WHAT: Annual NYSA evaluations for Higher Division Teams. Each player is scored on four or five different categories by several independent evaluators.

WHO: Players MUST be registered for the upcoming Fall season.

WHERE: NYSA tryouts will be conducted at Ellsworth-MacAfee Fields (South Street, Northborough, Ma.)

 

WHEN:

First Evaluation Dates
May 24, 2023 – Tuesday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Girls Grade 3 & 4 Boys Grade 3 & 4
May 25, 2023 – Wednesday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Girls Grade 5 & 6 Boys Grade 5 & 6
May 26, 2023 – Thursday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Girls Grade 7 & 8 Boys Grade 7 & 8
Second Evaluation Dates *
May 31, 2023 – Tuesday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Boys Grade 5 & 6 Girls Grade 5 & 6
June 1, 2023 – Wednesday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Boys Grade 7 & 8 Girls Grade 7 & 8
June 2, 2023 – Thursday	4:15-6:00 pm 5:45-7:30 pm	Boys Grade 3 & 4 Girls Grade 3 & 4

 

 

Typical Evaluation Schedule

Sample 4:15 p.m Evaluation

4:15 – 4:30     Check-In
4:30 – 4:35     Introduction and splitting players into groups
4:35 – 6:00     Player Evaluations

Sample 5:45 p.m Evaluation

5:45 – 6:00     Check-In
6:00 – 6:05      Introduction and splitting players into groups
6:05 – 7:30     Player Evaluations

 

 

* The start times above indicate the check in times for tryouts, NOT the actual start time of tryouts. Check in lasts about 15 minutes. There is NO NEED to arrive BEFORE the check in times. Players are sorted RANDOMLY into smaller groups and remain in that group the entire night.

Rain Dates: If we do get rained out, the makeup evaluations will likely be the Friday of the same week or Monday of the next week.

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 tryout nights. Players ONLY need to attend one night to be considered for an NYSA Select Team. Players that do NOT attend tryouts are NOT eligible for NYSA select teams.

 

Player Specific Info

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

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

Injured Players at Tryout Time: An injured player can still be considered for a select team. The player MUST be registered for the fall season and MUST provide a doctor’s note regarding the injury to the Select Team Coordinator BEFORE NYSA tryouts.

Higher Division Team Coaches

Select team coaches are selected AFTER tryouts by the NYSA Board. Coaches that are interested must submit an application that includes their qualifications and some additional information. The application deadline is May 15th and you can find the application and selection information under the select team tab on the NYSA web site .

Evaluators

External: The evaluators at the NYSA tryouts 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 a player’s tryout evaluation.
• Select Team Coach Candidates are permitted to observe tryouts and take their own notes but those are for their own purposes only and are not part of the evaluation process.
• All tryout scores are determined by the players and their efforts only.

Frequently Asked Questions???

Can I tryout 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 tryout for their own age group but they may also attend the tryout for an older age group. This insures that the player is considered for their own age group. In order to be selected to an older select 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 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 select team will play on one of our many recreation teams. There is always a place on a team for every interested player.

Is there any difference in the travel between higher and lower division teams?
No. All teams both play towns within Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) and the travel is the same.

*****What is the commitment level expected for HIgher Division Team Players?
Players on a higher division team are committing to play on that team for just ONE soccer season. Players can opt to play JUST the FALL or SPRING season. At the conclusion of the fall season, select teams will be reset based upon the returning and incoming players. Players are expected to attend weekly training and games. Each coach will determine their minimum requirement for each player but NYSA expects every select team player to attend at least one training per week and their game. Players that want to play just one season on a select team MUST attend the Evaluation to be considered.

Is there any info on how the players are evaluated at tryouts or what the criteria is?
Yes. We disclose our process within select team tab of the NYSA web site. We also hold a parent information meeting  to review the process. Parents can get feedback on their child’s individual performance post selections.

How are teams selected?
Once a coach is selected, the coach gets a limited list of players to choose from. The list is rank ordered and limited to insure that the process is controlled and based upon tryout performance. At each age group a certain number of players are automatic selections and a coach has no discretion on these player selections. 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 list. This process prevents coaches from selecting players for reasons other than their tryout performance.

Have More Questions? Please contact NYSA HIgher Division Team Coordinator