Pelham Travel Soccer Club (PTSC) strives to provide a positive, rewarding experience for children in our community who seek a higher level of competition, development, and advancement in the game of soccer. 

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Participants in PTSC must be knowledgeable of the rules of the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL) www.wyslsoccer.org, in which our travel teams compete. 

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The PTSC Board of Directors, which is composed of volunteers, and the Foster Soccer Director of Coaching have the authority to interpret, rule, and enforce the policies of the PTSC and the WYSL Codes of Conduct.

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PTSC's policies and guidelines are in the following sections:

1. Player Eligibility

2. Sportsmanship, Teamwork and Behavior

3. Required Commitment

4. Playing Time

5. Player Conflicts with Other Activities

6. Tryouts and Team Placement

7. Academy System

8. Coaches and Managers

9. Age Group Coordinators

10. Uniforms

11. No Child Left Behind After Practices and Games

12. No Bullying

13. Rainout Procedures

14. Equipment & Facilities

15. Cost

16. Financial Aid

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1. Player Eligibility

Residency

Children are eligible to be part of Pelham Travel Soccer if they reside in the Town of Pelham or have a family member who works for the Pelham Union Free School District. PTSC may allow non-resident players to tryout and become rostered to a team depending upon team needs and on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the PTSC Board of Directors.  A non-resident player will not take a roster spot over a resident player.

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Age

US Soccer regulates that player eligibility is based upon birth year, not by their grade level.

Age categories in the fall 2024 and spring 2025 seasons are as follows:

Varsity Jan. 1, 2007 and earlier

JV January 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009

U15 January 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010

U14 January 1, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2011

U13 January 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012

U12 January 1, 2013 to Dec. 31, 2013

U11 January 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014

U10 January 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015

U9 January 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016

U8 January 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2017

 

 

The PTSC Board may allow players to participate in older age groups on a case-by-case basis, based on their skills, maturity, and development. The Travel Committee must approve such exceptions. These are very rare circumstances. The PTSC Board believes that players should play and develop within their own age group whenever possible. Players may not participate in younger age groups.

 

2. Sportsmanship, Teamwork and Behavior

Players, coaches, parents and supporters are expected to actively demonstrate good sportsmanship, teamwork and supportive behavior at games and practices. 

 

PTSC prides itself on excellence in sportsmanship. Coaches, managers, parents and players must abide by the PTSC’s and WYSL’s Code of Conduct, which can be found on this site. 

 

The PTSC Board may suspend or ban players, coaches and supporters who violate the Club’s policies and high expectations with respect to sportsmanship, conduct and behavior.

 

3. Required Commitment

Participating in the Pelham Travel Soccer Club Travel Program is a significant commitment for coaches, managers, players and their families. Players should consider this commitment seriously before participating in tryouts and joining the Travel Soccer program. The travel soccer season generally runs from the fall through the spring; and each player’s commitment to a team extends through this period. The commitment to a Travel Team is for a full year: Fall & Spring seasons.

 

Travel teams usually practice twice per week.

 

Regular season games for teams in the WYSL are typically held on Sundays; and teams may also participate in tournaments and friendly matches scheduled by each team's coaches on an individual basis (tournament fees are separate and additional to PTSC yearly tuition). Players are expected to arrive at the field 30 minutes before games to warm up. Away games can take place at lengthy distances from Pelham. Tournaments are often held on holiday weekends, such as Labor Day, Columbus Day and Memorial Day.

 

Those players that wish to make a less significant commitment should consider our community’s Recreational Programs as an alternative. 

 

4. Playing Time

The PTSC  believes that its Travel Program will field consistently stronger teams when players get maximum opportunities to actively participate in competitive and friendly games. For more information, please see the FAQ section of our website

 

Coaches are expected to balance individual player development with competitive situations, keeping the long-term success of the players in mind.  While skills, effort, attendance and other factors may result in differences in playing time, every player on our teams is entitled to play in every game. Specialization in field positions is recommended only for older age groups.

 

Unsatisfactory attendance and failure to meet team commitment requirements can limit playing time.

 

5. Player Conflicts with Other Activities

PTSC believes that it’s up to players and their families to decide their priorities and manage conflicts with other activities. Absences at practices and games due to religious, educational, health and other personal reasons cannot be avoided, but players and their families are expected to notify their coaches as far in advance as possible about these potential conflicts for planning purposes.

 

If conflicts result in too many absences from practices and games, players and their families should consider in consultation with their coach whether they are able to make the necessary commitment to travel soccer.

 

6. Tryouts and Team Placement

Open tryouts for existing and new teams typically take place once per year in the spring for the following season that begins in the fall. Players on existing PTSC travel teams are evaluated on the basis of their season-long commitment and performance. Player movement between year’s is normal and expected.  This is part of the development process for youth athletes.  Players are not guaranteed a specific team’s roster spot from one year to the next.  The Director of Coaching will make the final determination on team rosters in consultation with the staff of trainers and evaluators.

 

PTSC utilizes independent professional trainers to complete the evaluation of tryout participants. PTSC may invite certain players that do not make a roster to join a team as “practice squad” players.  By practicing with a travel team, these players can continue to improve their skills in structured, professionally-managed weekly sessions in advance of the following season’s try-out. Practice squad players are required to pay a registration fee, which includes the cost of insurance coverage and other club resources. Practice squad players are not guaranteed a future position on a travel team.

 

7. Academy System

Under the PTSC’s academy system, players are assigned to teams with those that have similar skills. PTSC believes that playing with like-skilled teammates and opponents will help the development and positive experience of its travel players.

 

Under the academy system, PTSC may re-assign players to teams after the end of every soccer year, which includes the fall and spring seasons. At the end of the soccer year, the professional trainers who have worked with all the players throughout the year recommend which team will best meet each player's ability and needs.

 

Therefore, players may be on one team one year and a different team the next. PTSC believes that the benefits of the academy system out-weigh any disruption this change may cause.​

 

The PTSC Board has the discretion to re-assign players to teams between the Fall and Spring. Players may decline offers to move to higher-division teams.

 

8. Coaches and Managers

Most travel teams have a professional coach; a head parent coach; an assistant parent coach; and a team manager. All Coaches are required to have WYSL coaching licenses and pass background checks.

 

9. Age Group Coordinators

Professional and parent coaches and managers are appointed by the Pelham Travel Soccer Board; and must be re-appointed on an annual basis.

 

10. Uniforms

All players should have matching jerseys, shorts and socks. For children’s safety, names are not permitted on player’s jerseys. 

 

11. No Child Left Behind After Practices and Games

An adult designated by the team’s coach or manager must ensure that all players are picked up and can get home safely after PTSC team practices and games.

 

Coaches and managers are required to have medical release forms, as well as parents’ contact information at practices and games in the event of an emergency.

 

12. No Bullying

PTSC believes that bullying is serious and has no place within the club. The PTSC Board has the authority to suspend or ban players that bully others.

 

In PTSC’s view, bullying occurs when a player, or group of players, intentionally and repeatedly try to get power over or hurt another player. Bullying occurs in four main ways: physical; verbal; relational; and cyberbullying.

 

All forms of bullying are unacceptable, harmful and preventable. It is the role of coaches, managers, parents, supporters and players to take responsibility for stopping it.

 

13. Rain Out Procedures

PTSC teams may not practice or play games on fields that are closed by the municipalities and schools.

 

The PTSC will send an e-mail or TeamSnap notification to all coaches and managers notifying of field closures. 

 

Consistent with WYSL Rules, a scheduled game can be postponed if the field is pulled by a town; governing body; or by the referee at game time, if it is determined that the field cannot be played safely.  

 

14. Equipment and Facilities

Coaches and managers are responsible for the proper care of all equipment and facilities of PTSC.  

 

ALL goals must be secured to the ground with sand bags during games and practices.  Goals must be moved off of Franklin Field and Glover Field at the end of each day’s training session and upon the conclusion of the final game of the day.  Sand bags and corner flags will be removed from the field and secured in accordance with The Club’s Field Coordinator or Field Committee.  Parent Coaches may be asked to assist in these activities.

 

15. Cost

Each player must register through PTSC to be eligible to play. The yearly, non-refundable registration fee is $25.  The yearly tuition for Travel Teams from U9-U15 is $1100. The tuition for Varsity and JV teams will be determined by the number of registrants as well as if they decide to play the Fall mini season. The PTSC will post this information at the time of registration. The cost of the uniform is separate. 

 

16. Financial Aid 

Need-based financial aid and scholarships are available to cover a partial or full amount of registration fees and other team expenses. Please contact the coach, manager or the PTSC Board to inquire about scholarship opportunities.

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