Litchfield Travel Soccer

 

 

What is Litchfield Travel Soccer?

 

Travel soccer is a competitive soccer program designed to develop and improve player soccer skills at a higher competitive level.  Players are required to tryout for a team in their age group or a level that is competitive for them.  Tryouts are held in the spring (early June) for the fall season and include the following spring season (1 year commitment).

 

How Tryouts Work?

 

Tryouts are held in the spring.  There are typically 3 dates to tryout with one makeup date.  Each player must attend one of the tryout sessions and all are encouraged to attend as many as possible.  Rain days will be rescheduled.  Coaches will evaluate players on the following skills:

 

Team play

Passing

Dribbling

Shooting

And other age appropriate soccer skills

 

At the end of each tryout player scores are reviewed and the rosters are made for each team according to a player’s individual score.  If there are enough kids in one age group then an A and B team will be formed and will be placed in a division in which they will be competitive.  Unfortunately, there is a set roster size for these teams and players may not make a team.  Players will be notified within 14 days if they have or have not made a team.

 

What Is The Time Commitment?

 

Players and parents should keep in mind that to develop as a soccer player it is important to get as many touches on the soccer ball as possible.  It is important that the players are dedicated to practice as well as games.  The more a player practices and plays, the better the player will become.   Coaches will work to develop the player skills as well as give some tactical advice on how the game should be played.  Most important is that the coaches will teach the kids how to play soccer and have fun.

 

Players and parents should be committed to the travel program.  Please do not have a player tryout if they cannot attend practices or games.  Remember that other players may have been cut from the team that would have liked to play.  Please do everything possible to attend as many practices and games as possible. 

 

Do not be surprised if the kids are running laps or wind sprints for long periods of time, as soccer players must be in shape to play.  The conditioning of a player is the coach’s decision and they must decide on what conditioning the team needs.

 

It is also recommended that the travel players attend soccer camps offered by other organizations.  There is a soccer camp in July at Brickyard Field for all ages by In the Net Soccer with Patrick Mulcahy.  There are also several others in the area.  Ask a coach or board member for more information.

 

It is also recommended that travel players play indoor soccer in the winter.  Again this will be a coach’s decision and is usually one day a week for an hour in Derry or Bedford. The indoor season has three sessions lasting about 8 weeks each session.   There is an additional cost associated with the indoor season.

 

What Is The Financial Commitment?

 

Playing travel soccer is more expensive than playing recreation soccer and the costs vary from team to team.  Use the following prices to get an approximate cost:

            $80 Field usage, insurance, refs to cover the fall and spring seasons

            $65 Uniform (shorts, shirt, t-shirt, and socks)

            $25 Granite State fee (if applicable)

            $60+ for each winter session (1 to 3 depending on the team)

            $10 - $50 Tournament costs vary widely (1 to 2 depending on the team)

 

What Is Available For Younger Players?

 

If a player turns 8 after August 1st then they are considered a U8 player.  If a player turns 9 after August 1st they are considered a U9 Player.  The U8 – U9 travel team will play in an EDP league – Early Development Player league.  These are for players who are U7 – U9 with a birthday cut-off of August 1st.  The EDP league plays on Sundays between 12:30 and 5:30 pm.  It will consist of 6-8 games and teams are expected to travel to other towns to play games.  EDP games are played with neighboring towns such as Londonderry, Bedford, Nashua, Derry, Hudson and Merrimack; however, it is not uncommon to travel up to an hour away.  There are typically 4 home games and 4 away games.

 

Practice for these teams will be 2 nights per week for 1 hour with games on Sunday.  Games are typically 12-minute quarters or 24-minute halves.  The game time will be equally divided amongst players, although this can be difficult in all games since substitution is limited to when the ball goes out of play.

 

What Is Available For Older Players?

 

The U10 (a player turns 10 after August 1st) teams and higher will play in the Granite State Soccer league.  These games are held on Saturdays and Sundays between 12:00 and 5:00 pm.  The length of the games will range from 25-minute halves to 45-minute halves depending on the age group.  Practices are typically 2-3 nights a week for 1 to 1 ½ hours.  Teams are also expected to travel and it is not uncommon to travel to Keene, Dartmouth or the Seacoast for games.

 

The travel teams typically play in 1 or 2 tournaments a season.  These consist of 3 to 4 games and are fun for the kids and parents alike.  Most tournaments are held on Memorial Day weekend in the spring and Columbus Day weekend in the fall.