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Field Equipment Procedures for North Los Altos Fields

Coach Field Equipment Procedures

Coaches, wondering what "NETS" on your schedule means? This implies that you are the last or the first game for that field on that day. As such, you are expected to setup or tear down the field. Luckily, this does not mean too much. But read below for further details. Some of this information applies for your practice days as well, to make it a safe environment and to follow the field owners guidelines.

All goals and field boxes share a combination for the locks. Talk to your coach or division coordinator to get the code.

Note: Material here is in transition as our field policy is in transition. We will start having to move goals before and after use for some sites due to new requirements (grass cutting, field use by other sports or school activities, etc.). All goals must be anchored before use (even if setup for practices during the week). Also, in some cases, nets will have to be attached when the goal is moved into place and removed and stored in the field box when done. Finally, portable goals will be disassembled and stored for the season in the Storage container and brought back out for the next season when ready. Only the more permanent goals at Santa Rita, Rosita and Hillview will stay out for the season.

Each field has some minimal setup and take down to do on game days. See the list of each field below to figure out what you may need to do specifically for your field. Otherwise, read the general policies following with how to handle the items..

[ Almond ]  [ Bullis ]  [ Covington ]  [ Egan ]  [ Hillview ]  [ Rosita ]  [ Santa Rita ]

Almond

• Goals are to be unlock, brought out, and attached to in-ground stakes for use and then have to remain locked to the fence, goal mouth towards fence, when not in use. They must be attached to the permanent ground anchors when out. If you are the last game of the day or used them during practice, please put them away. Almond PE and the principal require the field be kept clear of all goals during the school day / week. There are four 6' goals for U10 fields and two 8' goals for the adult Sunday game use. Note that the permanent stakes are set for 18' and 24' wide for the 6' and 8' goals; respectively. So do not try and use the wrong goal at the wrong location.
• The nets will remain attached for the season.
• Corner flags and the AYSO Kids Zone sign are in the white truck-style field box near the El Monte entrance to teh field. Flags and the banner should be put out or back at the beginning or end of game day; respectively.
• The goals, field box and all equipment are owned by AYSO.

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Covington

• Goals have to remain locked to the fence, goal mouth towards fence, when not in use. They must be attached to the permanent ground anchors when out. If you are the last game of the day or used them during practice, please put them away. The Covington principal requires the field be kept clear of these large goals during the school day.
• Nets have to be rehung after goals are moved out and removed before the goal is stored. See net hanging procedure for description. Nets are stored in the greenlee field box. Nets are hung for the season using plastic wire cable ties. Please make repairs of missing / broken ties by using similar techniques and not tape.
• Corner flags have to be taken out or put back after use (or beginning or end of block of games). A greenlee field box is at Covington near the goals and porta-potty to facilitate holding the nets and corner flags.
• The goals, nets and field box are owned by AYSO but used by MVLA.

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Egan

Large, Agora 8' goals on main track field (U14 field)

• Goals have to remain locked and off the main field (other side of long jump track), goal mouths toward each other, when not in use. The Agora 4" round goals are on flip-up/down wheels. The wheels can be flipped down to facilitate rolling the goal into place. Do not try to carry with any less than four adults. Once in place, the wheels should be flipped up. When in place on the field, the goals should be attached by the carbiner chains to the permanent ground stakes.
• Nets stay attached for the season.
• Corner flags, Halfway line flags and the large drain covers (4 of them) are in the brown Knaack field box located under the redwood tree now near the parking lot and "patch" field. They should be put out or returned after each practice or block of games.
• The smaller fields next to the track (baseball diamond, patch near parking lot) are available for warm-up only if empty.
• The goals were purchased by the school with money donated by MVLA Club. AYSO added the wheels and stakes. AYSO owns the Knaack field box and its contents but makes it available for use by MVLA and the school.

3-piece fold-a-goal 6' goals on patch field (U10 field)

• Goals are to be unlock, brought out, and attached to in-ground stakes for use and then have to remain locked to the fence, goal mouth towards fence, when not in use. They must be attached to the permanent ground anchors when out. If you are the last game of the day or used them during practice, please put them away. Egan PE and the principal require the field be kept clear of all goals during the school day / week for mowing and PE. There are two 6' goals for U10 fields.
• The nets will remain attached for the season.
• Corner flags and the AYSO Kids Zone sign are in the brown Knaack field box located under the redwood tree now near the parking lot. They should be put out or returned after each practice or block of games.
• The goals, field box and all equipment are owned by AYSO.

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Hillview

• Goals and nets are permanently placed and attached for the season.
• Only corner flags need be taken out or put back on game day -- available in the field box.
• Note that MVLA Soccer Club generally takes care of supplying the nets and flags at Hillview. The Kwik-goals were donated by AYSO Region 43 to the city of Los Altos in 199?. The greenlee field box was purchased jointly by MVLA Soccer Club and AYSO Region 43 around 2000 but is maintained primarily by AYSO. The nets this year (2006) are actually AYSO's.

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Rosita

Mini-Goals for the mini-Fields

• The mini-goals (5' high x 10' wide and 4' high x 6' wide) need to be dragged out for each use and then restored along a fence and off the grass. This facilitates the big field use and grass cutting. These goals are light and small enough and need no stakes when in use. There are 8 5' goals for U8 play and 4 4' goals for U7 play. The 4' goals go on field 1 (nearest parking lot).
• Nets are hung for the season. The goals are dismantled and stored in the AYSO Region 43 storage shed during the off season.
• There are 24 corner flags in the Knaack field box to facilitate setting up the six (6) U8/U7 fields. They need to be taken out and put back after the game days. Also, the Kids Zone bannerneeds to be hung or put away along with the corner flags

Kwik-Goals for the Large Field

• Goals and nets are permanently placed and attached for the season.. Check to make sure the back bottom of the net is staked down as the goal has not back bar. Add yellow tent stakes if needed.
• There are enough corner and halfway line flags in the field box. They must be taken out or put back after each use. Also, the Kids Zone banner needs to be hung or put away along with the corner flags.
• The Kwik goals at Rosita were donated by AYSO Region 43 to the City of Los Altos, who now maintains them. But as we are the primary users, any issues or noticed problems should be reported to the field manager and eventually the city if needed.

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Santa Rita

Upper (#2, south), Pipe 8' goals (for U14 up to Adult use)

• Goals are permanently placed and attached for the season. The two nets for these 8' pipe goals are in a bag in the field box and have velcro and stakes attached for easy setup and removal. Extra velcro and stakes are there for repairs as the season goes on. The nets must be placed for a game and then removed after the game. The nets are never to be left on the goals. The nets and other equipment is owned by AYSO; the pipe goals by the school district.

Upper (#2, south), 3-piece 7' fold-a-goals (for U12 use)

• Goals are to be unlock, brought out, and attached to in-ground stakes for use and then have to remain locked to the fence, goal mouth towards fence, when not in use. They must be attached to the permanent ground anchors when out. If you are the last game of the day or used them during practice, please put them away. The school district requires the goals be away for mowing the grass.. There are two 7' goals for the U12B field here.
• The nets will remain attached for the season.
• Corner flags and the AYSO Kids Zone sign are in the grey, oldKnaack field box located under the trees on the back, west side between the two fields. They should be put out or returned after each practice or block of games.
• The goals, field box and all equipment are owned by AYSO.

Lower (#1, north), 8' NCAA goals (for U14 up to Adult use)

• Goals and nets are permanently placed and attached for the season with padlocks to the stakes.There are now NCAA 4" round post goals installed with new nets. These have permanent anchors at the back that the chains on the goal attach too. Soon there will be a back bar and wheels. Eventually, quick attach clips will be added so the net can be taken off after use and the goal rolled over to the fence. The goals, nets and all equipment are owned by AYSO.

Lower (#1, north), 3-piece 7' fold-a-goals (for U12 use)

• Goals are to be unlock, brought out, and attached to in-ground stakes for use and then have to remain locked to the fence, goal mouth towards fence, when not in use. They must be attached to the permanent ground anchors when out. If the large NCAA goals are out and locked in place, you must slide the goals inside these goals and feed the extra long stake chains out to the stakes used for the 8' goals. If you are the last game of the day or used them during practice, please put them away. There are two 7' goals for the U12B field here.
• The nets will remain attached for the season.
• Corner flags and the AYSO Kids Zone sign are in the grey, oldKnaack field box located under the trees on the back, west side between the two fields. They should be put out or returned after each practice or block of games.
• The goals, field box and all equipment are owned by AYSO.

Any problems with equipment, call the field equipment manager, Bruce Pejman, at 650-248-5080 (cell). If a problem with a permit or squatter on the field during your time, call the field permit person, Randy Harr, at 650-619-9438 (cell).
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General Policies (for coaches)

Each field should have a field box.

Field boxes should have net stakes (yellow, plastic tent stakes or 6" metal stakes), a 2' step ladder to help reach the top crossbar, corner flags, orange cones, orange discs, extra chemical ice packs, velcro/cable-ties for reattaching nets and misc other items to help in maintaining the safety and condition of the goals, nets, and corner flags.

Nets (in since you asked!)

Most goals have semi-permanently attached nets. This is so the goals can be used by groups other than AYSO, including the schools themselves, as well as MVLA Soccer Club, adult leagues, and others. We buy new nets each year as a result. If a net has developed a hole, was run over with the mower in the back or is in need of other repair or attachment, there should be some velcro tape strips, plastic wire ties or possibly string in the field box to repair the net. Referees sometimes carry this as well.

Permanent goals made with pipes (Santa Rita 1, Bullis) need to have the back and sides of the nets staked down after game time. If you are the last game, remove the stakes and put them back in the field box if not attached to the net. Rebunch the net, hooking some over the top, and hang straight down to try and help make sure the lawn mower does not run over the net. If you need nets for practice, you have to stake and unstake them. It can be dangerous to leave a net hanging straight down over the goal mouth during practices or games.

Some goals require staking the back of the net to prevent the ball from slipping through or to pull the net back away from the goal mouth. Hopefully, the stakes should be attached to the net. If not, check the field box for some plastic, yellow tent stakes or 6" metal stakes. These are not required but definitely help in the safety and management of the game.

Goals

All large goals (larger than 5' high) should be attached to permanent ground anchors and staked at all times when in use and moved up against the fence when not in use. The Rosita Kwick-Goals and Santa Rita Lower (North) Fold-a-goal are permanent for the season and stay put. If you arrive for the first game, please move the goals into place, attach their chains to the permanent stakes, and use temporary stakes near the goal mouth, if needed. If you cannot find the temporary stakes attached to secure the goal, check nearby for loose stakes or check the field box for extra stakes and a hammer. If their are no stakes available, call the Fields Manager for AYSO -- Steve Brocksen, 650-248-7311, for resolution. The refs are strictly instructed -- no staked goals, no game.

When placing goals, the proper placement is centered in the goal area with the BACK of the upright goal posts aligned with the OUTSIDE edge of the painted line on the field. You do not care where the front of the goal posts are, just the back. This is so the assistant referee can clearly see when the ball has cleared the field completely.

Some large goals, like at Rosita and Almond, are practice goals only. While they should be staked, they are light aluminum and can be easily moved. They should be moved off the field and along the fence once finished with them; whether during practice or a game.

The smaller goals (5' or less in height, not staked) need to be moved on and off the field for practices and games (at Rosita mainly but also Almond and Santa Rita special practice areas). Simply drag them over to along a fence. If the goals are not removed, they will not mow the grass.

Kids Zone Banner

The main setup or take down at each field are the (a) corner flags and (b) Kids Zone banner.

The kids zone banner should be hung on the chain link fence for all to see while on the field. It should be removed at the end of the day and stored with the corner flags in the field box.

The Kids Zone banner is very important as it is a new program in our region. Please make sure to take the banner out of the field box and hang it on the chain link fence in a place that is visible to all at all fields in the area. The refs will make note if the banner is missing. The coach responsible for setup that day will get a call from the regional commissioner. If the last game of the day, unhang the banner and restore it in the field box. If the banner is missing, let the referee know to include that in his/her report.

Corner Flags

Place a corner flag, taken from the field box, at each corner of the lined field. Make sure the post is on the line as close to the outer corner without being off the line.

For larger fields (U12 and higher), there are enough flags to put halfway line flags as well. These should be placed 1 yard outside the field in the imaginary extension of the halfway line. These flags are useful as they demarc the "coaching" technical line that is 1 yard out and parallel to the touch line.

Many corner flags come apart in the center to make it easier to store in the smaller field boxes. Do not ever use just the top half only. This is a safety issue if a kid falls onto the flag. Corner flags must be 5' high or not used.

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How to Hang Nets

There are some tricks to learning how to hang a net properly so it is stretched, out of the way, and will not let a ball escape from the goal. Following these ordered steps will help assure your success in achieving that goal.

For free standing goals:

with goal supports, crossbars, side bottom bars, side supports (45 degree angle from back corner to crossbar) and possibly back bar and "depth" to the side support:

1. Lay the net out on the ground inside the goal in roughly the position it needs to be in. Find the top part that attaches to the crossar and the corners. Find the center of the top part of the net and the center of the crossbar. Make sure the rope running through the top of the net is loose at both ends (not tied to the net). On a white net, this cord is usually black.
2. Either lay the goal on its face (goal mouth down) or use a step-stool to reach the crossbar. Attach the center of the net to the center of the cross bar. Work you way along the cross bar to each corner, stretching the net as you go. There should either be clips or you should attach a cable tie every 1 to 1.5 feet. Velcro can also be used across the top; or maybe rope. This is roughly every 5th square in a normal net.
3. Use double ties in the corners, both on the top crossbar and at the top of the vertical goal post.
4. Now start at the bottom of the vertical goal post and work your way up each goal post, stretching the net as you go. If the net seems too long, it is better to bunch the slack at the top near the crossbar and side supports. Attach the net every 9" or 3 squares of the net now. Try and make sure to not have anything sticking out on the inside of the goal post facing the goal mouth, or outside the post facing the field. Keepers and players tend to rub up against or hit these posts during play. Be careful not to attach the heavier "rope" portion of the net that is supposed to run down the side support bar at an angle.
5. Now start working you way back from the goal post along the side, bottom support. This may imply pulling the net up if you have the goal on its face on the ground.
6. A. If no step stool available, and the goal face is on the ground. then start attaching the net on the top side bar that is now vertical. Make sure to pull any slack so the net is stretched and tight along the side of the goal. Pull taught but do not overstretch with respect to the side. Do not pull the back / top of the net taught as you need slack to attach the net to the crossbar at the back, bottom.. If done properly the net should retain its pattern shape (squares or hexagons) in the side. Once you cannot reach any further, flip the goal upright and finish the back, bottom of the sidebar and side bottom bar -- continuing to stretch the net as you go.
   B. If a step stool is available and the goal can be made upright, then continue working on the goal while upright. Start attaching the net up the side bar starting from the ground at the back and working up towards the crossbar and top of the goal. Pull slack on the side only and adjust tension so the net is taught but not overstetched. If done properly the net should retain its pattern shape (squares or hexagons). Do not stretch the back of the net as you need the slack to stretch over the back, bottom bar.
7. You will usually have enough net during this process to pull it over the top, back of the side bar. You can then attach the net to itself and use the net to take the weight and tension instead of the attachment mechanism. This also allows the slack to be taken up and wrapped around the bar.
8. Now take the top chord and lace it through the top, side crossbar. Usually the chord will be a few feet back from the crossbar. If doing the first side, simply lace the cord around the top bar going towards the front and pulling the net tight to the bar as you go. This gives extra strength to the net attachment to the sidebar. Take the other side of the chord and pull as taught as possible before lacing in a similar manner. This should pull the center of the net up and away from the goal mouth and thus provide more clearance for the keeper and players to operate uninhibited. By lacing the rope around the top bar every inch or so, it helps hold the net in this stressful point.
9. Now attach the net along the back. Either by stretching around the back bar and attaching or by staking with plastic tent stakes. Take up any remaining slack. Note, if using tent stakes, you need to make sure the goal is in position and staked before staking the back of the net.
10. You should now have a professionally looking goal and net!

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