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Travel Soccer (spring and fall)The Travel Program allows players with advanced interest and abilities an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the game and to challenge themselves at a higher level of competition with players at the same level from surrounding towns. Travel teams may also compete in regional tournaments with teams from Massachusetts and other states.
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Roots Soccer League |
Northampton Soccer participates in the Roots Soccer League which is a member of US Club Soccer. This is a competitive league with multiple division levels at each age group depending on the skill of the team. Clubs in the league include Agawam, East Longmeadow, Westfield, West Springfield, Southwick, Palmer, Paper City, and many more. Roots follows a "small sided" soccer philosophy that focuses on more player touches at young ages on smaller fields. At the U8 age kids play 5v5. At, U9 & U10 age levels games are 7v7. At ages U11 & U12 teams play 9v9. And at U13 and above kids play 11v11 on full size fields.
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Team Selection |
Northampton Soccer strives to field competitive teams at each age group. In May or June each year NSC holds player evaluations for U9 - U14 teams (there are no evaluations for U8 teams). At the U9 and U10 age groups, if there are enough players for more than one team, NSC strives to create equal teams. An exception to this rule is in the case where 7 or more players within these age groups demonstrate a high skill level where they could compete and benefit from playing at the division 1 level. At the U11 age group and above teams are organized according to ability and placed in the highest appropriate division. It's possible, at all age groups, that some kids may not be selected for a team. But once on a team all players will get meaningful playing time.
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Time Commitment
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Games are on Saturdays beginning after Labor Day Weekend in September through the beginning of November. In the spring, games run from mid-April through June. Team practices typically start in August/March and run twice a week through the season at Florence Fields. Games are played on Saturdays and possibly one weekday at Florence Fields in Northampton, in a neighboring town, or at the Roots soccer facility in Westfield. (U8 games are played every Saturday at the Roots soccer facility). Families often carpool or ride share to make sure their players get to all team practices and games.
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Coaching
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Northampton Soccer strives to have coaches that are passionate about soccer and working with kids to learn and grow as individuals and team members. NSC and Roots require that travel soccer coaches have the appropriate coaching license for the age level of the team as determined by US Club Soccer. The coaching licenses require multi-day training including classroom and on the field training. In addition, coaches are required to have CORI background checks & concussion and injury training. NSC's Director of Coaching works with each team and the team's coaches to improve the skill and team work of players.
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