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Tryouts

Tryout General Information

* Online tryout pre-registration is available via your soccer account for annual tryouts ONLY

All SOCA tryouts are free, and all age appropriate candidates are welcome.

SOCA holds tryouts for all levels of “select” play.  This includes the SOCA Travel Program as well as the Challenge Program (Advanced Recreational).  For full descriptions of these programs please visit the “Youth” program pages of this website.

Players should choose the level of programming they are interested in before attending the tryouts (Travel or Challenge).  Candidates who tryout at an advanced level will be considered for programs at lower levels, should they not be selected for the level they aspired to.  However, All players will receive only one team placement, it is assumed that a player prefers a Travel team placement before Challenge if they attend those tryouts.  After tryout announcments, those players who want to change the level of play they were assigned will need to attend the next tryout for that program.   Example: A player trying out for the Travel program may be selected to a team in the Challenge Program should that be determined to be a more appropriate level.  However, a Challenge position will not be reserved for a player who is offered a Travel team placement.

There are no special requests in select programs. Special requests for team placement are honored in the Recreational program. Team selections and formations are made by the SOCA staff only. Team sizes in the travel program vary by age group and must be within VYSA roster limits. Team sizes in the Challenge Program are fixed by SOCA and attempt to be uniform throughout the league. The number of teams formed is determined by the quantity and quality of candidates.

As a sister club with the Skyline Elite Soccer Club, motivated and talented SOCA travel players are also evaluated for possible inclusion with teams at this elevated level of play.  Participation with the Skyline Elite requires greater time commitment as well as expenses.  Skyline Elite teams are formed at U13 through U19 boys and girls.  For more information on this opportunity please follow the link below.  For more information on Skyline Elite Tryouts follow this link.

There are 3 tryout times per year; Annual Tryouts, Late Tryouts, and Mid-Year Tryouts
Please click the button for each below to learn more

Annual Tryouts Late Tryouts Mid-Year Tryouts Annual Tryout Schedule
  • Tryout Registration

    For Annual Tryouts, all candidates should pre-register via their family soccer account. On-site registrations will be accepted for new arrivals only if necessary.

    Please pre-register for the highest level of program you are interested in participating with (not both tryout levels).  Players will be considered for all programs below the registered tryout program, but will not be considered for those above.  The order of select programs is as follows:  (from highest to lowest)  SOCA Travel program (Blue, White, Red, and Gold teams), Challenge Program.

    Late Tryouts and Mid-Year Tryouts do NOT have pre-registrations.  All candidates must register on-site the day of these tryouts.

  • Travel Age Group Rules

    Important: All travel candidates must tryout in their birth date specific age-group. Please double-check your birth date with the tryout information below.

    2023-24 Birth Year Age Groups
    U9 – 2015       *Challenge Only
    U10 – 2014      *Challenge Only
    U11 – 2013
    U12 – 2012
    U13 – 2011
    U14 – 2010
    U15 – 2009
    U16 – 2008
    U17 – 2007
    U18 – 2006
    U19 – 2005

    SOCA “Playing up” restrictions are as follows:

    • Players are not permitted to play up below the U13 age group.
    • Any players seeking to play up to at U13 and older age groups must have permission from the SOCA Director of Coaching.
    • In order to form healthy team rosters in the Travel program most commonly at the High School age groups, players from multiple age groups may need to be combined within one team roster.  This is done with the supervision and permission of SOCA’s technical staff and coaching director.

     

  • Challenge Age Group Rules

    Challenge Teams are formed in the following age groups for both boys and girls:

    U10 – (2015, 2014 birth years)
    U12 – (2013, 2012 birth years)
    U15 – (2011, 2010, 2009 birth years)

    Age groups in the Challenge program are multiple year groupings and naturally provide opportunities for players to play both with older and younger players as they progress through the program.  Players should not seek to play up age groups unless given permission specifically by the SOCA Challenge Program Coordinator.  No players may play down age groups in any select program.

  • Gender Rules

    Girls are eligible to tryout for boys programs. In the Travel Program girls must seek the approval of the Director of Coaching prior to trying out for boys teams. In the Challenge Program, no approval is necessary to tryout. Girls trying out for boys teams must register on site on the day of the tryout. No online boys registration will be available for girls.

    Trying out for a boys team does not merit consideration for a girls team. Girls wishing to be considered for a girls team as well as a boys team, must tryout separately for both programs. Girls may try out for both but will only be placed in one (boys first, girls second).

  • GoalKeeper Tryouts

    Players interested in being evaluated as goalkeepers will be evaluated as such and may also be evaluated as a field player.  These evaluations will be done during the tryout times assigned for each age group.

    Specific goalkeeper evaluations will be done for U11 and older players in the Travel Program.

    In the Challenge program goalkeeper evaluations will be conducted at U12 and older. There are no specific evaluations conducted for goalkeepers at U10 Challenge. Players may declare their interest in playing goalkeeper and this will be utilized in U10 Challenge team formation, but all players will be evaluated as a field player during the tryouts.

  • Tryout Evaluators

    Evaluators at tryouts are SOCA staff members, team coaches or other qualified soccer experts as selected by the club. The club includes knowledgeable, experienced and objective coaches to serve as evaluators during tryouts. During the tryout process, candidates will be assessed by multiple evaluators assuring a diversified and unbiased evaluation. For the Travel program, parent coaches are not used to evaluate their own children regardless of coaching level within the club.  In the Challenge program, Parent coaches will have limited input on their own child’s evaluation at most.

  • Tryout Announcements

    Annual Tryout Announcements will be posted in player’s SOCA Accounts.  Either the team you have been selected for, or a “Not Selected” message will appear at the top of your available programs list.  Please click on the team name to read more about the program.

    Late and Mid-year Tryout Selections will be notified directly with instructions on how to join existing teams for the upcoming seasons.

    For all tryouts, SOCA staff has the final say on player selections and team assignments.

  • Tryout Reschedules

    In case of inclement weather please check the SOCA website for cancellation and reschedule information.

    Tryouts will be rescheduled on a case by case basis to available dates and the new schedule will be posted online. Make-up tryouts are only done on a program-wide basis and individual tryouts will not be arranged.

  • Tryout Registration
  • Travel Age Group Rules
  • Challenge Age Group Rules
  • Gender Rules
  • GoalKeeper Tryouts
  • Tryout Evaluators
  • Tryout Announcements
  • Tryout Reschedules

Tryout Registration

For Annual Tryouts, all candidates should pre-register via their family soccer account. On-site registrations will be accepted for new arrivals only if necessary.

Please pre-register for the highest level of program you are interested in participating with (not both tryout levels).  Players will be considered for all programs below the registered tryout program, but will not be considered for those above.  The order of select programs is as follows:  (from highest to lowest)  SOCA Travel program (Blue, White, Red, and Gold teams), Challenge Program.

Late Tryouts and Mid-Year Tryouts do NOT have pre-registrations.  All candidates must register on-site the day of these tryouts.

Travel Age Group Rules

Important: All travel candidates must tryout in their birth date specific age-group. Please double-check your birth date with the tryout information below.

2023-24 Birth Year Age Groups
U9 – 2015       *Challenge Only
U10 – 2014      *Challenge Only
U11 – 2013
U12 – 2012
U13 – 2011
U14 – 2010
U15 – 2009
U16 – 2008
U17 – 2007
U18 – 2006
U19 – 2005

SOCA “Playing up” restrictions are as follows:

  • Players are not permitted to play up below the U13 age group.
  • Any players seeking to play up to at U13 and older age groups must have permission from the SOCA Director of Coaching.
  • In order to form healthy team rosters in the Travel program most commonly at the High School age groups, players from multiple age groups may need to be combined within one team roster.  This is done with the supervision and permission of SOCA’s technical staff and coaching director.

 

Challenge Age Group Rules

Challenge Teams are formed in the following age groups for both boys and girls:

U10 – (2015, 2014 birth years)
U12 – (2013, 2012 birth years)
U15 – (2011, 2010, 2009 birth years)

Age groups in the Challenge program are multiple year groupings and naturally provide opportunities for players to play both with older and younger players as they progress through the program.  Players should not seek to play up age groups unless given permission specifically by the SOCA Challenge Program Coordinator.  No players may play down age groups in any select program.

Gender Rules

Girls are eligible to tryout for boys programs. In the Travel Program girls must seek the approval of the Director of Coaching prior to trying out for boys teams. In the Challenge Program, no approval is necessary to tryout. Girls trying out for boys teams must register on site on the day of the tryout. No online boys registration will be available for girls.

Trying out for a boys team does not merit consideration for a girls team. Girls wishing to be considered for a girls team as well as a boys team, must tryout separately for both programs. Girls may try out for both but will only be placed in one (boys first, girls second).

GoalKeeper Tryouts

Players interested in being evaluated as goalkeepers will be evaluated as such and may also be evaluated as a field player.  These evaluations will be done during the tryout times assigned for each age group.

Specific goalkeeper evaluations will be done for U11 and older players in the Travel Program.

In the Challenge program goalkeeper evaluations will be conducted at U12 and older. There are no specific evaluations conducted for goalkeepers at U10 Challenge. Players may declare their interest in playing goalkeeper and this will be utilized in U10 Challenge team formation, but all players will be evaluated as a field player during the tryouts.

Tryout Evaluators

Evaluators at tryouts are SOCA staff members, team coaches or other qualified soccer experts as selected by the club. The club includes knowledgeable, experienced and objective coaches to serve as evaluators during tryouts. During the tryout process, candidates will be assessed by multiple evaluators assuring a diversified and unbiased evaluation. For the Travel program, parent coaches are not used to evaluate their own children regardless of coaching level within the club.  In the Challenge program, Parent coaches will have limited input on their own child’s evaluation at most.

Tryout Announcements

Annual Tryout Announcements will be posted in player’s SOCA Accounts.  Either the team you have been selected for, or a “Not Selected” message will appear at the top of your available programs list.  Please click on the team name to read more about the program.

Late and Mid-year Tryout Selections will be notified directly with instructions on how to join existing teams for the upcoming seasons.

For all tryouts, SOCA staff has the final say on player selections and team assignments.

Tryout Reschedules

In case of inclement weather please check the SOCA website for cancellation and reschedule information.

Tryouts will be rescheduled on a case by case basis to available dates and the new schedule will be posted online. Make-up tryouts are only done on a program-wide basis and individual tryouts will not be arranged.