• Holden Youth Soccer
• PO Box 354
• Holden, MA 01520

A: In the email field, you can enter multiple email addresses separated by a semi-colon. In the additional information button, there is specific detailed information per parent or guardian available for you to enter.

A: Go to Sportspilot and enter the email address you received the email from and your username and password will be sent to you. You can also find this by clicking on "I don't know my User Name and/or Password" on the Sign In page and follow the same process.

A: Please register anyway and elect to pay by check so you do not have to pay right away. We manage a wait list by age group and it is first come first served. This is especially true in the older age groups where we also may decide to combine players from other Wachusett towns and add an additional team.

A: Click the registration link on the top left of this page. Then go to the appropriate program and age group. Go to "Unassigned Coach Registration" and follow the directions. Lastly, if you have not done so in the past 18 months, complete a CORI form at CORI/KidSafe form.

A: There are league requirements that a child play in the youth soccer program within the community in which they reside. Sometimes we do make exceptions if a child goes to school in Holden. What is required is a waiver from the President of the youth soccer organization connected with the community in which you reside. Once we receive that completed and signed waiver, only then can we have your child register for our programs.

A: Here is a helpful guide for everything you'll need to know about purchasing a soccer ball.

A: While cleats are not mandatory, they provide players with the grip that will help them to run and play at the best of their ability. They also provide additional safety by helping to prevent slipping. Regular running shoes can be bulky and will prevent players from "feeling" the ball. For more on choosing the right footwear, here is a guide to buying soccer cleats.

A: Refer to this article on how to buy soccer shinguards.

A: Please see the following articles:

• A hydration plan for Landon Donovan
• Water versus fluids
• Symptoms of heat stress and how to avoid it

A: Review "eating to compete" guidelines from a sports nutritionist.

A: Recreational Soccer does not use tryouts, or any selection process, and we make our best attempt to balance the teams as evenly as possible.

A: Recreational soccer is competitive, but the focus is on development.

A: To develop your team as a group and individually, both on and off the field. Teaching soccer, more than most other sports, employs methods in which we can touch players lives in many different ways, not just on the field. We must ask ourselves are we teaching them good sportsmanship? Are we helping build their confidence? Are we showing them that improvement and success comes from hard work, team work, and commitment? Lessons are learned on the field, but can be taken home, into high school, college, the work place, and utilized in their overall lives. Our gratification comes from seeing the smile that brightens up the field when a player shows you a new move or trick, or finally just 'gets it'.

A: Time commitments vary depending upon the age group. Both the U6 and U7 divisions play on Saturday mornings and on an occasional Sunday afternoon for make-up games. Each session is broken into a half-hour practice followed by a half-hour game. There is no other commitment during the week for these age groups. U-8 utilizes an hour and a half session split into a 45 minute practice and 45 minute game. U-8 plays on Saturday mornings and on an occasional Sunday afternoon for make-up games. U-10 and older can play games on Saturday and/or Sunday afternoons and in addition have one to two practices during the week.

A: In the comments field in the registration, put the coach's name in there please.

A: Log onto Sportspilot with your username and password by clicking on the "Sign In" button under Member's Entrance. You will then find tools to manage roster information and email your team.

A: Click to go to the HYS Coaches page.

A: Preparation: Organized and prepared for practices and efficient in our coaching/teachable moments (quality vs. quantity). Technical: Coaching position, having the patience to wait for player awareness to develop, communication with players,and realizing strengths and improvement areas of self as a coach. Psychological: Guided discovery, creating balanced training sessions, understanding the psychology of our team and players, and the amount of information our team can handle. Physical: Body language, role model, and knowing your limitations.

A: We would like all of our head coaches to have a US Soccer E License.

A: For MAYS spring standings click here. Note, only age groups, divisions, and teams that have played at least one game are listed.

A: Score corrections must be reported via email to Bob Leno, MAYS VP. Please do no report score corrections to Andy Page. Please include the game #, home team name, home score, away team name, and away score.

A: Coaches please remember that this is a game for the players. Win a game respectfully, there is no need to beat an opponent by an excessive score for example 6-0, 7-0, 8-0, 9-0, etc... !

A: Make-up games or CANCELED games need to be rescheduled upon agreement by both of the coaches. Reschedule requests must be submitted to the MAYS President by the Club/Town Rep. The notice should include the original game #, new date, new time, Home Team Name, Away Team Name, and Site. The coaches need to reach agreement within two weeks of the original game date as to the new date/time. The new date/time of the game must be within four weeks of the original game, or no later than the last date of the season, June 3 for playoff eligible teams. For all other rescheduled games (exceptions will be considered if the rescheduled game is a game that has recently been modified by the MAYSL due to schedule corrections).

A: The acceptable reasons for requesting a reschedule is for school event, religious event which prevents a team from fielding the minimum number of required players.

A: Coaches are required to bring two copies of the MAYSL Approved Roster and the team's passcards to all games. No roster or passcards means no game.

A: Roster changes - please submit three copies of your new roster and passcards (if applicable) to the appropriate MAYSL Registrar via the mail, no hand delivering! Do not send the documents, with signature required, since this only delays the delivery. Allow for a one week turnaround of the documents. And include a self-addressed stamp envelope to facilitate the return of the documents to you or the coach. Rosters are reviewed for MTOC eligibility and Town Reps will be notified of any concerns. MTOC eligibility includes, the 75% rule that requires at least 75% of the roster players need to be from the same town.

A: Most games are on Saturdays (U10-U14), Sundays (U16-U18) with some weeknight games. Unlike the fall program, there is no rule that every player must play at least half of the game. If a child is a multi-sport player, a 90% attendance rate for their Holden team games and practices is expected. Please keep in mind that your child is taking away another player's opportunity to learn and play if they are not able to commit at this level.

A: Players are required to have soccer cleats, shin guards and a HYS Black Spring Travel Uniform (Ermano Jersey, Ermano Shorts, Diadora White soccer socks). These items are available for purchase on-line at the HYS Store. Coaches are responsible for assigned team jersey numbers; please check with your coach if you already have a numbered jersey.

A: The Spring Season begins in April and continues through June. Games will be scheduled outdoors beginning in early April. However, pre-season training may begin in January at the coach's discretion. Coaches will be offered an indoor practice space one hour per week January thru March.

A: A one hour per week indoor practice space will be assigned to each coach in one of the following locations: Mayo School, Davis Hill School, 100 Shore Drive Indoor Arena (Bancroft School). Our travel league competes in several surrounding towns in Central Massachusetts. Exact schedule will be issue by MAYS, and made available to Coaches when finalized.

A: If you are 14 years or older, you may not be listed on both a HYS Team and premier or club team roster.

A: Increases in the program expenses necessitated an increase in the registration fee. One example for this increase is the provision of pre-season training time. As mentioned above, one hour per week indoor practice space has been allotted as part of the registration fee. This space was secured to ensure access to quality practice venues so that coaches could complete pre-season activities.

A: No refunds will be given.

A: Participation in these leagues would require additional expenses to the players.

A: Holden Youth Soccer does offer full and partial financial aid to assist families with registration expenses. Anyone interested should contact the Registrar.

A: You can Register Online

A: Given the success of the program, we have now put this in place to handle 50 plus players per session.

A: All Online Store orders will be shipped to Holden Youth Soccer in bulk. Individual orders will then be separated by team, and coaches will distribute to players/families.