Frequently Asked Questions

TRYOUT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Tryouts customarily take place each May on various dates. This season’s 2024 tryout dates will be announce soon and the team/age group schedules will be posted here in mid April, and will be listed on our Tryout Schedule page. You should also follow our Club’s Social Media Pages for all announcements regarding Schedules, which will be posted/updated in “real time”. Our Facebook page is “Team Boca Soccer Club”, and Instagram page is “teambocasoccerclub”

Tryouts are for ALL players. No player is guaranteed a roster spot on any team prior to tryouts. Tryouts are successful when every player is selected to a team that has a training and competitive plan that fits the player’s interests and needs, with a budget and time commitment that matches the parent’s willingness to support the player.

Many of the questions below have been asked often, so we share answers for your convenience. Additional questions can be sent to our Club Director at Bill@teamboca.com.

If you are currently a member of another club you may not get a specific response (& only a generic one) until after a contact date established by FYSA/US Club Soccer when contact is permitted, depending on which organization your player is currently registered with, but we’ll try to anticipate your basic questions and provide answers here.

1. Q. When are tryouts held? 

Formal Tryouts for Team Boca teams are usually held in May each year. This year tryouts will begin DATE TBD. Complete schedules will be posted by mid April. 

2. Q. Do I need to register for tryouts?

YES, you must register online with Team Boca prior to tryouts. If you absolutely do not have access to a computer to register please contact our registrar at info@teamboca.com and she can register you over the telephone. 

  3. Q. How does a player make the team?

All players must compete for roster positions. Having played for Team Boca in previous years does not guarantee you a roster spot on a team. 

4. Q. What is the annual registration fee if my son / daughter is selected to a team?

Due to the generosity of our corporate sponsors Team Boca remains one of the least expensive premier level travel clubs in the country. This year we once again we have no price increase and we remain less expensive than all our neighboring clubs. The annual registration fee is as follows, and there is a four (4) payment plan option that is more fully explained during the online registration process.

2024 – 2025 Club Registration Fees (4 Month Payment plan is available and will be fully explained in the online registration agreement.) This fee will NOT be paid during online Tryout Registration even though you will select whether you will subsequently pay the fee in full or choose the payment plan. All credit card payment info for future payments is also required during registration so there is no need to subsequently to do any further registration or collect any payment info after Tryouts when team rosters are created. Note: There is also a one time $65 annual Boca Raton Non-Resident fee that is charged to all players who live outside the City of Boca Raton Beach & Parks District. Such fee will be charged with/in addition to the last payment of the payment plan or if paid in full. 

  • U9 thru U11 =  $TBD (includes game uniforms & training shirt)
  • U12 thru U19 = $TBD (includes game uniforms & training shirt)

Scholarships are available for Team Boca registration fees, based on financial need only. During the online registration process you will have the option to apply for scholarship. Once Tryouts are completed all players who elected to apply for scholarship will receive an application emailed to them with complete directions. You must still complete all payment information during registration even if you apply for scholarship. Notification of all scholarship awards are done prior to any/all scheduled payments/billing. If you have any specific questions regarding Team Boca scholarships please contact our Club Director at Bill@teamboca.com 

5. Q. If a player attends tryouts but decides that they do not want to accept a roster spot if selected can they still cancel registration if the club is notified prior to the teams being selected?

Club Registration is fully canceled (except non-refundable $25 Tryout fee) providing you notify Team Boca via email sent to our Club Director at Bill@teamboca.com NO LATER THAN (DATE TBD). This will allow us to cancel that player’s registration BEFORE current players who are not being selected are contacted and rosters are announced (posted online) and then simply keep a current player or select another player to the team who would have otherwise been cut or selected as an “alternate – practice player”. Team Rosters are selected and announced after the  Tryouts. NOTE: Failure to notify Team Boca as stated by midnight, DATE TBD, will result in the player remaining responsible for all payment obligations if they are selected to a team roster. Certain Players may still be invited to attend training after Tryouts end, however such sessions will be primarily utilized for selecting “Reserve/Practice only” players, or for teams that  in unique cases may not be fully determined after tryouts conclude. Your email to Bill@teamboca.com by midnight DATE TBD canceling your registration is your receipt and proof of registration cancellation. You will not receive email confirmation, your email is your documentation/receipt and you will not be billed for any other costs other than the original $25 Tryout fee.

6. Q. What do the coaches do at Tryouts?

Coaches are responsible for player evaluation and the coordination of tryouts for the team entrusted to him/her, with assistance from our technical trainers & coaching staff.

7. Q. What do the coaches look for in players?

While tryouts vary from team to team, all coaches look for players who have the potential of becoming high-level, competitive players. Throughout the tryout, coaches assess several player qualities, including but not limited to:

  1. Technical skill.
  2. Tactical awareness.
  3. Physical abilities.
  4. Psychological dimension.

8. Q. Does the coach have any help during tryouts?

Coaches are required to use multiple evaluators at the tryouts. Generally, other coaches in the program also assist the team’s coach during tryouts. Tryout sessions will also be video taped using professional state-of-the-art full-field Veo cameras to allow in depth player review by our coaching staff.

9. Q. What happens after the last tryout?

At the conclusion tryouts each coach nominates players for their roster. All coaches and trainers involved in the tryout process will meet to discuss the roster choices and then the teams are then given a final approval by the Girls / Boys Director of Coaching and our Club Director. Note: There are some circumstances where players can still be selected if they do not attend tryouts at the discretion of Team Boca admin. Please check with our Club Director for more info.

10. Q. How long before we know whether a player is selected or not?

1-5 days after the last day tryouts, all selected players/team rosters will be posted to our website, in some cases sooner. Tryouts are also “rolling elimination” with players cut over the course of the entire period of Tryouts. Some players players will be informed during the Tryout process that they are not being selected and will not continue Tryout participation for the remaining evaluation sessions. Note: In our Team Boca Academy ages (U8-U11) all of the selected players will be posted but not be broken out into individual team rosters, which will subsequently be done in August when all players return, as the Academy ages may include several teams within the age group to be determined after additional evaluation and training together as the selected “Academy Group of players”. In certain instances where specific age groups may still be competing in our Fl State Cup tournament after the date of tryouts those specific team roster announcements on our website may be delayed until after the State Cup Tournament is complete, or similar as it relates to Regional or National tournament.

11. Q. What if a player does not get selected to a team roster?

All players who are not selected will be omitted from the team roster lists that are posted to our website after tryouts. Some players will be notified during the Tryout period and others who make it to the Final Cut may not be notified other than by way of their name being omitted from the posted rosters, due to time constraints. Effort will also be made to contact each player by phone although this is usually difficult to be timely. Not being selected in no way suggests that they are not quality players, or that they should give up their hopes of playing travel soccer for Team Boca. It simply means that staff felt there were other players better suited for the team’s level of play. Note: Certain players can be offered a “reserve/training only” position on the team at a very discounted fee. A Reserve/Training, “un-rostered” player would be the first player(s) brought up to a team during the season in the event of player injury, relocation, etc., during the competitive season. Reserve/training players train with the team exactly like all rostered players do. In the past seasons, several players who began the year as reserve players ended up being fully rostered players during the season, some as early as the first month of the season. 

All tryout registrations will be canceled immediately after try-outs for all players who were not selected and no further charges will be due. Note: There is still a $25 non-refundable Tryout registration fee for all players. If a player is only trying out for a specific Premier Level (White or Elite 64) team and they are only selected to our Second (Navy) or Third (Red) team and that player does not want to play for that team they are NOT required to do so and registration will be canceled the same way as if they did not make any team PROVIDING that we are informed in writing by email (Bill@teamboca.com) prior to the start of tryouts that the player would not accept a roster spot on any other team. We strongly discourage this directive because players on the second teams are often moved to first teams (third to second also) soon after Tryouts, so not accepting a roster position on a second team can be a mistake for the player to do. In most cases, Team Boca second teams still compete against other local clubs first teams due to skill level.

12. Q. What if a player is selected?

If a player has been selected, their name will be posted online to the appropriate team roster or Academy Roster (U9-U11) soon after tryouts. Effort will also be made to contact the player by telephone, but all Tryout participants should check our website during the week immediately after Tryouts to confirm Team Roster selections. Note: Players are selected, We do not send an “offer” or “invite”, or acceptance letter” like some smaller clubs do. If a player is selected that player is then committed unless they have canceled their registration agreement (commitment) as stated, by midnight, May 11th., which is BEFORE teams are posted to the public!

13. Q:  Are tryouts open to all boys & girls?

Yes, tryouts for each team are open to all boys & girls of their respective age.

14. Q:  If selected at Tryouts, What practice / training commitments and travel obligations will we have? 

Team Practices/team training are mandatory and are a minimum 2x weekly (some older elite level teams may be 3X) and run from August thru May. Younger teams are always 2x per week on Mon/Wed or Tue/Thur, either 6:00 – 7:30 pm, or 7:30 – 9:00 pm (younger U9 & U10  are traditionally 6:00-7:30, Mon/Wed). However, exact schedules are not determined until just prior to the season and are based around specific coach availability. Weekend games are scheduled throughout the year and can be both Saturdays and Sundays, often times just one or the other. The amount of games are determined by age and the competitive league in which the team plays in. The Club Director, along with the Coaching Directors and training staff, will determine the league and tournament needs for each team/age group. There are some required travel events for all teams and the respective Director of Coaching will organize an annual plan for the team. Typically, we begin to travel within the state at U10 and potentially out of state at U13 for our Elite A “White” teams. These tournaments and showcase events are a way to expand the competition level, exposure to college scouts, and to experience soccer in other regions. Out of state tournaments may consist of  Capitol Cup, Dallas Cup, Adidas Final Four Showcase, Raleigh Shootout, Jefferson Cup, PDA, & other national showcase events, to name a few.  See the coach at tryouts or our Boys / Girls Director of Coaching to evaluate the basic plan for the team.

15. Q: My son/daughter is currently not registered to Team Boca and wants to tryout. Does he/she have to attend all tryout dates? There are other teams she may want to tryout for also.

The multiple Open tryout dates throughout May are important because they give your player the best opportunity to be seen playing with the current team that will continue in the year ahead. All players are highly encouraged to be at all tryout sessions. If you cannot be at all the tryout sessions please contact our Club Director in advance at Bill@teamboca.com., or contacting either Boys or Girls Director of Coaching, respectively. But full participation is highly recommended especially if you are not a current Team Boca player.

Each year there may be a few players who are added to a roster who miss tryouts due to relocation, injury, etc. These players may be invited to train with and eventually be selected to the team based on the circumstances of which they missed tryouts and roster availability.

16. Q:  If my son/daughter is currently registered to another club can I contact Team Boca or a specific coach before tryouts?

If registered to another FYSA club you could write to the coaches you are interested in and ask them to come watch your player in any remaining league play or tournament play. You would want to provide them with your player’s name, date of birth, team, jersey number, grade in school, and name of current team and coach. By making known your interest, you may get one or two of the potential coaches to come see your player, enabling them to give you a better idea on contact day whether or not they can offer a role for your player with their team. If player is registered to a non FYSA team (ECNL, EDP, US Club, etc.) open communication is permitted at all times and such players are welcome to contact our Club Director or a specific team’s coach to arrange an evaluation at any time throughout the year.

17. Q:  What about on or after the date when contact is allowed?

Starting May 1st even players from other FYSA clubs may openly contact coaches and vice versa.

18. Q:  How soon will my son/daughter start with their new team and when does their season end?

All team rosters will be posted to the internet within 1-7 days after the completion tryouts. Older early season teams usually begin training in early August. All other teams usually begin group skills training in the latter part of August or early September. Some State Cup teams may form and travel to tournaments immediately after tryouts. The competitive season is different for all ages and level but usually runs until at least March with tournament events going all the way until the next Tryout in May. State, Regional, and National championship can even run into the summer. So travel soccer is basically a 10 month commitment with potential year round commitment for more successful older age teams. Please check with our Club Director of Coaching for specific team plans. 

Optional summer training begins after Tryouts and is available for all ages at no extra cost and the schedule by age is posted in May. 

19. Q: How many teams are selected in each age group?

Depending on the amount of players trying out, we usually we select two teams in each age group – A level (White or Elite 64) teams and B level (Navy) teams. We sometimes add a third team C level (Red). In some age groups there may be minimal differences between the levels. In certain instances, Navy teams may even play in A leagues or tournaments, etc. There can be certain ages where we have three or even four teams in an age group if it is determined the talent pool for that age group justifies the additional teams. We can also select players to a “Reserve/Practice team” which allows players to train with a team for a discounted fee but not be rostered to participate in games unless they are subsequently moved up to the team roster. If they are subsequently selected and rostered mid season then an additional prorated fee would be paid depending on the month the player is rostered. 

20. Q. Can a player tryout for only an A White or E64 team?

YES. Please make sure you inform the Director of Coaching prior to tryouts that your player is only trying out for a specific team. In fact, it is absolutely assumed that any player trying out for Team Boca will accept a position on any team they are selected to.  If that is not the case, you must inform us in advance and it will not be held against the player in any way.

21. Q: Can current Team Boca Navy players try out for White teams?

YES. At Team Boca, all players in each age group are evaluated together during the mandatory week of Tryouts.

22. Q. Are tryouts the only forum where Team Boca staff determines which players are selected to Team Boca teams?

NO. The evaluation process additionally takes place over the course of the season.  Players are in essence trying out for Team Boca teams every time they take the field.  Tryouts are merely an additional opportunity to show our staff how much a player has progressed throughout the year, as well as give them an opportunity to evaluate certain players together with other players from other clubs who attend tryouts.

23. Q. Which team does my son/daughter tryout for?

Birth year Age Schedules are posted on our Try-Out Information page, please refer to the Age Chart on that page. All players must tryout with their proper birth date unless an exception has been expressly granted by our Club Director prior to Tryouts. Determining factors for playing up in age are detailed below. 

24. Are there any additional club registration fees other than the annual fees described in Question #4?

The annual fees as stated are for the typical team (E64, White, Navy, Red) that customarily trains 2x per week. If a team elects to train more than two nights per week (advanced elite level) it is possible there can be additional costs associated to that team’s annual fee, and such fees would go to additional coach’s salary for adding an additional training night commitment. Annual registration fees also do not include any  cost for “optional” additional personal training that players may elect to participate in with various coaches for “extra training”.

25. Q. How can I send my name in to be contacted when coaches can call players?

Players and parents can send information at any time, it is just not permitted for coaches or club officials to make a formal contact with the player or parents until after May 1st, accept to answer generic questions. Information can be sent to Bill@teamboca.com

When contact is permitted, coaches will want to know the basics, including:

  • your date of birth
  • your grade in school
  • your phone number
  • your parent’s names and mailing address
  • your e-mail address if you have one
  • the positions you play
  • your current team

26. Q:  How are the teams grouped and named:

The numeric designation with each team indicates year of birth not school graduation.

White teams are the most competitive and have a significant travel obligation in age groups U13 to U19.  The U9 to U12 White teams travel within FL to regional cup, presidents cup, and tournaments with U14 – U19 to out of state tournaments such as the Raleigh Shootout, Dallas Cup, PDA, Texas Shootout, among others.

Navy teams have a somewhat less travel requirement throughout the state of FL, but have a similar training requirement. Some more advanced level Navy teams may also travel out of state.

Recreational teams play in the SABR Recreational program that is administered through the Soccer Association of Boca Raton.  See more at www.sabrsoccer.net

27. Q:  Can a player play up in an age group?

It is the intent of the Team Boca Technical Staff to define the process of the “playing up” guideline to avoid any misinterpretation of its intent:

Determining Factors for Playing Up in Age:

The individual player must be identified as one of the exceptional players in the birth year by the technical staff and the age group coach. It will be deemed at this time that the indicated player will have secured a place with the team in his/her birth year. Next, the identified player will be invited to the older age group tryout, where he/she MUST demonstrate that they are also in the top of the group on that team. It also must be determined that the player’s proper age/grade group team does not meet the competitive requirements to challenge the player if they stayed in their appropriate group. If the proper age team is at a level that does challenge the player they will not be allowed to play up. Based on this assessment by the technical staff, input from the older age group coach, and final determination by the Club Director, a determination will be made on the individual playing up a birth year. However, it is only in extremely rare conditions that a player will be allowed to play up (especially unless they are are also school grade appropriate for the older team) and therefore such permission should in no way be assumed. Even if a tryout with an older team is granted such permission in no way whatsoever indicates that player is expected to be selected to the older team.  To assist in college exposure & recruitment it is important that everyone plays in their appropriate school grade so college coaches can properly identify you when scouting occurs at showcase tournaments. Playing with a team other than the player’s proper school grade can definitely hinder that identification & recruitment process, therefore it will only be in extremely rare cases that a player is selected to a team outside of their school grade team, however playing in the players “school age” group is encouraged.Note: There are High School age leagues that often play multiple ages, i.e. high school ages.

Team and Club Considerations:

We want to be sure that in this process, we create a fair opportunity for everyone involved. A major concern is that we place a player in an environment in which they are challenged, have an impact on players with whom they are playing and are having the success necessary to enhance their development. A club and team consideration is the displacement of players whose roster spot will be filled by a younger player. Here lies the reason that the technical staff must be certain a younger player will have the impact necessary to justify displacement of an individual who is birth year eligible for a team.

28. Q:  Where are the tryouts?

For 2024 Tryouts: Both Girls & Boys will be at the Spanish River Athletic Facility, 1000 NW Spanish River Blvd, Boca Raton, 33431, subject to change. If the location changes it will be posted well in advance. Please check our website for weather details. If tryouts are canceled or delayed, our website will be updated in real time via Facebook. We strongly recommend that you follow/ like our club our Facebook page at Team Boca Soccer Club and our instagram page at teambocasoccerclub for all news & info posted in real time.

29. Q:  What do I do if I’m moving to Florida and my son/daughter cannot attend tryouts?

Players moving in from out of state or players who have not yet registered with another club can contact Team Boca by e-mail at Bill@teamboca.com or contact a coach directly from the contact information provided on the Coaching Staff page. We will then coordinate a player evaluation during the summer.