Soccer Club of New Milford

For a complete copy of our updated fall 2003 membership guide, please feel free to download.

Note:  This file is in Adobe PDF format and requires the free reader to view.

Program Offerings

Micro Soccer
Division II Boys and Girls
Division I Boys and Girls
Division 1 Player Selection Guidelines
Information for Division I Travel Player Parents
Pre-Premier Developmental Programs and Premier Teams
Referee Program
Summer Soccer Camp

Micro Soccer

This program is divided into two age brackets.  The under 6 (U6) program is coed.  The under 8 (U8) program offers a boys and a girls program.  Both are conducted as in-house programs meaning that all activities take place in New Milford and that most participants are New Milford residents.  Each in-house program is designed to introduce soccer to our youngest players with the prime focus on skill development and small-sided games.  Saturday sessions begin with brief practice sessions coordinated and conducted by a licensed coaching staff employed by the SCNM.  During these training sessions the coaching staff demonstrates drills to develop the skills in both the player and parent volunteer coaches.  The parent coaches are then provided with written lesson plans describing the skill lesson and are encouraged to utilize them during the teams’ weekday practice session.  The Saturday skill session is followed by a competition of small-sided games which focus on the skills learned that day.  During the course of the season, the small-sided competition progresses from a 3-on-3 format to an 8-on-8.

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Division II Boys and Girls

This program is classified as a recreational division.  This is a travel program, with most games played on Saturday and about half the games played in New Milford.  The Division II league is designed to allow all players, regardless of ability, an opportunity to participate with a requirement that each player play a minimum of 50% of each game.  Typically, Division II coaches hold two mid-week practice sessions.   SCNM will provide a licensed professional trainer for one practice session each week who will coordinate with the parent volunteer coach the types of skills best suited for the team.  In addition, the professional trainer will provide printed handouts describing the practice session to assist the coach during the second practice. The number of teams per age group will vary based on the number of participants who sign up. Currently, this program is available to children entering Third Grade.

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The Division I program is intended for players who wish to participate in a more competitive environment. Playing Division I typically means a commitment (for some teams year round) from all members of the family. Selection to a Division I team is determined by a tryout that is conducted and coordinated by the SCNM Board and a professional trainer staff and held typically in early June for fall teams.  Players selected to the team for the fall season are guaranteed a spot for the spring.   Vacancies in the roster for the spring season are only filled as needed.  
Division I teams hold a minimum of two practice sessions each week and they play their league games on Sundays. Fifty percent of the games will be played in New Milford and the rest will be played in surrounding towns in the Northwest corner of the state.  In addition, they are expected to participate in the single elimination Connecticut Cup Competition on Saturdays, which requires travel throughout the state.   The SCNM covers the cost for registering teams participating in Connecticut Cup Competition.  Additionally, Division I teams will participate in at least one but usually two to four tournaments annually throughout the region or even out of state.   
The SCNM will provide a licensed professional trainer for one practice session each week that will coordinate with the parent volunteer coach the types of skills best suited for the team.   The professional trainer will also provide printed handouts describing the practice session, to assist the coach during the second practice.  In addition, the professional trainer will be present at selected home matches to evaluate the team’s progress in match play. 
Parents should also be aware that on some Division I teams, a paid professional trainer might be hired fulltime to train the team in addition to the parent volunteer. The players’ families pay the fee for this. 
A note on playing time: While the Division I program is selective and requires a higher intensity level of the players and coaches, the focus should be on the development of all the players involved.  Therefore, U9/U10 Division I players are required to play 50% of the game.  U11 through U14 Division I players are to receive a minimum of 25% playing time during games.  A coach may choose to reduce playing time for disciplinary reasons, (i.e. insubordination, tardiness or absence from practice, etc) but this policy must be made clear to the players in advance and the policy must be applied evenly across the team.    Coaches who routinely disregard this rule will not be asked to return as coach for future seasons.

See Division 1 Player Selection Guidelines for the try out process.

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Information for Division I Travel Team Parents
(Revised 6/28/05)

1.  The Soccer Club of New Milford sponsors Division 1Travel team play for players eligible to play in the Boys U-9 to U-14 and Girls U-10 to U16 age brackets as defined by the CJSA and USYSA. Teams for boys and girls will be sponsored in these ages provided suitable coaches are found.  

3.  The above will result in higher costs paid by each family which will be additive to the seasonal club registration fees and any costs from use of either paid coaches or trainers.

4.  Estimated costs for travel team participation may include $250/yr for training, $50/yr for tournaments (does not include travel to/from, hotels and food). These costs will vary depending on the level of training and number of tournaments attended and is in addition to the seasonal club registration and uniform cost.

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Pre-Premier Developmental Programs and Premier Teams

Pre-Premier programs and Premier Teams exist for players looking to participate on highly competitive teams made up of players irrespective of the players’ town.  League play for Premier Teams is throughout the State and not limited to the Northwest corner of Connecticut.  In addition, Premier Teams participate in Open Cup Competition as well as two to four tournaments per year anywhere in the Northeast region.  Typically, Premier Teams also continue to play and practice throughout the winter and summer.  Coaching staff for Premier teams consists of licensed qualified soccer coaches. For additional information on Pre-Premier Developmental Programs and Premier Teams, please contact the Club President.

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Referee Program