Trial Players in the GKSSA
Starting with the 2005 Outdoor season, the GKSSA has introduced
a system for teams being able to use additional GKSSA players on a trial basis.
There are two main advantages to this system:
- teams that might otherwise be short-handed for a game benefit by being able to borrow players in order to field a full team
- players who are interested in seeing if they are able to play at a higher level
benefit by being able to play in another division without making a season-long
commitment to a team
(it also makes it easier for players considering such a transfer to
discover if the player and the team are compatible)
Systems like this are already in use by both the ERSL and local youth leagues.
If there are any questions about the this policy, please direct
them to both the GKSSA Statistician and to the Registrar.
Trial Player Rules
- A trial player must be a registered player in good standing with the GKSSA
and the OSA. Being in good standing includes, but is not limited to, the player not
being under suspension.
- A trial player may only play in divisions higher than his own.
- A trial player may only participate with one team per division each season.
- A player can play a maximum of two trial games per season with
another team without being obliged to complete a full transfer to that team.
- A player can play a maximum of three trial games per season. If a
player plays all three trial games with the same team, that player is
considered to have made a full transfer to that team at no additional cost.
In this case, the “automatic full transfer” is not subject to the deadline
date for standard full transfers.
- A trial player must have his completed and stamped OSA player book with
him at all trial games for purposes of identification.
- A card received by a trial player is treated as any other card and
contributes to that player’s seasonal total.
- A team may use a maximum of two trial players per game and a maximum of
six trial permits per season.
- The application for a trial permit must be made to the GKSSA Registrar 72
hours prior to the trial game, and must be signed by the player intending to
trial, the player’s regular team coach or manager, and the coach or manager
of the trial team.
- Trial players cannot be used for Cup games or Playoff games.
- A fee of $10.00 per trial permit is payable upon approval by GKSSA Registrar.
- A duplicate of the trial permit must be presented to the referee before
the trial game begins and must attached to the referee’s copy of the game
report.
- Each team was given a number of trial permits at the beginning of the season.
Additional permits are available from the GKSSA Registrar.
An Example of Trial Permit Use
Terry plays defense with Odin’s Crew (C Division).
Jim, a friend of Terry’s, discovers that the Black Bears (A Division) will
be short players, but wants to field a team to play a game and asks Terry
to trial with their team for a game. Terry does so. That means that he
has now "played up" once, and can no longer play with any other team in the
A Division on a trial permit.
Bill of the Lunchtime Boozers (B Division), hearing of Terry’s goal scoring
prowess with the Black Bears, asks Terry to give a run out with them. Terry,
seeing more goals on the horizon, does so. That is his second game as a
trial player, and now he can no longer play with any other team in the B
Division on a trial permit.
Terry now has one more game where he is eligible to trial this season, and
it can be with either the Black Bears (A) or Lunchtime Boozers (B). In both
cases, it would be his third (and final) time to play outside of his division,
but it would only be the second game with that team, thus he would not make
an automatic full transfer. Therefore, after using his final trial permit,
Terry remains free to stay with his current team, or do a full transfer to
any GKSSA team (assuming all conditions of that process can be met).
Trial Players used this season
The GKSSA maintains an automatic listing of all guest players used throughout each season.