Longmeadow Soccer Association

Travel

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Although play in the travel league is usually more competitive than the in-town league, the philosophy of the LSA board remains the same: our role is to promote fitness, fun and the development of personal and team skills. However, although both in town and travel leagues stress player development, travel players should expect a more intensive training experience. Players who make a travel team should expect to do more work than they might in the in-town program, but as with anything in life, hard work usually pays its own rewards.

The Fall travel season is generally from early September to late October. Games are Saturday and Sunday, with weekdays usually reserved for the occasional make-up game. The U10 (under 10) boys' and girls' home field is at Wolfswamp Field. All other travel teams, U11 through U14, have their home games at Russell Field.

The Spring season is from mid April to late June. As a rule, we don't play spring soccer because we don't have enough players in any age group to field a team. Kids in Longmeadow tend to play multiple sports, depending upon the season, so scheduling conflicts usually lead to committing to one sport at a time. Adding to the problem is the fact that we have limited space in our town for fields. If we do play spring soccer, we either play all away games or borrow a field from a neighboring town's parks & rec program, who is also dealing with limited space. In the spring of 2011, we have had more interest in spring soccer and put a few teams together, but many of the teams played several games without enough players due to conflicts with other sports.

Since the travel teams play the teams of neighboring towns, Longmeadow participates in the Pioneer Valley Junior Soccer League (www.pvjsl.com), who coordinates and schedules our games.

Assignment/Team Problems
If parents or travel coaches have any problems with team assignments or other issues, please contact the Travel committee at Travel@LongmeadowSoccer.com.


Travel Program

The travel teams are chosen from the qualified players who attend one or more evaluations in May. As a rule, more players try out for a team than can be placed on a roster, so not everyone makes a team. If you don't make a travel team, please don't be discouraged. Kid's develop different strenghts at different times in their lives, and anyone can have a bad day. Play in the in-town league, have fun and work on your skills for next year.

All players who attended travel tryouts are mailed a post card in early June with evaluation results. Players selected for a travel team must complete the travel registration process during one of the mid-June registration sessions at the Community House, where you:

• pay additional travel fee of $100 (cash or check)
• bring copy of birth certificate, if the child has not played travel before
• bring a small, 1" by 1" player photo, (not needed for U-10)
• sign player pass (not needed for U-10)

The process takes only a few minutes. Parents can bring the materials and sign the pass card if the player is not available on these evenings.

Players who are not selected for a travel team will automatically be assigned to an in-town team. Players are selected for travel teams based on evaluations by licensed professionals, usually coaches from area college soccer programs. Players must attend at least one of the two evaluation sessions to be considered for a travel team. See evaluation times below. Players will run through the same set of drills in both sessions. Age divisions for travel teams are based on a child's date of birth or the grade he or she will enter in the fall. For the season:

Age Appropriate

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Grade Appropriate
8th Grade

3rd graders are not eligible for travel unless they were born before must be in 4th grade to try out.) All 8th graders are eligible for the U-14 division. No 9th graders are eligible, regardless of age.

Players may be eligible to try out for more than one age group, based on their grade and date of birth. However, a player must attend the evaluations for both age groups to be considered for both teams. Ultimately, a child can play for only one team.

Travel League Game Progression (PVJSL Bylaws)
Age Group Ball Size Minutes Per Half Players on Field Field Size
U10 4 25 8 Small
U11 4 25 Fall
30 Spring
11 Large
U12 4 25 Fall
30 Spring
11 Large
U13 5 25 Fall
35 Spring
11 Large
U14 5 25 Fall
35 Spring
11 Large

Small fields are 40 to 50 yards in width, 60 to 70 yards in length with a 6 x 12.5 to 6 x 18 foot goal.
Large fields are 50 to 70 yards in width, 90 to 110 yards in length with a 8 x 24 foot goal.


Player Evaluations

Travel evaluations are held in May at Russell Field (on the corner of Blueberry Hill and Bliss, across from the High School). The registration table will be near the entrance near the Blueberry parking lot. All participants must come prepared with shinguards and water. Please do not bring a soccer ball to the tryouts. Parents are asked to stay in the spectator area by registration. We have found that players are more comfortable during try outs if parents are not near them. Please refrain from coaching from afar. Your player's natural performance will be best for them and the evaluators.

Parents or players have usually checked a box on their registration forms indicating their interest in attending the travel evaluations. If you missed that opportunity or change your mind after registration, eligible players are welcome to attend the evaluations.

If a player has not registered prior to the evaluation dates, he or she will still be permitted to try out. However, the player must subsequently register at the Community House during normal business hours in order to receive evaluation results.

The LSA Board is well aware that no evaluation is perfect. Even the best players can have a bad day and may not make a travel team every year. If you don't make a travel team, don't give up. The In-Town program is a lot of fun, and like the travel program, is designed primarily for player development. Stay on top of your game and try out again the following year.

There are two evaluation sessions about a week apart. Players can attend one or both sessions. Your average "score" will be used for selection if you come to both.

Players will receive a postcard with results in June. Those who were selected for a travel team and their parents will be asked to come to one of the Travel Registraton that will be held a week or so after the cards go out. For the travel registration:

• pay additional travel fee of $100 (cash or check)
• bring copy of birth certificate, if the child has not played travel before
• bring small, 1" by 1" player photo, (not needed for U-10)
• sign player pass (not needed for U-10)

Players will be contacted by coaches with practice information, usually in August. The practice schedule is up to the coach. Travel players and their families should check this website from time to time during the season for program updates.

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Game Schedules, Field Maps and Conditions

All travel schedules are published by the Pioneer Valley Junior Soccer League on their web site at www.pvjsl.com/Schedules/Schedule.asp. Select the division you're interested in from the pull-down menu. Please note the date in the upper left corner of the schedule. PVJSL can change the schedules at any time, and without warning. Check the date of the latest update on the Schedule page from time to time so see if you need to look at your schedule again.

Our 2011 divisions are:

10BR - Under 10 Boys, Division "R"
10GR - Under 10 Girls, Division "R"
11B1 - Under 11 Boys, Division "1" (Black)
11B2 - Under 11 Boys, Division "3" (White) ...
11G1
12B2
12G3
13B2
13G3
14B2
14G2

PVJSL has maps on their web site of the area around each of the fields to help you find them at pvjsl.com/fields/MapIndex.asp. They also have a field conditions page that tells of any field changes or closures at pvjsl.com/fields/Conditions.asp. Games can only be cancelled because the field is closed by the governing town or parks department. Here's Longmeadow's Guidlines for Cancellation. For you safety, anytime thunder or lightning are present, you should head for your car or a building.


Tournaments

Our travel teams generally play in two tournaments each season. They're not required, so the coaches and teams can decide to attend or not. At the beginning of the season (sometimes before our season starts) is the Kevin Barmak Memorial Soccer Tournament in Enfield. On Columbus Day Weekend, there is the Just For Kicks tournament in Dalton, MA. Both tournaments are fun and friendly, and a great opportunity for developing soccer players. The costs of these tournaments are covered by LSA. If a coach wants to attend additional tournaments, he or she must to contact the VP of Travel at Travel@LongmeadowSoccer.com for approval.

At the end of the PVJSL season, qualifing teams play in the PVJSL Playoff tournament at Gateway Regional High School in Huntington, MA.


Training/Practice in August

In addition to the practices organized by individual coaches, optional training sessions similar to the Skills Academy may be organized in August by the LSA Board and the Directors of Coaching. Travel players can get some pre-season training, and coaches can participate or observe. The sessions are not mandatory for players or coaches.

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