High-Level Overview:

• Travel soccer is offered as a means for the further development of individual, and team soccer skills through additional practice and competition. If your child has played one or two seasons of recreational soccer, and/ or has expressed an interest in playing soccer in a slightly more competitive manner than possible in the rec program, travel soccer may be a good fit for your child. Players interested in travel soccer should show a high level of desire and ability, and their families should recognize that a greater commitment, both in terms of attendance at practices and games as well as financially, is required.

• The goal of our program is to show our kids how much fun they can have learning the sport of soccer while teaching them the value of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fitness. Greenbush considers the U8, U10, U12 age groups to be developmental, while the older ages are more competitive. Travel Soccer is an organized, safe, and enjoyable soccer experience for kids who want to play throughout the school year.

• Our travel program is a three-season program. Our teams play outdoors in the Capital District Youth Soccer league (CDYSL), in addition to participating in local and regional tournaments. During the indoor season, teams participant in leagues and tournaments in local indoor soccer facilities.

Games:

• CDYSL Fall games are played on Sundays at a neutral location in Scotia. All teams playing fall ball will play at this location. Games are scheduled by CDYSL. EDP games are on the weekends and teams travel to home and away games. Home games are at Greenbush Soccer Fields.

• Winter (indoor) games are held at one of three Afrim's locations (Colonie, Latham, Bethlehem). There are three separate indoor sessions. The cost of these sessions is not covered by the annual travel soccer fee. Games are scheduled by Afrim's, and can be played on weekends or weeknights.

• CDYSL and EDP Spring games are played either at our Phillips road Fields (home games) or at our opponent's home field (away games). Away games are typically played within a 20-25 mile radius of the Capital Region for CDYSL and EDP Games are up to 2 hours. These games are played on Sundays and on weeknights. Weeknight game days vary, depending on age level.

• Paid referees are provided for all travel games.

Coaching:

• Director of Coaching oversees our travel program coaching staff and player development model.
• Greenbush Soccer Club has established a top-level coaching staff and it all starts with our professional director of coaching and includes Division 1 and Division III college coaches, local high school coaches, and club coaches with over 50 years of combined experience. We are very proud of this committed, experienced, and energetic group of coaches who will meet all of our club’s needs. Any changes to coaching assignments from this point forward will be made due to tryout/age specific numbers or other unforeseen circumstances. 

Practices:

• Travel teams typically practice at least two times per week. Most travel practices are held at Phillips Road weeknight evenings or Saturday mornings. Travel practices focus on technical skill development and a sense of team. All travel teams are trained by USSF licensed coaches and trainers, who develop training and player development plans that best suit the players and teams in our program. The goal of Greenbush travel soccer is to develop technically sound players who fit into a team environment.

• Indoor practices are paid for as part of the annual travel fee. These practices are held once per week at one of the three Afrim's locations.

Tournaments:

• Many travel teams participate in tournaments, both outdoor and indoor. These tournaments are hosted by other travel soccer clubs may be local or regional.

Try Outs:

• Each year, in June and July, the club holds try outs for players interested in travel soccer. The club has a "no cut" policy at U12 and below level, and makes every effort to not cut kids at any level. Cuts are only done when we do not have roster space for all interested players. That said, we create teams and rosters with player development and competitiveness in mind. Our teams compete against some of the best competition in the Capital area and Northeast. At younger age levels, try outs are used by coaches to assess and evaluate players to ensure they are placed with the proper team.

Guest Play:

• Our administration will occasionally receive requests for a player to guest play with another club when their Greenbush SC team does not have an event. The CDYSL rules states that situation is that the coach of the requesting club must contact our players coach for permission before interaction with a player/parent. Allegations of poaching shall be subject to a hearing by the Arbitration Committee, which will set penalties, if any. Often Greenbush SC has a strong relationship with the requesting club and will allow the player to guest play. Unfortunately, in many instances guest playing is a form of player recruitment and may not always be approved. The transfer deadline is also March 1^st, per CDYSL Rules.