Many people have questions about the LMSC Developmental Academy Program. Below are questions that we frequently encounter. Please look
for the answer to your question below. If you do not see the question you are looking for, please send an e-mail to LMSC President Biff Sturla
at
soccer@lmsc.net
- How are tryouts conducted?
- Who are the coaches in the Developmental Academy?
- What are the costs involved in the Developmental Academy?
- Does LMSC have any geographical boundaries which limit participation?
- Does a child have to have previously played in LMSC before in order to tryout?
- How much travel is actually involved in the Developmental Academy?
- What is the commitment level for the Developmental Academy? How much soccer is involved throughout the year?
- What is the difference between the Intramural Program and the Developmental Academy?
- How strict are the age group classifications? May my child play with an older or younger age group?
- Are players in the Developmental Academy and Travel Team Program allowed to play other sports?
ANSWERS TO FAQ'S ABOUT THE LMSC DEVELOPMENTAL ACADEMY
How are tryouts conducted?
ANSWER: Tryout information is posted on our web page in early March. Tryouts are usually held the in early June.
Each age group will have two tryouts. Players will be expected to make every effort to be at BOTH
tryouts. The Developmental Academy season will start in late June, though we know that several players will be away on vacation during all parts of the summer.
The busy part of the season is in the fall, after Labor Day, as well as winter.
LMSC will notify the players of their tryout status within a few days of the last tryout.
Coaches will evaluate players at tryouts based on four primary criteria:
- Physical Ability - speed, stamina, strength, agility, coordination, etc. This is the biggest consideration for the Developmental Academy.
- Psychological Ability - How much the player enjoys playing, enjoys competition, is able to handle the stress that comes with competing, etc. This is also
a very important factor in the tryout process. We want to make sure the players selected will enjoy the experience and be focused enough to be a part of the program.
- Technical Ability - How well a player performs the various skills of the game (dribbling, shooting, passing, receiving, etc.) For younger ages, players are
evaluated more on their potential than their current skill level so players who have not yet developed a solid foundation of soccer skills will not be at
much of a disadvantage.
- Tactical Ability (Decision Making) - Being able to think on a field and make quick, intelligent decisions on offense, defense and transition.
In order for coaches to properly evaluate players, LMSC STRONGLY ASKS all parents to refrain from coaching their child during
the tryout process. The
coaches need to be able to see players in action, working on their own, thinking on their own and solving the problems of the game. If a player
instead is simply following instructions from Daddy or Mommy, then the coaches will assume the player has no ability to think on the field and has
no desire to be on the field playing. It
is therefore in each child's interest for parents to simply stay out of the way and remain quiet on the sidelines while they are playing.
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Who are the coaches in the Developmental Academy?
ANSWER: Our Developmental Academy coaches are NOT parents of players on the team. Instead, they are non-parent paid coaches who
have a strong background in soccer as a player and / or as a coach. Many of our coaches played at the college level or other significant level. Many
have a strong coaching background, coaching at the college level, at the high school level or at the travel team level.
It is our belief at LMSC that paid non-parent coaches offer the players a much higher level of coaching and are better able to develop
each players' skills so that they can reach higher levels of play in the future. Also, having non-parent coaches reduces "political problems"
on a team where a coach might favor his or her child as well as the child's friends.
What are the costs involved in the Developmental Academy?
ANSWER: The Developmental Academy and the Travel Team Program are much more expensive than the Intramural Program. There are several reason for this.
Most significant, is that the head coaches in these programs are paid workers who have a much greater soccer background
than the volunteer parent coaches in the Intramural Program (most of whom have a much more limited soccer background).
It is the opinion of LMSC that more experienced non-parent coaches are able to develop players at a much faster rate than volunteer parents.
With this higher level of coach comes a higher cost to the player.
Each player in the LMSC Developmental Academy will be required to make four payments of $350 each during the season. These fees will cover a wide
range of items, including:
- Coaching staff salary
- Referee fees
- State association registration fees
- Tournament entry fees
- Indoor field rentals during the winter months
- Outdoor field rentals in late fall and early spring, when there is limited daylight and grass fields are not playable
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Does LMSC have any geographical boundaries which limit participation?
ANSWER: No, LMSC does not have any geographical boundaries. Children may participate in any LMSC program, regardless of address, provided that
they are able to live up to the commitments and expectations of the team they are on.
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Does a child have to have previously played in LMSC before in order to tryout?
ANSWER: No, players may tryout for the Developmental Academy or the Travel Team Program, regardless of where they previously played. Players from other
soccer organizations are welcome to tryout, but should only do so if they will be able to live up to the commitments and expectations of the program.
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How much travel is actually involved in the Developmental Academy and Under 8 Travel Team Program?
ANSWER: Most of the Developmental Academy sessions are held inside of Lower Merion Township. Some sessions are held just outside of Lower
Merion Township. In the winter, teams will have indoor training once a week at a facility in Conshohocken.
The Under 8 travel teams play in the Central League which is comprised of teams from clubs within a 30 mile radius of Lower Merion. This includes teams from
places like West Chester, Media, Berwyn, Marple Newtwon, King Of Prussia and Downingtown.
For older age travel teams, the amount of travel depends on which team your child is on. In the fall season, our travel teams play in either the Central
League or the EDP League. Some away games will involve travel to places like Lehigh Valley, Lancaster, Philadelphia and New Jersey.
In a typical fall or spring season, a travel team will play 10 league games. Half of these league games will be home games and half will be away games.
Home games are played at fields inside Lower Merion Township or just outside of Lower Merion Township. Most home games for Under 8 through Under 10
teams are played at Penn Wynne Park in Wynnewood or Barrack Hebrew Academy's turf field in Bryn Mawr.
Some teams travel on occassion to out of area tournaments, including Bucks County, Harrisbug, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia
and other places. These tournaments are infrequent and only a few of our travel teams actually travel out of state.
Over the years however, we have had teams participate in the Dallas Cup, Disney College Showcase (Florida) and the Phoenix President's Day Weekend Tournament.
Two older teams traveled out of the country, one to play in a tournament in Bermuda, the other to play in
the Gothia Cup in Sweden. The team that played in Sweden was comprised of players from several different LMSC teams.
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What is the commitment level for the Developmental Academy? How much soccer is involved throughout the year?
What is the difference between the Intramural Program and the Developmental Academy?
ANSWER: There are many differences. The Developmental Academy and the Travel Team Program are geared for our stronger players who
aspire to play at higher levels in the future. The number of games and practices that the D.A. has and the travel teams have is much higher.
The Developmental Academy and all of our travel teams train regularly through the winter, with a few weeks off during winter break.
The coaching level is MUCH higher in the Developmental Academy and the Travel Team Program. The intramural program relies on parent volunteers,
few of which played at high levels of play. Most of the coaches in the Developmental Academy and Travel Team Program played at high levels and have coached for
many years. The rate of player development is MUCH higher in the Developmental Academy and Travel Team Program. Very few players who stay in the
intramural program ever play at the high school level in future years. The intramural program is more of a low key, fun, social experience.
The Developmental Academy and the Travel Team Program are both much more expensive than the intramural program. One reason for this is that the coaches
in the Developmental Academy and Travel Team Program are paid workers in the club, unlike the parent coaches in the intramural program who are volunteers.
The D.A. and Travel Team Program are also more expensive becuase of the added costs for renting turf fields when the grass fields are closed, as well
as the costs for renting indoor time for training and games during the winter months.
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How strict are the age group classifications? Can my child play with an older or
younger age group?
ANSWER: Our Developmental Academy and our Travel Team Program teams are bound by the same age group classifications as all the
other teams in the United States. Age groups are determined by the players' year of birth.
The United States Youth Soccer Association requires us to submit birth certificates to show each player's date of birth.
A player who is one day too old for a team is ineligible to tryout, no exceptions. These
rules are strictly enforced by the USYSA and the use of an ineligible player will result in heavy fines to the club as well as severe sanctions.
Players in the Travel Team Progra are prohibited from playing "up a year" until they have reached high school age.
The Intramural Program however has move flexibility. The age groups listed for the Intramural Program are just guidelines.
Overage players who are small or lack coordination may play with a younger age group in the intramural program.
Similarly, big, strong, fast, physically mature kids may elect to play up a year in age in the intramural program.
Players may also play in a different age group so that they can be on the same team as their friends.
Parents may request to have their child play in an
age group other than the one recommended by the club. LMSC does however reserve the right to prohibit a child from playing in a
different intramural age group if we feel that there are safety issues involved or if a child will severly imbalance the competitive
level of an age group.
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Are players in the Developmental Academy and Travel Team Program allowed to play other sports?
ANSWER: Yes, definitely. We do not expect young soccer players to only play one sport. The fall season is the primary season
for the Developmental Academy and for all LMSC travel teams Under 8 up through Under 15.
During the fall, all players are expected to make all games and practices, unless they have a religious conflict, school conflict or are sick.
In the winter, we realize that players often like to play other sports. If there is a conflict with another sport in the winter, it is not a problem
for the player to miss soccer that day.
In the spring, players on our 'A' and 'B' travel teams Under 9 and older are expected to be available for ALL state cup games.
This however does not preclude them from playing other sports in the spring as long as they are able to
make it to all state cup games. The exact commitment level for all teams in the spring is dependent on the expectations definied by the
head coach for each team. The Developmental Academy and the Under 8 travel teams do NOT compete in state cups. If there is a conflict
with their spring league games and practices, it is not a problem to honor the commitment of the other sport.
Most players on travel teams Under 15 through Under 19 play high school soccer in the fall. Their main commitment to their LMSC team is in the
winter and the spring. Teams will play a league schedule in the spring and also participate in the EPYSA state cups. Players will be expected to
be available for their games in the spring. All 'A' teams, and some 'B' teams will play in College Showcase Tournaments which are run with
a large amount of college coaches watching, in the hopes of recruiting players to their school. LMSC teams prepare written information about their
players, to give to the coaches. This includes their soccer accomplishments as well as their academic accomplishments.
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QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRAVEL TEAM PROGRAM?
If you have questions about the LMSC Travel Team Program that are not listed on this page,
please send us an e-mail
at
soccer@lmsc.net
