The purpose of the following information is to help parents and players make an informed decision about joining Premier soccer.  

Is My Child Ready for Premier Soccer?

The first decision to make is whether or not  your child is a good candidate for premier soccer.  Most importantly, we recommend that your child demonstrates a "passion" for the game.  One good indication of that quality is that your child gets excited about going to practices (not just games) and also works with a ball outside of their scheduled practice time.  In addition, your child should be a good all-around athlete, possess good stamina, and should be a strong player in their NYSA age group.  One myth about club soccer is that you must be the best player on your team in order to make a premier team. 

I’m Worried About "Burn Out", What Age Should I Start My Child in Premier Soccer?

One of the biggest myths about premier soccer is that it is overly competitive and, thus, young players will "burn out" if they join too young.  This is simply a falsehood.  The primary focus of all of our teams, especially at the youngest ages, is to foster a passion for the game of soccer.  While we have high standards and demand that our players compete hard and aspire for excellence, we never forget that enjoyment is the reason we play soccer. 

What age to join is a very difficult question and there are many different factors for each family to consider.   Some kids are ready to join at U11 and others are late bloomers and are not ready until about their U13 year.   Generally, we strongly recommend that most qualified players join club soccer by no later than the U13 age.  The main reason is that in terms of the development of fundamental soccer skills, running/agility coordination, and building confidence/mental strength, the ages of 9-11 are the most critical.  Players at these ages (U10-U12) have not yet ingrained many bad habits and, thus, they pick up fundamental skills quickly and eagerly.  As a result,  they enjoy the game even more as their confidence soars and they become more effective on the field. 

The FC Alliance Commitment

All of our teams begin pre-season practice soon after tryouts and team formation.  Practices are two days per week for one and a half hours each.  All of our players are encouraged to attend the Camp Casey Weekend with their team and coach during the spring.  Our teams typically play three pre-season tournaments between June and August to prepare for the league season which begins the weekend after Labor Day.

The league season runs each weekend through mid-December and state cup games run through the first weekend of March.  Players are expected to make all league games and attend every practice possible.  Obviously, school and family commitments take precedence but we expect that soccer is your primary recreational commitment during the season and, if you have a conflict, you agree to fulfill your club soccer commitment first.

If you have any additional questions regarding FC Alliance, please feel free to read through our Player/Parent agreement and/or take a look at  "About Us".  Finally, please feel free to contact our club Executive Board, at Asktheboard@fcalliance.net if you have any questions about our club or club soccer in general.