SCOR QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
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COMMON SCOR QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE:

The 'Play-up' policy reads:

Play Up Policy

We have an obligation to provide an environment where all our players can strive to become the best they possibly can.  A player that has indeed proven to be a superior player physically, technically and emotionally in his or her appropriate age group should have the opportunity to develop with an older and more challenging age group. It is important to note that playing up is a rare exception. The United States Soccer Federation encourages the exceptional player to play up, and SCOR follows their recommendation because it is important not only for the development of that exceptional player but that of his or her peers.  All decisions regarding the final placement of play-up players are at the discretion of the SCOR Board for the benefit of the player, the team and the program as a whole.

The following evaluation process must be met should a players request to play up be considered.

1. Players parent(s) submit a written request to Coaching Director prior to Spring season end. Parent(s) need to agree that the Coaching Directors decision based on the evaluation process below is final.
2. Written Submission Deadline: For consideration to play up for the Fall and Spring seasons you must request by May 20th. In the case of new registrants to the Program an exception will be made on the deadline. Coaching Director and Coaching Director ONLY may approach the parents of a player that has been identified as an exceptional player and recommend to that players parents or guardians to consider playing up. Coaches do not approach parents or players.
3. Coaching Director confirms players maturity (technical, physical & emotional) with current professional coach. Player needs to be assessed as an exceptional player who needs to be challenged at a higher level in order to continue his/her development.
4. Player is invited to one or more practice sessions with the older A team prior to start of season in question. Confirmation from current coach and the coach of the older team stating that the player is able to compete for a starting position within the older A-Team roster is required.
5. Playing up status will be considered on an annual basis, depending on performance and continuous maturity status of player. The play up criteria is established and confirmed by the Coaching Director.  Therefore, a player that has been permitted to play-up one year, may not be permitted to play up subsequent years.
6. Exceptions to Process:
   1. Grade appropriate Travel level players are allowed to play up on either the A or B team.
   2. If player(s) is needed to help keep the older B team in tact, non-exceptional and previously cut younger players can be assigned to team.
   3. If players are needed to keep his/her current A-team in tact then the player in question will be asked to stay back.
   4. If older age group has enough age appropriate A team quality players to fill or complete an A team roster.
   5. All decisions regarding the final placement of play-up players are at the discretion of the SCOR Board for the benefit of the player, the team and the program as a whole.

SCOR Tryout Process

Players are evaluated by Travel Team pro coach throughout the season.

Pro coach takes attendance and rates all players after every practice session and game (1 being poor to 4 being excellent).  At the end of the season each player will have accumulated a final RATING amount and a RANKING spot on a list of all registered, age appropriate registrants. 

Definitions:

Rating - Points given to each player after practice and games for performance in attitude, technique, athleticism throughout the season.

Ranking - Placement of registered players listed from 1 to 40, 1 being the best, based on all collected data.

Official SCOR Tryouts will consist of 2 combined practice sessions towards the end of the spring season where a number of coaches will be present to observe and assess.

Tryout results and placement of players will be discussed among all the attending coaches.  

Individual player’s Tryout results are added up and a final RANKING list will be created to  assess a player’s commitment level, consistency and level of play.

VP’s of Travel, Registrar and the DoC meet to create the teams EXCLUSIVELY based on the assessment figures compiled and provided by the DoC. Travel team head pro coaches sign off on final rosters before Registrar officially creates the teams.

My child should be a Black team player.  What can I do to have him switched over?

We will take another look at the tryout evaluations to see if something was overlooked.  If no data supports the demand to have the player play on the Black team and no changes will be made then.  We will kindly remind parents that playing on a ‘B’ team is NOT a punishment.  It is another opportunity for the player to develop and respectfully prove the coach wrong.  Through hard work and the right attitude players will learn to deal with adversity.

How long does a player stay on the team?

We make a full year commitment but if players leave and/or new players want to try out off-season then we will unofficially try them out at an indoor practice session and then provided there is space place them accordingly.  We do reserve the right to make changes to a roster throughout the first 2 weeks of an outdoor season if it is obvious we made an error in either the calculations or simply because a player was misjudged.

Is there movement of players from season to season?

Yes, there has always been movement from Black team to Orange or White teams or vice versa.  Not many necessarily but every tryout is independent from any past made observations.  Remember, observations are made by at least 3 evaluators including team coach.  These 3 will discuss final player Rankings and submit documentation to DoC.

Do the evaluating coaches make mistakes?

I wouldn’t call them mistakes because determining level of play involves so much subjectivity that by default there might very well be players on the ‘Orange’ team that should be on the other team.  and vice versa.  We will use the first 2 weeks of the season to correct any placement decisions that could hurt the development of that particular player and/or the team he/she is playing.  In short, we will try and make any adjustments needed to be made.

What if one is new to town or one who has never played Travel before?

They might or might not be at a disadvantage but they do have the opportunity to tryout 2 times which is more than most other clubs offer.

What is more important, technical abilities or tactical insight?

The moment by moment decisions players off and on the ball make are tactical decisions that suffer when players don't have adequate technical skills. When one doesn't have the ball, one is worrying about what will happen when one gets the ball, and when you get the ball you haven't had time to relax and to make quick good decisions relative to the ball, relative to your teammates and relative to the opponent.

Technical abilities that develop in game realistic moments will develop tactical insight.  In time both will develop and become dependent on each other.  The same goes for fitness; over time a 3-way relationship between tactics, technique and fitness is developed and subsequently the player will make good decisions more often when it really counts.