In reponse to the many e-mails and phone calls I get, here are a selection of common questions and answers about the CYA Bantam Soccer program. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to e-mail me at
lightningcoach@cox.net and I’ll try to answer your question.
When can I register?
Registration for the Spring 2012 Season is underway - click
here to register.
How much does it cost?
Registration for the Spring 2012 season is $115 (sign up early to avoid the late fee of $25).
When does the season start and end?
The Spring 2012 season will start on April 15th and run through June 10th (with no games on Memorial Day weekend). U7 practices start the week prior to the first game (U5 and U6 players do not have mid-week practices).
Where and when are the games played?
We will finalize the field locations in the middle of the month preceeding the start of the season, but all games are played in the Chantilly area, typically at local Middle and Elementary schools (e.g. Rocky Run MS or Lees Corner ES). All games are on Saturdays, but the game times will vary from week to week (typically the first game kicks-off at about 9am and the final game is over before 5pm).
What equipment do I need to buy?
CYA provides each player with a team jersey, shorts and pair of soccer socks. You will need to provide appropriate footwear (soccer cleats, or just sneakers are fine) and, most importantly, shin guards (which must be worn at all games and practices - no exceptions!). You should also consider purchasing your player a size 3 soccer ball.
How old does my child have to be?
Players must be 4 years old before August 1 2011 to register for the Bantam soccer program. Players born before Aug 1 2004 must register for the CYA Soccer Program not Bantam Soccer.
My daughter has a late birthday, can she be on the same team as her friends?
Players born in August and September have the option to ’play up’ in the next older age group so that they can be placed on the same team as their school mates. If you want to do that be sure to check the ’request to play up’ option when you register. If you forgot to do that when you registered e-mail me and I will correct your registration. Note you cannot elect to ’play down’ in a younger age group except in exceptional circumstances. Also note that the play-up option is NOT available to players entering U5 for the first time (i.e. not yet 4 years old on Aug 1 2010).
For players born in August and September 2004 wishing to play up in U-8 this Spring, you should register for the CYA Soccer program U8 - U19, not Bantam Soccer.
If your child was not born in Aug or September please do not request to play up - currently nearly 90% of playup requests do not meet this requirement and are rejected.
Can you tell me our son’s game and practice schedule now?
We do not create game or practice schedules untill all our coaches have been identified and the teams formed - they way we are best able to accommodate scheduling requests, especially for our coaches who may be coaching in multiple age groups. Unfortunately that means we cannot tell you your child’s schedule until close to the start of each season. For those of you with U7 players, when you register, please indicate any weekdays you CANNOT practice and we will attempt to allocate you to a team that practices another game. We cannot accept any requests for particular game times on Saturdays at any age group.
My son played-up last season - do I need to request that again?
No. Once your playup request has been approved it will be carried forward from season to season automatically.
My son played-up last season but did not do well with the older players - how do I return him to his proper age group?
Currently that cannot be done through the online registration system. If your player played up previously and you wish to revert to his original age group please e-mail us to make the change. Note that players are NOT allowed to ’play-down’ to an age group younger than their natural ’soccer’ age.
Why was my son not placed on the same team as his friends as we requested?
We make every attempt to accommodate requests for team assignments however it is simply not always possible - in particular if you sign up after the coordinators start putting the teams together your request is unlikely to be met. If you have a specific request to be with friends or a particular coach, please add it to the ’special requests’ section of the registration form when you register your player.
Why do we have a different coach this season?
At the start of each season the coordinators are encouraged to redistribute the players returning from previous seasons. This is done to give the players the opportunity to experience different coaching styles and to allow them to play with new teammates and make new friends.
Where do I get shin-guards and how does my daughter wear them?
All the local area sports stores sell shin-guards in sizes that will fit players from the youngest ages up. Remember that everyone will be trying to buy new equipment for the start of the season so shop early!
Shin-guards MUST be worn under your player’s socks, not on top (where they can come loose and become a tripping hazard for themselves and other players).
Why can’t my daughter play with her ear-rings in?
FIFA mandates that no jewelry of any kind be worn by players. Necklaces can be grabbed and cause injuries, rings can get caught on uniforms or scratch faces, ear-ring posts can be pushed into heads if struck by a ball EVEN when covered by tape.
Your player’s safety is our utmost priority and these rules will be strictly enforced by CYA coaches - players wearing ear-rings must remove them before playing or practicing. This includes starter ear-rings - wait until after soccer season before getting your daughter’s (or son’s) ears pierced!
Why have I not heard from my daughter’s coach yet?
The age group coordinators start putting the teams together after the late registration period starts and typically the rosters are released to the coaches approximately 2 weeks before the season starts (this Spring that means on or about April 1st). You should start to hear from the coach that week - please do not e-mail/call before then as we will be unable to tell you who your child’s coach is until the rosters are finalized.
You can determine the name of the coach your daughter has been assigned to by logging into the registration system using your personal information and clicking on the team name (if there is one) beside her name, but note that this is subject to change any time before the rosters are released to the coaches, and don’t worry of there’s no team name there yet - it simply means that the coordinator has not finished building his/her teams.
I volunteered to be Team Mom for the team - where do I purchase trophies?
CYA Bantam Soccer provides each player with a participation award (usually a trophy) at the end of each season so there is no need for each team mom to organize their own trophies.
More to follow ...
