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Premier Division Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is Premier soccer?
Premier soccer is an opportunity for the most talented players and most committed players to compete against the best players in other clubs in our geographic area.
Where are the other clubs from?
Most West-Mont United Premier teams play in either the Philadelphia Area Girls Soccer league (PAGS) for girls or the DELCO Soccer League (DELCO) for boys. PAGS and DELCO include other top flight teams from Eastern PA, DE, and Northern MD.
How old to you have to be in order to play for a Premier team at West-Mont United SA?
There are both boys' and girls' Premier teams presently. They range in age from Under 12 to Under 18. U12 is the earliest Premier team age group offered at WMUSA.
When does the season start and end?
Fall - Generally the Premier season league games start the Saturday after Labor Day and run until the end of November. U12-U14 Teams play a schedule that generally includes 10 to 12 games in the Fall, and 1-2 Tournaments. U15 and above teams train and play depending on the team's decision and their High School commitment.
Winter - During the winter (January-February) Premier Teams play in an Indoor League and might practice 1 session per week.
Spring (March-May) - Premier Teams enter State Cup, either National or Challenge, and play in 3-5 Tournaments in the Spring. They might practice 1 or 2 sessions per week depending on the focus of the team, State Cups, and Tournaments they have entered.
How much do the children practice in a given week?
- Fall - Each team sets its own practice schedule. Generally speaking, teams practice two sessions a week in season and will start preparing for the season in the Summer with practices and usually a week of intensive pre-season training.
- Winter - 1 Session per week.
- Spring - 2 Sessions per week.
When are the games?
Regular league games are always scheduled on weekends, either Saturday or Sunday. Occassionally, a team might play both days in a weekend. Make-up games can be scheduled during the week.
What is the level of commitment? How much more commitment will it take?
WMU does expect Premier teams to paly the following minimum schedule.
What does it cost?
Premier is more expensive. The current West-Mont United premier and travel registration fee is $175 per player which includes annual registration, one season of league fees, and a base level team training session by a paid trainer. In addition, players must pay for their own uniform which is about $70. Some teams choose to purchase warm-ups which might run $40 to $80. If the team decides to play in tournaments, the cost is borne by the team.
Are there other costs?
This depends on the individual team and the decisions the parents and coaches make. There is, of course, the expense of driving to and from games, the usual expense of buying soccer shoes, shin guards, and water bottles. If the team decides to play in tournaments, the cost is borne by the team. Tournaments have entry fees and everyone is responsible for their own food and lodging costs. Some tournaments are close to home and others require an overnight stay out of town. The higher level teams hire and pay a professional trainer. The cost of the coach is $400, is collected as part of the registration fee, and can be paid in four consecutive, monthly installments. Many teams organize their own fundraisers to help reduce the individual cost.
Is there fund raising involved?
There can be. Each premier and travel team is responsible for managing its own finances. The team can run its own fund raisers, if desired. Premier and Travel teams are accountable to the club for certain costs, however, decisions to spend money and raise money reside with the individual team.
Who will train and coach the team?
There are two key positions in a Premier team - the Coach and the Team Manager.
Coach is a paid position with required education qualifications. He/she trains and coaches the team.
Team Manager arranges all of the particulars for the team, which means arranging tournaments, league play, indoor, training facility, and costs. He/she also identifies parent volunteers for other key facets like uniforms, finances, travel arrangements, etc. The Team manager periodically meets with the parents to communicate and discuss team affairs.
What about the old ideal that a paid coach ultimately has to produce the win?
There's no denying if you pay for something you want a return on your investment. Player improvement and satisfaction is the summary goal. Winning is a lower expectation.
What happens if a parent or parents aren't satisfied with the coach?
The issue at hand is always first discussed with the coach and then with the team manager. Ultimately the coach is accountable to the parents and can be replaced.
What about playing time? How much can I expect?
As this is a Premier level team, the better players will play more than weaker players. All playeres must earn their time. With this in mind, and considering the developoment of every player, the coach will endeavor to give fair playing timne. Fair does not mean equal, and fair does not mean fair in every game. In close games a weaker player might play less than usual, But in other games, the time will be made up by playing more than usual.
What are the benefits of my child playing Premier soccer?
Premier soccer can be a great experience for a number of reasons. It is a wonderful opportunity for children to develop and refine their soccer skills against the best players in the area. This happens by receiving good coaching, and by playing against, and practicing with, the best soccer players in their age group. While learning to play at a higher skill level, children are also learning about the importance of team work. Personal growth and confidence are often a by-product of traveling for soccer, too. Players looking to play at a high level in High School and College benefit form this experience and it prepares them for the next lelvel. Last but not least, IT IS FUN! Children meet and make new friends on their teams. The experience of traveling to other communities and playing together against other clubs builds a bond between many players that continues for years, both on and off the soccer field.
How does my child join a Premier team?
Each year, in May, West-Mont United holds tryouts. Children wishing to play on a Premier team must attend at least two of the three scheduled tryouts. It is highly recommended they attend as many of these tryouts as possible so that they are selected for the right team for their ability level. After the tryouts, players are notified at the end of May which team they made. Then, usually in late July or early August, practices begin for the season which starts in September.
How does this fit with the regular West-Mont United travel tryouts? Is it a separate tryout?
Premier tryouts are run at the same time and in a manner similar to selecting A, B, and C level teams. Premier is the next higher level. A player can declare they do not want to be considered for Premier. The basic arragement is that all players show-up, are pooled, evaluated, and a decision is made for Premier. Those who don't make Premier are then asked to consider travel.
If my child tries out and is not selected for the Premier team, does he/she need to tryout again for a travel team?
No, but all players that want to play travel are required to attend at least one tryout.
What happens if the evaluator doesn't think there is enough talent or if enough player do no tattend the tryout?
It's simple, there will not be a Premier team in that age group. The players have the opportunity to play travel.
Where can I get more information?
You can contact West-Mont United Soccer Association at (484) 932-8698 and leave a messageor email our Director of Coaching. You should also stop by and watch some of our Premier Teams play. Schedules and game locations will be posted on the web site. Also, talk to some of the Team Parents, Players or Coaches to get their opinion.
- Summer: 2 tournaments
- Fall: League play
- Winter: 1 indoor session
- spring: State Cups
It is the expectation of the club that Premier teams play in one of the indoor State Cup competitions as well as in showcase tournaments. Showcase tournaments help build the reputation of the team and the program. A typical showcase tournament schedule might look like this:
- Spring - UK elite, Bloomsburg University boys; College showcase
- Summer - FC Delco Players Cup, Lititz Summer Showcase
- Fall - Hempfield Fall Classic