Spring 2023 Key Dates for Planning

Season Requirements, Modifications, Guidance

BAYS and each BAYS organization is responsible for following the regulations and guidance of the following entities in structuring and playing in the Spring 2023 season:

  • Massachusetts Youth Soccer, CDC, Federal/Commonwealth/Local authorities inclucing the Mass. Department of Health and local town boards of health

Season Considerations

Spring 2023 will be a regular 10-game season with tiered divisions and sections of registered teams. 

  • Towns provide placement inputs for teams: Division requested (1-4), Hi-Med-Lo evaluated skill, Ordinal Rank, Comments. https://bays.org/content/registrar-team-inputs-explained 

    • Please take extra time to consider fall playing records, swap history, and team composition changes when requesting spring team placements.
    • Consider the potential for frequent player conflicts when deciding on how many players should be rostered on teams.
    • BAYS recent Match Rule 2 change allows 18 players, up from 16, to be rostered on Grade 6 MTOC-eligible teams playing in Div 1 and Div 2.

  • BAYS relies on these town placement inputs and prior team records to decide section compositions.

  • Geographic considerations will be taken into consideration, particularly in Divisions 3 and 4.

    • Swaps will be allowed in non-MTOC eligible sections.
    • Swaps are generally not made in MTOC eligible sections, as that could invalidate MTOC eligibility.

  • Games will be scheduled on the Memorial Day weekend (5/27) for Youth teams in grades 3-8

  • For MTOC-eligible teams, player passcards or team photo ID sheet(s) are required for all teams participating in the BAYS Playoffs. See Match Rule 5.

    • No passcards or team photo ID sheet(s) need to be shown for ANY teams during the BAYS regular spring season.

High School Notes:

  • BAYS has changed back to having Grade 10 as the younger grade/age bracket for High School Division 1 and 2 teams. https://bays.org/content/grade-age-groupings-current-soccer-year
  • Adult athletes (any player 18 or older or turning 18 during the season) playing on a team with athletes younger than 18 have to complete SafeSport training per the Mass Youth Adult Athlete policy PRIOR to being listed on a roster. 

  • Note that the due date for HS team placements has been moved later and the HS schedule compressed to allow more time for towns to finalize HS team rosters. There have been issues when teams are placed based on preliminary player data or guesses. We want to improve placements by seeking better information about real team roster composition. Please take this into account when planning your HS teams.

  • Games will not be scheduled for High School teams on Memorial Day weekend (5/28)

Key Dates - Spring 2023 - Youth Teams Grades 3-8

Team Registration Grades 3-8 - CLOSES @ Noon on 2/6 1/23-2/6
Placement Committee 3-8 2/7
Initial BOD placement meeting 3-8 2/8
Initial Placements posted 3-8 2/14
Placement Changes 3-8 Closes @ Noon on 2/28 2/14-2/28
Placement Committee - Revised Placements 2/28
General Placement Meeting 3/8
Final Placements Posted 3/13
Field Sharing - Grade 3-8 Closes @ Noon on 3/13 2/28-3/13
Spring Schedule Posted Grade 3-8 3/21
Division Directors Assigned - Roster Dashboard Open 3/21
Start of Spring 2023 for Grades 3-8 4/8
Team Registration Open - Presidents' Cup 4/17-5/2
Placement Committee - PCup Placements 5/3
Presidents' Cup Brackets Posted 5/4
BAYS MTOC Roster Freeze Date 5/10
Referee Appreciation Weekend 5/13-14
End of Spring 2023 for Grades 3-8 6/10
BAYS Playoffs Start 6/12
BAYS Playoffs and Presidents' Cup Finals 6/17
MTOC Tournament 6/23-6/25

 

Key Dates - Spring 2023 - HS Teams Grades 9-12

Team Registration Open for HS - Closes @ Noon on 3/27 3/13-3/27
Placement Committee - HS Placements 3/28
Initial Placements Posted for HS 3/29
Placement Changes - HS - Closes @ Noon on 4/3 3/29-4/3
Field Sharing - HS 3/29-4/3
Final Placements Posted for HS 4/5
Division Directors Assigned - Roster Dashboard Open 4/6
Spring Schedule Posted - HS 4/11
Start of Spring 2023 HS teams 4/23
BAYS MTOC Roster Freeze Date 5/10
Referee Appreciation Weekend 5/13-14
End of Spring 2023 HS teams 6/11
BAYS Playoffs Start 6/12
BAYS Playoff Finals 6/17
MTOC Tournament 6/23-6/25