CYSA Travel Program Comparison
| MYSL U10 | U13 Intertown | MYSL U12 & U14 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | Competitive | Less competitive, considered recreational | Competitive |
| Format | 6v6 | 8v8 | 11v11 |
| Number of Games | Fall: 9 (4 or 5 at home); Spring: 10 (5 home, 5 away) | 8 (4 home, 4 away) | Fall: 9 (4 or 5 at home); Spring: 10 (5 home, 5 away) |
| Commitment | Attendance at practices & games mandatory. | Attendance at practices & games strongly encouraged. | Attendance at practices & games mandatory. |
| Participating Towns | Billerica, Burlington, Dracut, Everett, Lowell, Malden, Medford, Melrose, No. Reading, Reading, Revere, Somerville, Waltham, Wakefield, Tewksbury, Stoneham, Westford, Wilmington, Woburn | Dracut, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Lowell | Billerica, Burlington, Dracut, Everett, Lowell, Malden, Medford, Melrose, No. Reading, Reading, Revere, Somerville, Waltham, Wakefield, Tewksbury, Stoneham, Westford, Wilmington, Woburn |
| Number of Weekly Practices | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Team Placement | 4 divisions. Players placed on a team based upon skill. Skills evaluated on Assessment Days (typically mid-June), as well as coach’s evaluation. | 2 divisions. Players placed on a team based upon skill. Skills evaluated on Assessment Days (typically mid-June), as well as coach’s evaluation. | 4 divisions. Players placed on a team based upon skill. Skills evaluated on Assessment Days (typically mid-June), as well as coach’s evaluation. |
| Requests for Team Placement | Not honored | Not honored | Not honored |
| Game Play Time | At the coach’s discretion. During non-competitive play (fall) each player should expect to play 50% of the time. During the competitive season (spring) each player shall play a minimum of 15 minutes per game except for injuries or disciplinary actions. | At the coach’s discretion. During non-competitive play (fall) each player should expect to play 50% of the time. During the competitive season (spring) each player shall play a minimum of 15 minutes per game except for injuries or disciplinary actions. | At the coach’s discretion. During non-competitive play (fall) each player should expect to play 50% of the time. During the competitive season (spring) each player shall play a minimum of 15 minutes per game except for injuries or disciplinary actions. |
| Coaches | Previous soccer experience and at least an F level license. | Previous soccer coaching experience. | Previous soccer experience and at least an F level license. U14, E level license recommended. |
Summary
U13: These are typically 10-13 year old players and teams are single gender. This league used to be a part of the Intown Program (was formally called the Contiguous League). It is a place for players to play soccer recreationally and/or increase skill levels in preparation for playing on a more competitive team in the travel program. There are 2 divisions based on skill and teams are assembled such that similar skills are grouped together. Teams practice twice each week for an hour and one-half with games on Saturdays. Players in this league play teams from surrounding towns. One half of the games are played on a Chelmsford field (i.e., “home”) and one half of the games are played on a surrounding town’s field.
U10, U12, U14: The purposes of these age groups are to provide a competitive soccer program that develops individual and team soccer skills, instills a sense of commitment, responsibility and participation, resulting in fulfillment and enjoyment. There are 4 divisions based on skill and teams are assembled such that similar skills are grouped together. Attendance at all games and practices is mandatory, as absences negatively impact the ability of coaches to field competitive teams and disrupt the cohesiveness of the team environment. Teams practice twice each week for an hour and one-half with games on Saturdays. A list of participating towns is provided in the above table. One half of the games are played on a Chelmsford field (i.e., “home”) and one half of the games are played on a surrounding town’s field.
Process
Any child registering for any travel program (U10, U12, U13 or U14) must attend a Travel Skills Assessment session, which will be held at Murphy Field at 12-2pm for U10, 2-4pm for U12, and 4-6pm for U13-14, on the following dates:
- Sunday June 12th for last names beginning with letters A-M (rain makeup Sunday June 19th), and
- Saturday June 25th for last names beginning with letters N-Z (rain makeup Sunday June 26th)
Players must attend a full two-hour session for their age group. CYSA will use information obtained during assessments, as well as coach’s evaluations, to make a recommendation as to which team each child would fit most appropriately. Requests for team placement are not honored. If a parent wants to restrict his/her child to placement on a U13 team, s/he should indicate such on the registration form. Still, requests for carpool/coach will not be accommodated.
Uniforms
All players on CYSA’s travel teams will purchase a full uniform (jersey, shorts, socks) from Center Sports in Chelmsford Center. CYSA jersey and shorts will be screened with the CYSA logo. Approximate cost is $35. Uniforms should be able to be worn for at least 2 seasons. Sizing for uniforms will happen at Travel Skills Assessment Dates, as listed above. Also, a sample uniform will be available for viewing at the Skills Assessment sessions.