We are looking to form Boys & Girls United teams that will participate in local tournament play in the age range of U9 (2015 and motivated 2016’s welcome) through U13 (2011). Teams will be formed based on complete roster sizes. Try-outs for 2007-2010 will take place in January.

Each LSC United team will be made up of the best available players with a desire and passion for additional competition. An LSC United team is not an area but rather a county-wide team. The only way to ensure this is by conducting tryouts.

An additional tryout shall be offered in January to fill roster vacancies for the spring season. With approval by the LSC United director of coaches, the coach may request to waive this tryout if players seeking to add to the team participated in the spring tryouts OR the number of players seeking to add is below the maximum roster AND coaches are familiar with the player’s abilities.

Tryouts are not meant to be an intimidating experience for players. It should be viewed more as a fun training session where players are evaluated for individual ball handling skills, trapping skills, passing skills, defensive skills, goalie skills (if appropriate), spatial awareness and work ethic/team attitude during individual and small sided activities.

The following outlines roster sizes by age groups:

While a large roster can be difficult to manage on the sidelines, a large roster particularly at the younger age group is needed because:

• Rosters must get bigger over time. Excluding players to make a more manageable roster at a younger age group will slow player development (i.e. for cut players) – the additional players will be needed with bigger roster size. This approach is short-sighted and puts “winning now” over player development and long term team sustainability.
• U11 players should NOT play combined with U12 players due to concussion rules.
• A large roster can be overcome by offering a large roster at least one tournament per season (e.g., split into smaller group to play TC/Petoskey tournaments)
• Playing “combined” ages can pose a problem. For example, a team consisting of 6 U10 and 6 U9 players must play U10. To keep this same team together, the team will have to play U11 the next year. And the next year – this team will now have to be split up as the U11 and U12s should not be mixed. The youngest players end up playing year after year at the higher age level, which is not conducive to their development. Ultimately, the greatest player growth is by playing with enough kids to play in an individual year – e.g., a true U10 team. That can only happen by supporting large roster sizes.

Selection of Players

Players must be registered to attend tryouts and will be notified at the tryout if they make the team and will have 30 days to have the required fees submitted or potentially lose their spot. Selected players will be chosen based on the consensus of coaches and LSC United representatives present. The “Area” of a player must not be incorporated into the decision making process.

Cuts are not made at tryouts. If necessary, all provisional players will be subjected to a waiting list in order of their tryout ranking. Whenever possible, provisional players should be accepted onto the roster and an academy team formed which allows players to participate in at least one tournament per season.

Teams

LSC United is committed to offering teams as follows:

*Assumes coaching fee/reimbursable expenses at a rate of $50/player, excluding coaches’ player (1) and scholarship adjustments. Subject to change based on coaching availability and qualifications. Jersey cost is $50 (blue and white + shorts and socks). Additional tournaments subject to a’ la carte pricing.

Note – age-specific years (e.g., U9 and U10 are encouraged; however, not at the expense of allowing year by year progression of a combined age team – i.e., a U10 team consisting of mixed ages U9 and U10 should be playing as a U11 team and a U9 team. For purposes of continuity and unique needs related to the offering of middle school soccer is therefore recommended as a matter of policy).