Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association, Inc. (Mass Youth Soccer) maintains insurance for its Membership. Insurance coverage through Massachusetts Youth Soccer, both general liability and medical, extends only to soccer-related events that are fully recognized and sanctioned by Mass Youth Soccer.
For details on the coverage included in the Massachusetts Youth Soccer insurance policies listed below click on the link below and if you have specific questions please email Carol Ann Buono at cbuono@mayouthsoccer.org
Outline of Mass Youth Soccer Insurance Policies 2022-2023
Excess Soccer Accident Medical Expense Benefits (Information for Parents/Organizations looking to make a medical expense claim)
To be covered by Massachusetts Youth Soccer insurance, a player, team, coach and/or organization:
MUST be registered and affiliated with Massachusetts Youth Soccer. This means that they must be properly registered with a Massachusetts Youth Soccer member organization and this registration data must be uploaded to the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association’s Registrar.
MUST be engaged in a soccer-related event.
MUST be engaged in a soccer-related event that is sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer or by a Youth Council member in good standing with U.S. Soccer (i.e. US Club Soccer, AYSO, SAY, USASA).
Examples of soccer-related events that ARE sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer:
- Training sessions and practices that are conducted in the normal course of a team's play. Even training sessions or practices conducted at indoor facilities are considered fully sanctioned.
- Competitions in a League sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer are covered.
- Competitions in a Tournament sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer are covered.
- Competitions in recognized leagues in an approved facility by Massachusetts Youth Soccer are covered. (Scroll down for more information on indoor soccer policies)
- Soccer Camps that have been approved by Massachusetts Youth Soccer. (Scroll down for more information on summer policies)
- Competitions in an out-of-state Tournament that is sanctioned by another U.S. Youth Soccer State Association and for which the team obtains the requisite Permission to Travel from Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
- Competitions in an in or out-of-state tournament that is sanctioned by a US Soccer Youth Council member in good standing with U.S. Soccer (i.e. US Club Soccer, AYSA, SAY, USASA). For out-of-state tournaments teams must obtain the requisite Permission to Travel from Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
Examples of soccer events that ARE NOT covered by Massachusetts Youth Soccer insurance policies:
- Competitions in an indoor facility in which such facility has not been recognized and approved by Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
- Competition in an out-of state tournament for which the team did not obtain the requisite permission to travel from Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
- Competition at a tournament that has not been sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer or by a Youth Council member in good standing with U.S. Soccer (i.e. US Club Soccer, AYSO, SAY, USASA).
- Soccer Camps that have not been recognized and approved by Massachusetts Youth Soccer
- Unsanctioned Summer League Play
- Summer pick up soccer
Should anyone ever have any questions on whether a particular soccer activity is covered please contact Carol Ann Buono at cbuono@mayouthsoccer.org
WINTER:
Massachusetts Youth Soccer has expanded its insurance coverage, to benefit our members and cover recognized and approved indoor/winter play. Indoor Soccer & Futsal played in recognized leagues at approved facilities are covered under our insurance program.
The insurance program covers Mass Youth Soccer members (players and adults) who are currently registered and in good standings with their member organization and Mass Youth Soccer. If a team is not comprised fully of Mass Youth soccer members, individuals may register with Mass Youth Soccer for winter play only through the individual soccer registration process on the Mass Youth Soccer website found at: https://fs23.formsite.com/massyouth/0tsowt93ys/index.html
Contact Carol Ann Buono at cbuono@mayouthsoccer.org for any Insurance Claims or questions.
Approved Facilities:
The following types of facilities are automatically considered to be recognized and approved by Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
Types of Recognized and Approved Indoor Facilities
- Facilities constructed solely for the purpose of providing indoor sports activities to include soccer, arena soccer, or futsal. These facilities may have either turf, sport court, and/or wooden floor surfaces. These facilities may be either permanent fixed wall/ceiling or approved surfaces covered by inflatable domes. Examples of such indoor facilities include ForeKicks, Roots Athletic Center, Danvers Indoor Sports, Marina Bay SportsPlex, Turf Time, Essex Sports Center, South Shore Sports Center, Teamworks, Compete Indoor Sports, plus many other similar indoor sports dedicated locations.
- Gymnasiums owned by school districts, YMCA’s, Boys and Girls Clubs, religious organizations built primarily for the use of conducting indoor sporting events.
- Indoor tennis courts repurposed (removal of nets and posts) for the playing of other sports.
- Temporarily domed outdoor fields. Fields used primarily for outdoor sporting events, including soccer, which are temporarily domed during the winter months.
Types of Indoor Facilities NOT Recognized and Approved
- Any type of building structure not specifically built for the purpose of conducting sporting events to include soccer or futsal. Examples include:
Member Organization (Towns and Clubs Only) Governance
PAST PRACTICES: In the past all indoor soccer/futsal league play was not under the governance umbrella of Mass Youth Soccer and all member organizations. Essentially, when a coach took a team indoors for the winter they were doing so on their own without any jurisdiction from the organization they may be involved with during the fall and spring seasons as well as without any of the insurance coverages from Mass Youth Soccer.
NEW PRACTICES: Starting this winter (2019-2020) the following changes will now be in effect.
If an adult (typically a coach) puts a team, comprised of all town/club registered players, into an indoor league in a recognized and approved facility type under the approval from their member organization, then the member organization (town/club) must now have governance authority over this adult(s) and players.
- This governance includes overseeing team/players/coach standards, disciplinary practices, hearing complaints and grievances, etc.
- If the member organization (town/club) approves the team and maintains governance all activities will be covered by Mass Youth Soccer Insurance policies as provided similar to fall and spring play.
- If a member organization (town/club) does not approve a team, then they have no governance/jurisdiction and the adults and players will not have any Mass Youth Soccer insurance coverages in force.
SUMMER:
Massachusetts Youth Soccer provides insurance coverage, to benefit our registered members and cover recognized and approved Summer Camps & Clinics. Recognized and Approved Summer camps and clinics are covered under our insurance program as described below.
The insurance program covers Mass Youth Soccer members (players and adults) who are currently registered and in good standings with their member organization and Mass Youth Soccer.
If a camp or clinic attendee/participant is not a registered member of a member organization (town/club) and Mass Youth, they will not be covered by our insurance program. The act of registering with a camp or clinic provider to attend a camp or clinic does not provide nonmembers with Mass Youth Soccer insurance coverage.
Approved Camps and Clinics:
The following types of camps and clinics that are considered to be recognized and approved by Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
Types of Recognized and Approved Camps Provided by Non-member Organizations
- Camps provided by fully licensed, bonded, insured and Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved soccer camp organizations. Examples include such camps provided by Challenger Sports (including their subsidiary companies such as SoccerPlus), Nike Soccer Camps (including subsidiary companies such a Vogelsinger) and other similar camp provider organizations. At these types of camps, the only insurance coverage provided for our member organization’s players and adults is Excess Medical. Liability insurance is provided by the camp provider, not Mass Youth Soccer.
- Camps provided by fully licensed, bonded, insured and Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved soccer camp providing soccer clubs (not town programs or Mass Youth Soccer member clubs) organizations. Examples include such camps provided by New England Revolution, GPS, Best Soccer, and similar soccer club organizations. At these types of camps, the only insurance coverage provided for our member organization’s players and adults is Excess Medical. Liability insurance is provided by the soccer club provide, not Mass Youth Soccer.
- Camps provided by fully licensed, bonded, insured and Massachusetts Department of Public Health approved soccer camp providing educational organizations. Examples include such camps provided by Boston City High School, Tufts University and similar educational organizations. At these types of camps, the only insurance coverage provided for our member organization’s players and adults is Excess Medical. Liability insurance is provided by the educational organization provider, not Mass Youth Soccer.
Types of Recognized and Approved Camps Provided by Member Organizations
- Camps provided by Massachusetts Youth Soccer member organization (towns, clubs or leagues) in good standing. If the event is qualified as a camp by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health criteria, then all state MDPH requirements must be satisfied to be eligible as an approved soccer camp. The primary purpose of the soccer camp must be to provide camp services for players of the member organization and not open to the general public. At these types of camps, the insurance coverages provided for our member organization’s players and adults is Excess Medical and Liability insurance. If the member organization operates camps open to the general public they will be considered similar to those provided by non members and the only insurance in force for registered member players and adults will be Excess Medical.
Types of Recognized and Approved Clinics Provided by Member Organizations
The information provided above for Recognized and Approved Camps is the same for clinics except that clinics do not need to meet Massachusetts Department of Public Health requirements for Camps.
More information about the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s definition of a recreational camp for children and specific provisions for its licensure are found in regulation 105 CMR 430.000
Contact Carol Ann Buono at cbuono@mayouthsoccer.org for any Insurance Claims or questions.