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This page has not been updated with Covid-19 standards. This is information about our typical process. You will receive an email with specific details and guidelines for this year's tryouts.
Goal. EGSA strives to conduct player evaluations for Travel Teams in a manner that is fair and transparent. If you have any questions about this process, please reach out to the Director of EGSA Travel Program.
Timing & Communication. Evaluations for EGSA's travel teams are held late in the spring season for the upcoming seasonal year. Spring evaluations have been deemed more beneficial for EGSA as it allows us to evaluate players at the height of their game and prior to summer break. Tryout dates and times will be posted on the EGSA website, our Facebook page and via email.
Registration. To participate in EGSA’s travel team evaluations, a player must be pre-registered and have paid the nominal registration fee (if one is requested). The fee is used to cover the staff and use of the fields and/or facilities.
Evaluation Week. EGSA’s goal is to provide players every opportunity to showcase their skills, while ensuring thorough and consistent evaluations. During ‘Evaluation Week’, age groups may have 1 or 2 evaluation sessions, depending upon the number of players registered. If more than one evaluation is scheduled for an age group, players are encouraged to attend both sessions. In the event of a conflict, a player must attend at least one evaluation session to be considered for placement on an EGSA travel team. Over the course of the 1 to 2 evaluation sessions, each player will be evaluated by 3 to 5 coaches and numerical data will be recorded by each coach using this form. EGSA’s travel team evaluations are conducted by 3rd party professional coaches (non-EGSA members). We believe this provides an accurate and objective evaluation of each player.
Coach Evaluations. At the end of every season, coaches are required to submit evaluations of their players. The Coach’s evaluation form provides a scoring system in a range of skills. The Coach’s evaluations form also provides space for comments on individual players, as additional information available for the selection process. Coaches are encouraged to incorporate comments into their evaluations of their players. These evaluations are a critical component to assist in making team selections.
Team Placement. The Travel Team Selection process is conducted by the EGSA Board of Directors. The goal of the EGSA Board of Directors is to place individual players at the appropriate level of play based upon their skill sets and game play. In doing so, it considers scores and observations from the evaluation process, and coach evaluations from the prior season. Placement on an EGSA Travel Team is a selective process. Participation in the evaluation process does not guarantee placement on a team. All team placement decisions are FINAL.
Team Descriptions
US Youth Soccer mandates that all US-based affiliate clubs, which includes EGSA, must form teams by player birth year, not school grade. Players will be evaluated according to birth year and teams will be formed accordingly. This may result in teams with players from different school grades.
As a general rule, the EGSA Board of Directors will form an "Anchor" team per single age group (U9, U10, U11, etc.).
If an insufficient number of players are available in a single age group, the Board of Directors may elect to combine two age groups to form the best possible team to play in the higher age group division. For example, the best players among all U13 and U14 players may be combined to form a single U14 Anchor team, if either age group alone has an insufficient number of players to field a team.
The Board of Directors may also choose to form additional "Rhody" or "United" teams in a combined age group if a sufficient number of skilled players participate in the evaluation process. For example, skilled U11 players who did not make the U11 Anchor team and skilled U12 players who did not make the U12 Anchor team may be combined to form a U12 United team.
Evaluation Results. Once the spring evaluation process is complete, notification of the evaluation results will be emailed within two to three weeks from the date of the last evaluation. Players will be invited to join an EGSA Travel Team or will be added to a wait-list. Players who do not participate in the evaluation process can petition the Board of Directors to be placed on the wait-list. Under no circumstances will late registrants displace a player who has already been placed on a team or who attended the evaluation process.
Travel Team Coach Selection. All persons interested in serving as a coach of a travel team must file an application with the Director of Travel Programs and otherwise comply with the requirements for appointment as a coach. The application form is available on the EGSA website. All travel coaches will be chosen by the Board of Directors after the respective travel teams have been formed.
Coaching Certification and Other Requirements. All head coaches shall complete the appropriate level of coaching certification as required by Soccer Rhode Island. Coaches will be reimbursed for all licensing education. All coaches shall also complete and submit to any other coaching requirements of Soccer Rhode Island, including but not limited to background checks and concussion training.