Q.

How are players assigned to age group?

A.

Why is my child playing  "U9" when he/she is currently 8 years old?  "U9" actually means "Under 9", so your child will be playing with other kids their age in that division.  You can view the Age Matrix by hovering over the "Resources" tab on our home page and clicking on the "Age Matrix" tab.  Please note that age group assignments do not change between Fall and Spring. U4 is an exception allowing new 3 year olds in the Spring.  GYSA follows the Arizona Soccer Association rules for age assignments.

Q.

When can a child play U-4?

A.

GYSA offers a program for children who are 3 years old.  To see if your child qualifies, you can view the Age Matrix by hovering over the "Resources" tab on our home page and clicking on the "Age Matrix" tab.  Please note that age group assignments do not change between Fall and Spring. U4 is an exception allowing new 3 year olds in the Spring.
Our U4 program is different then our other age divisions. Instead of the children practicing during the week, they come on Saturday and do 20-30 minutes of soccer drills and then scrimmage (game) for another 20-30 minutes. Three year-olds do not have the attention span to play an hour long game and practice for an hour during the week. The kids play 3v3 in their scrimmage, which is perfect for them and helps them build confidence. 

Q.

Can I request a coach or a team for my player to play on?

A.

There is a special request area (for coach, friend, and practices) when registering online. We do our best to honor those requests when placing kids on teams, however nothing is guaranteed. Siblings will be placed on the same team as long as they are the same gender and age group and that they were "friend requested" by one another. Please note in the requested areas if you would like your child to play up an age division to be with a friend or sibling.

GYSA tries very hard to have evenly distributed teams.  However, keep in mind we always try and honor all player's requests, so some teams may have played together for several seasons.

Q.

Do you have to have prior experience to sign up for recreational soccer?

A.

No, recreational soccer is open to all players, regardless of experience or skill level.

Q.

Are the teams coed?

A.

Yes and no, teams are gender specific. Girl’s can play on boy’s teams, but not vice versa. The only time that GYSA will put together a coed team, is if there are not enough participants in a specific age group, this happens usually in the U16 -U19 age group, but if the boys and girls do need to be placed together to form a team, all parents will be notified first and given the option to remove their player from the program.

Q.

Can my child play down an age division?

A.

Only if your child has a physical or other limitation which requires them to do so.  In those situations, we would need a note from your Doctor stating why your child is unable to play at his or her age level. The GYSA board will then need to review the request and either approve or disapprove it.  A child can not play down an age division to be with a friend or sibling. There must be a medical reason why a child can not play age appropriately.

Q.

What is the policy on playing with your age group v. “playing up”?

A.

Players are divided into age groups from 8/1 to 7/31 each year. Players are generally encouraged to play age appropriate.

Exceptions occur when an unusually strong player no longer feels challenged. Parents can then request that their child "play up" with the next higher division.

Please be careful when requesting a friend/coach that is older. We try and place your children together which can move your child up an age division and your child might not be ready for difference in size & skill of the older division.

Q.

If I am on a team for the Fall, am I guaranteed to be on that same team for the Spring?

A.

The only way GYSA can guarantee a child on the same team as the season prior is if they 1-register during the early registration period and put down the coach as a coach request and 2-that the coach is coaching again. Many times a coach’s work schedule may interfere with volunteering/coaching; therefore your child is placed on a different team. We do our best to keep those kids together, even though the coach is different.

Q.

What is the criteria upon which the teams are created?

A.

The team formation process for GYSA changes during the progression through the age levels.

The U4 program is generally organized around randomization and friend requests, while U5 and up are organized around a combination of area/location of practice and friend/coach requests.

GYSA tries to recognize the desire by children and parents to keep some friendly faces on each team, but can only do so if the requests are made at the time of registration. Naturally, some changes will occur as new kids enter the mix and others move to competitive play.

Q.

My child is on a team with nobody she/he knows. Why?

A.

When registering your child, parents have the opportunity to request a coach and/or a friend. The Registrar trys to form balanced teams while attempting to meet as many requests as possible. Unfortunately, not all requests can be fulfilled. Late registration players may not be accommodated.

Q.

What is the recommended roster size?

A.

Generally teams carry a roster which makes sense under the circumstances balancing playing time, player availability, and coaches.

Fourteen to eighteen players for 11v11, ten to 14 players for 8v8, eight to ten players for 5v5, and six to nine players for 4v4. If a roster has less then the minimum, this is often due to a player dropping the team and not notifying the league so they can replace the player. We depend on coaches to inform us if a child has not shown up for practices and games.

Q.

Our team needs more players, can we pick up players?

A.

No, if your team is in need of additional players, please contact the registrar to see if there is anyone on the waiting list that can be placed on the team. All players must be registered and paid through GYSA in order to play. Teams can not pick up any players with out the approval of the registrar. Players need to be registered and insured before they can practice or play in games.

Q.

Can my player switch teams?

A.

Once the teams are drafted, players can not be moved off a team onto another team.If you forgot to put your special request in, then no, you will not be switched.

Q.

Now that I've registered my child for soccer, when will I hear back from the league?

A.

You will receive an email confirmation of your registration as well as a calendar of all the important dates. The next direct contact parents will receive from the league will be from a coach contacting them to arrange the first practice and parent meeting as well as an email with your coaches contact information.  This happens approximately two to three weeks prior to the soccer season.

Once rosters are posted (after the coaches' meeting), you can log into your GYSA account and access your child’s schedule and team roster.

If a coach has not been assigned to your team, GYSA will be emailing the parents on the team to solicit volunteers to coach the team.