Wellesley United Soccer Club Tryout Policy

Typically at the start of 4^th Grade, WUSC transition from its in town league to the Bay Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) league where we play teams from other towns. While the in town league is grade specific, BAYS criteria is age specific (The age of the child on the July 31 before the start of the season determines the "age" of the player for BAYS age group placement). In most cases, our rising 4^th graders are typically 9 years old before July 31 of the year in question and therefore play in the BAYS Under-10 league (U10). There are occasions where players turn 10 before July 31^st in the year they start 4^th grade. For these players there are unique tryout and league implications that are noted separately below.  All WUSC teams play in BAYS starting in the Fall of 4^th Grade. They BAYS league has multiple divisions (1, 2, 3 and sometimes 4), and several brackets within divisions (e.g., 2A, 2B, 3B). Typically the level of play is stronger in division 1 over 2 and 2 over 3. Brackets are determined by both record and geography so teams do not have to travel too far away games; therefore, 2D teams are not necessarily better than 2E teams.

WUSC Philosophy on Team Placement & Tryouts:

WUSC policy is to have no more than two stratified teams determined via a tryout process and the remaining teams are chosen via a draft system to equally distribute soccer talent amongst these teams. These teams are referred to as balanced teams. Stratified teams may play in BAYS division 1, 2 or 3 based on team record while most WUSC balanced teams typically play in division 3. All teams play in BAYS and therefore all teams travel to play teams from other towns. An impartial age group coordinator manages player placement decisions and makes these decisions based on two critical inputs (1) past coach ratings, and (2) player performance at a multi-day tryout. Final player placement decisions are made in a meeting chaired by the age group coordinator with all coaches for that age group in attendance:

• Every player shall be given the opportunity to tryout for any stratified team
• Every player interested in playing on the stratified teams must tryout (including current stratified team players)
• No player is guaranteed a position on the stratified teams; any player can be moved down (e.g., Div. 1 to Div. 2, Div. 2 to Balanced team)
• Any player can be moved up from balanced to stratified teams

Tryout Details:

• Tryout Management: The age group coordinator manages the tryouts with evaluations being performed by impartial evaluators (including independent paid evaluators, coaches and board members with no child in the relevant age group, and others with extensive soccer experience)
• Timing: Tryouts will be held in the spring for teams fielded in the fall season. Typically tryouts are held the last week in April thru the third week in May weather depending. Teams will stay in tact from fall to spring if possible. Limited tryouts may be necessary if a significant number of players do not return for the spring season. The age group coordinator will address these special situations should they arise.
• Approach: The tryouts are designed to evaluate age-appropriate individual and team skills of players in the age group. We do this thru by balancing small-sided games to maximize touches and evaluate ball handling in tight situations, and 6v6 or 8v8 games to simulate real game situations and evaluate how players perform off the ball, how well they see the field and play as a team
• Tryouts for U-10 BAYS: this is the first time WUSC players will tryout so the process is unique. It should be stressed that these tryouts are voluntary and only players interested in playing on stratified teams need to attend. If your child chooses not to attend the tryouts, they will be placed on a team and they will play in BAYS. Since there are usually over 100 players per gender registered for U-10 soccer, we break the tryouts into stages to ensure we do not miss certain players.  Day 1-Balanced Tryout: The top 2 players from the current spring season team are exempt from the first tryout (rankings are based on coach assessment and reviewed with the age group coordinator). All other player can attend the balanced tryout if they wish to play on one of the two stratified teams. If they just want to play in BAYS division 3, then there is no need to attend any tryout.  Day 2/Day 3 Tryout: The top 2 players from spring teams + those selected from the Day 1 tryout will compete in the above formats over two separate days to develop a rich assessment of each player.
• Tryouts for U-11 thru U-14 BAYS: Since there are already pre-existing WUSC stratified teams playing in BAYS at these age groups, we modify the tryout process. It should be stressed that these tryouts are voluntary and only players interested in playing on stratified teams need to attend.  Day 1-Balanced Tryout: The top 2 players from the current spring season team are exempt from the first tryout (rankings are based on coach assessment and reviewed with the age group coordinator). All other player can attend the balanced tryout if they wish to play on one of the two stratified teams. If they just want to play in BAYS division 3, then there is no need to attend any tryout.  Day 2/Day 3 Tryout: The D1 and D2 players from the spring teams + those selected from the Day 1 tryout will compete in the above formats over two separate days.

Team Selection Process (For Upcoming Fall Season):

• Age group coordinators evaluate the wealth of information from the tryout + the coaches' evaluations from prior seasons to rank the players across a number of important attributes. After taking into consideration the total number of registered players in the age group and the format for the age group (e.g., 6 vs 6, 8 vs 8, or 11 vs 11) the coordinator determines the optimum number of teams WUSC can field in the particular age group and develops a recommendation for optimum team size. The exact number assigned to each team is the decision of the age group coordinator and will be decided based on the interests of all teams. For example, balanced teams will not be left with too few players in order to have more players on the Div. 1 or Div. 2 teams.
• The age group coordinator then hosts a meeting in late May or Early June with all the coaches in the age group to discuss the recommended team makeup. While coach input is useful, tryout data and prior coach ratings are weighted more heavily and the age group coordinator has the final say on team makeup. Coaches with a child in the age group are asked to leave the meeting should a discussion of their child be necessary.
• WUSC will inform parents of the team assignments no later than the end of June.

Team Selection Process (For upcoming Spring season):

Teams typically stay in tact from fall to spring season. The age group coordinator is responsible for collecting registration information and evaluation whether team adjustments need to be made. If slots are available on the D1 or D2 stratified teams, player selection for open slots will be left to the age group coordinator's discretion and will be based upon: (a) coach's evaluations (fall and spring seasons), and (b) results from the previous spring's tryouts. In rare instances the age group coordinator may determine that an ad hoc tryout may be necessary to place a large number of player on the D1 or D2 team for the spring season