Registrations are NOW OPEN for Fall 2018/Spring 2019 Competitive Tryouts and Fall 2018 Recreational and Jr. Recreational Soccer! Both registrations can be accessed on the home page of our website,www.oronowestonkasoccer.org.
The Orono Westonka Soccer Club will be using Sports Engine for their website. You will need to create a Sports Engine account if you don't already have one in order to register.
Orono Westonka Tryout FAQ's
Please take a minute to watch this brief video about the 2018 Orono Westonka tryouts from our Executive Director Pat Prindle. (Video best viewed with Chrome)
Click here: 2018 Tryout Process
Link to Orono Westonka tryout schedule, FAQ and play-up request:
Click here: Tryout Schedule
Dates for 2018/19 Tryouts:
U9, U10, U11 (all players): Saturday, July 21st - Orono Middle School
U12 - U18 (C2 & C3 players): Sunday, July 29th - Mound Westonka High School fields 2,3,4
U12 - U18 (C1 tryouts): Tuesday, July 31st - Orono Middle School
Goal Keepers - Attend scheduled age group time.
Find the 2018/19 soccer age group for your player here. Note, U8 players may attend U9 tryouts. They will be awarded a U9 team place if the Director of Coaching believes that they are ready for the challenges of competitive soccer.
Who should attend Tryouts?
All soccer players from U9 to U18 who intend to play Competitive Soccer in either/both the Fall season of the current year in which Tryouts are held and Spring of the following year. U8 players may also try out for a place on a U9 team, and they will be awarded a place only if the Executive Director (ED) is confident that they are ready for the challenges of U9 Competitive Soccer.
In which age group does my child belong? Refer to the Birth Year Guideline published by the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) which can be found here: http://www.mnyouthsoccer.org/birth-year-chart
For what season are players trying out? For players in U9 through U14 teams, Tryouts will help place teams for Fall and/or Spring. For players U15 and older, Tryouts will help place teams for Spring teams only as U15 and older players typically play for their High School Teams in the Fall.
Why must all players attend?
We only offer team placement to players who register for and attend Tryouts. If a player does not register for and attend Tryouts, the player will not be offered a place. There may be extra places available if, for example, you move to the area after Tryouts, but many teams have full rosters so if you do not register for and attend Tryouts, we cannot guarantee that we will have a team place for your player.
Can my child try out for an older age group?
Orono Westonka Soccer Club’s (OWSC) preference is that players play with their true age group. However a player may request to try out with an older age group. Please refer to our Merit-Based Play Up Policy & Request form.
How are goalkeepers evaluated?
Goalkeepers will be evaluated by a qualified Goalkeeper Coach at Tryouts.
Why are Tryouts held so long before the season?
MYSA, combined with the Minnesota State High School League rules, dictate the window available for all clubs to conduct tryouts. Normally, Tryouts occur late July through early August.
What if we miss tryouts?
Tryouts are mandatory. A request for an excused absence may be submitted to the ED for: (1) injuries or (2) conflicts that absolutely cannot be changed. A request for an excused absence must be submitted in writing prior to Tryouts. OWSC publishes Tryout dates early in the year to help you plan as best as possible. All players must register for tryouts in order to be given a place on a team, regardless of whether the player can attend. If you will miss tryouts please contact the Director of Coaching Pat Prindle at [email protected]
My player has a conflict at their scheduled time slot.
Can my player attend a different time slot? Contact our ED. Your player must try out with their age group or an older age group if they want to attempt to make a team in that age group.
How and when are teams selected? The ED reviews tryout data and multiple in season performance evaluations completed by coaches and the club directors, to select the teams. OWSC Soccer Operation members review the team placements. Initial team placements are announced as soon as possible following tryouts.
Spring Team Placement.
The spring season is the primary season for club soccer in Minnesota. It is far longer than the brief fall season, it includes all age groups and it includes our winter training program. For that reason, our priority is team placements for the spring season. Initial spring placements will be announced shortly after tryouts and will be reviewed again in February/March.
Fall Team Placement.
OWSC strongly prefers to make fall teams consistent with the upcoming spring teams. However, differences in registrations between the two seasons do not always make that possible. Therefore fall placements will be impacted by the availability of registered players in addition to the player evaluation procedures.
When must I register my player for Fall and/or Spring soccer?
Registration for Fall and Spring Competitive Soccer will open shortly after Tryouts and you must register your player before the stated registration deadline in order to secure your place on the team roster. Any delay may result in your place being given to another player. Players who are registered for C1 & C2 teams will have winter training included in their registration fees.
If my player doesn't make a higher level team, will there be any opportunity for my player to play up during the season?
Yes. Play-ups within and between age levels is relatively common and the OWSC encourages that practice to give players an opportunity to experience more competitive play. Play-ups are managed by coaches in season and are subject to MYSA restrictions.
Who conducts Tryouts?
The ED, in coordination with the OWSC, organizes and administers the Tryouts. On field evaluators may be coaches from within the Club and do not evaluate an age group in which they coach. Some of the evaluators are from other area programs in an effort to maintain a fair process for all athletes.
My child is young
Does my player really need to tryout if I don't want my player to play up to an older age group? Yes. If you do not register and attend tryouts, he or she will not be awarded a team place. Exposing your young player to Tryouts provides valuable experience, so we require participation from all players in the Competitive program. Players' participation will help them perform in a tryout setting in future years and will help the program to appropriately balance teams. Tryouts help the OWSC to properly balance multiple teams competing at the same level and are a way for the OWSC to determine the level at which each team will compete. From time to time, the OWSC will field only one team in an age group. Tryouts will also help us determine if that team should self select to a higher level of play.
Why do we have C1 tryouts separate from the rest?
OWSC wants to provide the best environment possible for all players to be successful. We feel by separating a pool of players it will allow for a better opportunity for C2 and C3 players to be observed and evaluated in a fair playing field.
If my player is currently on a C1 or invited to attend the C1 tryouts are they automatically placed on a C1 team?
No! Players are re-evaluated each year to ensure players are on the correct team.
When and how will my player be notified if they have been awarded an opportunity to attend the C1 tryouts?
Players will receive a end of the season coach evaluation. This evaluation will include information on whether the player has been invited to attend the C1 tryouts. Players who are attending the C1 tryouts do not have to attend the July 29th tryouts. Players who do not receive an invite from their coach can receive an invite during tryouts on July 29th. Players who do receive an invite will receive an email by 12:00AM July 30th.