MapleBrook Soccer Association

Thank you for your interest in MapleBrook Soccer Association. The purpose of this page is to provide an overview of key policies, procedures and FAQs for those new to MapleBrook Soccer Association (MBSA) competitive (travel) soccer teams. 

For more information about our Little Blasters program (5-8 year olds), please see the "Little Blasters" link to the left.

For more information about MBSA Traveling Soccer, please see the link to the left for "New Members" and "Registration"page.

For more information about traveling competitive soccer in the state of Minnesota, please go to Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA).  www.mnyouthsoccer.org

The mission of MBSA is to provide a soccer environment that promotes development, encourages competition and embraces sportsmanship for its members. We do this by providing a high level of training for player and coaching development, holding our players, coaches and parents (membership) to a high level of sportsmanship as set forth by the FIFA Fair Play standards, and fostering a fun culture for our coaches, players, parents and officials. MBSA is a community volunteer group interested in providing soccer opportunities for youth in the Northwest Suburbs.

MBSA was established in 1987 and operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

Volunteers

As a non-profit, community based organization, MBSA relies heavily on parent volunteers to ensure a positive experience for all.  Beginning October 2009, MBSA has initiated a volunteer requirement program for all its members. This program ensures that everyone has an opportunity to give back to the club and allows MBSA to successfully host tournaments, perform tryout evaluations and support other areas of growth within the club.

MBSA communicates with its membership primarily through its web page and e-mail distribution lists.  Please check our home page frequently for club announcements and news.  MapleBrook’s web page also supports individual team pages for each team.  MBSA teams use the team pages for announcements, game schedules and results, training schedules, and for displaying photos.

The main season for travel soccer is Spring/Summer with a shorter, separate Fall season.  Tryouts for travel soccer teams are held in August the year before the actual Spring/Summer season.  For example, tryouts for Spring/Summer 2012 are held in August 2011. 

Fall Soccer typically begins the first weekend after Labor Day.  The games run from beginning of September and end in mid-October.  Games may be on Saturday and/or Sunday.  The club may have teams for the U9-U14 age groups.  There are no older age groups because players may be playing for their high schools.  Depending on the number of teams registered by other clubs, our club teams may be placed in the north or west district.  The costs for fall soccer include club overhead, referee fees, and MYSA fees (such as players and coaches passes and background checks).  The fee for fall soccer does not include uniform, tournaments or other associated team fees (such as player and/or coaches’ gifts, end of season party, etc.).

The calendar for the year is as follows:

MBSA uses tryout data to assist with the team formation process.  Tryouts generally occur the first week in August for our U11-U17 players and in July for our U9 and U10 players.  MBSA’s tryouts are “open” and all interested players are encouraged to attend.  Tryout dates and times are announced and available on our Tryouts web page.  Team coaches also assist with the team formation process. 

U11- U17 MBSA tryout evaluations take place over two days.  The first day consists of a technical skill assessment.  Examples of technical skills that are assessed include:  running with and without the ball, dribbling through offset flags, and passing accuracy.  The second day consists of a series of small-sided games.  Players are randomly assigned to teams throughout the session and are evaluated on their technical and tactical skills by outside evaluators.  In order to run an objective tryout process, MBSA coaches may attend tryouts to observe, but do not contribute to the tryout data.   U9-U10 Tryout evaluations take place in one, two hour session where a series of small sided games will be run.

MBSA U9 and U10 coaches have up to three “coach’s picks.”  Our U11 and U12 coaches have up to four “coach’s picks.”  Our U13 through U17 coaches have up to five “coach’s picks.”

Every effort is made to place players at the level at which they will develop to their highest potential and benefit from the best possible soccer experience.  Players are placed on teams with other players of similar ability to allow them to train and compete with those who can motivate them to play at a higher level of performance without discouraging them due to disparate abilities.  While every effort is made to place every player on a team, the placement of every player may be prevented by the size of the player pool at each age group, a coach’s desired roster size and MYSA’s roster size limitations. 

Players are placed on teams based on soccer-related decisions.  Players are not placed on teams based on club politics, personal relationships, player friendships, or other non-soccer related reasons.  Club members may not request to play on a particular team (i.e. to play with a friend). 

MBSA attempts to post all team rosters within two weeks of the tryout process.  Team rosters will be posted on our “Tryouts” web page.  Players will be listed by their tryout identification number and initials.  Coaches are also asked to contact each player/family to welcome the players to the team.

What if I can't be at tryouts or if I register after tryouts?

If a player registers for the Spring/Summer season but can not make tryouts then he/she is either picked up as a coach’s pick or assigned to the lowest competitive level team. 

If a player did not register and did not make tryouts, MBSA will try to do its best to find an appropriate competitive level team.  In this situation, the player’s level of play is evaluated by several people (such as prospective coaches, trainers and the Director of Soccer Operations).  Depending on the time of year, MBSA allows the coaches to determine whether they will take a new player or not.  For example, if a prospective player is looking for a team at the end of April, the coaches of the appropriate age level of this prospective player may choose not to accept a new player because they are at capacity set by MYSA’s roster size guideline or they may choose to accept a new player because they are short.  It may be difficult to find a team for that player because most teams have been formed, finished their training sessions and begun practicing for their first league game in early May.

The expectation of player’s commitment is determined by the team and the coaches.  However, for the higher competitive levels, the time commitment is higher and most likely includes training beginning in the fall that the team must pay for.  MBSA does include indoor training for a minimum of eight sessions beginning in January as part of its registration fee.  Typically a team practices once or twice a week once the Spring/Summer season begins.  For higher competitive level teams, the coaches may arrange for scrimmages against teams within our club or against teams of another club. 

If a player elects not to participate on a C1 team based on commitment, he/she must make a request with Director of Coaching.

Many MBSA coaches have USSF Certificates and/or Licenses and/or NSCAA Diplomas.  

MBSA coaches may be a parent volunteer, non-parent volunteer, or a paid coach.  The cost of a hired coach will vary depending on the coach’s soccer experience and coaching experience.

MBSA provides a training environment that is dynamic, enjoyable, and focuses on age appropriate activities.  This approach is player-centered where players are asked to recognize and solve the challenges of their free-flowing game. 

MBSA has club-provided training that generally begins in early January and runs through mid-April.  Experienced and licensed trainers assist teams and coaches with their training needs.  A training curriculum is provided so there is continuity within the club.  Teams may also host training sessions outside the club-provided training. 

Many MBSA soccer players go on to play for their high school soccer teams.  MBSA arranges its tryout dates so that it does not conflict with high school soccer tryouts.

To promote a high level of competitive soccer in our area, MBSA hosts an annual invitational soccer tournament.  The tournament historically takes place one week after Memorial Day and is the club’s main fundraising effort.