Brookfield Soccer Club Tryout Policy
The purpose of this document is to provide basic information about our travel team program and tryout procedures. Please feel free to contact the Brookfield Soccer Club if you have additional questions. [email protected]
Brookfield Soccer Club (BSC) is a member of the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association (CJSA) and the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA). As such, we operate under the rules of those organizations. For CJSA inter-club competition in leagues and tournaments (i.e., travel teams), players are divided into age groups according to their age as defined by CJSA.
Guidelines:
BSC strives to field at least one team for each gender, at each age level, from U-9 through U-14. Should not enough players be available to form a team, age groups may be combined for that seasonal year (Fall to Spring). Team Roster sizes are determined by CJSA, the current active district that the BSC is playing within, and the BSC By-Laws.
The Travel Teams in each age group play and train at a higher level and therefore require a high level of commitment. It is expected that players will be active participants in both practices and on match day. BSC does not discriminate nor deter from players who have commitments with other area teams. It is up to the individuals to manage their schedules, provide communication with the coaching staff, and work out any conflicts as best as possible. There may be additional training and tournament expenses as each individual team sees fit. Please consider this when accepting a roster spot on these teams. While we encourage players to accept roster spots on these teams if offered, accepting a spot on these teams is not a requirement but an individual choice.
Tryouts:
Only players who have registered as travel players for the upcoming travel season are eligible to attend tryouts. Coaches are required to take attendance based on an approved attendance list of registered players created prior to their tryout session. Players not on that list are not eligible to participate in the tryout.
BSC requires players to try out for their age and gender appropriate team.
BSC approved coaches and trainers will assess players during a series of drills and small-sided matches.
Fall tryouts will consist of one or two sessions for each age group based upon coaching and field schedules. New players to BSC must attend at least one tryout. If you cannot attend either tryout, you must notify the Travel Commissioners prior to the date of the first tryout.
There will be no fee for Tryouts, but all players must be registered in advance of the season deadlines as defined by BSC. BSC reserves the right to impose a late fee for late registrations. Players will not be rostered until registration is fully completed (IE; Appropriate documentation as required by CJSA, Medical releases, payment, etc).
Coaches are required to take attendance based on an approved attendance list of registered players created prior to their tryout session. Players not on that list are not eligible to participate in the tryout.
Players must tryout within your actual age group, unless formally invited by the Travel Committee to an alternate tryout. Players invited to an alternate age group are not guaranteed a roster position on the alternate age group roster, but will not lose a spot within their age group.
All players must have a ball, shin guards, cleats, and water. Please ensure that the player is ready to participate without delay to avoid disruptions to the process.
No spectator is allowed on the fields, and defined viewing areas may be established. Interaction with the players from ‘the sideline’ is not permitted.
Player evaluation:
1. Returning and New Players
a. For returning travel players, coaches will consider coach evaluations from the previous season (50%) and tryout performance (50%) when determining player evaluation and team selection.
b. For new travel players, coaches will consider tryout performance 100% when determining player evaluation and team selection.
2. Players are evaluated using BSC criteria consisting of appropriately weighted categories including:
a. Technical Ability (footwork, passing, and ball control)
b. Physical (speed, quickness, agility, strength)
c. Ability to be receptive to coaching and constructive feedback to drive development and overall interest in the game of soccer.
3. Tryouts may include various drills, skill stations, and/or scrimmage situations as determined by evaluators and based upon the age group.
Roster Selection:
It is the intention of BSC that players selected at the pre-season tryout make a 1-year (2 season) commitment to play. For example: a player selected at the Spring/Summer 2025 tryout will play for both the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 seasons.
In advance of the Spring season, if the trainer determines that there is a need for additional players, a second tryout may be allowed. This would need to be approved by the BSC board. The tryout would be conducted in late Fall prior to the start of the Spring season registrations. The tryout would be only to add players, no player will be cut but may be moved to an alternate team.
Selected players will be required to purchase a uniform through BSC if they do not have a current BSC travel uniform.
Upon review of coach evaluations and tryout results, it is the Director of Coaching and Trainer’s responsibility to form preliminary rosters identifying those players who will be offered a roster spot. Rosters will be sent to the President, Boys Commissioner, and Girls Commissioner for review.
After the results are posted, the Board of Directors will be presented with the rosters for acceptance. To be offered a position, parents must complete the registration and payment process. If registration and payment is not received the roster spot may not be available.
THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY AND THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS ISSUED AFTER REGISTRATION. SEASON REFUND POLICIES ARE DEFINED WITHIN THE CLUB BY-LAWS.
Please do not call and ask for personal feedback on your child’s performance at the tryout.
It is the philosophy of the travel program that the greatest number of players shall be best served by playing on age-appropriate teams. It is also recognized that exceptions may be appropriate in specific cases. Exceptions may be granted by the BSC on a case-by-case basis taking into account the following guidelines:
The skill level of the player. This shall be determined by soliciting the opinion of the age-appropriate coach, the coach of the older team, and in any other manner which the BSC deems necessary, including a tryout before coaches designated by the BSC.
The emotional and physical maturity of the player.
The impact on the age-appropriate team if the player is granted permission to play on the older team. The opinion of the age-appropriate coach will be solicited by the BSC. The player must have played or attended a tryout with the age-appropriate team.
The impact on the older team, including whether age-appropriate active players will be cut from the team due to the younger player being allowed to play on the older team. This consideration shall be of less importance on any team which is U15 and older.
Any other consideration the BSC deems relevant to the fair determination of the application.
Should a player rank within the top (4) of an older age group, they may receive preference for a roster position on the ‘A’ team over players of the actual age group.
A player may petition the BSC to play up with a written request from the player’s parents/guardians and should be filed with the BSC one week prior to the scheduled tryout date to allow proper player evaluation. BSC appointed coach representatives and trainers will assess the player at one or more tryouts.
Double Rostering:
Players may play on more than one team (i.e., double roster) with special Board approval.
Guidelines for Board approval include, but are not limited to:
There is an open position that no other age-appropriate player is interested in filling.
Players wishing to double roster will not displace age-appropriate players.
The club may ask players to double roster to help support a team.