2011 Towson United Girls Soccer
Travel Team Program
What is Travel Soccer?
Some parents new to soccer or youth sports in general often do not know what a "travel" program entails, versus a "recreational" or "in-house" program.
A main differentiation from a recreational (rec) program is that the teams play against other youth sports organizations. Many years ago this was what all programs did. However, as youth participation in organized sports increased there were soon enough players in each area for kids to just play themselves. At that point the better players often formed teams within areas to face better competition. Another differentiation is that all coaches in travel will be very familiar with the sport and will have training in how to teach the game well. The travel program has licensed coaches--many of which have played at the professional, club, or college level.
Some children play both in-house and travel while others choose to play travel only. With travel soccer, your child is ensured adequate playing time in order to best develop and utilize her skills. However, unlike recreational soccer, equal playing time is not guaranteed. We strive, however, to find the optimum team size for each age group so that your child gains adequate playing time for fun and skill development.
Travel Soccer Season: Evaluations are held in early June. If you register for the travel soccer program before the deadline, you will be notified via email. Practices begin shortly after team selection in mid June, usually once a week through the summer and twice per week beginning in mid-August. Practices are held at a Towson or Meadowood field. Games begin in late August and last through mid/late November.
TRC Travel teams have the option of playing winter and spring indoor soccer. TRC does not have a spring outdoor travel soccer program.
Games: Towson United Soccer offers opportunities to play in both the Central Maryland Soccer Association and the Baltimore Beltway Soccer League. Depending on the skill level, a team may play in a "Classic" ("B" level) league, which is reserved for the first level of travel or a "Premier" ("A" level) league, which is entails a higher level of play and skill.
Generally, most games for travel teams are no more than 30-45 minutes by car while most are closer. Half the games are still played at the home fields so the travel burden is really quite limited. Games are generally on Sunday, with two to four weekend tournaments during the season.
Age Cut Off: Age cutoffs are August 1st of the current. The "U" stands for Under. (U10 would be players who are under 10 as of August 1st.)
Teams: Towson United Girls Soccer plans to have travel teams from U9 through U14. The younger teams play 8 v. 8 and older teams play 11 v. 11.
Coaches: We are always looking for coaches! Travel coaches are expected to have a higher level of soccer knowledge than rec coaches, and are encouraged to have at least Class E licensure. Travel coaches also will find their time commitment is roughly double that of a recreational league coach. TRC will pay for the Travel team head coach to become Class E licensed. If interested, please contact the Soccer Commissioner.
Fees: The cost of the Travel program is about $160. Travel costs more than the rec league because of the additional referee and tournament fees. The fee breaks down roughly as follows:
- Three Tournaments plus league fees: $110 pp
- Team Equipment: $10 pp
- Referees $40 pp
Uniforms: There is an additional uniform fee of $50-$65. The uniforms will be the Towson United maroon. If ordered slightly large, the uniforms should fit for several seasons. Players will own their uniforms. Uniforms will include shirts, shorts, and socks.
Registering for Travel Teams: All registrations are done on the TRC Girls Soccer League Lineup site (www.leaguelineup.com/trcgirlssoccer). Please register on the Travel Soccer form, not the Recreational soccer form. There is no fee to register for Travel Soccer tryouts. If your daughter is selected to a travel team, full payment of all fees is due before the first practice.
Travel teams are formed at each age level (U9 – U14.)
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