Travel & Academy Meeting May 1, 2012 New Canaan Soccer Association

New NCSA Program Structure Overview Travel Program:  Largely unchanged from traditional Travel format – CJSA Sunday program  Team entries will now be limited to 2 per age & gender (i.e. 2 boys & 2 girls teams at each level)  Evaluations/Tryouts will be held every Spring for the upcoming Fall season  Every player not offered a place on Travel roster will be placed on an Academy roster Academy Program:  Players can register directly for Academy program and forego tryouts  Teams will be composed of combined grades 3&4, 5&6 and 7&8  Grades 5&6 and 7&8 will compete in the CJSA Saturday program  Players will have the ability to move to the Travel program at each annual evaluation 1 st & 2 nd Grade Program:  NCSA will offer a stand alone skills development program for 1 st & 2 nd grade  The program will operate independently of the Parks & Rec program  1 st graders – 1 skills development clinic per week with NOGA professional coaching  2 nd graders – 2 sessions per week: 1 skills development clinic and 1 small sided game format per week 2

Travel Program League:  The NCSA expects to register 20 to 22 teams in the CJSA – SWD for the Fall 2012 season  This is compared to a total of 27 teams last Fall  The NCSA’s goal is to have its Travel teams compete in the SWD’s A & B divisions Evaluations/Tryouts:  Players will now be evaluated every year for Travel team placement  All teams will be ranked teams based on evaluations – placement is for entire year (Fall & Spring)  Teams will be adjusted in Spring season due to lower historical registrations (vs Fall)  Players can be moved either up or down within Travel or to Academy based on rankings  Mandatory parents meeting in June Format:  Professionally coached by NOGA – 2 practices per week plus 1 skills session per week (Fall mandatory)  1 game per week on Sunday’s – NOGA coached games  Play one tournament per season  Entry in State Cup mandatory in Fall for Red team, optional for Black team Pricing:  $450 per season ($315 at time of registration and additional $135 by July 1 st if placed on a Travel team)  New white team jerseys (adidas) will replace white practice t-shirts – Athletic Shoe Factory 3

Academy Program League:  3 rd & 4 th grade teams will play a combination of NC teams and friendlies with Darien & Wilton  5 th & 6 th and 7 th & 8 th grade teams will play in the CJSA-SWD Rec+ Saturday league  5 th & 6 th grade format remains 8v8  Team formation will be heavily dependent on the number of player registrations Evaluations/Tryouts:  Players do not need to attend evaluations/tryouts if they wish to only play in Academy program  Multiple teams within age groups (3 rd & 4 th and 5 th & 6 th ) will be balanced teams  Players can be moved into Travel program based on annual evaluations or by invitation in the Spring season Format:  Professionally coached by NOGA – 2 practices per week  1 game per week on Saturdays – Parent coached games  NOGA to provide coaching clinics for Parent coaches and will attend 2 games per team during season  Play one jamboree per season Pricing:  $315 per season  New white team jerseys (adidas) will replace white practice t-shirts – Athletic Shoe Factory 4

Program Similarities & Differences Similarities:  Identical NCSA/NOGA professional age based curriculum  Two NOGA run practices per week  1 game per week  1 tournament/jamboree per season  Identical uniforms  Parent volunteers Differences:  Travel players must complete evaluation/tryout process  Academy games are parent coached & NOGA assisted  Travel players have a mandatory skills session in Fall season  Pricing 5

Why Academy Program is Important  The NCSA is committed to a quality soccer experience for players of all skill levels  Skill development proceeds at an individual pace – the Academy Program offers players the opportunity to continue to develop with a professional skills development curriculum  Players should have an opportunity to compete at the appropriate level – no one benefits from lopsided scores one way or the other  This is an opportunity to create closer ties with our peer group towns (Darien & Wilton) to offer a more robust development program than what has existed in the past 6

Items of Note in Transition  We will not have a sense of team formation in the Academy Program until we complete the registration process and finish the Travel evaluations/tryouts in early June  Academy program registration will stay open through the summer (August 15 th ) and teams will be formed in late August or early September  Travel program registration will close on May 12th, teams will be announced before school recess (est June 18 th )  We are moving to all ranked teams in the Travel Program which will put greater pressure on the evaluation/tryout process  The incoming U9 evaluations will have 3 sessions to take a longer look at new players (May 14, 15 & 16)  Existing U9 thru U14 evaluations will be performed over the course of regular practice times from May 21 thru June 7 and will supplement player evaluations from coaches in Spring season  New players registering will be invited to age group practices for evaluation  We have been unable to find a way to work with the Rec Dept to ensure greater critical mass at all age groups The NCSA has determined that it must move forward without an agreement with the Rec Department, which may run competing programs and may create confusion We are committed to these structural changes for the long run, so if we need to grow from a smaller base we will do so 7

Q & A 8

Where To Go - Questions  Go to the website:  Click on the BOD tab to find your age group coordinator: Academy:Treva Bryant U-9:Jen Honan-Luther U-10:Ross Catlin U-11:Karen Wilson U-12:Corinne Patten U-13:John Stanton U-14:Mike Greene  Be patient as we make the transition!! 9

Overview of 1 st & 2 nd Grade Program “NCSA Juniors”  Parents meeting on May 9 th at NCHS  1 st Grade Program  Emphasis on FUN and skills development run by NOGA coaches  Follows NCSA/NOGA curriculum with age appropriate tasks with ball  1 day per week for 1 hour  A good introduction to the rhythm of a practice session with NOGA coaches  Cost: $95 for 8 sessions (includes practice jersey)  2 nd Grade Program  Continued emphasis on FUN and skills development run by NOGA coaches  2 sessions per week of 1 hour each  1 skills based session  1 small sided game session (round robin)  Excellent primer to enter Travel Program starting in 3 rd grade  Cost: $195 for 16 sessions (2x per week for 8 weeks) – includes practice jersey 10