Travel Team Formation

How Teams Are Formed

Forming travel teams and recruiting parent volunteer coaches are among the most challenging and time-consuming tasks we complete each year.

We use a combination of:

• Assessment data and evaluator comments
• DOC, ADOC, and other Pro Trainer observations from games, practices, clinics, and training sessions
• Evaluations completed by each player’s current coach

Players are evaluated on:

• Technical and tactical development
• Physical attributes such as speed and endurance
• Attitude and work ethic
• Attendance and commitment

Assessment results are important, but we understand players sometimes have an off day. If an assessment result appears inconsistent with a player’s established coach evaluation, it may be discounted appropriately.

Importantly, coaches’ evaluations from prior years are not continuously carried forward. Players begin each season with a clean slate and opportunities to move between teams based on current development.

What We Do NOT Consider

To ensure fairness across the program:

• We do not accept teammate requests
• We do not place players based on classmates, friendships, or carpool requests
• Coaches do not make placement decisions for their own teams
• Players are not intentionally placed on weaker teams simply because a team needs a coach

Teams Change Year to Year

Families should expect team rosters to change from year to year for a variety of reasons, including:

• Changes in playing format (7v7 → 9v9 → 11v11)
• The total number of registered players in each grade
• New players joining the program
• Players leaving the program
• Differences in player development over time

Player development is not linear. Ability and commitment changes from year-to-year. This is especially true between the ages of 8 – 12, when a player’s skills, athleticism, and motivations can change quickly. As players grow and develop technically, tactically, physically, and emotionally, team placements may change. Some players may move up teams, some may move down, and others may remain at the same level based on their development relative to their peers at that time.

We ask families to remain patient, supportive, and focused on long-term player development and enjoyment of the game.

Team Announcement Timeline

Travel teams are announced mid-summer, typically around the end of July or beginning of August. Coaches are asked to keep team selections confidential until all teams have been formed. At that time, rosters are uploaded to TeamSnap One and registrants are notified.

Please do not email us asking for team updates prior to then. All grades are sent out together to avoid confusion and ensure the process is completed fairly across the program.

The deadline to register for the travel program is June 30. We do our best to place late registrants after the deadline, but roster spots cannot be guaranteed once teams begin forming.

Final Rosters & Feedback

Once teams are announced, they are considered final. Minor adjustments will only be made if:

• A player drops from a roster, and
• We believe a replacement player is necessary for roster balance

This will be your daughter’s team for both the fall and spring seasons. Please help your child have a positive soccer experience by supporting their assigned team. We ask families to remain patient, supportive, and focused on long-term player development and enjoyment of the game.

In order to reinforce the integrity of the team selection process and ensure fairness to all participants, we will not respond to any requests to move players to another team. If families wish to provide feedback regarding placement decisions, please use the feedback form rather than contacting us directly.

If your child is disappointed with their placement, try to provide reassurance that her feelings are valid and that you are proud of her. Remind her that she has overcome other setbacks. When your child is ready, challenge her to identify the positives of the situation and encourage her to take charge in formulating a plan for achieving her goals. Although a player may not always make the team she wants, she will find success by focusing on her own soccer improvement and working hard. Here are a few suggested action steps:

• Request coach feedback throughout the season. 
• Check our Soccer Homework Page for ways that a player can work independently to improve their game. 
• Sign up for the NGS skills development program this winter. These are professionally coached sessions that are suitable for all levels of NGS players. The focus is on player development and enjoyment of the game!

Roster Size

NGS has an open roster policy — everyone who registers on time is placed on a team. (See late registration policy) Therefore, one of our most challenging tasks is dividing the total number of registered players into teams that have sufficient numbers for practice and games, but are small enough to maximize playing time. To address this issue and create the best learning and playing environment for our girls, NGS has established minimum and maximum roster sizes for each age group that are in line with US Youth Soccer guidelines. Exceptions may only be made with approval from the Travel Program Committee. Coaches do not decide how many players are placed on their teams.

*Travel teams that are eligible for the MA Tournament of Champions (MTOC) may roster up to 22 players, but only 18 players are eligible to play in each game. For this reason, we usually limit those teams to 18 players.