FAQ Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About the JUSC. |
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| 1. | When did the merger take place? |
| | The merger was effective August 2007. The JUSC will field teams for the 2007-2008 soccer year. Tryouts for these teams ran from the end of May through June, 2007. |
| 2. | What type of player is this club for? |
| | We are looking to provide a great soccer experience for any player who is interested in receiving quality instruction in a competitive and fun environment. Within each age group, multiple levels based on skill, athleticism, and commitment will be created for boys and girls. The JUSC will truly be an inclusive enterprise dedicated to developing as many players as possible. |
| 3. | How is the club run? |
| | The Boards of the Johnston and Urbandale Soccer Clubs each appointed four individuals to serve on the JUSC Board of Directors. In addition, the club has four full-time professional staff members to manage the club and oversee player development. |
| 4. | Will there be A and B teams? |
| | Within the JUSC, age groups will be structured in a three-level format: Premier, Competitive, and Classic. The number of teams in each classification will be dependent on the number and quality of players attending try-outs. |
| 5. | Will players know what team they are placed on after try-outs? |
| | When receiving a bid from the JUSC players will be told whether they will start the season in the Premier, Competitive, or Classic group. |
| | Still, in some cases the Premier group may initially consist of a smaller number of players, with the idea that players from the Competitive group will move up once training starts. Furthermore, in the younger age groups where multiple teams will exist in one level, the actual team rosters will be created after Team Camp is completed in August. |
| 6. | Will JUSC teams in the older age groups (U15 and above) look to play year-round and force players to make a decision between high school and club soccer? |
| | The staff values the importance some players place in high school soccer and will not force anyone to make a choice between club and high school; however, if enough interest exists the JUSC will provide an alternative to high school soccer in the spring. This issue will be addressed at the beginning of the soccer year so there is ample time to put together a schedule of events and make arrangements should the club option be chosen. |
| 7. | Will all teams have an equal number of training sessions and games? |
| | All teams within in an age group will be provided a similar number of training opportunities and league games. Teams within the Premier and Competitive levels will play in a few more tournaments over the course of the year than Classic-level teams. |
| 8. | Will playing time in games be split equally among the players? |
| | With the exception of a few events over the course of the year, such as State Cup, the staff will strive to provide all players at least 50% playing time in league games and tournaments. This does not mean that all children will be in the game for the same duration, as there will be some players who will be on the field for most, if not all, of a match. |
| | The staff is committed to developing players through playing the game. Therefore, team rosters, especially in the U11 and U12 age groups, will be kept small to ensure everyone is getting the opportunity to grow through competition. Furthermore, in the older age groups where larger rosters and pools of players might exist, the staff will put together a schedule that consists of more games and tournaments and then take only a portion of the roster to each event. By doing this, the number of substitutes at each match will be kept to a minimum, thereby creating more playing time for those in attendance. |
| 9. | Will there be a lot of flexibility for moving players up and down? |
| | The opportunity for a player to move to a higher-level team or the challenge to a player to remain at the highest level is a principal reason the merger is so attractive to the coaching staff. Especially at age groups U13 and above, this movement is an essential component of development and we think it will tremendously benefit every single JUSC player. |
| 10. | Will different teams within an age group have the same coach? |
| | The JUSC will assign one senior staff member to be in charge of each age group. Depending on the number of teams in an age group, additional staff will be added to assist with coaching for games and training. |
| | All coaches within an age group will be in constant communication with the age group director to provide feedback on players and teams. Furthermore, training and game schedules will be devised so that the coach heading up the age group is able to directly observe all the players on a consistent basis. |
| 11. | How much travel will be involved? |
| | As in past years, the U11 and U12 teams will play most league games within the Greater Des Moines area; tournaments will take place in Iowa and the surrounding states. |
| | Older teams will still have many of their league and tourney games within Iowa and the surrounding states, but Premier-level teams may travel greater distances within the region more consistently to ensure competition is managed properly. The proposed league and tourney schedule for all age groups will be provided at try-outs. |
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