6/5/2008

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE LSA PROGRAM

TEAM DEVELOPMENTAL OBJECTIVES

· LSA is about PLAYER DEVELOPMENT and we will do all we can to help anyone who wants to play the game we all love.

· The LSA program begins at the age of 4 or 5 with the Under 6 Division and its “Learn to have Fun with Soccer” program and continues through our Over 30 program that helps to keep our coaches and parents fit and involved. Each age group involved with the LSA program has specific developmental objectives that our coaches will teach their teams.

· Our competitive program is the link between our developmental program and our adult programs, college soccer or even professional play for some.

· We will use tournaments in the early years to help develop “individuals”. As the players approach college recruiting age we will use tournaments to showcase our “individuals” in their team environments.

· Coaches will be selected that can help players develop appropriately and at a “normal” pace. LSA will always strive to create an enjoyable environment for its players and coaches first over all other objectives. This means that all players will be encouraged to have fun as they learn.

· We will develop individual players first and begin to mold them into a team between the ages of 10 and 13. Winning and losing are much less important then proper player development until the age of 13. The USYSA does not offer a National Tournament until our children are under 14, and LSA will not be focused on winning until that time. It is important to be patient and allow our players to have fun, grow and mature and become the best they can be at their own pace.

· Michael Jordan was not selected for his high school team until he was a junior and Women’s National team regular Kristin Lilly was unable to make her State team. It is never too late to learn or to try to develop a love for this game. We encourage anyone and everyone to tryout for a team.

TRYOUTS

There are regularly scheduled tryouts at the end of the previous season in late June or early July and at the end of the High School season in November. These tryouts are published in the newspaper and can be found at www.louisvillesoccer.com. In addition, a player may contact the club or a specific coach at any time and arrange for the player to practice/tryout with the team during the season. Although a roster spot may not be open until the following fall, new players are welcome to train with the team.

IMPORTANT DATES AND SEASONAL SCHEDULES

The LSA seasonal year begins on September 1 and runs through August 31. Teams in the Under 6 division through the Under 14 division, as well as adults, will play all year. Teams in the Under 15 through Under 23 level will only play in spring. Fall practices and games usually begin in early August and continue through the end of October. The spring season begins on March 1 and continues into early June. If a team wins the State Tournament, play will continue into July.

FEES

Fees for our program are developed on a team-by-team basis. Many factors go into the determination of the cost for our teams. Our fees are generally all inclusive and include two uniform tops, one pair of shorts, one pair of socks, coaching equipment and related expenses, league fees, player registration fees, field expenses and one tournament entry fee per ½ of year. Typically the only additional costs will be for added tournaments. Fees look like this:

Under 6 $35 fall only or $50 per year

(only one top and no shorts or socks) $35 spring only

Under 8 $75 fall

(tops only no shorts or socks) $75 spring

Under 9 $250 fall

$225 spring

Under 10 $325 fall

$300 spring

Under 11 through Under 14 $425 fall

$425 spring

Under 15 through Under 17 $475 spring only

Under 18 and above to be determined by duration and number of players.

DISCOUNTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

· Multi-player Discount – discounts are available for families with multiple children from the “immediate” family in the LSA program. After the oldest child has paid their full fee in any ½ season the subsequent children are eligible to take a discount equal to ½ of their fee up to a $100 maximum discount.

· Volunteers and managers – volunteers and managers receive discounts of up to $150 depending on the task. Ask your coach or a club administrator about these discounts and job availabilities.

· Scholarships – scholarships are available for children with special hardships or needs. These issues are dealt with privately and on a case-by-case basis. Please feel free to talk to your coach or manager and trust that it will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence.

· Returning players – a returning player that does not require a new jersey can reduce their fee by $20 at the time of the team uniform order in the fall for younger teams or the spring for older teams. The discount is only taken once per year.

PLAYER REQUIREMENTS

All players are required to be at practice, prepared to play; at the time practice is scheduled. Players should be at games prepared to warm up at least 30 minutes prior to kickoff or at the coach’s direction. For practice a player must have a ball, shin guards, shoes, water and any other relevant equipment. Because player safety is of the utmost importance, players will not be allowed to participate without proper equipment. For games, each player is responsible for his/her own water and uniform. Both jerseys MUST be brought to each game.

INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE FREQUENCY AND DURATION

During normal conditions each team will be assigned field time for two practices during the week that will last between 1 hour and 1½ hours depending on the age of the soccer student. On some occasions practices may be extended to work on specific details before games, etc. There may be special weekend practices called if there are long gaps in a team’s game schedule. The intent is to insure that each player is receiving instruction a minimum of three times per week.

GAMES AND TOURNAMENTS

Each team from Under 11 and up is entered in an appropriate Competitive League and, along with a couple of scrimmages, averages 10 -12 games in the fall and 10 -12 in the spring. In addition, teams are entered in one tournament per ½ season. Some teams depending on age may do many more tournaments and have a significantly increased number of games scheduled as “friendlies”.

COACHES, MANAGERS & ASSISTANTS

Each team will be assigned a coach. The coach is selected by LSA’s coaching director and is qualified to manage the objectives established by the club. The LSA Board of Directors and its management team have spent many years developing our player philosophies and programs and our coaches are specifically selected to carry out these programs. Each team will require several volunteers. Each team can use up to 2 volunteer assistant coaches to assist with training and to help at games in the event the head coach is unavailable. Each team will also need a manager to help with scheduling and communication and a field coordinator to help with nets and game day setup.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Louisville Soccer Alliance is a non-profit organization that fosters a love for the sport of soccer and develops athletes of all ages by facilitating physical and mental growth and bringing each player to their peak individual potential in a team atmosphere. Louisville Soccer Alliance’s diverse and highly qualified coaching staff welcomes players of all races, cultures, and economic backgrounds to one of Louisville’s most dedicated athletic clubs.