For Players
Registration for the right age group is always somewhat of a pain. To make it easier, this is the way you calculate it.
The league season changes over on August 1 like the school year does. This means that if we were in the 23/24 season on July 31 then we switch to 24/25 on Aug 1.
The year is important for the calculation because you take the top year and subtract it from your child's birth year. For example if we are in Feb of the 22/23 season and your child's birth year is 2012 then they are in the U11 age group because 2023-2012 = 11. If we are in Feb of the 24/25 season and your child's birth year is 2009 then they are in the U16 age group because 2025-2009 = 16.
If we don't have a U11 group then they would qualify for the U12 group, but not the U10 group. The age groups depend entirely on numbers for those groups.
Lastly, dependent on numbers we may also opt to go with coed teams to make sure that the kids can continue to play.
To figure out which group to sign your player up for, take a look at the age matrix.
For Parents
What to expect
It's hard to know what to expect when sports season comes around, even when you've been in it for a while.
Communication
Teams use TeamSnap to communicate. We coordinate the teams and rosters there, but your coaches will send you messages there. Additionally, when the season begins we will put the full schedule into TeamSnap and your coaches will update practices and games to reflect any changes.
Fields
We often make use of the Wells Rec multi-purpose field. We've also had the privilege to use the back field area at Tilcon. Dependent on the number of teams and the requirements of the club, we'll schedule practices wherever makes the most sense at the time based on availability.
As we gear up for the sprint season, we usually look for some indoor space to practice. This can sometimes be cumbersome, but, depending on availability, can require some travel. So far, we've primarily used Crystal Athletics in Alfred for this, but may also look for other space.
Scheduling
For the fall, you can typically expect 2 practices a week with games generally on Saturdays. There are sometimes scheduling conflicts or weather related issues that cause games or practices to be rescheduled, but this is usually rare in the fall. For higher age groups, practices may vary dependent on the coaches and whether the players are also playing school soccer. We leave this up to the coaches to decide what is best for their team based on all factors involved.
For the spring, we usually have between 1-2 practices a week with games generally on Saturdays. Some spring seasons have been less consistent and have had games during the week.
Equipment
We expect that kids come prepared with water/water bottles, shin guards, cleats. We provide most of the gear for practices and games such as nets, balls, cones, pinnies, and so forth.
If you wish for your child to use a mouth guard they can, however, I've never seen a child keep it in their mouth. This is something that you'll need to coordinate with them so they understand your expectations.
Injuries
While we do everything we can to create a safe environment for the players, soccer is a physical sport that requires a lot of demand on the body and physicality from players. They will almost definitely come home with bumps and bruises. But if you cannot attend a practice or game, as noted above, please pay attention to TeamSnap or your phone while your child is playing. We will contact you if something more serious occurs.