SFYS FAQ's and How To's

SFYS Community,

We'll post (what we hope are helpful) answers to our most commonly asked questions here, and update on an ongoing basis. 

Parents/Caregivers

1. Ensure your player's profile on www.sfyouthsoccer.org is complete (including emergency contact info and a correct photo). We require front-facing headshots - no avatars - of only one person (your player), without hats, hoods, facepaint or sunglasses. You can find instructions here. Please note that a photo is required to play in games. 
2. For some of you, you will also need to upload a photo into our compliance platform, Ankored. If this pertains to you, you will receive an email directly from Ankored. This means that some of you will need to upload a player photo in two places (sfyouthsoccer.com AND Ankored).

Team Admins (Coach, Assistant Coach, Team Manager)

1. Please check your team roster to ensure every player has an appropriate photo. Here's how.  Checking your team roster is something you can do anytime to make sure your players' registrations are complete.
   1. We have heard from a few teams who have had unknown players join their teams. This can be avoided by setting a team password for your team. Here's a quick tutorial.
2. Be sure to enter jersey numbers for each player on your team. Here's how. This helps on game day!
3. Team STARs (Specially Trained Assistant Referees): these volunteers are essential for our league to run, and each team must have one registered STAR.  
   1. Did you know? A person can serve as the STAR on record for two different teams. This does not mean you have to attend all games for both kids. However, this makes your team compliant, and the best part is that you can train another parent on one of your teams in how to be a STAR.
   2. Licensed referees can also serve as a team STAR. Bonus: it's great practice for the youth referees.
   3. Upcoming STAR trainings listed on our website
4. Livescan (fingerprinting): there are some nuances to the fingerprinting process.
   • Livescans done for Microsoccer during or after February 2023 are valid.
   • The Dept of Justice (DOJ) can indicate "complete" for a Livescan result, but SFYS must wait for confirmation from our governing agency, SAY.
   • We cannot accept previously completed Livescans done for other organizations.
   • Anyone who completes a Livescan for SFYS must be registered in our system (sfyouthsoccer.org). 
   • There are several agencies involved in the certification process for coaches, please be patient as we have to receive information from a variety of sources.
5. Coach certification tip: if you try to register for a 7v7 or 9v9 grassroots training program on US Soccer and are unable to do so, you might need to first complete the Introduction to Grassroots Training course first.
6. How to find and print your Game Day Photo Roster

Compliance

1. Why do we require 2 cleared admins on each team? To comply with SAY's Times Two Policy and AB506, which helps keep kids safe.
2. Why do we ask for compliance documents for coaches, admins and players (examples include providing proof of age for players and proof of completed certifications and clearance for admins)?  Because this helps us maintain a safe and well-managed league for YOU. Registered and fully cleared participants are included under our insurance coverage. Without all completed required registration steps and necessary documentation, we can't help keep you safe.

Refunds, Credits, Transfers, etc.

1. What is SFYS' refund policy? Because we pay various fees for players and teams, we have a time-bound refund policy. You can find it here.
2. What if my entire team has to drop out of the league after we registered? If a team drops after we have have submitted our list of teams to SFRPD, there may be a fee assessed by SFRPD. It could be up to $400, depending on when your team drops out.
3. I've paid for my player, but they are no longer able to play in the upcoming season. Can I transfer their payment and registration to anther player? Unfortunately, registration is non-transferable. The registered player needs to drop from the team (form here), and another player will need to create their own unique registration. A paid player can opt to stay on the team even if they don't expect to play, in the event they could guest play unexpectedly. Reach out to info@sfyouthsoccer.com for help with dropping from a team, or related questions.
4. I've paid for this season, but my player is no longer available. We expect him/her/them to return next season, so can I just use my registration fees for the next season? Unfortunately, we aren't able to move a registration fee for a future season.

What other questions do you have? Please post them below and we'll do our best to answer quickly. We are so appreciative that we get to serve the youth of San Francisco through the beautiful sport of soccer!

-SFYS Staff

Last updated 02/2026