A Parents Guide to Competitive Soccer at North Manatee Mutiny

Introduction

This guide was developed to assist you in answering some of the more common questions concerning Competitive soccer. Competitive soccer team play not only requires that your son or daughter be capable of playing at a higher level relative to the rest of their age group, but also involves a substantial commitment in time, energy, and money from both the player and their families. If you are receiving this packet it means your child has been selected for a tryout for one of our teams based on a recommendation from their AYSO Coach or our Professional Coaching staff.

What is Competitive soccer?

Competitive soccer is a sponsored program of North Manatee Soccer. The program is organized by age and gender. It provides a highly competitive training and playing environment for those players (and their families) who have the required athletic ability, soccer skills, commitment, and can meet the other demands placed upon them.

How does competitive soccer differ from the regular house or recreation soccer league?

Mutiny soccer teams are competitive. Therefore, making the team, and staying on the roster, must be earned based on the team member’s commitment. In the house or AYSO soccer league, all players are placed on a team roster regardless of playing ability. AYSO soccer also has unique requirements to encourage participation by all players such as all players must get equal play time.

I Have heard competitive soccer referred to as “Travel Soccer” what does this mean?

At North Manatee Mutiny there is NO OVERNIGHT TRAVEL unless team parents are interested in a particular tournament. All League Games and Tournaments we select are day trips within our regions. Younger age groups will generally play in the Greater Tampa Bay (Can be from North Port to South Tampa)

How old must my child be to play competitive soccer?

Birth Year                           Age Group                          Coach

2009/10                                U9                                        TBD- Hiring Process (D License)

2008                                     U10                                      Tim Betts (A License)

2007                                     U11                                      TBD- Hiring Process

2006                                     U12                                      Rodrigues (F License)/ Smithier (E License)

2005                                     U13                                      Rankin (F License)/ Sanches (F License)

How do I get on a competitive team?

You must tryout to join a travel team. NMSC requires all travel teams to have a tryout each year generally in May. Some teams however, may have tryouts at other times during the year.

When and where are tryouts?

NMSC requires all its soccer teams to hold open tryouts generally in June after the spring season ends. Tryouts typically consist of 1-3 or more practice sessions to evaluate your child’s athletic ability, skills, and interest. After the tryouts, an offer may or may not be extended to your child. Alternatively, after the first tryout, the coach may ask your child to return for additional tryouts or suggest that the team is not a good fit for your child.

Some teams invite players to guest play in a tournament as part of the evaluation process. Occasionally, teams may pick up a player or two between the fall and spring seasons. However, once seasonal league play begins, rosters are fixed and no additional players may be added unless there are extenuating circumstances.

What type of training is provided?

Most travel soccer teams either have a professional coach or a USSF Licensed parent coach. All Mutiny Coaches are overseen by a professional training and the Director of Coaching who is a nationally USSF A Licensed Coach and trainer. If a team uses an outside trainer, understand what the trainer's role and responsibilities are. The trainer is an assistant to the coach. The coach continues to make decisions as to what skills are worked on in practice; how the practice is run; how the games are run; and, perhaps most importantly, what are the team's priorities and its tone and tenor.

When do teams play their games?

Most Mutiny Soccer travel games are held on Saturdays but there are some Sunday games. It is not uncommon to play games on both a Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend IF your team is playing in a tournament. Occasionally, there may be a game on a weeknight based on weather cancellations at the end of the season. Most teams also participate in tournaments. Tournaments consist of 3-5 games during a weekend. Generally tournaments are held several weeks before the season begins or after the season. We encourage teams to do 2-4 Tournaments per season.

What volunteer positions are needed to support a team.

Teams organize in a number of different ways. Generally there is a team manager who is the go between the parents and the coach. The team manager generally handles many of the administrative details of the team such as league matters, applying to tournaments, communication, etc. The team manager position is the most time consuming job on the team beside the coach. Each players family will be required to volunteer 4 hours per season for things such as fundraising, concessions, field set up/ lining etc.

What is the player’s time commitment?

Mutiny teams operate a 9 month per year program, including league play in the fall and tournament play at various times throughout the year. Most Mutiny teams train twice a week for 1 1/2 hours per session. Occasionally, some teams may practice three times per week. Including tournaments, most Mutiny teams play approximately 15-20 games each season.

While most Mutiny teams, particularly younger teams, encourage their players to participate in other activities, travel teams also expect that team members will give preference to their team over conflicts with other activities (not including spiritual commitments).

How much does it cost?

Mutiny soccer travel team participation is more expensive then recreational soccer. However, our costs are lower then other leagues in our area as well as other competitive sports. Official Club and Uniform fees for 2017/18 season will be finalized and available for parents at tryouts.

What do the Club fees go toward?

We have managed to leverage many volunteer board members and parents to keep our club fees lowest in the area while providing quality program. Our Club Fees go toward the following budgeted line items: Player Insurance, liability insurance, league fees, administrative costs, professional training, field rental, field lights, equipment, technology costs, coaching fees etc.