OUR PROGRAM
Pinecrest Premier Soccer Club (PSC) is a not-for-profit organization created in 2002 by a group of parents who were soccer enthusiasts. In 2004 the club began an ascent to the next level by hiring Director of Coaching, Nick Megaloudis. Coach Nick is a former collegiate and professional soccer player with various ties to the soccer community. Fielding an impressive array of professionally licensed coaches, PSC offers each player one of the most advanced youth soccer development programs available. The club’s Boys, Girls and Academy programs provide an environment for elite soccer players to train together under a qualified coaching staff to elevate their play and showcase their talent in competition against top youth soccer teams across Florida and the nation.
The club’s primary goal is to offer the best possible soccer and personal development, and to provide growth opportunities to those individuals who have the talent to potentially compete at the collegiate level. Our program also places significant emphasis on preparing players for the transition to the next level of play at the same time that we assist in facilitating their access to a more affordable post-secondary education and a more prosperous future as active members of the South Florida community.
TEAM SELECTIONS
The final number of teams that will be fielded will be determined by the number of children who attend the tryouts and are selected.
For U9 travel teams and older, the select soccer program represents a one-year commitment that runs concurrent with the academic calendar. Players are placed on a team through a process that includes independently evaluated tryouts, an evaluation of skills and abilities AND assessment of the child/family’s previous commitment to our program. The top level team is given the designation of "A" or “Blue” team. The next level team is given the designation of "B" or “White” team. Depending on the amount of players and the level, there is always the possibility of multiple teams in the same level, such as two “A” teams or two “B” teams.
TIME COMMITMENT
A player commits to a team from July 1st through May 30th. The team and the club also commit to the player for that same time period. Your child will not be cut from his/her team for the full year if the child maintains the level of commitment, and if the age group continues to field sufficient players (if players from the age group drop out, it might cause a team to have too few players to continue).
Every family that is interested in participating on a PSC select travel team must have a basic understanding of the commitment involved before having your child tryout for a team.
Typical game expectations are as follows:
- The fall season has 13 or 14 games plus the possibility of a Columbus Day tournament and/or Thanksgiving Day tournament. This is followed by …
- A winter season of practices, scrimmages, leagues and/or tournaments, depending upon the team as well as a President’ Day tournament, and then …
- A spring season of 9 or 10 games plus a Spring and/or Memorial Day tournament.
- In addition there are Region Cup and State Cup tournaments
All players should expect to participate in tournaments. Participation in tournaments is determined by individual teams. "A" teams typically participate in more tournaments because tournaments present an excellent opportunity for the players to get additional playing time competing against the top teams. Participation in tournaments requires time and planning on the part of the coaches, team managers AND the families of the players.
During the fall and spring seasons your child is expected to participate in all league games on Saturdays and/or Sundays. The 1st league is called “The Broward League”. Half of the games are located outside of Miami-Dade County, in towns such as Weston, Boca Raton, and as far as Wellington. (Makeup games may be held on days other than Sunday). The 2nd league is called “The Dade League” and all their games are strictly held within Dade County. More information is available at http://www.dataleague.com/
Additionally, during the fall and spring seasons, there are two required 1½-hour weekly practices and possibly one fitness training session, scheduled at specific times Monday through Saturday. Practices are conducted either by your age group coach or by a skills coach provided by our professional training staff. These practices are conveniently located in the various fields assigned to the club.
Please think carefully about these time commitments before you have your child try out for a team. Anything less than an attitude of full commitment is not fair to the rest of your team. The PSC schedules travel soccer events (practices and games) in accordance with the Dade and Broward Leagues, Generally speaking, participation in other sports, does not necessarily present conflicts, but for many families there are only so many hours in a day.
If select travel soccer is not for you, PSC also has an in-house Recreational Academy program for Boys and Girls. Our Recreational Soccer Academy program allows for your children to learn the basic skills of soccer and have fun playing with their neighborhood friends without the time commitments required by the select travel soccer program.
If your family chooses to participate in the select travel soccer program, and we hope that you do understand the time commitment involved and the responsibility that you have to the other players on your team and to all the volunteers (board members, coaches, helpers) who are trying to manage a program for over 200 community children. Moving players around during the year when children drop out of the program requires an enormous effort on behalf of your team, other teams in your age group, the administrative staff of PSC, and the administrators at the SFUYSA.
Your child’s prior demonstrated commitment to our program will be taken into account during team selection. Because soccer is a team sport, it is not enough to be a good player; your child must be a good teammate.
PLAYING TIME AND PLAYER MOVEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
At the competitive level every effort will be made to play your child, however it is up to the coach to decide if a child plays or does not. There are no guarantees of playing time. There will be player movement within the club. The club will determine when and why players will be asked to move from team to team within the organization. The club may also move players to better support development and performance.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
Each child that wishes to play soccer on a select travel team must register shortly after selection to a team. When your child is selected to a team in June, the club will provide information on payment schedules in order to collect additional fees for the year long registration for your child. Your team managers may continue to collect additional funds to pay for team-specific expenses. Once your child has been placed on a team and you have paid the registration fee, the fee is not refundable.
Any family with a financial hardship should write to our administration at administrator@pinecrestpremier.us. All such communication is confidential. No child is denied the opportunity to play due to financial constraints.
