FAQ

There are many commonly asked questions from new members to the club as well as those that have been a part of the club but may be transitioning from one age group to the next.  Below are some of the most commonly asked questions and answers associated with each of them.

If you have a specific question that doesn't appear in the list below, feel free to reach out directly at president@fleetwoodyouthsoccer.org

Question: How is youth soccer organized?

Answer: Youth soccer is organized by age group, which is determined by a player’s birth year.  The team ages for the most current seasonal year can be found on the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) website: https://www.epysa.org/team-

ages-for-seasonal-year/Players in u6 through u8 are placed in our Academy program, which is designed to help players develop ball skills and learn the rules of play. Academy teams are co-ed and play against other teams in the club.  Players in u9 and above are rostered on a travel team, which plays against other teams in the Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League (RBJSL). u9 teams and up are divided by gender (e.g., u9 boys, u9 girls, u10 boys, u10 girls, etc.).

Question: Can my child play up or down an age group?

Answer: EPYSA rules do not allow players to play “down” (e.g., a u9 player cannot play on a u8 team) out of safety concerns and good sportsmanship. Players may play up (e.g., a u9 player can play on a u10 team), but this will depend on roster availability and player proficiency. The club’s registrar(s) handle requests to play up on a case-by-case basis.

Question: What equipment do I need to buy?

Answer: Academy players (u6 through u8) should have their own size 3 soccer ball to use at home and during practice. Players should also wear soccer socks and shin guards at all practices and games. Cleats are optional (no metal spikes please). Team shirts will be provided by the club.

Travel team players should have their own soccer ball (size 4 for u9-u12; size 5 for u12+), shin guards, and cleats (no metal spikes please). Travel team players will also need to purchase the basic uniform kit, which includes home and away jerseys, shorts, and socks.  FYSC uniform cycle is typically 2 years.  Your coach or club leadership will advise when it is time to buy a new uniform.  Uniforms for the travel ages are an additional cost from the registration cost.

Question: When do practices start?

Answer: Academy (U6-U8) - Practice days and times are decided by the coach of each individual team.  This is meant to be as flexible as possible for our volunteer coaches.  Once assigned, coaches will communicate their approved practice days and times.  This typically happens in mid to late August  for Fall season and mid to late March for Spring season.  Unfortunately we do not know practice days and times until coaches are assigned.

Travel (U9 and up) - Similar to academy, practices are decided by the coach for each team.  Due to other league deadlines for travel teams, coaches are usually assigned earlier in the season and practices start earlier in the season than academy practices start.

Question: When are games?

Answer: Academy (U6-U8) - Games for the academy program primarily occur on Saturday mornings.  Games are scheduled and managed by FYSC giving us greater flexibility.  Depending on coaching and field availability, games can also be scheduled on Saturday or Sunday afternoons.  Games will typically start in early September for Fall season and late March for Spring season.

Travel (U9 and up) - Games for travel age players are scheduled and managed by our governing league (RBJSL).  FYSC coaches have little input into the game schedule for travel teams.  Once the game schedule is released from the league it will be communicated to each team by their coach.

Question: How much travel is involved?

Answer: Nearly all home events, including practices, Academy games, and travel team homegames, are held at the Walnuttown fields across from Willow Creek Elementary School.  Your team’s coach should be in contact with practice and game schedules.  Travel teams play against other teams in the Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League (RBJSL).  About half the games are played at home and half on the opposing team’s field. In general, fields are within a 45-minute drive of Fleetwood. The RBJSL schedule is posted at the beginning of the season for families to plan for travel to and from the games.

Question: What should I do if my child needs to miss practice or a game?

Answer: For the occasional conflict or emergency, please let your team’s coach know as soon as possible. In most cases, the coach will need to make some adjustments, but the team can continue to practice and play a game if they are down a player. If you have a structural conflict (e.g., your child has another activity when your team practices), please talk to your team’s coach about how to ensure that your player is prepared to play in games.

Question: How can I help the club?

Answer: There are many opportunities to help the club in varying levels of commitment.  We have various committees established who are usually looking for help to organize or participate in events.  We are typically always looking for coaches to help out with our youngest age groups (U6-U8).  Experience is not required for this and we will provide guidance to help you through the process.  It really is a fun and engaging experience, something your kids will remember for the rest of their lives!

To inquire about any of these opportunities please contact us at: president@fleetwoodyouthsoccer.org

Question: How much does it cost to be a member of FYSC?

Answer: We do our best to keep membership costs as low as possible to be able to provide as many kids as possible the opportunity to play the game.  Membership costs will change as the costs for things the club has to pay for also changes.  These costs include, fees to be apart of a travel soccer league, fees to pay refs for games, equipment upkeep, field rental space among other things.  Membership costs are communicated prior to each registration season.