US Youth Soccer Age Groupings

Do to the problems encountered early in the registration process with the new system, we will be extending the Regular Registration Period until the end of February and waive the late fee.  However,...

Age Groups for the Spring 2003 Season:

CYA Soccer receives many questions from our members and we have done our best to compile some of the more common questions/answers below. If you dont find the information you are looking for, please contact the appropriate Coordinator (Senior, Junior, Bantam, Travel or Referee). You will find a list of contacts under the "Contact" button on the CYA Soccer Home Page.

1) How do I find out about field closings?On theCYA Soccer Home Page, you will see a button the leftthat says "Field Conditions". We try to update the website no later than 4:00onquestionable weather days. You can also call the CYAField Hotline: 703-830-1272. Finally, send a note to your coach if you dont hear from him/her directly.

2) Who determinesfield closures? Fairfax County determines field closures during the week and CYA Soccer makes the determination on weekdays. Fields are closed because of inclement weather or sometimes, even on sunny days when the fields are saturated. CYA has no control overcounty field closings yetthese closures must be adhered to.

3) Can my child play up in age group?Yes, players born in August and September have the option to play up in the next older age group so that they can be placed on the same team as their school mates. If you want to do that be sure to check the request to play up option when you register. If you forgot to do that when you registered, you can go back into the system and amend your registration information. Note you cannot elect to play down in a younger age group.

4) How many kids play on each team? U5 plays 3v3 (no goalkeepers). U6 - U8 plays 4v4 (no goalkeepers). U9 - U10 plays 7v7 with goalkeepers. U11 - U12 play 8v8 and U13 - U19 play 11v11. Small sided play has been mandated by Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA) and strongly supported by CYA Soccer.

5) Howdo I become a referee? CYAhasone ofthe largest referee cadres in the state ofVirginia! We encourage people aged 13 and older to join the program. You can obtainall of the informationby contacting Alan Liotta at cyasoceref@aol.com.

6)How can I help?We are glad you asked! The success of the CYA Soccer Program depends on our volunteers. CYA is loadedwith folks who graciouslyprovided many hours to the community by coaching, coordinating, working on fields and the list goes on. With all there is to do,we always needadditional help so pleaseget involved today! Lets all work to ensure that our children have a safeand positive experiencein CYA Soccer. For more information on volunteering, contact theSoccerChairman at soccer@chantillyyouth.org

7) How do I get information about Coaching License Courses?For the D, E, & F licenses and the Youth Coaching Modules contact VYSA at www.vysa.com. CYA often sponsors courses for these licenses. For A, B, & C licenses and National Youth Licenses, please contact US Soccer at www.us-soccer.com or 312.808.1300 and ask for the Coaching Department.

8)Can I request a specific coach or team?CYA Soccertries to accommodate requests for team assignments however it is simply not always possible - in particular if you sign up after the coordinators start putting the teams together your request is unlikely to be met. If you have a specific request to be with friends or a particular coach, please add it to the special requests section of the registration form when you register your player.At the start of eachseason, the coordinators are encouraged to redistribute the players returning from previous seasons. This gives the players the opportunity to experience different coaching styles and to allow them to play with new teammates and make new friends.To the greatest extent possible, teams are formed geographically around the residence of volunteer coaches, taking into account players neighborhoods and school boundaries, but there should be no expectation that players will be with the same coach or team in consecutive seasons.

9) What about Jewelry?No jewelry of any kind will be worn by players. Necklaces can be grabbed and cause injuries, rings can get caught on uniforms or scratch faces, earring posts can be pushed into heads if struck by a ball EVEN when covered by tape.Your players safety is our utmost priority and these rules will be strictly enforced by CYA coaches - playerswearing earrings must remove them for games or practice. This includes starter earrings.

10) Can my child wear eyeglasses or casts or religious jewelry?Glasses for corrective vision may be worn provided they are properly secured. Casts are allowed provided that these are wrapped in a plastic bubble protector or other similar type of covering that offers protection, and under the condition that the player shall not use the cast in any manner that would endanger the safety of the players on the field. Referees will determine if the cast has been covered appropriately and will determine if a player will be allowed to play in a game on a case by case basis. In these cases, the referees decision is final. The Referee permits medical bracelets or jewelry of a clearly religious nature provided they are not deemed dangerous or pose any danger to the players on the field. If approved, these items shall be taped down. Clear tape provides the most visibility for medical bracelets. All other jewelry is not allowed.

11) When will we hear fromthe coach?Age group coordinators start putting the teams togetherafter the late registration period starts and typically the rosters are released to the coaches approximately 2 weeks before the season starts (Fall season starts in early September and Spring season starts in early April). Please do not e-mail/call before then as we will be unable to tell you who your childs coach is until the rosters are finalized.You can determine your childs coach by logging into the registration system using your personal information and clicking on the team name (if there is one) beside her name, but note that this is subject to change any time before the rosters are released to the coaches,and dont worry of theres no team name there yet - it simply means that the coordinator has not finished building teams.

12) How are the age groups set up? Age groups are based upon the childs birth date and Virginia Youth Soccer Association age guidelines. The major groupings are Bantams (ages 5-7), Junior (8-10) and Senior divisions (11 -19).

13) What is Travel Soccer?Travel Soccer is a more competitive level of play. If you are interested in learning more about Travel Soccer, please contact the CYA Director of Travel Soccer whom you will find on the CYA Soccer Contacts list. Travel soccer starts at U9.

14)How do I communicate with CYA Soccer regarding a behavior issue for Coach, Player,Referee or Parents?Contact the CYA Soccer Board Chairman at the contact data on the web ASAP. CYA Soccer has a zero-tolerance policy for unsportsmanlike conduct.

15) When are practice times and how many days per week?BantamU5 only practice & play on Saturdays. U6 & U7 practice once a week; and all others practice twice a week.Due to the number of kids we have in the program, we typically start practices at 4:30 and end at dark. Your childs practice session will fall in that time frame during the week. The coach determines the day, time and location within the constraints of what is available.

16) Does my child need experience to play?No experience is necessary in our recreational program.

17)Are CYA Coaches "professional" coaches?Our recreational coaches areusually parent volunteers some of which have coaching licenses or certificates. Each coachis encouraged tocomplete a licensing program prior to coaching. This training provides them with the tools they need to develop and coach the players on the team. CYA will reimburse our volunteer coaches for the cost of coaching license classes. Contact CYAOscar@Gmail.com for more information. CYA Soccer also has professional staff coaches to provide assistance and training to both coaches and players. If you are interested in coaching, contact the division coordinator for the desired age group or soccer@chantillyyouth.org .

18)Who referees the games?Trained and certified referees referee all of our U8 and up age groups. Coaches/Parent volunteers facilitate the games for the U5-U7 age groups.

19)Are scholarships available?Need based scholarships are available to those that qualify. Complete the Scholarship Request form and mail to CYA, P.O. Box 220242, Chantilly, VA 20151. To obtain allscholarship information, please send an email to the CYA Registrarat registrar@chantillyyouth.org

20) Can I get aRefund?REGISTRATION FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. Exceptions to this policy - and the amount to be refunded, if any - may be made at the discretion of the Sport Coordinator on a case-by-case basis for reasons such as injury (prior to season start), moving out of the area, ineligibility due to boundary limitations, or being accepted onto a high school team. Registration fees are refundable if CYA does not field a team or sport.

21)What is the Suburban Friendship League (SFL)?The Suburban Friendship League (SFL) is a recreational soccer league that includes teams from throughout the Northern Virginia area and DC and Maryland. The SFL season is 8 games and an end-of-season tournament, weather permitting. Only teams in the CYA Senior Program (U11 - U19) play in SFL.

22) What are the Field Sizes? Field sizes vary by age group. The U.S. Youth Soccer Association recommends the following: For U5/6/7: 20x30 yds.; U8/9: 30x50 yds.; U10 50x70 yds.; U11-U19: play 100x50 up to 120x80 yds.

23) When and Where are games played?All bantam and junior games are played in the Chantilly area, typically at local Middle and Elementary schools and parks. Most house league games are on Saturdays, but the game times will vary from week to week (typically first game kicks-off about 8:30 am and the final game is over before 5pm). For Senior players, games are not only at home, but also around the Northern Virginia area up to an hour away.At times Sunday games may be scheduled due to field availability, make-up games, and level of participation.

24) What equipment do I need to buy?All CYA Soccer Players MUST wear shinguards. We strongly recomend cleats.Local sports stores sell shin-guards in sizes that will fit players from the youngest ages up. Remember that everyone will be trying to buy new equipment for the start of the season so shop early!Shin-guards MUST be worn under your players socks, not on top (where they can come loose and become a tripping hazard for themselves and other players).

25)What size ball should I buy?U5 U8 Size 3, U9 U12 Size 4 and U13 and up Size 5.

26) Does the registrationfee include a uniform?All CYA Soccer Players are given a complete uniform (Jersey, Shorts and Socks). Your child MUST wear shin guards and have appropriate footwear (cleats are recomended).