Millville Soccer Association: Parents Page
Dates to Remember for Parents
Travel Season: Week 1: Saturday March 2nd & Sunday March 3rd, 2013
Week 10: Saturday May 18th & Sunday May 19th, 2013
Week 11 Make-up Week: Saturday June 1st & Sunday June 2nd, 2013
Recreation Season: Week 1: Saturday March 16th, 2013
Week 10 : Saturday June 1st, 2013
No Regular Season games on Easter Weekend or Memorial Day Weekend.
Fundraisers: See NEWS Page
Recreation Division Age Groups (Fall 2011)
Below are the age groups for the Fall 2012 Season (tentative):
U5 Boys & Girls
U6 Boys & Girls
U7-U8 Boys & Girls
U9-U10 Boys & Girls
U11-U14 Boys & Girls
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Everything You Wanted To Know About Soccer Terms
Whether you are brand new to youth soccer or a long term veteran, you probably have questions pertaining to both, you and your child. On this page, we try to provide as much information as possible and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
A lot of different terms are heard around the soccer field-Recreationg Division, Travel teams, flights, divisions, age brackets, "U" teams, 8v8, 11v11, Short Sided, Full Sided, seasonal year, etc.
What do all these terms mean? Let's take a look!
| Recreation League--This league is recreational in nature and emphasis is placed on teaching the fundamentals of the game and having fun. The program is for both boys and girls from age 4 to age 13.
TRAVEL League--This league is more competitive in nature and is available to both boys and girls from 8 to 19 years old (based on team availablity). It requires a higher level of skill and commitment than recreation soccer. Most of our travel teams play in the South Jersey Soccer League (boys) or South Jersey Girls Soccer League (girls). SEASONAL YEAR--Begins on August 1st and ends on July 31st. Our Recreation League soccer is run as two distinct sessions (a Fall and a Spring season) while travel soccer requires a commitment to play the entire seasonal year. AGE BRACKET--This is simply the age of the team. In travel soccer, it is determined by the age of the oldest player on the team. A team denoted as U-10 can not have any player who turns 11 by July 31st of the current seasonal year. DIVISIONS--Are made up of age brackets. At the youngest levels in the Recreation league, a division is made up of only a single age bracket. In the older levels of the Recreation league, a division may be made up of two age brackets (ie: U9-10). Just to make it more confusing, the older teams are assigned the lower division numbers. Therefore, U-19 teams are Division 1, U-16 teams are Division 2, U-14 teams are Division 3 and so on. Conferences or Flights--Are used in travel soccer to achieve balanced competition. Teams in each division or age bracket are grouped according to their respective skill level. Team flighting is based upon many factors including the past history of the team, the number of teams in each group and information provided by each club. The process is more difficult in the fall season when there is less "objective" data available on each team. Teams are re-flighted (or ranked) within their age bracket or division at the end of each season. 11v11 (aka Full Sided)--This term refers to the number of players that are on the field. U-11 and older teams play with 11 players on the field. One goal keeper and ten field players. Younger teams play with fewer than 11 players on the field. 8v8 (aka Small Sided)--U-10 and younger teams play on a smaller field and play with eight players or less on a team dependant on how young the team is. Goal keepers are not used at the youngest levels in the Recreation League. |
So Your Child Is Interested in Playing Travel Soccer...
Do you wonder what it is all about? Do you want to know what you are getting into? Here are a few things to consider when your child wants to try out for a traveling team:
First, traveling soccer can be a wonderful experience. You will have a new extended weekend family of soccer enthusiasts. There will almost always be someone you can depend on for a ride, a Band-Aid, a spare set of shin guards or an extra drink for your child. Friendships will form and you will meet many new people. You will also see various NJ towns, parks, diners, etc. that you didn't know existed.The level of playing in travel soccer is more skilled and more competitive. You and yourr child will learn more about the game and they will probably become an even better player than he or she currently is.The season is actually
2 seasons (both fall and spring) that make up the travel season. When you make the team, you play both fall and spring. The games are every Saturday or Sunday, and this may include Mother's and Father's Day. In addition, most teams enter tournaments (a tournament could be four games played over the course of two days) which may fall on a holiday weekend such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Columbus Day. There are also winter tournaments or indoor soccer, which some coaches like in order to get the kids ready for the spring.In addition to the registration fee, there are other fees depending on other activities that each team is involved with (tournaments, indoor, etc). Tournament fees are additional, and your team may or may not participate in a team fundraiser to cut the cost. Participation in tournaments and other extra activities are up to each coach or travel team. There is a league fundraiser each season.Travel teams play in all weather conditions, from extreme heat to extreme cold. A game is rarely called due to weather unless lightning is involved or due to field conditions.
Practices vary according to each coach/team, but are generally 2-3 times per week. Some teams have a professional, paid trainer for added skill instruction.
As you can tell, travel soccer requires an added level of commitment on both the parts of the players and the parents. You may need to be available to taxi your child around town, miss a family event or two, and pay a bit more $$ than you would for recreation soccer. Your child has to enjoy the game enough to want to go to extra practices with a minimal fuss and hopefully keep the grades up also.
The above information is not meant to talk you out of allowing your child the opportunity to participate. Rather, it is a behind-the-scene look. For more information, ask someone who has been there! Most families will tell you the experience has been a positive one.
