2008-09 TCYSA TRYOUT INFORMATION

To be selected for a TCYSA Academy, Challenge or Classic team, players must attend annual tryouts. Tryouts are held in the spring, usually in late May and early June. The dates, times and location of tryouts are set by the club in January and made available on its website by Feb. 1 of each year. Tryouts also are advertised via local media beginning no later than April 1.

Tryout registration is required. Online registration opens in mid-April at www.twincitysoccer.com. Player’s must be registered by their full legal name using their legal birth date. These two pieces of information will be checked against a certified copy of the player’s birth certificate. A non-refundable fee is charged for registrations. All registrations completed after the open-enrollment period closes are subject to a late fee.

All players are expected to attend both of their appropriate age-group tryout sessions. Players who cannot attend a session must communicate this directly to the Director of Coaching prior to the beginning of the first tryout date. Such players may be required to attend either a different session during tryouts or a supplemental session at the discretion of the DOC or his or her designee.

All required registration materials must be completed and fees paid prior to a player’s first tryout session.

Players new to the Club will have their first opportunity to be evaluated at tryouts. While returning players will be evaluated at tryouts, their play also will have been assessed during the preceding season. Regardless, all Twins teams are created new each year with players selected from a “pool” consisting of new and returning players.

Please note: Classic teams are formed with the top individual players available in each age group. In general, the highest-graded players will be placed on a White team; the next highest will be placed on the Blue team; and if enough high-quality players remain, a Silver team will be formed.

For Challenge, a coach may choose to retain a number of returning players to ensure a consistent level of play from year to year with the approval of the DOC or his designee. If enough quality players remain, a new team may be formed.

Shortly after the completion of an age group’s tryouts, players will be invited to join a team. Players are expected to make a decision whether to join a team within 24 hours. A non-refundable payment is required to accept a position. Once this acceptance is made, the player and his or her family are committed to the team and the Club for the entire playing year and are expected to fulfill all training, game, financial and volunteer commitments.

TCYSA’s U11 to U14 Select Program tryouts are combined for Challenge and Classic players. For instance, all U11 girls will tryout at the same time, and players will be selected for either a Challenge or Classic team.

TCYSA’s U15 to U18 Select Program tryouts are separate for Challenge and Classic players. Players will try out on the same evening, but in different groups. Any player that does not make a Classic team automatically will be placed in the pool of players from which Challenge teams will be created.

• U10 toU12 tryouts consist of short-sided scrimmages and other evaluation exercises deemed appropriate, depending upon the number of players attending tryouts.
• U13 to U18 tryouts consist of a combination of scrimmages and other evaluation exercises deemed appropriate, depending upon the number of players attending tryouts. 

Evaluators: Evaluators may include the Director of Coaching, the assistant Directors of Coaching, staff coaches, team coaches or qualified professional coaches at the discretion of the DOC. Each evaluator will grade players using a player-assessment scale. Players will be graded in the following four areas: technical, tactical, physical and psychological abilities.

Number of Teams: In the Classic Division, teams are put together with the purpose of creating a single highly competitive team in each boys and girls age division, and a second – and sometimes third – competitive team that allow for players to continue with intensive training and development. This structure is in place to allow players an opportunity to be considered for the highest level of competition for which they are qualified.

If enough quality players are not available to form competitive teams, players will be released to the Challenge division pool for possible selection.

Number of Players on a Roster:

• U10 may select a maximum of 12 players.
• U11 and U12 coaches may select a maximum of 14 players. 
• U13 through U16 coaches may select a maximum of 18 players.
• U17 and U18 coaches may select a maximum of 22 players from tryouts, of which only 18 can be dressed for a game.

Playing Up: Unless otherwise instructed by the Director of Coaching or his designee, all players are required to register and try out on age. If a parent or coach would like to request that a player be evaluated and considered to “play up” an age group, a written request must be made to the Director of Coaching no later than the Friday prior to the first day of tryouts. If considered appropriate, the DOC or age-group coach will contact the Club’s administrative assistant, who will move the player to the approved age group and notify the family of the change. The decision of the Directors of Coaching is final. All player placements are reviewed annually.

New Players: Any new player wishing to join TCYSA’s Academy, Challenge or Classic program after the tryout period ends or during the regular season must contact the relevant Director of Coaching to discuss eligibility and to arrange a tryout. All required registration materials must be completed and fees paid prior to a player’s tryout session. The Director of Coaching or his designee will make all decisions regarding new players and player placement.

Miscellaneous: Vacancies may be filled and transfers may occur at the discretion of the TCYSA Director of Coaching or his designee.

Vacancies: Players are expected to make a one-year commitment to their respective teams and to the organization. In instances in which a team loses a player, through either injury or family relocation, coaches will be allowed to add players. Such players will be selected from a pool of all players who are registered for the season; a coach also may add an unregistered player, with DOC approval, providing a tryout has taken place. If a coach would like to move players to promote either team or individual player development, any selection must be made from a pool of all registered players. Any player added to a team must be approved by the Director of Coaching.

Acceptance: Acceptance by a player is considered binding, and each player and his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) is expected to make a commitment to their respective program for its duration. This commitment includes, but is not limited to:

• Filling a roster spot on a team for the entire year;
• Participating in any non-team event; and
• Remitting all payments for any program as specified by TCYSA.

Generally, no refunds of payments will be made once a player has been accepted into a program. Additionally, each family must pay all fees for the year regardless of circumstances that may arise limiting a player’s activity.

Any request for a special waiver of this policy based on extraordinary circumstances (for example, family relocation or season-ending injury) must be made in writing to the TCYSA Treasurer, who will bring before the full Board of Directors. The decision of the Board is final.

Transfers: All transfers must comply with NCYSA and follow the published guidelines of NCYSA. TCYSA encourages players and their families to attend spring tryouts and go through the selection process. Occasionally, players may request to transfer into the Club mid-season. Such requests will be considered by TCYSA on a case-by-case basis. Any new players may be added after a tryout process at the discretion of the Director of Coaching.

• U11 to U14 Select Program tryouts are combined for all Challenge and Classic players. U15 to U18 Select Program tryouts are separate for all Challenge and Classic players
• Tryouts typically consist of two sessions on consecutive days for each age division.
• Each family is encouraged to register online and on time. Families that do not have access to a personal computer may call the TCYSA office during office hours and register over the phone as time and staffing permit.
• A non-refundable registration fee will be charged for each player; the fee will increase for any player that registers after online registration closes.  
• Before a player will be allowed on the field to tryout, TCYSA must have the following items in its possession:
  • registration fees;
  • a copy of the player’s birth certificate (new and returning players);
  • a signed and appropriately notarized NCYSA Medical Waiver Form;
  • a photograph of the player on emulsified photographic paper (not plain paper), no larger than 1-inch by 1-inch, showing the player’s face from ear-to-ear and chin to top of the head.
• All players must wear cleats and shin guards to participate in a tryouts. Each night, players are expected to bring a water bottle and an appropriately sized soccer ball. Each player will be given a tryout t-shirt and number. This shirt and number must be retained for both sessions.
• Players will be notified of their results via email:
  • Academy -- Every effort will be made to extend invitations by 3 p.m. the day following the last tryout session. Players have 24 hours after notification to accept a position. Acceptance must be accompanied by a deposit to secure the player’s position on the team. This acceptance payment is the first of eight (8) payment installments to be paid to the Club. Any additional team expenses will be collected separately by the team’s treasurer.
  • U10 to U14 Challenge players -- Every effort will be made to extend invitations by 8 p.m. of the day following the last tryout session. Players have 24 hours after notification to accept a position. Acceptance must be accompanied by a non-refundable payment to secure the player’s position on the team. This payment is the first of two payment installments to be paid to the Club. Any additional team expenses will be collected separately by the team’s manager or coach.
  • U15 to U18 Challenge players – Every effort will be made to extend invitations by noon the day following the last tryout session. Players have 24 hours after notification to accept a position. Acceptance must be accompanied by a non-refundable payment to secure the player’s position on the team. This payment is the first of two payment installments to be paid to the Club. The second installment is due Aug. 15. Any additional team expenses will be collected separately by the team’s manager or coach.
  • U11 to U14 Classic players – Every effort will be made to extend invitations by 3 p.m. the day following the last tryout session. Players have 24 hours after notification to accept a position. Acceptance must be accompanied by a non-refundable payment to secure the player’s position on the team. This acceptance payment is the first of eight (8) payment installments billed by the Club for U11 to U14 players, and three (3) payment installments billed by the Club for U15-U18 players. Any additional team expenses will be collected separately by the team’s treasurer.
• TCYSA will strive to post complete team rosters at www.twincitysoccer.com within 24 to 48 hours after the last tryout session for each age group. Its ability to do this, however, is wholly dependent on the timeliness of acceptances.
• In addition to the acceptance payment, fees for Classic players, excluding such individual player and team expenses as uniforms, referee fees, tournament fees, player and family travel expenses and coach’s travel expenses, will be paid directly to the Club in installments, following the acceptance payment:
  • U11-U14 Boys and Girls: eight (8) additional payments made in July, August, September, October, November, December, January, February
  • U15-U18 Girls: four (3) additional payments made in July, August, September and October.
  • U15-U18 Boys: four (3) additional payments made in November, December, January and February.
• ACCEPTANCE IS BINDING: By accepting a spot on a TCYSA team, a player’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) agrees to support the organization by committing their time and their child’s time to club activities. This includes attendance at practices, scrimmages, games and tournaments, as well as other club events. It also includes volunteering for various assignments or events as needed. We also expect that all families will honor their financial commitment to TCYSA and their team. Accepting a position obligates you to pay all club- and team-related fees and expenses on time for the entire 2008-09 year. This policy is in place to protect the club from having to make up financial losses when players decide to quit teams for anything less than extraordinary reasons, for instance, a season-ending injury or the unexpected relocation of the family.
• Financial Assistance for all levels of competition is available based on need for families that qualify.

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