TRYOUT FAQ'S

Tryout Standards & Expectations

• Your player must be Registered in PlayMetrics.
• Players must have Shin Guards and appropriate footwear to participate (soccer cleats / turf shoes)
• Players must bring their own water bottle and soccer ball. Please make sure you have marked both your water and ball with your name on it.
• Arrive 25-30 minutes early to ensure you are checked in and ready to go.
• Please remind your player to wear a Black Shirt for uniformity.
• Parents will NOT be permitted on the fields. Parents are asked to remain outside of the facility.

What will Evaluators be observing for Player Assessments?

Our primary objective is to identify and form teams that we believe will be most suitable for a player's short term and long term development.

• All players will be evaluated on their individual dribbling skills and ball control each day of tryout in 1v1 Matches with their peers. Our goal is to assess a player's decision making and technical ability while collecting objective and measurable data for each age group.
• Players will be evaluated on their tactical decision making in small sided and large sided matches. We evaluate a player's ability to help their team keep possession by looking at their pass completion rate and decision making on and off the ball.
• All players will be assessed on their speed in relation to their peers at their age groups.
• Attitude and behavior towards teammate and staff. Our evaluators will be listening to see how players treat one another especially after mistakes.
• In-season feedback from coaches and directors may also be used to aid in our decision making process to provide the most accurate assessments.

Please Note:  Our Directors may also conduct assessments in an appropriate training environment or on match days.

Will the coaches be selecting their teams?

During this transition year, coaches have not currently been permanently assigned to teams to ensure the best possible fit for each group based on what we observe and the number of teams we will be accepting based on player numbers.

From this point going forward, a more formalized system for player selection and team formation will be implemented. Evaluators will be used to collect measurable, objective data and identify trends in each player based on what they observe. NRU's Directors will be present to evaluate players and will compile the data and make all final team selections.

When will I know if my Player has been selected to a team?

• Our Directors will make every effort to have all offers sent to our families within 72 Hours after completing the tryouts.
• Players must Accept their position on the team within 7 days of receiving the offer or their spot on the roster will be offered to the next best candidate.
• We strongly believe that every player should choose to tryout for any club that they are interested in and make the decision they feel is right for them.
• Please Note: If your player is not initially selected for the team they were hoping, there is always the possibility that if a player declines their position or is called up to an older team, your player may be contacted as an alternate.

 Can my player Play Up an age group?

All players must attend tryouts with their new Age Group. (Refer to age chart)

Please Note: Some players may be asked to move to a field if the Technical Director believes it is needed to complete a player's assessment.

After tryouts have been completed, the Technical Director will contact families if the tryouts and our measurable, objective data suggest that playing up may be best for a player's development.

We believe training is where you improve. The games are just a test to apply what you learned in training. For most situations, the club will be offering opportunities for a player to train up or guest play up, but prefer players play at their own age.

Parental Requests for playing up will NOT be part of this identification process.

Players that demonstrate above average performances and are identified by our staff, may be contacted by our Directors. We will be handling those situations on a case by case basis based on what we believe will be best for the player after our assessments. Players may be contacted by our Directors to discuss the opportunity for being placed on an older age group.

What if my player is injured or cannot attend their tryout?

For all schedule or injury related conflicts please reach out to our Directors listed below to find another time or environment where your player can be fully assessed.

For any questions about our U11 - U12 Travel Teams please contact:

David Shriver

Director of Player Development (Zone 1 Director)

Email: shriver@newriverunited.com

For questions about our U13 - U19 Travel Teams please contact:

Brandon Fern

Technical Director

Email: fern@newriverunited.com