John Tolbert, Coach Chantilly Cobras (U13 Boys)

Travel Soccer16-May-09

(U-13 Boys, Fall 2009)

Parents,

Travel (select) soccer is the first step towards playing soccer in high school(and beyond for some). It is a great opportunity for our kids to grow into young people and compete to their fullest extent in an environment that challenges them while also creating memories for a lifetime regardles of how far they ultimately progress.

Below are some frequently asked questions that parents of prospective travel soccer players often ask when considering travel soccer. The coaches for this team have spent a good deal of time putting together this handout as a way to educate new travel parents about the benefits, expectations, and cost of entering into the world of travel soccer, as well as how we intend to coach the team. Hopefully, you will find this handout informative and realize that we are experienced and serious in providing every player and his family with a fun, safe, and rewarding travel soccer experience. Please review the FAQ below and feel free to offer feedback on the information provided or ask any additional questions you might have.

Best Regards,

John Tolbert, Coach Chantilly Cobras (U13 Boys)

Home: 703-263-9054,

Work: 703-653-8051;

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

What is the coaching philosophy for your team? Our team is coached based on the following philosophy: Our overall team philosophy is to foster a love for soccer while developing players to their fullest potential as soccer players and athletes. The intent is to not only instill a love for playing the game, but also develop an appreciation of watching and playing soccer with other skilled soccer players. Our overall team goal is to continue to improve as a team and to play soccer at a progressively more competitive level while developing the skills (both individual soccer skills and teamwork skills) of each player according to their needs and desires. Individually, we want every player to be prepared to play for their respective high school soccer team..
When does travel soccer become an option for my child? You and your child have the option of considering travel soccer at the U9 level and higher, starting with the U9 fall season.
Who are the coaches? The head coach is John Tolbert and the assistant coach is Des Owens. Both are unpaid volunteer coaches and parents of current travel players (boys and girls).
Who are the trainers? The head trainer is Nadir Mouman of Garcia’s Total Futbol, one of the very best training outfits in this area. Coach Nadir has trained several teams to become some of the top travel teams in the area. He also has other trainers on his staff with significant soccer training experience.
Are the coaches experienced? Yes, all the coaches have significant coaching experience in youth soccer (as well as other sports) and with travel soccer. The head coach is licensed by the USSF and approved by CYA Soccer.
What are the leagues for travel soccer? There are two local travel soccer leagues for boys and two for girls. For boys only, there is the National Capital Soccer League (NCSL). For girls only, there is a league called Washington Area Girls Soccer (WAGS). NCSL and WAGS have a similar structure and set of leagues rules. For both boys and girls, there is another travel league that both can play in (within a set of boys divisions and a set of girls divisions) called the Old Dominion Soccer League (ODSL).
What league does this travel team play in? This team currently plays in the Old Dominion Soccer League (ODSL); however, it is on the Wait List for NCSL and expects to play in the NCSL within the next year.
How many players are on the team? The team currently has 12 players playing in the 8v8 format; however, for this fall the format changes to 11v11. Thus, the coaches expect to have 15-16 players for the fall season. The maximum number of players allowed for U13 boys is 18 to a team.
How will players be selected?The coaches will hold open tryouts for existing and potential new players in June. The coaches look at players to assess their skill level and potential ability to play travel soccer at a competitive level, as well as to talk to the parents about travel soccer and gauge their level of interest and commitment. All additions to the team will be completed with league registration in late July.
When does the team play their games? Most games are scheduled on Sundays, with kickoff being anytime between noon and 6pm. Remember that most teams will require the players to be at the field ready to warm-up about 45 min earlier than the kickoff. Some games may also be scheduled for Saturdays.
Where does the team play (how much do they really travel)? Travel games for ODSL are in and around Northern VA. In addition, the team might travel further for tournaments (e.g., Hershey Park, Richmond, PA, DE, etc), but that will be up to the team (parents and coaches). When the team moves to NCSL, it will travel anywhere around the DC area (NCSL includes teams from VA, DC, and MD).
What is the level of competition like?Playing in ODSL is usually considered to be less competitive than NCSL; however, ODSL has some very strong teams in division B1 and B2 that can compete with NCSL teams.
What are the soccer tournaments like? The typical tournament usually guarantees a minimum number of games (usually 3 or 4) spread over a two-day period (usually a Sat and Sun). Most soccer tournaments are played over a holiday weekend. The coaches try to provide advance notice regarding which holidays so that families can plan, and the coaches try hard to balance family holidays so that every holiday is not a soccer tournament.
How many tournaments will a team play in? This varies by team, based on the decision of the coaches and parents (and cost), but our team normally plays in 2 tournaments per season. For this fall, our team is looking at playing in two tournaments – one in Aug the weekend before Labor Day weekend one over the Columbus Day weekend. The specific tournaments have not been decided on at this time.
What is the overall commitment level for a travel team?This also varies from team to team, but our team will practice/train three times a week, with one day being an optional footskills training session. The coaches may decide to make the footskills training mandatory this fall. There may be additional practices that are optional. We will hold a few scrimmages each season with other travel teams in the area. Tournaments will consume most of a weekend, so holiday time should be planned accordingly. We will also periodically get together for team-activities (which may or may not be related to soccer) to assist in team bonding and to have fun! Examples of other team-activities may include a night out to see DC United play, a laser-tag outing, family picnics, etc.
What are the expectations for players regarding attendance at practices, games, and tournaments? In general, the coaches expect that players (and their parents) will make every effort to attend all practices, games, and tournaments. However, the coaches also realize that the players are young and many of our players also play other sports at this time, such as basketball, baseball, football, lacrosse, swim, etc. The team actually encourages players to play other sports, since playing other sports is beneficial to a player’s development as an athlete. The general expectation of our team will be that soccer takes precedent over other sports and activities during the fall and spring soccer seasons, and especially for games. During the winter and summer “off-seasons”, other sports such as basketball and swim team may have a higher priority. Good communication with the coaches regarding all schedule conflicts will be expected at all times, as this is necessary in order to plan for practices, scrimmages, games, etc. and ensure that all players in attendance (and the team as a whole) receive the maximum benefit possible. It should also be noted that, as the players grow older into U14 and beyond (around the time they start high school), the team and coaches might have higher expectations regarding attendance.
What are the expectations for parents? Our travel team requires support from the parents in order to function efficiently. Specifically, the coaches need a volunteer parent to help as Team Manager for off-field administration and management support and a Team Sportsmanship Liaison (TSL) for all games and scrimmages.
What is the cost of playing travel soccer?Cost also varies by team, based on what the team wants to do in terms of uniforms, tournaments, fundraising and gathering sponsorships. For our team, we do not normally do much fundraising. The anticipated cost for the fall season will be about $475 per player, which includes training, new uniforms, and two tournaments. This does not include the $120 fee that is paid directly to CYA for referees, field maintenance, etc. The spring season should be about $350 per player. Winter season is normally about $120 per player.
Are there other costs? Possibly, if the team decides to hold winter training or attend summer camps. Our team plans to hold summer day camp for the team during the first week of Aug. The cost will be about $250 per player.
What is the format for the games? For U13 travel, the format is 11v11 (10 field players and a goalkeeper). The game is played in two 35 min halves using a Size 5 soccer ball, with most other soccer rules applied.
What position(s) will my child be playing? Positions vary by team, coaching philosophy, and the skills of the player. Our team normally focuses on playing players in no more than 1-2 positions per game. Later, a player may become comfortable playing a particular position and that may become the player’s primary position. However, the players will be expected to play different positions from time to time. Every player is coached to accept the positions assigned at game time and do their best to help the team.
What about goalkeeper – who will play this position? Our team now has a primary goalkeeper, as well as two backup GKs. With the team getting older, the coaches decided to have a dedicated full-time goalkeeper; however, we always look to get our GKs time in the field whenever possible.
How will the coaches address issues with players? Each player, prior to joining the team, will receive and be expected to sign and return a copy of a Player Responsibilities And Agreement form. This will clearly define what is expected (e.g., positive attitude, good effort at practice, respect for coaches and other players, etc) of them. Continual infraction of player responsibilities are disruptive to the team overall and may result in less playing time.
How much playing time will my child get? Our team philosophy is that playing time is “earned” by good play on the field and overall effort and commitment to the team. Stronger players will often receive more playign time; however, the coaches work extremely hard to ensure that every player gets a reasonable amount of playing time each game. The coaches will not be “counting minutes”. Poor attitudes, lack of effort, or poor attendance on a regular basis could have an adverse impact on a player’s time. In all cases, every player who is not hurt or injured (or sitting out for other reasons) will play in every game and scrimmage.
How will you motivate players? Most players starting travel soccer will already have a good level of motivation. The coaches work to “fine tune” each player’s level of motivation through different competitive drills and games at the practices, as well as motivational types of talks with the players at practices and prior to games.
How will you teach players about winning and losing? From the very beginning, the coaches intend to convey to the players that while we would like for them to win each game, winning is not as important as playing hard, playing as a team, having fun, and improving their skills as an individual and as a team. As a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PSA), the coaches will teach the players that we need to be grateful when we win, accept our losses, and have respect for the other team and their players.
What is your team name and colors? Our team name is the Chantilly Cobras (aka. CYA Cobras). Our primary colors are black, white, and purple.
What’s the benefit of playing travel soccer? That will vary by player and parent, but for most, it will include the improvement as a soccer player and as a person, building lasting friendships, lots of memories, team fun, and a love of soccer for life.
What should I do next? If you (and especially your child) are interested in participating in travel soccer, notify the coach of your interest and the player’s experience, as well as attend the team tryoutswith motivation and a great attitude for soccer. If you have any specific questions about our team that have not been answered in the handout, please contact or email the coach.