WAM United Soccer Club offers two seasons of competitive division soccer each year. Competitive teams are formed at the U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14 and U15 age groups by players from Willington, Ashford, Mansfield and surrounding towns. Competitive teams are primarily entered in the Northeast District of the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association and play towns and clubs in the district. The Northeast District covers the portion of the state of Connecticut stretching from Marlborough to Thompson/Plainfield. Competitive teams will occasionally be entered into neighboring districts or play teams from neighboring districts. Competitive team home games are typically held at Lions Memorial Park in Mansfield, CT. Travel is involved for away games. Competitive teams are eligible to enter tournaments including the Connecticut Cup and State Cup.

Competitive Tryouts

Tryouts are held each May for the following year's competitive teams. Players should register for the tryout of the age bracket team they will be in the Fall of current year. For example that if a player has played U11 in the Fall of the prior year or Spring of the current year, they should be trying out for the U12 competitive team. The WAM United Soccer Club and CJSA "playing year" begins each August 1st, this is the time of year when a player advances from one "U" age group to the next. Exceptional players may register for multiple tryouts to be considered to "play up", but when doing so are required to try out for the team of their birth year age bracket.

All WAM United Soccer Club players interested in competitive team placement are required to tryout each year. Competitive players do not automatically hold competitive roster slots from year to year. The tryout(s) allow team coaches and WAM staff to evaluate each player for the appropriateness of placement on either a competitive or recreational team; placement will also depend on the number of players interested in participating on competitive teams.

Once tryouts are complete, a selection process will result in invitations to register for the competitive team being issued from the system. If you player receives an invitation please register using the invitation link. If your player does not receive an invitation, they should register for the available recreational team. Questions about individual competitive team selections can be addressed by the competitive team coach, the WAM Director of Coaching and/or the WAM Registrar.

Alternate tryouts can be held at the discretion of the coach for teams that have open roster positions. Competitive teams with open roster slots may review players in the recreational division for selection. Families who move to town after May tryouts are held, or are requesting information regarding open competitive roster slots should contact the WAM United Registrar.

Division of Play, Games and Practices

Competitive teams are typically entered into CJSA NED Division IV. Scores are kept during games and in most seasons league standing are kept. Age divisions may hold playoffs in competitive divisions. Competitive teams historically schedule games on Sunday afternoons in both the Spring and Fall seasons, some teams may have games scheduled on Saturdays and/or week nights. Competitive teams typically practice up to 1 1/2 hours twice a week during both the Spring and Fall seasons. The team game schedules are determined at a district scheduling meeting held ~2 weeks prior to the start of each season in late August (Fall) and mid-April (Spring). Practice schedules are determined per team based on the volunteer coaches availability and the availability of practice fields.

Coaching

Player Uniforms & Equipment

Competitive players should have:

• a "competitive uniform kit" with the players assigned WAM "number for life",
• a soccer ball (size 4 for U9, U10, U11 and U12 comp, size 5 for U13, U14 and U15 comp),
• shin guards
• soccer socks
• soccer cleats (baseball and football cleats are not permitted), and
• a water bottle
  

Registration

Registration for competitive team tryouts is held in May. Player invitations are issued in June (for Fall) and February (for Spring) each year. Teams are formed in both the boys and girls divisions. The higher age brackets may see the formation of a joint team when there is not sufficient registration to support separate teams (e.g. U14 and U15 as a U15 comp team).