WESCO Select FAQ
What are Select try-outs?
Players who are interested in Select soccer have a couple opportunities to attend try-outs where coaches and trainers evaluate their skills. From these try-outs, the coaches and trainers can begin to select players and form teams.
How long after try-outs are teams formed?
It usually takes a few weeks from the time try-outs are held to the time players are chosen and teams form. Coaches will make calls to players’ families when final decisions on players and teams are made.
I know Select is more of a commitment than Rec soccer, but how much more?
Select is for players interested in more frequent competitive play and more practice time than Rec. Here are some guidelines:
Practices: Most coaches practice 2-3 times per week before the playing season starts and continue to hold practices after games begin. Practices can start in June or as soon as teams are organized after Select try-outs. Coaches can also hold special practices or scrimmages to prepare for tournaments.
Special Trainings: Select teams can participate in as many as 10 sessions with special trainers. Often these are done during regularly scheduled practices. Special trainings provide players and coaches with new techniques for advancing ball handling skills whether on the field or in the goal.
Season Games: Select teams participate in NorCal’s Fall League. This fall playing season begins late August/early September and runs through mid-November. For U15–U19 Select teams, games are played through August, and then stop until the end of January. This split season allows older players time-off of league play to participate in their high school’s athletic programs.
Tournaments: All Select teams participate in WESCO’s Apple Classic home tournament and teams can choose to participate in regional tournaments. Tournaments provide teams with an opportunity to play 3-4 games over a two-day weekend.
As the family of a Select player, what can we look forward to?
You can look forward to an exciting season cheering on the team, interacting with other Select families and assisting with volunteer tasks. Select teams rely on parent volunteers to help with everything from registering for tournaments to organizing fundraisers to bringing snacks to the games. It’s a great opportunity to participate in your child’s soccer activities and be part of a wonderful soccer community.
As a team parent, here are some ways you can get involved:
Coaching and assistant coaching
Team managing
Field lining (each team is assigned several days of lining the fields)
Volunteering with the Apple Classic tournament (WESCO Select’s home tournament that requires volunteers to run concessions and pick up garbage - and everything in between). Each team will have specific responsibilities that are shared among the team families.
Refereeing - take a referee course to become licensed and fill a much needed role. Referees are in short supply and high demand.
What do player registration and monthly fees cover?
Player fees cover the cost of coaching and special training, fields, goals, nets, balls, referees and operating costs.
In addition, fees provide up to 10 special trainings per year and up to 3 tournaments (one of which is our Apple Classic) for Select teams in the regular fall playing season.
Additional out-of-pocket costs to players include uniforms, travel expenses, some coaching and tournament entry fees above what’s covered by player fees.
What is an “age-pure” team?
Age-pure teams are teams with players whose birth dates are within 12 months of the oldest player. Not all teams are age-pure - clubs don’t always have enough players to form age-pure teams and some younger players “play up” with older teams.
What is “playing up?”
Some players would like to “play up” which means they want to play on a team with older players. A reason for playing up is when a younger player has skills to play on an older team and against older opponents.
WESCO has guidelines for determining which players qualify for playing up and players interested in playing up must attend try-outs for their correct age group and the age group in which they wish to participate. Players who qualify to play up are those ranked in the top third of the players within their current age group.
What other soccer play does WESCO offer?
If Select is not a good fit for your family or your player, WESCO’s Recreational program is the perfect alternative. Rec is open to all players and provides wonderful opportunities to play soccer and build skills. When the time is right, Select is the next step offering longer playing seasons and more competitive play.
Where can I go for more information?
You can learn more about NorCal’s Fall League here: http://www.norcalpremier.com/
And don’t forget to come to the field during try-outs and practices to speak with coaches, parents and players. They are the best advocates for Select and can share their experiences with you!
