Wellesley United

Soccer Club

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Travel Program FAQs How

Travel Program FAQs

How are players selected for a team?

The Wellesley United Soccer Club holds travel team tryouts for the Under 9 (U9) through Under 14 (U14) age groups during May/June for the next soccer year. The typical player (based on age eligibility) will be in the spring of their 2nd grade (U8) year when they are eligible to try out for the first time for U9 (Fall 3rd grade). The tryout results along with the coach’s evaluations are used to recommend placements.  NSC Tryout Committee reserves the right to determine final placement.  Factors for placement may include the level of commitment shown by players in previous seasons.

Why do some players move teams from year to year?

We encourage some movement to allow players who thrived in one environment to be challenged in a more competitive team.  From a developmental standpoint, we also want to place players on teams where they can be more successful.

How many players are on a travel team roster?

The number of players on 6v6, 8v8, or 11v11 teams may vary depending on many factors but ultimately determined by the travel committee. There are BAYS limitations for the number of players on a given team, however, we typically fall well below the BAYS limit. For U9 and U10 teams, there will likely be 10-12 players per roster.  For 8v8 and 11v11 teams when all teams are travel, the travel committee determines the roster size based on the number of players needing placement.

What are the age requirements for travel soccer?

Wellesley United Soccer Club follows BAYS requirements for travel soccer. While intramural players play with their appropriate grade-level classmates, travel players follow BAYS requirements. The birthdate cutoff is July 31st. The link included will take you to the BAYS site for review or you can contact us for clarification: BAYS AGE GROUPS

Can players try out at multiple age groups?

Players are eligible to try out with one age group only.   If a player does not attend tryouts, NSC will place the player on an age-appropriate team.

Do travel players have to try out?

Players entering 3rd and 4th grade are required to attend tryouts if they wish to play on one of two (3rd grade) or three (4th grade) travel teams in the Fall.  If they do not attend tryouts, they will be placed on an intramural team.

Players in grades 5th through 8th grade that want to play on one of the top three travel teams in the Fall must tryout. Tryouts are not mandatory for those 5th-8th grade players that do not want to play for one of the top three travel teams.

We encourage players wanting to play “Spring Only” to tryout in May to assist us in determining appropriate placement for the following Spring. Placement for Spring Only players that do not go to the prior year’s tryout will be based on past coach’s evaluations, input from the club’s coaching staff, and input from past soccer coaches (if moving to Wellesley from another town). NSC Travel Committee will make the final placement determination for each player.

What are the requirements for players wanting to tryout as a Goalkeeper?

Goalkeeper tryouts are held for Girls and Boys U14 (Players entering 7th/8th grade).  New in Spring 2014, NSC will hold separate U14 Goalkeeper tryouts on the same date as the field player tryouts.  If a player participates in tryouts for Goalkeeper and are placed on one of the top three teams as a Goalkeeper, they are expected to play 50% of each game.  Players that tryout as a field player and Goalkeeper will be placed at the highest level the travel committee determines is best suited for that player.  Players that tryout for Goalkeeper only are expected to play full time for their respective team at the coaches discretion.  

When are tryouts held?

Tryouts are held mid-May thru early June each Spring for the following year.   

When will the players know their placement?

The teams for Fall of a given year will be communicated on or before July 1st.  The coaches are selected after this process but should be in contact with their respective teams typically by August 1st.

What if my child doesn’t make a travel team?

Not all players attending tryouts for U9 and U10 teams may be selected to a travel team. There will be two teams selected for U9 and three teams selected for U10, for each gender.  Players in this age group that do not make a travel team can still participate in the intramural program.  All players in grades 5 through 8 will be placed on a travel team.

What if my child is injured or can’t participate in a tryout due to a conflict?

If a player is ill, injured or otherwise cannot attend tryouts, you must contact the tryout coordinator and the player’s coach prior to the scheduled tryout.  Any player not attending tryouts due to injury, illness or other conflicts will receive appropriate consideration for a travel team when the travel teams are selected using all data available to us.  The exception are 3rd grade and any 4th graders that were not placed on a travel team previously.

NSC compares our tryout schedule against the school calendars to minimize conflicts with school-related activites.  Spring is a very busy time of year and it is not practical to expect that we can work around every other sport or extracurricular activity.

Can I register for a single season?

The single season registration is available to 5th-8th grade players only. This allows the player to participate in the Fall Only or Spring Only with the option of playing full year.

Can my 3rd/4th grader also play a single season for Travel?

No, the 3rd and 4th grade program requires the full year commitment.  Those players wishing to play a single season will need to play in the intramural program.

What if a player who has played in the Fall decides to play in the Spring as well after registering for single season initially?

There will be a Spring registration period between mid-November thru the end of December.  Players registered for Fall Only will need to register again for the Spring Only option during this window.

How will the single season affect teams and placement?

We do not take into consideration a player being registered for single season versus full year when placing players on appropriate teams.  We do encourage players planning to play the following Spring Only to attend tryouts if they wish to play on one of the top three teams to assist us with determining appropriate placement.

If a player commits to a full year, will that player be on the same team for both seasons?

Yes, for 3rd/4th graders only.  For 5th-8th graders our goal is to have minimal movement between seasons, however, there are occasional logistical needs to have some player movement. Any player movement will be reviewed by the travel committee and coaches affected to determine the movement needed.

How much playing time should be expected?

The most difficult part of coaching in a competitive league is trying to balance winning and ensuring that everyone plays.  It is easy for a coach to divide playing time in lopsided games but in close games it is nearly impossible to keep everyone happy.  It is the coach’s discretion to devise the substitution plan based on each game situation, but it is recommended that all players participate on average at least half the game for travel.

Who evaluates players during tryouts?

Evaluators at a tryout can include:

  • The head coach or assistant coach (not both) of the age group being evaluated;
  • Any Wellesley United Soccer Club board member who is not currently a coach for the age group;
  • Any Wellesley United Soccer Club coach who is not currently a coach for the age group; and/or
  • Any individual who the travel director determines can make a meaningful contribution to the assessment of the players’ skill level.

Parents and bystanders cannot evaluate unless they satisfy these criteria and have received approval from a travel director.

Do I need a new uniform?

Only if you are new to travel or the player has lost or outgrown their current uniform.  In some cases, player movement may also create a conflict with duplicate numbers.  WUSC will no longer reimburses players for duplicate numbers beginning with the Fall 2014 season.

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