BGYSA COMPETITIVE SOCCER PROGRAM
The BGYSA Competitive Soccer Program serves the needs of the Competitive Players in the Association. BGYSA has proven success in developing skilled soccer players. Many BGYSA players go on to compete at the college level or to become coaches themselves. Some BGYSA players currently participate on Olympic Development Regional Teams. In recent years, numerous Competitive Program players and coaches have been recognized for their achievements. BGYSA is consistently well represented at the RI Cup State Championships. BGYSA recognizes that not everyone is a competitive player and determines who will be selected for a competitive team based on their skills and level of commitment. A general overview of the program is as follows:
BGYSA COMPETITIVE SOCCER PROGRAM OVERVIEW
-Tryouts are open
to any
players, starting from the U7 age group and up, that have a desire to
play
at a higher level.
- Date of Birth
cut-offs for each age group for the 2007-2008 season are as follows:
| U8 | 8/1/1999 | thru | 7/31/2001 |
| U10 | 8/1/1997 | thru | 7/31/1999 |
| U12 | 8/1/1995 | thru | 7/31/1997 |
| U14 | 8/1/1993 | thru | 7/31/1995 |
| U16 | 8/1/1991 | thru | 7/31/1993 |
| U19 | 8/1/1988 | thru | 7/31/1991 |
-Competitive Coaches scout players during the BGYSA Recreational Season and encourage those players who are assessed to be potential Competitive players to attend "tryouts" which are held each Fall.
-Players are rank ordered according to their performance in tryouts along with input from designated evaluators. Players are selected to teams based upon their rankings and age. Players unable to attend tryouts due to unforeseen circumstances may be required to submit supportive documentation of absence and can subsequently be assessed for placement on the tryout list by the designated evaluators. Placement on a team is not guaranteed. The designated team Coach may decide to keep roster slots available for those Recreational Players who demonstrate potential for Competitive level play towards the end of the Recreational Season.
-There are Indoor Soccer and Spring Outdoor sessions. Players can choose to play in all or any of the sessions during the season, with priority given to players who plan on participating in the Spring sessions. Teams may be entered in "A", "B", and "C" divisions. BGYSA views the Spring Outdoor Season as the most important. At the discretion of the Coach, players wishing to participate only in Indoor sessions may be bypassed for players who wish to play in both Indoor and Spring Sessions or only the Spring sessions.
- There are registration fees for each session and tournaments. Players are also required to purchase a BGYSA Competitive uniform.
1.) "Indoor Soccer" sessions run from November through April. BGYSA enters teams in the U8 through U19 age divisions. Indoor games are played at facilities in RI or nearby Massachusetts. Play is on a reduced field that usually has dasher boards. Teams are assigned to play either 6 v 6 or 7 v 7. Standings are kept for all teams U11 and older, while U8 and U10 teams play non-result oriented (i.e., no standings). Teams may also enter various indoor tournaments.
2.) "Outdoor Spring Competitive" runs from the beginning of April through June. Games are played both home and away in other RI towns. BGYSA enters teams in the U8 through U19 age divisions. U8 teams play 4 v 4 on dual fields without Goalkeepers. U9 and U10 teams play 6 v 6, U11 and U12 teams play 8 v 8. Older age division teams play 11 v 11. Standings are kept for teams in the U11 and above age divisions in order to determine which teams are to compete in "The R.I. Cup" playoffs. Additionally, BGYSA may allow “A” level teams in the U12 and above age divisions to compete in the "State Cup" Regional Tournament. Teams may also enter various outdoor tournaments.