Q & A’s About Travel Soccer  

Question:  When does the season begin and end?

Answer:  Practices will begin at the end of August.  Games begin the first week of September and end in Mid- November.     The spring season, usually, starts the first week of April and ends in Mid- June.  If you make the team, you are committed and rostered to both the fall and spring season.

Question:  If my child makes a team is he/she guaranteed a spot on a team (or the same team) in the following years to come?

Answer:  No, each year your child will be required to try-out and earn a spot on a team.  Team rosters change every year.  You should make your child aware that each year, they may, or may not make a team.  If your child makes a team, they will be rostered to a specific team for the 2010-2011 season only, and then will have to try-out annually in order to earn a spot on a team the following years.  Teams do not automatically stay together.

Question:  What is the difference between the A, B and C team?

Answer:  The Moon Area Soccer Association is committed to developing a competitive travel soccer program.  During the tryout process, the children will be evaluated and placed on teams that are comprised of players of the same abilities, this promotes the best environment for player development.  The A team is the most competitive, B and C follow respectively.  It is important that you do not get too hung up on the label of a team.  M.A.S.A. has found that the abilities of children within these age groups are constantly changing while the children are still growing. The best kid one year -may be average the next, and the average kid may be the superstar of the team the following year.  A, B and C are just classifications that allow the coaching staff to develop their team to the best of their ability and  place their team in the proper division with regards to their game schedule.  

Question:  What is the time commitment? 

Answer:  There are usually, two practices a week, one game a week.  Travel (8) games are held on Sundays and, typically, the team will travel to one tournament each season.

Question:  How far do we travel for the games?

Answer:  Home games are held at Moon Park and Hyde Elementary and most of our away games are typically a 30-40 minute commute.  We travel mostly to the South Hills area.

Question:  How is Travel soccer different from the Recreation League in M.A.S.A.?

Answer:  In Travel soccer, you have to try-out and make the team-  In the Recreational League, everyone that registers to play  is placed on a recreational team.

 Travel has two practices a week – Rec. has one.

Travel games are held on Sunday – Rec. games are held on Saturday.

The travel team plays in a competitive league – the Rec. teams play in a recreation league.

 Travel teams play in one tournament a season – Rec. teams do not play in tournaments.

 Travel is $70.00, plus the cost of the uniform and tournament fees

 Question:  Are there any additional fees for travel coaches?

 Answer :  No, all MASA coaches are volunteers, most of which are E and Y certified. Travel coaches should have previous MASA coaching experience and are eKidsafe approved. There are no additional fees for travel coaches.

 Question: What if my child's birthdate places them on a team with players that are a grade below the class my child is enrolled in, either because I held them back or just miss the cut-off date?  Does my child have to play on a team with kids that are not in the same grade as them?