WDMSC has the most accomplished Select Soccer program in the State of Iowa. In June of each year, WDMSC conducts tryouts for their Select teams (boys and girls) in the U11-19 age groups. If you are interested in joining one of our Select teams, please contact our Director of Coaching, Gareth Smith, via email at coachgareth@hotmail.com.
What is the purpose of team placement tryouts?
The objective of team placement tryouts is to allow the WDMSC Professional Coaching Staff the opportunity to observe all interested players (in and outside of the Club) and appropriately place them on a team that best suits their skill level and level of commitment.
Who can tryout for the Select program?
Tryouts are for players in the U11-U19 age groups. Age groups correspond to the player’s age as of August 1, 2011. For example: U11 players for the 2011-2012 season will have a birth date between August 1, 2000 - July 31, 2001. To determine your player’s appropriate age group, please follow this link to the Iowa Soccer Association’s team age brackets. Players are encouraged to attend all tryout dates in their age group. If you cannot attend the official tryouts, or want to tryout during the course of the season, you will need to contact Gareth Smith, Director of Coaching, at coachgareth@hotmail.com to make appropriate arrangements.
How are U11-U18 teams selected?
Teams are selected based on a number of different factors. The main factors for consideration are the player’s age, ability, desires (which program they are interested in is a consideration - Premier or Competitive) and commitment level.
How are players assessed throughout the season?
All players in the Select program are assessed throughout the course of the year. This is to ensure that players are placed on a team that best suits their skill level and provides them with adequate playing time in order for them to develop. If deemed developmentally appropriate by the coaching staff, rosters can be adjusted during the course of the soccer season. These roster adjustments may include; (1) movement of players between teams within the same age group; (2) movement of players from inside the club from one age group to another; (3) Players that are new to the WDM Soccer Club being added to the roster. These adjustments may happen at any time during the season. When you accept a bid for participation within the West Des Moines Club, it is the coaching staff’s responsibility to place you according to your abilities and development.
What is the tryout format?
In order to be considered for a WDMSC team for the 2011 - 2012 seasonal year, each player must be evaluated by the WDMSC coaching staff.
All current and new players should register in advance of the tryouts. We do accept registrations on the day of tryouts but the appropriate paper work must be filled out prior to participating and this can be time consuming, so plan to arrive early. All players must attend the team placement tryout dates in order for the WDMSC coaching staff to evaluate their skill levels.
Note: We encourage players to attend all tryout dates for their specific age group, but with advance notice accommodations can be made for conflicts. If a player is unable to attend a specified tryout date for their age group, arrangements must be made with the WDMSC Coaching Department in order for that player to be appropriately assessed. This communication must take place prior to the conclusion of tryouts in order for the player to be considered for a WDMSC team.
What takes place at the team placement tryouts?
Step 1: Upon arrival, players will be checked in and presented with a numbered club t-shirt that specifically identifies each player.
Step 2: Players are then placed into game related activities to allow the coaching staff to assess them (Player Evaluation Form) on the four main components of the game. The areas evaluated include:
- Technical: passing, dribbling, shooting and first touch
- Tactical: decision making, vision, awareness and positional sense
- Physical: Speed, agility, strength, endurance and power
- Psychological: attitude, coach-ability, confidence
Players will be placed in game related 1v1, 2v2, 4 v 4, 8 v 8 and 11 v 11 situations (for the relevant age groups) allowing lots of touches on the ball for the players and lots of opportunities to be observed in game related activities. Goalkeepers will be included.
Team Placement Notification:
After the team placement tryouts have concluded, the WDMSC coaching staff will discuss each individual player’s skill, ability, desires and commitment levels. Once initial teams have been selected and players have been placed, the coaching staff will contact players to offer them a roster spot on a team. The State of Iowa rules dictate that players may only be contacted after specific dates. Please see notification dates below for specific dates.
How will you be contacted?
Players will be contacted by email/phone call to be informed of their roster placement. The individual players will then have 24 hours to respond to confirm they accept/decline their team placement. If a player/family knows they will be out of town at the time of placement offers, they must provide an alternate phone number/email address where they can be reached.
To reserve their roster spot, players must provide a non-refundable deposit of $95 within one week or their spot may be given to another interested player. This non- refundable deposit can be paid online with a credit card or mailed in with the registration form, but it is the only recognized method of placement acceptance (verbal commitments will not reserve spots).
Notification Dates
All U11-U13 boys’ and girls’ teams will be notified on June 20th, 2011.
All U14-U18 boys’ and girls’ teams will be notified on July 1st, 2011.
*Due to the dynamic nature of team formation and the many factors involved, rosters may change slightly after initial offerings or postings.
Click here to view team placement tryout schedule.
Download the registration form.
Select Registration Form
(Only players who have received a bid may register for Select soccer and registration must be accompanied by the Bid acceptance form and appropriate initial payments.)
