The following will be made public and posted on the Club’s web site at least two weeks prior to the tryouts for any top level team:
 

• name and qualifications of the head coach
• an outline of what parents should expect for the team schedule in the upcoming season including dates for practices, league(s) play, tournaments, etc.
• a specific set of objectives and player expectations which are within the parameters set by the Travel Program for all top level teams
• anticipated team fees.

Preseason team preparation is a key element for top level teams. To ensure teams are ready for league play, HCs will schedule a minimum of 25 hours of formal team practices and 4 games (combination of tournament play and friendlies) prior to the fall and spring seasons.

Each team will strive to participate in highly competitive tournaments with a mixture of locations including New Jersey, the mid-Atlantic and the Eastern United States.

Teams are formed for a full year…August to June.  The Club and its teams are making a year’s commitment for each player.  No player may be cut from a team during the seasonal year.  The Club and teams expect a commitment from each player for the full year…August to June.  The commitment level includes a minimum expectation of player attendance at formal practices, games and tournaments.

Participating with a top level team is very physically and mentally demanding. Teams in the U-11 to U-14 age groups must take two breaks, one during the mid-June to Mid-August period and one during the December to January time periods.  Each break must be for a minimum continuous 6 week period. During these breaks there will be no formal practices, games or tournaments. During these periods participation in tournaments, summer select, etc is completely optional and at the discretion of each individual. However, the Travel Program discourages soccer activities during these down periods as all athletes required periodic physical and mental rests to prevent burnout and injury.

There is strong interest and support for our high school soccer programs among our community. Our players desire the opportunity to participate. Therefore, in an effort to accommodate our players’ desires, top level teams have adopted a very supportive position of our high school soccer programs. Teams in the U-15 to U-18 age groups cannot hold formal practices, games or tournaments during the high school soccer season (mid-August to late October).

League Play: Top level teams will train and develop with the intent of participating in one of the New Jersey premier leagues: MAPS, Region 1 or JAGS (girls only). Premier leagues typically have a seasonal schedule which varies between 3 and 8 games. The primary role of league play is to prepare teams to compete in premier tournaments and to ensure teams meet the minimum league game requirements for participation in the NJYS National Championship tournament. As a result the scheduling of league games is very flexible and designed to:
 

• accommodate a team’s tournament schedule;
• permit games to be played on Saturday, Sunday and weeknights; and
• allow for mini-festival weekends so a team can go to one location and play multiple leagues games in a single day.