The SOCS board has met many times over the last few months and discussed the problems with scheduling last season which seriously affected soccer play across many age groups. We fielded virtually hundreds of scheduling complaints over the last season, which have forced us to consider a variety of actions to remedy the scheduling process and assure you that similar scheduling problems will not happen again.

We recognize that internal as well as inter-league scheduling is a complex collaborative activity based on shared information and cooperation between participants and responsible individuals. We also recognize that scheduling processes often break down due to large volumes and that these processes need to be constantly re-defined and improved. We are on notice that our members expect us to take responsibility and improve the process. As such, we have committed to the following approach.

First, we will have a new dedicated scheduler and assistant scheduler responsible for all SOCS related game scheduling and re-scheduling. We have invested in scheduling software and rigid scheduling timetables, and will both compensate the schedulers and hold them accountable. We will introduce a scheduling (and re-scheduling) process based on better communications, early and open published schedules and highly available, responsive, and empowered schedulers. A new cell phone will be assigned and dedicated for the scheduler’s use and the phone number will be made available to coaches. The schedulers will interface with the divisional managers, the SOCS board, coaches, members, other inter-league managers, and the referee association. An improved e-mail based game re-scheduling process will be introduced as more reliable open field and time information will be made available on our web page.

Second, we intend to schedule more games internally within SOCS at the U-6, U-8 and U-10 age groups. More internal scheduling should eliminate most reported inter-league re-scheduling issues. As long as we maintain enough teams at specified age groups we will act to schedule as many games within our club as possible. We anticipate that participating Hazel Park, Southfield and Ferndale soccer teams will continue to be included and scheduled as part of the SOCS scheduling group, across all age levels.

Third, as we believe that the sheer volume of clubs, teams and games contributed to the interleague scheduling breakdown, we intend to constrict our U-10 and U-12 divisions from recent expansions into ROYSA, and schedule with BBSC (Birmingham Bloomfield Soccer Club) instead, for this Spring 2009 season. We intend to collaborate with ROYSA and all the other inter-league clubs in the ROYSA based U-14 and above scheduling.

We hope that the recreational soccer internal and inter-league scheduling will be made easier by this move and mark a return to stabilization and integrity. In the near future, we may rejoin ROYSA and the other inter-league soccer clubs across more age groups. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact any SOCS board member.