FAQs

Q | How much does travel soccer cost?

Club Fees | Updating Fees for 2019-2020 season. Fees are paid directly to the club and additional fees vary by team, depending on the number of tournaments of indoor seasons the team may play. Fees include the Spring CDYSL and all coaching fees.

Team Fees

Team Fees vary by team and are paid directly to your team manager who handles payment for the team. Team Fees are determined by your team’s event participation. These fees cover costs of shared activities such as tournaments, indoor-league sessions, etc. Please contact your coach or team manager for an estimate of these costs. Please be timely in your payment of your team fees as your team manager is not responsible for covering your fees and missed deadlines may exclude your child from the event.

Any Indoor-League Game Session Fees (At Sportsplex, Afrim’s, Adirondack Dome, etc.)
Any indoor or outdoor tournament fees
Fall Ball
Additional costs for activities in which a team may wish to participate
Tournament hotel costs for your head coach

Estimate Example of Team Fees for a Competitive Team with Roster Size of 10

Fall Ball

Team Snap

Indoor

Facility Membership

Indoor Session 1

Nov – Dec

Indoor Session 2

Jan – Feb

Indoor Session 3

Mar – April

Tournament

Capital Region

Minimum Total Estimate

Team Fee

$530

$100

$995

$650

Player Cost

$53

$10

$25

$99.50

$65

$451.50

Estimate Example of Team Fees for a Select Team with Roster Size of 10

Fall Ball

Team Snap

Indoor

Facility

Fee

Indoor 1

Nov – Dec

Indoor 2

Jan – Feb

Indoor 3

Mar – April

Tourney

Capital Region

X 3

Away Tour.

X 2

Hotel Cost

X 4 nights

Coach Hotel Cost

X 4 nights

Min. Total Est.

Team Fee

$530

$100

$995

$650

$1095

$189/

night

Player Cost

$53

$10

$25

$99.50

$99.5

$195

$210

$756+

$75.60+ taxes

$1622+

All team sports at the club/travel level require significant expense to participate in competition. The two tables above provide estimates of Team Fees for imaginary SWSC teams at the competitive and select level based on last year’s prices. Your team may have higher or lower team fees depending upon the competition events your coach selects for your team. Please ask your coach which indoor sessions and tournaments they favor. These fees are in addition to the Club Fees and are due to your team manager before session and tournament registration deadlines. Spring CDYSL or EDP fees are included in Club Fees. Please note: your team manager is not responsible for fronting your team fees. Failure to pay team fees by the deadline may result in the exclusion of your child from the session or tournament, as well as increased costs for each player. Please take these extra costs into consideration when committing to your team.

Q | How are teams formed and players selected for each team?

For U10 and older teams, the Director of Coaching works with coaches to form teams based on the players’ individual ability levels. These teams are tiered, based on the competitiveness of each team. All team placement decisions are at the sole and absolute discretion of the Saratoga-Wilton Soccer Club coaching staff and are made for the development of the player and the benefit of the team. Placements are based on standard metrics and coaching instinct based on decades of playing, training, and coaching experience. Players are not guaranteed placement on any team, or position on the field, based on the previous year’s team placement and field position. Talent and positional needs vary from team to team and year to year. Expect highly competitive team placements. There will be disappointment for some children. Encourage your child to embrace their team placement as a growth and mentoring opportunity.

Boys and Girls Competitive: Our competitive teams are designed for players who are building technical skills and confidence on the field, or who enjoy soccer as a team sport without a large extra cost, time, and travel commitment. These teams provide players equal playing time as much as possible to develop the skills of each player on the team for growth into a select or premier player. There are suggested minimum attendance requirements necessary to build player skills and teamwork. Players at this level may play Full Year, Fall Only, Training Only, Winter Only, or Spring Only. Please notify your coach and team manager of your seasonal commitment if not committing to Full Year. Our competitive teams compete in CDYSL Fall Ball (U8-U12), local winter indoor competition, CDYSL spring matches, and compete in our May Day Classic Tournament. An away tournament may be arranged at the coach’s discretion. Travel, extra team-based costs, and individual costs are kept to a minimum, but extra costs can be at least $500 for U10+.

Boys and Girls Select: Our select teams are built for players with elevated levels of soccer awareness and skill, who are seeking competition that pushes them for maximum growth. These teams have attendance minimums, and playing time may be based on skill, attitude, attendance, and the team’s needs as determined by the head coach. Although we strive to provide quality-playing time for all players, there are no guarantees of playing time at this level. Select teams compete in local and regional tournaments including our May Day Classic Tournament, as well as in CDYSL and/or EDP competition. Practice and game/tournament attendance is expected/required and players are expected to play Full Year. Players should expect to play at tournaments that may be scheduled during holiday weekends or school breaks. Travel, extra team-based fees, and individual costs can be at 3-4x higher than for a competitive team. Player evaluations will be given.

Q | How many teams will the SWSC have in my son’s or daughter’s age group?

The number of teams formed in an age group depends on the number of players who try out and their ability levels. SWSC generally forms 2 teams per age group, per gender, at the U8-U18 age groups. These teams are tiered, according to ability, as an ’Select’ team and a ’Competitive’ team. In recent years, we've developed the skill and talent to field two Select teams at some age groups.

Q | Where and Who do SWSC teams play?

Indoor Soccer Season
Teams play 2 – 3 indoor sessions at The Sportsplex of Halfmoon or AFRIM's in Latham between November – March.

Outdoor League Play
Teams play outdoors in the Capital District Youth Soccer League (CDYSL) from late April through the end of June with games on weekends and during the week depending on the age level. Most travel is generally in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Warren Counties. Some common opponents include Clifton Park, Ballston Spa, Guilderland, Colonie, Latham, Bethlehem, NY Elite, GPS, and Alleycats.

Local and Regional Tournaments
Depending on the team age groups, some teams play 3-4 indoor and 3-4 outdoor tournaments during the season (these may require travel outside of the Capital Region (1.5 – 2 hours driving time).

Q | When and where do travel teams practice?

The Travel program begins November and ends in June. Travel teams generally practice one-two times a week during the season for 1½ hours per practice. Our teams practice outdoors at Gavin Park and Chaz Dake fields on Daniels Road. During the indoor season, our teams typically practice at the Charbonneau Recreation Center in Malta and school gyms.