Rain Dates: If we do get rained out, the makeup evaluations are specified to be:

• First Evaluation Rain Date: Friday May 24th
• Second Evaluation Rain Date: Wednesday June 5th

Make Up Dates: There are NO make up dates for NYSA tryouts unless due to rain as mentioned above.

Attendance: Players are encouraged to attend both evaluation nights. Players ONLY need to attend one night to be considered for an NYSA high division team.  Players that do NOT attend evaluations are NOT eligible for BAYS higher level teams.

Player Specific Info

Attire: Soccer shorts, soccer socks, shin guards, soccer top, soccer cleats, SOCCER BALL, plenty of water.

• NO CLUB ATTIRE permitted. Players wearing club attire will be asked to change before evaluation.

Injured Players at Evaluation Time: An injured player can still be considered for a high division team. The player MUST provide a doctor’s note regarding the injury to the Player Evaluation Coordinator BEFORE NYSA evaluations.

Evaluators

External: The evaluators at the NYSA evaluations are external evaluators that are compensated by NYSA to provide independent, objective and unbiased evaluations of every player.

• There are NO NYSA coaches, officials or parents involved in determining a player’s final evaluation score.
• Team Coach Candidates are permitted to observe evaluations and take their own notes to use as needed for future reference as next season’s rosters are finalized. Coach observations/notes are not part of the evaluation process.
• All evaluation scores are determined by the players and their efforts only.

Frequently Asked Questions???

Can I be considered for an older age group higher division team?
We encourage players to play within their age group but we understand that some players may have advanced skills or have an interest in playing for an older team. Players MUST attend the evaluation for their own age group but they may also attend the evaluation for an older age group. This ensures that the player is considered for their own age group. In order to be selected to an older high division team, the player MUST be one of the top ranked players in that age group. If they are not they must play in their age group.

Can I go down on the field and encourage my child and get a closer look at how they are doing?
No. Parents must remain off the fields but may remain near the Field of Dreams snack shack during evaluations. The evaluators want to see the players in their natural environment. Parents that wander onto the fields will be asked to return to the parent area.

Will there be more than one team per age group?
Our goal is to have multiple teams at each age group. The ability to do that will depend upon sufficient registration numbers, a minimum skill threshold and the availability of coaches. Players that are not chosen for a high division team will play on one of our many teams that are still part of the BAYS league. There is always a place on a team for every interested player.

Is there any difference in BAYS between higher and lower division teams?
Yes there is a difference in assumed player/team skill when comparing the higher/lower division teams.  BAYS allows local town boards to determine the most appropriate division/section for each respective team submitted to participate in the league.  NYSA considers coach input and prior season results (Ex: team record & goal differential) when determining the most appropriate level division/section.  All divisions/sections have the same format of total teams, total games, total # of starting field players, game facilitation/rules, field size, goal size…etc.  Only the assumed skill competition level is different between higher and lower division/sections.

*****What is the commitment level expected for Higher Division Team Players?
NYSA expects every team player to attend at least one training per week and be available for each game.

Is there any info on how the players are evaluated at tryouts or what the criteria is?
Yes. We disclose our process within the player placement tab on the NYSA website. We also hold a parent information meeting to review the process. Parents can request for general feedback on their child’s evaluation process.  Scores and rankings will not be disclosed.

How are teams selected?
Each team will have a set number of players who are automatic selections based on earning the highest evaluation score.  Once a coach is selected they will have no discretion on these automatic player selections. Initially the higher level coach will be given a limited list of players to choose their remaining roster from. The list is rank ordered and limited by evaluation score to ensure that the player selection process is controlled and handled consistently. A coach then has some subjectivity to select the remaining players to complete the roster but they are limited just to the names of the ranked list. This process significantly reduces the opportunity for coaches to select players for reasons other than their evaluation performance.

My kids play other sports in the fall, if they want to play in the spring 2025, how do I register them for tryouts?  If you do not plan on playing for the Fall, you should still attend evaluations so that you are placed on the correct team in the Spring.  The evaluation score will carry forward to the Spring season, and the player will be added to the appropriate team.  No additional communication is necessary.  Please attend the correct evaluations for the Fall 2024 Grade Level and check-in with the registration table.  The player's name will be manually added to the evaluation list.

If they don’t play in the fall, will that affect their team assignment, regardless of the score they get in tryouts?  No.  The score that they receive at evaluations will still dictate the team assignment in the Spring.

Have More Questions? Please contact an NYSA Board Member.