Does Ponoka Minor Soccer Association offer any financial assistance?
It is the goal of PMSA to ensure that any child who wishes to participate in one of the soccer programs has the opportunity to do so. As such, our association works closely with Kid Sport, a non-profit organization that provides funding to families. KidSport has a local board in Ponoka to provide administrative help with the application process. Click here to be redirected to KidSport Ponoka.
PMSA handles all correspondence with the strictest confidentiality. Should you require more information or need assistance, please email our Administration.
What Clothing and Equipment does my child need to play soccer?
HOUSE LEAGUE
Jersey: Participants in the U5, U7 & U9 programs are given a Ponoka Storm jersey particular to their team. These jerseys are gifted to the players and do not need to be returned. The U5 & U7 jerseys are supplied by Tim Hortons through their Timbits Soccer sponsorship.
Shin guards: All players MUST wear shin guards. Players without shin guards will NOT be allowed to participate in training sessions or games. Shin guards are to be worn underneath the soccer socks.
Footwear: All players are required to wear appropriate footwear. For outdoor soccer, soccer cleats or outdoor running shoes are acceptable. For indoor soccer, indoor soccer shoes or clean, non-marking running shoes are acceptable.
Attire: All house league players are supplied with a pair of soccer socks to be worn over their shin guards; Tim Hortons supplies our U5 & U7 programs with socks through their Timbits Soccer sponsorship. PMSA supplies our U9 players with their own black PUMA socks (covered by registration fees). PMSA recommends players dress for the weather. Soccer shorts are recommended, but can be substituted for leggings, sweat pants or warmup pants depending on weather. No board shorts, cutoffs, khaki pants or jeans. In cooler or rainy weather, light jackets, hoodies or sweatshirts are acceptable.
U11 - U19 COMPETITIVE/TRAVELING
Jersey: Ponoka Storm jerseys are managed by the coaches and team managers. Jerseys will NOT be sent home. Jerseys will be distributed before matches and turned back in at the end of matches to be washed & cared for by the team manager. All players on the competitive teams are supplied with their own black PUMA socks and Ponoka Storm shorts for matches. These socks and shorts are to be worn for all matches; no exceptions.
Under garments: During inclement weather, players are permitted to wear layers to stay warm. According to the FIFA Laws of the Game, under garments such as long sleeved shirts and leggings are to match the primary colors of the team uniform; as such, black &/or kelly or forest green colored under garments are acceptable.
Shin guards: All players MUST wear shin guards. Players without shin guards will NOT be allowed to participate in training sessions or games. Shin guards are to be worn underneath the soccer socks.
Footwear: Soccer cleats are recommended for all U11-U19 participants for the Outdoor season. Indoor soccer shoes are recommended for the Indoor season.
Jewelry: Wearing of jewelry (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc.) is NOT allowed when training or playing games. As per the FIFA Laws of the Game, Law 4 clearly states "All items of jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather bands, etc.) are forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewelry is not permitted".
Medical-Alert jewelry or clothing required by a player's religion may be worn ONLY if both the coach & referee deems it safe.
How do I order Ponoka Storm apparel?
Sadly, at the moment, we are not set up with our own Team Store. As such, an email communication outlining the product you want (socks, shorts &/or training jacket) and the size you want is best. Click here to place your order. To see samples &/or available sizes, click here.
What age group do I register my child in?
See the Registration Age Chart
How do I cancel my Registration?
Please contact our registrar at admin@ponokasoccer.ca to start the process of your withdrawal and refund. All refunds are subject to the PMSA Refund Policy.
Are Teams Gender Specific or Co-ed?
As a general rule, PMSA runs gender specific programming from U5 thru to U19, in as often as it is possible in terms of registration numbers. This decision to do our best to always offer gender specific soccer has been our official stance since 2014. That decision was made primarily for what we think gives boys and girls the best opportunity to develop as soccer players. Our club's experience is that when girls are given the opportunity to play with other girls, they play with more confidence, they demonstrate creativity with the ball, and are unafraid to take leadership roles on their teams. This approach has worked to our benefit in terms of player retention; within our governing district, no community program has had a stronger girls soccer program & player retention per capita than PMSA. That being stated, we recognize the need for flexibility. We believe that girls and boys can play together. If we did not have the registrations to support gender specific programming, we would move toward whatever would provide kids the best opportunity to play soccer, including a Co-ed set up. However, if given the choice, we will always choose to defer to our preferred model for player development & retention of girls playing with girls and boys playing with boys.
Can my son or daughter play in a higher or lower age group?
It is always possible for a player to move up an age group. Our policy for this process is here. Moving down an age group is only possible at the house league level (U5-U9) and will be considered on a case by case basis upon special request. To make a special request, Email us.
When will I know the nights of play and schedule?
Ponoka Soccer does its best to ensure consistency in the program delivery and does its best to ensure the same night of play are used each season per age group. The following factors affect scheduling:
Traditionally, the following schedule has been observed during out Outdoor season:
Competitive program games usually start at 7:00pm. Practice times are determined by the coaches and are based primarily on field availability; in most cases, this mean practices happen after the house league programs have finished their sessions and have cleared the fields (around 6:30-7:00pm). Many of our coaches and players perform double duty as coaches and referees for the house league programs too, so practice times very much hinge on the completion of house league.
Email communication will be sent out prior to the start (roughly two weeks) of the season with a confirmed schedule.
During the Indoor season, Competitive/Traveling games usually are scheduled on Saturdays in Red Deer or Camrose. Training sessions rely on gymnasium availability.
Traditionally, the Outdoor season has run May through June. Competitive teams may start earlier (mid April) and run later (mid July). The Indoor season generally runs the week following Thanksgiving though to March.
When will I hear from my coach?
As soon as registration has closed, the program directors will work to arrange teams and coaches. As soon as this is done, you will receive communication from your program director or coach. If you need to discuss or are concerned that you have maybe missed some communication, please email admin@ponokasoccer.ca. U11-U19 competitive teams will also use various team communication apps such as TeamSnap or the RAMP team tools to communicate and post team schedules.
How do I become a sponsor of Ponoka Soccer?
Ponoka Soccer is a non-profit and is always looking at ways to keep costs down while providing a quality program to its membership. If you are interested in sponsoring or contributing to soccer in Ponoka, please email the Club President or Administration.
How do I get involved in coaching?
Ponoka Soccer is run by volunteer coaches. These coaches are the backbone of our organization and without them, there would be no soccer program in Ponoka. All interested parties who want to be involved in coaching are asked to to register here. Coaches are required to provide a current Criminal Record & Vulnerable Sector check. To print off a Criminal Record Check volunteer letter to take to your local RCMP station, click here.
Do I need to have completed a coaching course to coach?
As of Spring 2023, Canada Soccer and Alberta Soccer SQS requirements for local associations such as ours, mandate that coaches take education toward their coaching. For PMSA, getting all of our coaches, from house league to competitive, credentialed is our goal; however, we recognize that this is a process. All approved, coach education is paid for by Ponoka Soccer. Alberta Soccer mandates coaches have the following coaching courses completed for the respective programs:
To register for or receive more information about Active Start, FUNdamentals, Learn to Train and Soccer For Life, click here.
PMSA also provides in house training for coaches that follows the minimum standards of Alberta Soccer grassroots programming.
All of these courses are recognized by the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Do I need to complete a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) if I want to coach/volunteer?
YES, Ponoka Soccer takes the safety and security of its members very seriously. All volunteers and coaches are required to complete a VSC once every three years.
I am interested in becoming a referee or reffing games in Ponoka, who do I contact?
For Outdoor refereeing, simply email Ponoka's Referee Director for information pertaining to officiating in Ponoka. For a more extensive look, click here.
Indoor referee assigning is done by the respective assignors in Camrose & Red Deer, (where the competitive league play happens).