Chatham Soccer League

CHATHAM SOCCER LEAGUE

http://www.chathamsoccerleague.org

info@chathamsoccerleague.org

PO Box 875, Pittsboro, NC 27312

2016-2017 Travel Tryouts Special Edition

Competitive Soccer Programs Overview

Chatham Soccer League is committed to providing competitive soccer at the appropriate level for players interested in playing. CSL offers three competitive options:

Academy Program

CSL offers the U8-U10 Academy Program as a level of play option. Academy programs seek to improve individual player development, satisfaction and retention, and to build a less pressured youth soccer environment for coaches, adult spectators, and match officials. The Academy Program is supported by United States Soccer Federation, US Youth Soccer and the NC Youth Soccer Association. This program is currently open to true U8, U9 and U10 boys and girls interested in focusing on skills development in a fun, pressure free environment. U7 players and below are NOT allowed to participate in the Academy per NCYSA rules.

The practices will be conducted in a group environment. Experienced, licensed coaches have volunteered to work with the players in a variety of skills stations at each practice. No scores, results or standings will be kept for the academy teams during matches. The focus is on individual development and enjoyment free from standings and the pressure of results. Teams will be mixed up for game day to allow for like skilled players to compete against similar players. The competition will be players from other academy programs located in the central North Carolina area. CSL will host some of the matches and will travel for some. During the season, there will be four to five weekends of play that will each consist of two matches on either a Saturday or Sunday. Additionally, the Academy attends the NCYSA Academy Showcase in both the fall and spring seasons.

Fees include Showcase entry fee, all referee fees, coaching fees, Summer Specialty Sessions, player registration and insurance with NCYSA and any coach fees. Uniforms are no longer included as part of the fees. Starting with the Fall 2015 season, uniforms will be used for two seasons. New players needing a uniform or returning players needing a new size will be provided with a link for ordering kits online from Soccer.com.

Challenge Program

By U.S. Youth Soccer, U.S. Soccer, and the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association standards, the NCYSA Challenge Program is a competitive level of play, because tryouts are conducted to form teams. Challenge teams travel throughout the state of North Carolina; however, travel is usually limited to a smaller radius than the Classic level. The NCYSA Challenge Program allows for players developing beyond the Recreation Level to play at a more competitive level with modified travel time to and from games. The Challenge Program is available for U11s to U18s. All Challenge Teams must be a member of a currently registered association that is in good standing with the NCYSA such as the Chatham Soccer League.

CSL plays in the CASL Challenge League. Practices take place twice a week on fields in Chatham County while all games are in Wake County on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Most games will be scheduled for Saturday by CASL Scheduling personnel but this is not guaranteed.

Challenge teams participate in one tournament each season as part of the fees. Fees also include referee fees, coaching fees, Summer Specialty Sessions, player registration and insurance with NCYSA and any coach fees. Uniforms are no longer included as part of the fees. Starting with the Fall 2015 season, uniforms will be used for two seasons. New players needing a uniform or returning players needing a new size will be provided with a link for ordering kits online from Soccer.com.

Classic Program

Age Bracket Changes

The US Soccer Federation mandated a change to the age brackets starting the Fall 2016 season. Competitive program age brackets will be based on calendar year compared to the previous years where it was based on school year. The reason for the change was driven by the US National Teamd and international age standards. The USSF operates the National Team program and Olympic Development Proogram using the calendar year.

This change means that team rosters could likely change as a third of the players on a team go from being the oldest to the youngest. Those players will also skip an age group. For example, a U14 player from last fall born in August-December will be a U16 player next fall.

NCYSA Classic teams, CASL Challenge teams and NCYSA Academy teams will all follow the new age bracket structure.

The brackets for the 2016-2017 season

U8 - 1/1/2009-12/31/2009

U9 - 1/1/2008-12/31/2008

U10 - 1/1/2007-12/31/2007

U11 - 1/1/2006-12/31/2006

U12 - 1/1/2005-12/31/2005

U13 - 1/1/2004-12/31/2004

U14 - 1/1/2003-12/31/2003

U15 - 1/1/2002-12/31/2002

U16 - 1/1/2001-12/31/2001

U17 - 1/1/2000-12/31/2000

U18 - 1/1/1999-12/31/1999
U19 - 1/1/1998-12/31/1998

For more information on the US Soccer mandate, click HERE.

Chatham Soccer League - info@chathamsoccerleague.org