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What exactly is Travel soccer?
Travel soccer is an opportunity for the best and most talented players in a soccer club, like West-Mont United SA, to compete against the best players in other clubs in our geographic area.
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Where are the other clubs from?
Most West-Mont United Travel teams play in either the Philadelphia Area Girls Soccer league (PAGS) or the DELCO Soccer League (DELCO) for boys. These two leagues include teams from Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, and Lancaster Counties as well as some teams from contiguous states such as Delaware.
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Are there separate teams for boys and girls? How old do you have to be in order to play?
There are both boys and girls travel teams. Players presently range in age from Under 9 to Under 18.
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What does U12 mean?
Travel teams are made up of players under a certain age. The term U12 means that all the players on the team were under 12 years of age when the season began. Therefore, children play on travel teams with, and against, players their own age.
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When does the season start and end?
The travel soccer year begins August 1 and ends July 31. Generally, the Fall travel season starts the Saturday after Labor Day and runs into mid-November. Teams play a schedule that includes 10 to 12 games. Travel teams can play an indoor season or two at one of the area indoor clubs. Spring season varies depending on whether the team plays in a league, tournaments, and state cup competitions.
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How much do the children practice in a given week?
Each travel team sets its own practice schedule. Generally speaking, teams practice two times a week, and will start preparing for the season in the Summer with practices and usually a one week intensive preseason training.
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When are the games?
Games are scheduled on weekends, either Saturday or Sunday. Occassionally, a team might play both days in a weekend. A rare game might be played during the week as a make-up.
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What about the costs?
Travel will be more expensive than Intramural. The current West-Mont United travel registration fee is $150 per player which includes annual registration, Fall travel league fees, and a base level team training session by a paid trainer. Beginning with the 2009-2010 season, the U9A travel teams will also pay $400 for their team's coach. This will be collected as part of the registration and can be paid in four consecutive, monthly installments. In addition, players must pay for their own uniform which is about $70. Some teams choose to purchase warm-ups which might run approximately $85. If the team decides to play in tournaments, the cost is borne by the team.
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Are there other costs?
This depends on the individual team and the decisions the parents and coaches make. There is, of course, the expense of driving to and from games, the usual expense of buying soccer shoes, balls, shin guards, and water bottles. If the team decides to play in tournaments, the cost is borne by the team. Tournaments have entry fees and everyone is responsible for their own food and lodging costs. Some tournaments are close to home and others require an overnight stay out of town. Teams can hire and pay a professional trainer. Many teams organize their own fundraisers to help reduce the individual cost.
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Is there fund raising involved?
There can be. Each travel team is responsible for managing its own finances. The team can run its own fund raisers, if desired. Travel teams are accountable to the club for certain costs, however, decisions to spend money and raise money resides with the individual team.
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Will it be too much pressure?
One of a coach's main objectives at any level of soccer is to make it both fun and interesting. A player who is not enjoying what he/she is doing will not give their best. All Travel Leagues segregate teams by age and gender. Age division alignment is typically decided by a team's prior season record. This produces competitive divisions. Historically, most player pressure comes from the player's parents.
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What credentials do the coaches have?
Each travel coach must attend coaching courses and earn a coaching license in order to coach a travel team. Coach certification courses are offered through the USSF and NSCAA. After one year of coaching, a travel coach must have obtained at least an "E" license in order to continue to coach at the travel level. Often coaches obtain even higher certification (D and C licenses are common).
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What are the benefits of my child playing travel soccer?
Travel soccer can be a great experience for a number of reasons. It is a wonderful opportunity for children to develop and refine their soccer skills. This happens by receiving good coaching, and by playing against and practicing with the best soccer players in their age group. While learning to play at a higher skill level, children are also learning about the importance of teamwork. Personal growth and confidence are often a by-product of travel soccer, too. And, last but not least, IT IS FUN! Children meet and make new friends on travel teams. The experience of traveling to other communities and playing together against other clubs builds a bond between many players that continues for years, both on and off the soccer field.
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How does my child join a Travel team?
Each year, in May, West-Mont United holds tryouts. Children wishing to play on a travel team must attend at least one of the three scheduled tryouts. It is highly recommended that they attend as many of these tryouts as possible so that they are selected for the right team for their ability level. After the tryouts, players are notified at the end of May which team they made. Then, usually in late July or early August, practices begin.
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Where can I get more information?
You can contact West-Mont United Soccer Association at (484) 932-8698 and leave a message or email our Director of Coaching. You should also stop by and watch some of our Travel Teams play. Schedules and game locations will be posted on the web site. Also, talk to some of the Travel Team Parents, Players or Coaches to get their opinion.
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