FAQ's | Small-sided info | Player Registration Packet
2008 Teams (use links below)
U10G | U12G | U12GD | U14G | U14GD | U16G
FAQS:
What is the Mountain Soccer Club?
The Mountain Soccer Club is part of the West River Sports Association, a not for profit organization committed to quality athletic programs for young people.
The mission of the Mountain Soccer Club is to expose our players to the best available coaching and competition. We seek to raise youth soccer in Southern Vermont to a high level of ability and sportsmanship
The Mountain Soccer Club is comprised of several premier youth tournament teams, as well as development or Division II teams. Players are selected during the early fall for the upcoming season of January to July. Teams practice under the guidance of their individual coaches throughout the winter and begin competing against other teams in the spring.
What is new for 2008?
Our goal is to provide a place to play for every interested player. Players will be selected at tryouts for the appropriate team. Tournament travel team rosters are limited by the competitions that we enter. If there are not enough players to form a Division II team in an age group, those players not selected for the travel roster will be offered a spot as an alternate or practice player. These players will train with the team, but will only travel to games if rostered players will be absent.
Also, this year we're offering online registration. Enter your information once and update it as you need to.
Who are the coaches?
Mountain Soccer coaches are selected based on their experience and ability. Outside the MSC season, most of them also coach other teams in local youth programs or schools. All of our coaches continue to attend clinics to expand their knowledge of the game and teaching. We also bring in advanced level coaches during the season to give team-training sessions.
What are our facilities?
We are fortunate to have some of the best soccer fields in southern Vermont as our home base. All home games are at these five full-sized fields, most outdoor training sessions are also held here; though some coaches will set up some practices at other locations. During the winter months, teams practice at various school gyms. In the early spring, our teams use the indoor field at Riley Rink.
What teams are offered?
The USYS cut-off date for a player’s age is August 1st; therefore whatever age he/she is on 7/31/08 is the age group they qualify for. Our teams are comprised of two combined age years.
We offer the following teams. Boys: U10, U12, U14. Girls: U10, U12, U14, U16.
What is the schedule like?
Coaches are responsible for setting individual team training schedules. Generally, indoor practices are held twice a month during the winter and out-door practices in the spring, twice a week. Older teams with high school sport participants may practice once a week. Playing time in matches will be determined in part by attendance at practices.
League matches begin in early May and run until July.
The Division I teams will play in tournaments currently scheduled for the Memorial Day Weekend, and the Green Mountain Challenge on the 4th weekend in June. Division I teams may enter 3 tournaments or play in an indoor league instead of a third tournament. The tournament schedule is subject to change as entries are accepted. Some teams decide to enter more events; this extra cost is the parents' responsibility.
The Division II teams play a more local schedule with less travel. An indoor season is offered. They will have a league or jamboree schedule through early June and be offered the chance to enter a tournament if they want, at extra cost.
What commitment is required?
We seek players who have the desire and motivation to work hard to achieve his or her full potential in the sport of soccer. Players who intend to play another spring sport must be aware of the time commitment required to play Mountain Soccer. These teams play every weekend in May and June. The Division I teams have a busy travel schedule, while the Division II teams will have a lesser amount of travel.
If selected and before deciding to join a Mountain Soccer team, players and their parents must be willing to make a commitment to attend all practices, matches and tournaments.
What are the requirements for players?
All players who register for a Mountain Soccer Club Tryout should have previous experience playing team soccer. We are seeking focused players in good physical condition who can demonstrate their skills in small-sided games, and wish to challenge themselves by playing against the best teams from around New England. All potential participants in the Mountain Soccer program must understand the time commitment required both on and off the field.
What is a parent's role?
The parents of Mountain Soccer players are expected to have as strong a commitment to the program as their sons and daughters. Parents need to encourage the players to spend the time necessary to excel. Additionally, parents are responsible for providing transportation to scheduled practices, matches, and tournaments. Parents who are unable to accompany their child to a tournament must designate an adult, other than the coach, to be responsible for their child.
All parents of players on a Division I team are expected to assist with the Green Mountain Challenge Soccer Tournament in June, or pay an increased registration fee for their player. This is the club's largest fund-raising effort and allows us to keep the players’ fees as low as possible for the program.
One or two parents per team will be needed to serve as team managers. We encourage parents to consider this role, as it is a vital link between the players, the coaches, the team parents, and the Administrator.
What are the Fees and Expenses?
The fees to participate in the Mountain Soccer Club are $425.00 per player for Division I/Tournament teams, and $200 for Division II/academy teams. This fee covers player registration, coaching expenses, entry into tournaments, league fees, indoor time, equipment and field maintenance, and program administration. This fee is due upon a player's acceptance of the offer to join a team. If a financial hardship exists, the Administrator can assist parents with a payment plan, but this needs to be stated in writing at the time of acceptance.
Additional expenses will include travel, meals, and lodging for out-of-state tournaments. If a team decides to enter another event, this cost also will be the parent’s responsibility. Jerseys are borrowed for the season and must be returned. Warm-up suits and sports bag are optional and can be purchased at considerable discount through our sponsor Manchester Sports, in Manchester, VT. Additional soccer supplies can be purchased there as well at a 20% discount.
What is the Division II/Academy program?
All U10 players are in this program. If numbers of players are sufficient and coaches available, the Mountain Soccer Club will extend its program to include boys & girls development teams for players aged 11-14. These teams are for the player whom is not quite ready for tournament play, but still wants to play soccer in the spring. The objective of the program will be to give players an introduction to premier level play without the tournament travel. These teams will start in the winter, and then play in the indoor league at Riley Rink. In May and June, outdoor games will be provided, all around Vermont. The player fee for these teams is $200.00.
What are the assessment tryouts?
Tryouts are the process that we use to select the players for each team. Players will be evaluated over two sessions of 2-hours conducted by our coaches at the Weston Island Fields. After the tryouts players will be placed on the level team that is appropriate for them.
Attendance at both tryouts is expected for players to be considered for a roster spot. The director must be notified of special circumstances that require a player to miss a session. Players will be notified of the coach's decision as soon as possible after the last tryout. Players who are chosen must attend a registration meeting and complete all paperwork or lose their spot on the team.
All tryouts will take place on the fields at Weston Island located approximately 2.5 miles north of Londonderry off Route 100 on Boynton Road. In case of questionable weather please call 824-3865 for a recorded message.
Players must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the tryout registration. Players should be dressed to play soccer and bring a ball. The tryout fee is $ 20.00.
Vermont Soccer League Division I (outdoor)
