Travel Tryouts / Team Formation Update

Congrats to all on a fantastic season!

We wanted to share an update on our tryout and team formation process.

With our season now complete and school year winding down, we plan to release updates on each age group on a rolling basis starting with our oldest age groups and progressing to youngest. 

We will begin to send updates this week.  

Players invited to a given team will receive an email requesting acceptance of a roster position. 

Please be attentive to these emails and accept your offered roster spot as soon as possible so we may complete this process efficiently.  

Roster positions are only confirmed by way of completion of registration and payment.

Efficient acceptances benefit all our players and teams, as well as the volunteers seeking to complete the process for each group. 

If your player does not plan to participate in the program, please actively “decline” the invitation as soon as possible.

If you have questions about any aspect, please email david.nuttall@wiltonsoccer.com.

Reminders:

• We had a record number of players register for and participate in tryouts 

• Each age group is unique in terms of number of players, depth of the player pool, and other considerations such as relative age and grade within a birth year. We will send an overview of methodology and considerations for selected age groups as needed to provide more context

• We consider closely how to best set up each age group and the adjacent age groups for success for not only this coming year, but the years that will follow as well (roster sizes expand every two years to match field format) 

Team Formation Principles:

• Place as many players as possible to maximize positive development and quality of teams without compromising the experience

• Consider competitiveness of each team in context of the leagues/divisions available for play 

• Place players on teams where they are challenged to grow, but also where they can build confidence

• Consider selectively utilizing combined age group teams when it can help to optimize participation and competitiveness for more

• Recognize that some players are best fit for our recreational programs, rather than competitive teams - while that is a difficult message to convey, it is always made with the player’s best interests in mind. We have a place for every player to participate and we have seen many players make future teams on their 2nd, 3rd or more tries. Every player’s entry point and soccer journey is different.  

Age Group Considerations

Below is representative. Actual number of teams in each birth year and number of players per team will be different based on specifics of each age group.

• U9 (2017), U10 (2016)

  • 7x7 game format (small field)

  • Roster size of 10-12 players

  • 2-4 teams per birth year per gender 

  • 2018s will be included to “play up” if 1) space available on rosters, AND 2) they are ready for the physical/competitive level and are socially/developmentally ready to be among older children for practices and games - it is most important their first more competitive soccer experience is a positive one

• U11 (2015), U12 (2014) 

  • 9x9 game format (medium field)

  • Roster size of 13-16 players

  • 1-3 teams per birth year per gender

• U13 (2013), U15 (2012/2011) 

  • 11x11 game format (full size field)

  • Roster size of 15-20 players

  • 1-2 team per birth year or age group per gender

In meantime, please sign up for our Summer offerings as soon as possible so we may appropriately staff them

Summer Soccer Camps and Clinics: Click HERE for more info and to sign up.

• Pick Up Soccer and Striker/Goalkeeper Clinics (Jul-Aug, 1x/wk)

• Ray Reid Soccer Camp - lead by former UConn Huskies legend and D-I National Championship winning coach! (Jul 7-11th)

• Little Warriors Soccer Camp for K-2 Players (Jul 7-11th)

• Travel Pre-Season Camp (Aug 18-22)

• Little Warriors Pre-Season Camp for K-2 (Aug 18-22)

Thank you,

The WSA Team