Frequently Asked Questions

Please feel free to contact the club with any questions.

Why are Tryouts held in the fall?
This is done for several reasons:

• Early Team selection helps get teams organized for the fall league and winter training.
• Most competing clubs also evaluate their players in the fall, which may affect our Club's ability to retain its top players
• Many evaluators and coaches are college players who go back to school in the fall. Fall evaluations give them a chance to participate in the selection of their teams for the upcoming season.
  

Do I need to attend both evaluation sessions? And how are teams Selected?
Players should attend both evaluation sessions, as each session has a distinct purpose. At the first evaluation session, players are rated on athletic ability and various soccer skills (passing, dribbling, shooting, etc.). At the second evaluation session, the master coach, evaluators and team coaches assess each player’s playing ability by observing 1v1 situations and small-sided games. After the second evaluation session, the team is selected. The Club’s intent is to place as many players as possible on teams while ensuring the team will remain competitive at their playing level. Not every player who goes through evaluation process will qualify for a team.

Can I tryout for an older team?
All players should try out with their correct age group. U12 and older players who played on the highest level team in their age group and who would like to be considered for the next age group may also try out for that age group’s highest-level team. Players may also be moved up to an older age group due to player shortages to prevent cutting players. When player shortages arise in a particular age group, players from the next lower age group may be moved up if there is an abundance of players at the lower age group. If a roster is still short, attempts will be made to recruit players. If a team’s still short, no team will be formed.

What if I can't make a tryout date?
You need to attend the tryout session(s) for your age group at the designated time. Since players are evaluated by what the evaluators see, it is to everyone’s benefit to be at all tryout sessions.

I cannot make any of evaluations what should I do?
If you cannot make either evaluation session, but are interested in playing for the Club, we will attempt to place you on a team for your age group, space permitting. If the teams have full rosters, you run the risk of not being able to participate in traveling soccer that season. We are sorry, but we cannot arrange individual tryouts for players.

How many players will each team have?
U9 and U10 teams will have up to 12 players. U11 and U12 teams will have as many as 14 players. U13 and older teams will typically have 17 to 18 players.

What are evaluators looking for?
The coaches and evaluators are looking for player with good soccer skills, some tactical understanding of the game, awareness of the game, good attention and listening skills, and overall athletic ability. The evaluation process consists of a series of drills, exercises, and game situations in which skills such as ball handling, endurance, decision-making, understanding of position, and qualities such as desire, drive, and attitude are assessed. In addition, the player’s and parents’ commitment, attendance, and attitude displayed in past season will be taken into account. The coaches will be able to decide the last group of players for their specific team. Team selections will be posted on the Club’s website. History suggests that skills testing rankings combined with situational evaluations are a good predictor of players’ abilities and skill levels. The coach’s evaluation completes the needed information about the player’s attendance, commitment and attitude.

What is the Club's policy on playing time?
Coaches can reduce playing time for reasons such as missing or disrupting training, being late to practice, not notifying coaches in advance regarding absences from practices or games, being absent for more than one week from practices and games, or not following coach directions. Playing time does need to be equal (except U9/U10); in other words, coaches can put the most competitive team on the field.

What if I have questions after a game for the coach?
Typically the club asks that there be a 24-hour time frame in which a parent needs to take time in talking to a coach.

How is a team's level determined?
For U13 to U19, the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) determines Premier and Classic levels based on the Club’s previous year performance. For example: a C2 team that wins its division will move up to the C1 level the following year, whereas a C2 team that finishes last in its division will drop down to the C3 level the following year. Each year, U9 to U12 teams self-select whether they will play at the maroon or gold level.

Who runs the St. Croix Soccer Board?
The SCSC is a volunteer-based organization run by its members, using an annually elected board.  The Director of Coaching and the Registrar are the only full-time employees.