High Country Soccer Association Travel Team Tryouts July 22 & 24, 2020

BOONE, NC (June 9, 2020) — Are you interested in joining a travel soccer team? High Country Soccer Association will be hosting tryouts on July 22 and 24 for the 2020/2021 year for U10-U18 middle school/high school aged players (birth years 2010-2002). Tryouts will be held at Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex on Brookshire Road in Boone. High Country Soccer Association, which opened in 1986, offers soccer training to youth ranging from U6 to U18 and competes in the North Carolina Youth Soccer Association. HCSA also operates adult leagues, winter futsal youth training, and summer training and camps. In all, HCSA has more than 600 youth players and more than 300 adult players from Avery, Ashe, Caldwell, Wilkes, and Watauga Counties.

TRYOUT FEES
Online Pre-Registration: $20 per player. www.hcsoccer.com
Onsite Registration: $40 per player.

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENTS
Tryouts enable the HCSA coaches to see that players are placed in an appropriate environment that enhances their development and success.

For players currently in HCSA, the coaching staff is constantly assessing the development of its players across all programs. The coaches now offer 2 opportunities for a written Player Development Assessment for travel team players and U10 Academy players to provide feedback on each player’s development and where they stand within their age group.

For players new to our club, tryouts are the only opportunity for the coaching staff to assess the player’s ability to be placed appropriately on a Travel Team or Challenge (rec) team. It is imperative new players attend both tryout sessions. HCSA welcomes new players to try out.

It is expected for each player to attend both tryout dates. Absences should be communicated to the Director of Coaching so alternative tryout arrangements can be made if necessary.

REGISTRATION
The following required registration items must be completed and fees from the previous season must be paid prior to a player’s tryout. All items can be paid/uploaded at www.hcsoccer.com.

• Registration Fee Payment – Registration is available online in advance of tryouts. Same day, on site registration will be accepted for a higher fee.

• Copy of Player Birth Certificate – …if one is not on file from previous season.

• Medical Consent Form – Leave jersey number blank.

• Player Photo –A 1×1 headshot must be uploaded to your registration account. Players are not allowed to wear hats or sunglasses for this photo.

SCHOLARSHIP / FINANCIAL AID
To be considered for a need-based scholarship to help aid the payment of player fees, submit a Scholarship Application before June 15, 2020. Applications will not be accepted after this date. Email office@hcoccer.com before June 15 if you need an extension or for more information.

TRYOUT ASSESSMENTS
The Director of Coaching will hire a staff of evaluators to assist with player assessments and the team formation process. Tryouts will consist of a quick warm-up and small-sided and full-sided games, and the staff will evaluate from the sidelines. There will not be any drills or recorded tests.

PLAYING-UP POLICY
The HCSA staff will evaluate players by birth year and will not take parent requests for players to play up. If coaches feel a player’s development would benefit more by playing on an older team than a team within their true birth year, the Director of Coaching will discuss the opportunity with the player and parents. Also, once teams are formed, the Director of Coaching will develop a list of “Club Pass Players”; players who will be eligible to be invited to guest play with other HCSA teams at a higher level of play or age group. Again, this opportunity would be available at the discretion of our coaching staff and not parent requests.

NOTIFICATIONS
There are pros, cons, and flaws with each tryout notification method. The HCSA coaches have observed other clubs and have decided on what is believed to be the best notification method that overcomes certain obstacles. The Director of Coaching will post tryout results online the day following the final tryout. At that time, parents will be able to login to their online account and accept their child’s position by registering for the team and paying the commitment fee.

PARENT ROLE
Parents must have realistic expectations for their player, know players develop at different rates, and trust the coaching staff in the evaluation and team formation process. HCSA requests that parents please remain outside the black chain link fences during tryouts.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information, visit www.hcsoccer.com.

A High Country Soccer Association Press Release