Coaching a Spring Select team is a more significant time commitment than the Fall Core season, but it offers the opportunity to:

• Have greater input over the makeup of your team’s roster

• Work with players who are more consistently committed than in the Fall

• Experience the fun and camaraderie of tournaments! (typically two)

On top of actual coaching activities, Select coaches are involved in player evaluation, team formation, league and tournament applications, etc. Much of the preparation work occurs Nov-Jan. To qualify, coaches must have volunteered in AYSO during the preceding Fall season and meet all training and certification requirements for their division. It is also expected that all coaches remember their coaching PIE (positive, instructional, encouraging) and that they are representing Region 109 at all times.

Players are first evaluated at Select tryouts, then at their regular Fall games during the last week of the season. In some cases, their Fall coaches are also consulted regarding things like positional preferences, coachability, and attendance… things not so easily measured at a tryout. Once all evaluations are completed, teams will be formed based on the standard calendar-year divisions. The number of teams is not fixed, and will depend on both the number of qualified coaches that volunteer, and the number and skill level of players that apply and tryout. Ideally, we would field at least one team per calendar year, so that we can maintain a certain level of continuity from one year to the next.

*** We aim to announce teams by December 1 ***

Most teams practice twice per week, just like the in the regular Fall season. Some older teams will opt for 3 practices per week, a decision that is up to the coaches. The practices are an essential part of building a strong team and players are expected to be at practices. Teams will generally start practicing by mid-February, some as early as mid-January. Again, this is a decision left to the coaches.

Menlo Park Select teams compete in the Pacific Coast Spring Soccer League (PCSSL) in an 8 game season (4 home, 4 away). Teams in PCSSL are primarily from the Peninsula, from Daly City and Pacifica in the north, to West San Jose and Saratoga in the south. There’s also the occasional team from the East Bay (e.g. Pleasant Hill, Concord). All league games are on Sundays.

Within each PCSSL division (e.g. 10U Boys) teams are divided into flights based on their age and ability. This is done to keep games as competitive as possible and not have too many lopsided results. One-sided games are no fun, and do little to develop players on either team.

Most Select teams play between 2-4 tournaments throughout the season in addition to the league games. This is decided on a team-by-team basis. In the past several years, Menlo Park teams have participated in some of the following tournaments:

• Surf ‘n Turf, San Luis Obispo – February

• Paso Robles Grape Crush, Paso Robles – February

• President's Cup, San Jose – February

• Pleasant Hill Soccerfest, Pleasant Hill – March

• El Palo Alto, Palo Alto – April

• Pacifica Fog Classic, Pacifica – April

• Concord Cup, Concord – May

• Davis World Cup, Davis – May

• Santa Barbara Splash, Santa Barbara – June

• Come Up For Air, Tahoe – June