FM SOCCER CLUB
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Travel Program
Who is eligible to Play Travel?
Any currently registered player with the FM Soccer Club attending FM district Schools that:
1. Attend school between the School Grades of 3rd and 6th or
2. Are between the ages of 8 and 11 by August 1st . Players that are 12 yrs old by Aug 1st are eligible as long as
their birthday is not before July 15th.
3. Players that satisfy both 1 and 2 above, that attend both try out dates for their respective age groups and that are
selected to be rostered in a Travel team.
What is the difference between REC and Travel soccer?
Recreational soccer is not as structured nor as competitive as Travel. REC is intended to provide a great soccer
experience for those families and players that like the sport but that they either do not want higher level of
competition/commitment or that do other sports with the same intensity or even higher than soccer. The travel program is
competitive by nature, and we structure teams based on both soccer skills and age. It is a developmental program, aimed at
those that want to learn more about the sport of soccer (training, skills, tactics, opportunity to play tournaments).
What does “Travel” Mean?
It means that the Team will play in leagues that require certain amount of travel to the field locations, and this provide
the opportunity to play against other Clubs and teams within the Region. There is no travel outside the metro area of
Greater Syracuse in the Fall. The travel portion is in the Spring, where AWAY and HOME games are held. The distance
of travel depends on what teams register for the Spring any given year, but it typically may include as far north as Pulaski,
west to Uttica, and as south as Cortland.
What is the commitment for the Travel Program?
It is mandatory that every parent or legal guardian read, acknowledge and sign the Commitment Letter that we make
accessible to you on the day of the Try Outs. This is a binding contract that your player is willing and able to join the Travel
program in the case that he or she is selected into a team. The following are what is expected from a Travel player:
1. To play as part of the Travel team from late August through mid July of the following year.
2. Attend all weekly team practices (to be communicated after the team is assembled and the Travel season starts
in August).
3. Attend the weekly skills development training in the Fall and in the Spring. There is no skill development
training in the Winter. Fall training days are Friday evenings, and the Spring training days are Sundays.
4. Attend all Travel games in the Fall and Spring (one weekly), both AWAY and HOME.
5. To play at least one Indoor Soccer session during the Travel year (Fall or Winter).
FM Soccer Club
www.fmsc-soccer.org
Fall 2015
FM SOCCER CLUB
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Travel Program
My child plays other sports during the year. Can he/she still play
Travel?
We encourage each player to practice multiple youth sports if the participation for said sports do not conflict with the
commitment to the Travel program, per commitment section above. Cross training between different sports could help the
young player to fortify different muscle groups and helps in the overall motor skill development. If you as a family or
player participate in other travel or organized sports that conflicts with the Travel Soccer year, then the Travel Program is
not a good fit for you and your family.
How do I sign up to join the Travel Program?
 Online:
 Go to www.fmsc-soccer.org, scroll down on the menu “Contact Us” in the top far right, to
“Registration”
 Click in the link to be directed to our secured server and follow the online instructions. After
registering your household, select “Travel Sign Ups” as the session you want to register for.
There is no charge for the advanced signups.
 In person during the onsite registration events at the Travel Program table
 In person at day and time of try outs for each specific age group. Try out dates will be announced
online, emailed to all that registered for try outs online, and will be posted at the Travel Table during
onsite registration.
How do I know if my player is in accepted into the Travel Program?
All prospective Travel players must attend the Try Outs for their respective age divisions, and all parents or legal
guardians must be present during the try outs. The Try Outs coaches will evaluate the players and a final selection of
players that made each team roster will be communicated before the end of July, directly to the players parent or legal
guardian via phone or email.
Does my player need to attend both Try Out dates?
Yes, all players are expected to attend both dates. This gives us and the coaching staff two opportunities to better
evaluate your player skills and competition readiness, in case of a “bad day”.
FM Soccer Club
www.fmsc-soccer.org
Fall 2015
FM SOCCER CLUB
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Travel Program
What is the cost of the Travel Program?
The Program consists of an individual player development section, a team dynamics and training portion, and a game
situational portion. The Fall and Spring league team fees, the Try Outs fees and the skill development training sessions are
all included in a one time payment of $170 due at time of the Try Out for your specific player’s age group.
If your player is selected to join a Travel team, you will also need to purchase a Travel Uniform package ($50 aprox.)
immediately once your player is selected, to make sure you have a uniform to wear by August.
If your player is not rostered into a Travel team, your $170 payment will be fully refunded and your player is
automatically placed in REC for the Fall season. If your player is rostered into a travel team, but you decide not to enroll
him within the one week grace period that automatically starts when you are personally notified that it is rostered, the $170
fee will be also refunded.
If you decide not to play for the team where your player won a spot within FM travel, and you do not notify within the
one week grace period that starts when you are notified of the roster spot, the $170 fee will not be refunded.
We require that each Travel Team play at least one Indoor Soccer session, but most Teams decide together with Parents
on both. Depending on which season (Fall or Winter, or both), in average you should expect between $50 and $70 per
player per session depending on where your team decides to play indoors.
During the Spring and Fall outdoor soccer play, we have access to the FM School district fields. However, during the
late Fall and Winter, the outdoor fields are closed. Each team is encouraged to find training space for indoor soccer
sessions, and the costs is covered evenly by all players in the team.
We encourage all teams to participate in Tournaments, as another way of exposing our players to several game
situational conditions. This is done on a voluntary basis, and is not mandated. As long as each Team has enough players
to fully field a Team in a tournament, we encourage they play. The cost of each tournament varies. A typical Travel Team
can participate in between 1 to 5 in a given year, with Team registration costs varying from $150 to $350 depending on age
group and location. Each Team is responsible for covering tournament registration costs if they decide to participate.
Does FM Soccer Club play State Cup?
No, our Travel program from U9 through U12 is a developmental program, and it does not participate in State Cup.
Sponsored FM Travel teams U13 and up are eligible.
Can my U12 son/daughter play State Cup with other Club/team and play
with the FM Travel Team too during the Spring?
No. The NYWEST rules in effect for State Cup require that all State Cup players be “primary” on the State Cup Team
roster, and “secondary” or “guest” if he/she plays in other team in the same division for the CNYJSA League.
Per our Club Rules and based on the Commitment Letter signed when a new player joins the program for that year, all of
the FM Travel Teams can only have “primary” players; no other Clubs or Teams’ players can be guest players with our
Travel Teams.
FM Soccer Club
www.fmsc-soccer.org
Fall 2015
FM SOCCER CLUB
Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Travel Program
If the player in question has the opportunity to play State Cup with other teams, and decides to pursue it, he/she will be
removed from the FM Soccer Travel roster to allow the player to but put into the State Cup Team roster. Once her
participation with the State Cup team ends, the player can be eligible to be reinstated onto the FM Travel Team roster as long
as NYWEST, CNYJSA and FM Soccer Club rules and regulations are met.
Can my son’s/daughter’s Team find a sponsor and get their own
uniforms, or choose our own style of uniform?
No. As part of our Club, all Teams wear the same style and brand of uniform to present a consistent look across all
teams and all age groups. Our official uniform carrier is Admiral, and they can be purchased through our Travel page in our
Website.
Can my son/daughter play up or down an age group?
No, we do not allow playing up or down. We are bound to the NYWEST rules and regulations, under U.S. Youth
Soccer and U.S. Soccer, for Region I. Under these, no player can “play down”.
Our mission is to be community centered, and as such, our philosophy is for our players to play with their neighbors and
school mates within either the same age group, or within the same school grade. We do not let younger players play in
higher age groups, as a way to reduce injuries.
When certain players are young for the School Class that they belong to, they are eligible to play either with their own
age group or with their School class, but not both. The Travel Program Coordinator can assist you on making the decision
that is best for your soccer player.
FM Soccer Club
www.fmsc-soccer.org
Fall 2015