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Dear Parents
and Players:
Welcome to the
Mill Valley Soccer Club Class I (Select) and Class III (Upperhouse)
Competitive Program! All players are welcome and encouraged to
tryout, but please keep in mind that these tryouts are for the serious,
competitive, motivated player, whose parents who are willing to invest
additional money and time into their child’s development. Competitive
soccer players experience the enjoyment and developmental benefits that are
gained by mastering skills and habits and by participating at the highest
level of competition. They acquire excellent physical conditioning,
establish new and lasting friendships, and acquire character-building habits
such as teamwork, sportsmanship, commitment, discipline, and the pursuit of
excellence.
Every year players make the jump from recreational soccer to
Club soccer, and many achieve great success. The MV Soccer Club strives to
create a professional learning environment where all players develop,
improve their skills and love for the game, and create lasting friendships.
Licensed
professional coaches coach all of our competitive teams. Each of our
competitive coaches has a strong soccer background and years of experience
coaching youth soccer players.
Playing on a
competitive team requires a level of commitment for both players and
families that is not to be taken lightly. Attendance at practices and games
is mandatory, and coaches expect players to be on time and focused.
Families are expected to take their summer vacations early and to be in town
and available for each teams’ mandatory training camp and weekend
tournaments in early August.
Select (Class I)
and Upper House (Class III), are competitive programs. Travel, costs, and
commitment are similar for Select and Upper House Teams. The primary
difference between Select and Upper House is that Select teams are composed
of more advanced players. Select and Upper House teams compete in
tournaments and leagues against other teams that are similar in ability.
Travel is
certainly more extensive for competitive players than for recreational
players. However, it should be noted that all practices and 50% of fall
league games take place in Mill Valley. Most away games in our Competitive
leagues are played within Marin and Sonoma Counties.
Mandatory
training begins the first week of August. After team camp and weekend
tournaments in August, the league season begins in September and ends in
mid-November. U10 Select and Upper House teams typically finish their team
commitments at that time. For U11-U14 teams, post-season play (the State
Cup for Class I and the Association Cup for Class III) takes place during
January and February. (For teams U15 and older, State Cup and Association
Cup are in March and April.) Shortly after tryouts and team formation in
March, MVSC will also provide a non-mandatory Spring Academy, which will
provide training to competitive players from late-March through May.
Tryouts:
The team coach and independent evaluators will run tryouts and make player
selections for each team. The parents assisting with the tryouts are not
participating in the player selection process. Parents will be required to
sign a release form on the first day of tryouts in order for their child to
participate in the tryout process -- no exceptions! Please arrive early and
be ready to begin on time. Bring cleats, shin guards and a water bottle.
Players should wear a WHITE shirt (returning players should NOT wear their
MVSC uniforms). Parents are NOT ALLOWED on the playing field during tryouts.
Tryouts will
be held rain or shine, as Hall Middle, Tam High and Redwood High are
all-weather fields. To check for tryout updates call the MVSC hotline
(381-KICK) or the MVSC website (mvsc.org).
MVSC
encourages players to try out for teams that are age-appropriate. In most
cases, players will not be allowed to play up on older Class III teams.
Exceptionally talented players will be allowed to play up on Class 1 teams,
IF they demonstrate the ability to be impact players on the older Class 1
team they wish to play for. All play ups must be approved by MVSC’s
Director of Coaching.
Players are
expected to attend all three tryouts. An initial cut will be made after the
first two tryouts and attendance at the third tryout will be by
invitation only. The names of all players invited to attend the third
tryout will be posted on MVSC’s website (www.mvsc.org)
prior to the third tryout.
To ensure that
players are placed on appropriate teams, following the first or second
tryout, some players may be asked to try out for a team at a different level
(Select or Upper House). For example, a player trying out for U-12 Select
may be asked to attend the U-12 Upper House tryout for the second and third
tryouts. Alternatively, a player initially trying out for U-12 Upper House
may be encouraged to try out for U-12 Select. Players will be notified
about team selection within three days after the third tryout. Every player
will receive a phone call whether or not he or she makes a team. Final
rosters will be posted on the MVSC website.
If your child
is selected for a team, you will be asked to volunteer for a job on the
team. Parents are called upon to pay for uniforms, tournament fees,
training camps, traveling expenses, trainer and coach costs for the team in
addition to soccer club registration to the Mill Valley Soccer Club. These
fees vary, but expect to pay approximately $1200-$1,400. A limited number of
need-based scholarships are available. Please contact Sandy Murray at
smurray@bpmllp.com.
It is important
that once final rosters are set, players remain committed to the team.
Within one week of the final roster being posted on the MVSC website, a
meeting will be held to complete the player registration form and pay the
MVSC registration fee. Some teams may also collect a team payment at this
time. Attendance at this meeting is mandatory in order to secure a place on
the team.
Please help us
in congratulating every player for his or her effort during the tryout
process. If your son or daughter is not selected for a competitive team,
registration for the recreational league will take place in April. Check
the MVSC hotline or web site for information.
We wish the
best of luck to all the players participating in MVSC’s 2007 competitive
tryouts!
The Mill
Valley Soccer Club Competitive Committee
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