Call-Up & Trial Players in the GKSSA

Revised May, 2023

In the 2005 Outdoor Season the GKSSA introduced a system for teams being able to use additional GKSSA players on a trial basis. Similar systems have been used by both the ERSL and some of the local youth leagues. In 2007, based on experiences of the previous two seasons, the trial permit process was changed in a couple of significant ways. It was further changed, and renamed, in 2011. In 2017 it was expanded to allow for five call-ups per player, and in 2019 to allow for seven per player.

• Players from lower division teams are termed call-ups.
• Players not registered with a team may play trial games with a special permit.

Advantages

• 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.)
• New players to the league have an opportunity to play in a game situation without having to commit for a full season.

Direct questions about this policy to the GKSSA GM.

Call-Up Rules

1. A call-up player must be a registered player in good standing with the GKSSA and Ontario Soccer.
   • Being in good standing includes, but is not limited to, the player not being under suspension.
   • The player must be registered with a GKSSA team in a lower division. (For example, KUSC teams do not have automatic access to any player registered with the KUSC club. Only GKSSA-registered players are eligible.)
2. A call-up player may only play in divisions higher than his own.
3. A call-up player may participate with any number of teams per division each season.
4. A player may play a maximum of five (5) call-up games per season with another team without being obliged to complete a full transfer to that team.
5. A player may play a maximum of seven (7) call-up games per season. If a player plays six (6) call-up 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 regular player transfers. To be eligible for the playoffs, the player must have made the transfer four (4) weeks before the final regular season game.
6. A call-up player must have his completed player card or Ontario Soccer player book with him at all games for purposes of identification.
7. A card received by a call-up player is treated as any other card and contributes to that player’s seasonal total (regardless of division).
8. A team may use a maximum of five call-up players per game.
9. There is no seasonal limit on the number of call-ups a team may use.
10. The application for a call-up must be received by both the GKSSA Statistician and Registrar by noon of the day of the call-up game. This may all be done by email.
    • The application must clearly indicate the teams, game(s), date(s), and player(s) involved (this is simply a copy of the email the requesting manager sends to the manager of the team that has the GKSSA registered player who will be playing on the call-up).
11. Call-up players cannot be used for Cup games or Playoff games.
12. There is no fee for call-ups.
13. The call-up player must be listed on the gamesheet and must be marked as CALL-UP.

Call-Up Example

Terry plays defense with Italia 06 (C Division). Marcello Lippi, a friend of Terry’s, discovers that the Azzurri Blue (A Division) will be short players, but wants to field a team to play a game and asks Terry to play up with their team for a game. Terry agrees and both the Azzurri Blue and Italia 06 team reps forward an email to the GKSSA Registrar and Statistician informing them of this most important call up. With all the paper work completed, Terry plays the game. This is his first call-up game.

Roberto Donadoni, of Forza Italia (B Division), hearing of Terry’s goal scoring prowess with the Azzurri Blue, asks Terry to give a run with them. Terry, seeing more goals on the horizon, does so again with all the paper work filled accordingly. That is his second game as a call-up.

Trial Player Rules

1. Trial players will be put into a pool accessible to all teams.
2. Trial players may only be used until the end of the week beginning July 29^th.
3. A player may play a maximum of three trial games per season, but if that player plays three trial games with the same team, the player is considered to have become a full player on that team.
4. Trial players may play with up to three different teams, regardless of division, per season.
5. Trial players accumulate cards and suspensions as per any other player. If a trial player is dismissed from a game, each game suspended counts as a game played on the player's trial permit.
6. Trial players must pay the trial fee to the GKSSA Treasurer to be added to the player pool.
7. The trial player must be listed on the gamesheet and must be marked as TRIAL.
8. The 2023 trial player fee is $30 which must be sent by EMT to the GKSSA treasurer in advance of the first appearance. In addition, the player's information (including full name, birthdate, and email address) must be sent to the GKSSA registrar at least 24h before the player's first match appearance.

Guest Players used this season

The GKSSA maintains an automatic listing of all guest players (Trial and Call-Up) used throughout each season.

• Report of Call-Up and Trial Players used