for the costs of the Territorial representative(s) and reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the selection of the individual.

Teams are also required to bring a Northwest Territories flag to the competition as well as enough pins to trade with all scheduled opponents.  This is the responsibility of the Team Manager to organize this requirement.

Please click on the following link for a printable pdf version of the NWT Soccer Association's Club Nationals Policy.

DATE OF BOARD APPROVAL: October, 2008