Palo Alto 2008 AYSO Winter/Spring Select Teams:
U14 Girls National Games Team

Please first read the general information at Palo Alto 2008 AYSO Winter/Spring Select Teams.

Coaches

Coach: Ray Wong       Phone: 650-714-7350

Assistant Coach:  Anthony Ford

Please email if you have any questions about the U14G Select and National Games team.

Team Objective

The objective of the U14G Spring Select Team is to have fun playing soccer at a level of competition higher than the fall season and to further develop each player's individual skills and understanding of team tactics and strategy.  This team will be the Palo Alto U14G National Games team that will play in Honolulu, Hawaii from July 6-13.  Information about the National Games can be found at http://www.nationalgames2008.org/default-AYSO-NG-Hawaii.aspx.

Tryouts

Players are strongly encouraged to attend as many tryouts as possible.   Two tryouts are required.   

If your daughter is interested in trying out for the team, please email   as soon as possible, indicating: (1) your daughter's name and (2) which tryout sessions she plans to attend.  This greatly helps in planning the tryout sessions.

Tryouts are scheduled for: 

 

Saturday, October 13, 2007:    Terman #1   2-4pm.

Saturday, October 20, 2007:    Terman #1   2-4pm.

Saturday, October 27, 2007:    Terman #1   2-4pm.

Tryouts are open to all girls who have a birthday between August 1, 1993 and July 31, 1995, and who are registered in the Palo Alto AYSO Fall 2007 season, and who played in at least 50% of their team's regular season games.    Only players who played in the U14G division during the Fall 2007 season are eligible to be on this team.  

 

Player checklist for each tryout:

• To your first tryout, bring your completed Player/Parent Declaration Form below.   The Spring Select Team requires a significant commitment on the part of the player and parents.   This declaration ensures that you have read, understood and agree with all of the commitments and that all potential schedule conflicts are documented in advance. 
• To your first tryout print out and bring a signed copy of your Fall Registration Form.  The registration form can be obtained by logging into the AYSO web site (ayso26.org) and going to Forms Package under the Parents link.  Players will not be permitted to tryout without this form being completed. 
• Wear your fall season AYSO uniform, including shin guards, socks, and cleats.
• Bring enough drinking water -- marked with your name.
• Arrive at the field 30 minutes before the tryout start time (to get through the check-in line and begin warm-ups; the tryout will start promptly at the scheduled time).

Player Selection

Players will be chosen for the team based on their play in the fall season and their performance at the tryouts. Factors that will be considered include: skill, speed, conditioning, effort, motivation, enthusiasm, understanding of the game, practice habits, team work, sportsmanship, the team's positional needs, and team chemistry. Other factors that play a role in selection are availability for practices, family volunteer commitment, and availability to participate in Sunday PCSSL games from March to May, the Concord and Davis tournaments in May and the National Games in July. Players selected to the team will be notified by email within a week after the last tryout session. While some players from the previous Select season may be chosen for the team, participation on a Select team in a previous year is no guarantee of selection this year.

 

16-18 players will be chosen to the squad.   It is expected that every player will see some regular season play and some tournament play.  Some tournaments have a roster size limit of 15 players so not every player will be able to play in all tournaments.  The Davis and National Games are two such tournaments.  15 players will be identified as National Games players and the others as alternates.  If one of the National Games players drops due to an injury or other unforeseen circumstance the player may be replaced with an alternate.   In the last several Spring seasons there has been at least 1 player, sometimes 2 players, who has had to drop usually because of an injury or illness.  

 

If there is sufficient interest and enough qualified players who tryout and we have the coaches and field space we may add a second team.  The second team would be a developmental team, play a regular game schedule but will not attend the National Games.  

Team Practices

The team will have informal once a week practices beginning shortly after the team is selected.   These practices are optional and are meant more for fun and for the team to get acquainted with each other.   We may schedule some informal scrimmages with other teams during this period.  The reason for this early start is due to the National Games.  We have noticed that National Game teams from other regions are formed early and their performance reflects the additional time that they have played together.  Some regions actually formed National Games teams prior to being chosen hoping for a spot.  Regular and mandatory, twice a week, 90-minute practices will begin in late January and continue through early-July. Practices are expected to take precedence over team members' other non-academic activities. Except for brief periods and exceptional circumstances agreed upon ahead of time with the head coach, a player must be able to attend both weekly practices on a regular basis in order to be eligible for the team. 

Any expected or possible schedule conflicts you may have must be noted in the Player Declaration form.  Having a conflict doesn’t disqualify you but we need to know of any conflicts ahead of time.  

 

Playing Other Sports

A player participating concurrently in another sport may be selected for the team if there is agreement that the player will choose the U14G Select Team activity (practice or game) if a scheduling conflict with the other sport occurs.

When selections are made, players who are willing to make the Spring Select Team their highest after-school priority for the duration of the Spring Select season will be preferred over those who are not willing to make this commitment. If a player will be concurrently participating in another team sport (softball, basketball, volleyball, track & field, swimming, etc.) or will be concurrently playing on another soccer team, her parents must contact the Select Team Head Coach prior to team selection to discuss her ability to meet the practice and game attendance requirements of the Select Team.  A player who initially expresses such a commitment to the Select Team, is selected to the team, but then does not fulfill her commitment may, at the discretion of the coaches, receive reduced playing time at games and/or be reassigned from her regular roster position to "alternate" status, or dropped from the team. 

Spring League and Tournaments

The team will play in the Pacific Coast Spring Soccer League, one Sunday game per week from early March through May. Games may be schedule any time from early morning to mid-afternoon.   Half of the games are at home and half away ranging from San Bruno to San Jose.  The team may stay overnight (Friday and Saturday nights) in Concord during the Concord Cup tournament due to the early game start times on Saturday and Sunday. The Davis World Cup tournament will require overnight stays over Memorial Day weekend (Friday evening through Sunday or Monday).

The National Games will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii from July 6-13.  Players must be available for practices during June and committed to attend the National Games.

There is a possibility that we may enter one or two other tournaments.  Candidates are the Pleasant Hill Soccer Fest at the end of March in Pleasant Hill, or the Pacifica Fog in early May in Pacifica.  There are also a couple tournaments in June that we may consider in order to stay sharp for the National Games.

These tournaments feature top-flight competition in a fun, exciting environment. Most players and parents remember the tournaments as major highlights of the Select season.

Cost

The cost per player, which includes uniforms and Spring League and tournament registration fees, is estimated to be about $350 plus transportation costs and the cost of meals and accommodations at the tournaments.   The major additional cost will be travel, accommodation and meals to the tournaments and especially the National Games.

Parent Volunteers

Providing a parent volunteer is an important factor in player selection. A parent from each team member's family will be expected to perform some significant team support activity during the season. The most important volunteer positions are listed near the bottom of the Player/Parent Declaration.  If volunteer jobs have not been filled, the head coach or team manager may ask you to volunteer for an activity you have not selected.   For the benefit of the team it is expected that you will graciously accepted these responsibilities.