Team Play

Winter Programs

Spring Programs

Fall Rec League

TCYSA

General Information

Gender: we would love to field all-girl teams, but unless enough girls want to play and sign up, that is not usually possible. Most teams are entered in boys divisions. Girls are encouraged to play on them and to try to round up enough other girls to field their own teams.

Team availability: we try to find a spot on a team for every kid who wants to play, regardless of ability. We rarely have try-outs. Normally, we take players on a first-come/first served basis. (Another reason to sign up on time!!) This may include mixing kids onto a Candor or Newfield team or bringing some non-SVE players here to fill out a team. Despite school rivalries on the field, we often work together in this way and form good friendships across school lines.

Questions: call Sally Marx at 589-6311 or email her at smarx25@htva.net. Be sure to put "soccer" in the subject line so she opens it!

Club Philosophy: to enable all local kids who want to play soccer to have the chance. That means making programs as affordable as possible and providing scholarships as needed. Our goal is player development and we try to play all participants in every game. We intentionally enter teams in divisions that will challenge them to improve.

Winter Programs

Soccer is played indoors in the winter in two ways: Rec House League or Winter Competitive.

Strictly speaking, games are labeled "non-competitive" for all players ages 10 and under. However, if a U10 player participates in our winter competitive program, the level of play is much higher and the kids play to win, regardless of being labeled "non-competitive." The key difference is that no standings are kept and no trophies awarded at that age group. For purposes of registration and signing up for the right program, Indoor Rec means very informal games played in SVE gyms, January to March. Winter Competitive means a team that plays each weekend in Vestal at The Dome (Greater Binghamton Sports Center).

Winter Competitive

Very few practices unless gym time can be found. Games are played on weekends. Session One runs November to January. Session Two runs late January to March. Coach and families will decide whether a team plays in both winter sessions or just the second session. Many families like to take a break from soccer during Session One. However, if enough players want to play, their families agree, and a coach is available, we will enter Session One teams. School teams and academics come first, so when there is a conflict, players are expected to go to their school commitment first. Usually, there is very little conflict between indoor competitive soccer schedules and school teams. For more info on The Dome, see www.greaterbinghamtonsportscomplex.com.

Age groups: winter and spring teams are organized by how old a player is on August 1 of this year. For example, a player who is 16 on August first can play "Under 16", even if he turns 17 on August second. Birthdays on or before August first in any year play together. Birthdays after August first are a different group. Some leagues or tournaments lump two years together, others don’t.

For 2006 winter and spring: this chart shows the youngest group that a player can be in. Players may play up, with permission of family and coach. Players may also play on more than one team, with permission of family and both coaches involved.

Donation: varies by age group. For teams playing Indoor in Vestal, it costs up to $800-$900 to register one team and pay the referee fees for EACH session. Families that are able to donate $80 (per session) are asked to do so. If that is not possible, $40 is suggested. If that is not possible, whatever a family can afford is fine, including 0. This is not a mandatory "fee" and players are never turned away for financial reasons, as Club fundraising exists for the purpose of seeing that every player who wants to, gets to play. If a player needs a scholarship, it must be requested. The Soccer Club does ask all families that have kids playing to help with fundraising, so we can continue subsidizing team expenses as much as possible. Indoor fees have to be paid upfront, when a team is entered into the league. Playing decisions for Session 1 must be made in early October, as teams must be entered by October 15.

Uniforms are provided – bought with club fundraising money. Any player needing cleats or indoor shoes, the Club has lots of outgrown shoes in good condition that we give away. There is also a fund to purchase new shoes when needed.

To Register: download and fill out the registration form or pick one up at the three schools, Big M, or Tioga State Bank, Spencer . These must be turned in promptly for inputting player data into the NYS West Youth Soccer database.

Player Passes: To play Winter Competitive, official rosters are required. The Club Registrar will prepare rosters. For Spring Travel, players must have player passes. Players must provide a copy of their birth certificate and two one-inch pictures. The pictures go on the player pass and are required to participate. (We can take those pix with a digital camera if necessary.)

Registration Deadline: October 15 - for anyone wanting to play Session One of Winter Competitive. Teams starting in January (Session Two) - December 1.

Late Registrations: if we know we can field a team, we will take registrations until the roster is full – a number set by the league. If not enough kids sign up before the deadline to enter a team, then no one gets to play. (This has happened at several age groups. On time registration is VITAL.) There are also huge penalties we have to pay for withdrawing an entered team or forfeiting a game during the season for inability to field enough players to play that day, so teams can’t be too marginal on numbers.

Winter Indoor Rec

The Soccer Club offers a very informal, pick-up-game format of indoor soccer games from January to March. These games are played in the SVE Middle School gym January - March. No practices, no uniforms – just show up in red or white tee shirts and play for one hour on Sunday afternoon. Game rules are taught during the game. Kids like this game as it is fun, fast-paced, and exciting. Without knowing it, player skills develop tremendously on the smooth, wooden floor.

Donation: $10 per player, if new. $5 if child played TCYSA in the fall. Donations and sign-ups will be taken at the first game.

Season: begins January 7, 2007, and runs through March. If spring comes early, we stop. If it’s all mud and snow, we continue.

To sign up: download the club online registration form on this site. Please be sure you have the SVE Soccer Club form.  As a house league, we can take late registrations as long as there is room for the player. However, the earlier a player signs up, the better. Age groups need to be defined and coaches found for each group. The longer everyone waits to sign up, the more chaos on the first game day.

Spring Programs

Spring Competitive

Age Groups: See chart above.

Travel soccer teams are considered "non-competitive" for younger ages, but tend to attract the best players, so the level of play is high. Under 8’s play in a "festival format," similar to the TCYSA 6/7 year olds, where teams all meet in one location and rotate through several brief games, within an hour of home. We have thought about inviting a few nearby towns to join us in an informal mini rec league for U8’s. If a parent would like to organize this, contact Sally.

Under 10’s travel up to one hour. Because team divisions are based on location, not ability, the teams that SVE meets at this age are difficult to beat, but some years we have success.

U12 and up is competitive and games may occasionally be as far away as Oneonta. Most are within one hour or less. All games are played on weekends, unless coaches make a change. Usually it is only one game per weekend.

Season: the first game is usually the last weekend in April and games run through June.

Practices: two per week, if possible. If players are also on a baseball, softball or track team, they are asked to try and make one practice per week. Games do not conflict. Where there is a conflict with the school team’s schedule, the player is expected to attend the school event first. Occasionally, with the coach’s permission, a player with too many conflicts (who can not get to many practices) may play in games anyway. Known conflicts must be told to the coach as soon as families are aware of them, to be sure we can field a team on every game day.

Donation: $40, given when registration form is filled out and turned in. The Club must send in team registration fees in January, so players should commit by December 1st to playing in the spring. (Organizers do not want to do soccer stuff during the holidays.)

Uniforms: provided, except for older players. Good, used cleats are available for free in many sizes.

To Register: download the club registration form on this site or request one from Sally. If your player wants to play both Winter Competitive AND Spring Travel, be sure you write both of those at the top of the form. The spring donation may be paid in the spring.

Player Passes: To play competitive soccer, players must hand in a copy of the birth certificate and two one-inch pictures. The pictures go on player passes and are required to participate. (We can take those pix with a digital camera if necessary.)

Registration Deadline: ASAP! We MUST know by Dec. 1 if we can field a team. If we are close, we will try to find the few more players needed. We have to tell the travel league by January 10 what teams we are entering. Dec. 1 is the deadline to tell us. If you’re planning to play, SIGN UP NOW! Getting on-time sign ups is THE biggest obstacle in fielding teams!!

Spring Rec Games

If enough players express interest, Friday night or Sunday PM pick up games can be organized for grades K- 4. These would be small-sided games just for fun. If a parent wants to invite a few nearby towns to join us, that would be great; games can move to Saturday mornings. Call Sally if you want to organize something.

TCYSA – Fall Rec League
[Please read this before registering. The registration Form is below.]

The Tioga County Youth Soccer Association is a rec league that includes players from the six Tioga County towns. Each town has a Player Agent who organizes sign ups, field set up, and coaching in that town. In 2006 there were 80 teams and about 1,000 players. The Player Agents and league officers meet together monthly for most of the year to do administration - uniforms, equipment orders, scheduling, coach training, referee training, etc.  It is a HUGE job to keep the league going and more help is always needed!

Season: mid-August thru last Saturday in October.

Practices: usually two per week. Games are on Saturdays, usually in the morning, most at home, 2 or 3 away. Games begin the first Saturday after Labor Day and end on the last Saturday in October.

Ages: coed teams, ages 5-15, on December 31 of this year. Age is determined by calendar year of birth, NOT the August 1 date used by all other levels of soccer.

Uniforms: shirts and sox provided by the league with team sponsor’s name on them. Players keep both.

Registration: for 2007 - in-person sign ups will be on May 19, 10a-2p, at Nichols Park in Spencer. Deadline for mail-in registrations is June 1. Forms are at the three local schools and at the Spencer office of the Tioga State Bank. Form can also be downloaded from this site (when updated and available) and mailed in with donation, to address on the form. Late registrations are always accepted, but kids are placed on teams on a space available basis. Teams are entered in the league on June 15. Teams can not be added after that date, which is why on-time sign-ups are so important!

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Questions: Contact Sally at 589-6311 or by email at smarx25@htva.net
Please be sure to put "soccer" in the subject line.