Waltham Youth Soccer is an organization for children ages 5 – 19 designed to promote the sport of soccer in a healthy, challenging, and fun filled environment.
Our program consists of three groups aiming at every level of soccer development.
U6 Coed Program:
Designed for our very youngest players ages 5 – 6 who are just beginning their soccer experience.
In- Town Program:
Designed for players ages 6 – 10 who may have some soccer experience or none at all. This program plays only in Waltham and does not travel to any towns in the Middlesex League.
Travel Program:
Designed for players ages 8 – 19 who wish to compete in the game of soccer in a challenging environment. These teams will play games in Waltham and cities and towns through out the Middlesex League.
Field Locations
WYS utilizes fields around the city for games and practices. The location of these fields may vary from season to season depending on field conditions and availability. These fields are in parks that are usually shared with other youth organizations. WYS utilizes three types of fields.
- Large fields for 11 v 11 games and practices.
- Medium size fields for 8 v 8 games and practices.
- Small fields for 6 v 6 games and practices.
Veterans Fields Complex:
These fields are located on Forest Street and where the majority of WYS games and practices are held. These fields are artificial turf so the ball moves a little faster and rain does not cause any problems. There are large, medium, and small fields in this complex. WYS maintains a bulletin board, a small office, and a Concession Stand at this location. Specific guidelines are in place for what food and drinks are allowed on the turf area. These guidelines are located at the Concession Stand.
Falzone Field:
This is a small size grass field located on Trapelo Road across from Our Ladys Church. There is a field shack on location used for equipment storage, and an upstairs room where the WYS Board Of Directors meet monthly.
Graverson Field:
This is a small size grass field located on the corner of Trapelo Road and Pinevale Road. This field is shared with Waltham Youth Baseball in the Spring.
Registration
Registration takes place twice a year. Registration for U8 – U14 typically takes place in the preceding April – May for the “Fall Season” and September – October for the “Spring Season”. (September – October only for the U16 – U19 Teams) This is done early due to deadlines placed on Travel Teams and state registration. Registration for U6 Coed Program usually takes place through out the course of the previous soccer season. Registration notices are posted on the WYS website, put out through out the schools in Waltham, and listed in the local newspaper. Registration can either be done on-line or by mail in registration.
Player Evaluations
Every player who wishes to participate in the Travel Program must be evaluated. Player evaluations are held in the Spring for the following Fall and Spring soccer seasons. WYS will notify the league as to the dates the evaluations will be held. This process usually takes 4 days to complete as it is broken down by age groups and boys and girls. An outside organization (like Massachusetts Premier Soccer League) is hired to perform the player evaluations. All travel team coach’s are also given a written player evaluation sheet to fill out on each of their players and return to WYS. The results of both evaluations are taken into consideration by the WYS Coaching Committee selected coach’s to choose their team players for the following Fall and Spring Seasons.
Uniforms
Waltham Youth Soccer provides a uniform in the Fall Season to every player registered. (U16 – U19 Team Players only, receive their uniforms in the Spring)
This uniform consists of:
- A game jersey
- Shorts
- Socks
(U6 Coed, U8, & U10 In-Town Programs receive only a jersey)
All players are required to provide their own cleats and shin guards.
Additional items such as Goal Keepers Gloves, Jerseys, Pants, and other specialty equipment can be purchased locally along with Jackets, Sweat Pants, Sweat Shirts, etc….at Tricon Sports on Waltham Street in Lexington. Their phone number is 1-(781)-861-8921. Items can also be purchased at a variety of on line stores as well.
Parents
All parents are encouraged to help support Waltham Youth Soccer. Without YOUR help, this league would not run and our children would not be playing this wonderful sport.
Aside from cheering for the teams that your sons or daughters play on, WYS has many ways in which you can help out. Here are some of the ways in which you can support WYS.
Concession Stand
The Concession Stand is in need of volunteers to help keep it going. We all want our players to have water or Gatorade during their games and something to eat after they finish playing. This service will disappear if you don’t help out. All coaches are asked to speak with their players parents about donating a couple of hours during the season to work in the Concession Stand. If this happens, we will never be without help. Please visit the concession stand on game day, see your son or daughters coach, or contact a WYS Board Member by e-mail or the WYS Hotline at 1-(781)-647-0388 to give us your availability.
Team Parent Manager
All of our teams should have a Team Parent Manager to assist the coach. The Parent Manager is a great help to the coach in a multitude of ways. Some of these are as follows:
Younger teams need someone to help keep them focused during a game when they are on the bench waiting to substitute into the game. Many teams have a fruit list of who is bringing fruit on what week. This list needs to be created and managed throughout the season. Older teams (i.e. U14 Travel Teams) have 17 – 18 players on their roster. That’s a lot of phone calls for a coach to make in a very short time if their game is cancelled last minute on a Saturday morning due to inclement weather. He or she will never reach everyone in time before they head out to the game location if they have to make all these calls alone.
Please speak with your team’s coach if you would like to help out by being a Team Parent Manager.
Board Of Directors
Waltham Youth Soccer, like every other youth sport, has a Board Of Directors. The Board has a number of positions with a variety of duties that follow. The Board meets once a month, usually at the Falzone Field House, to conduct the business that shall regularly come before it. The WYS board manages all aspects of the soccer program. From the President of the league, to the Fields Management, to the Uniforms that our children wear on game day. All of this is determined by our dedicated and completely volunteer staff. WYS is always looking for people to step up and help us run the league and make a difference for our youth. Without dedicated people on the board who want to see the best possible youth soccer program for our children in the state of Massachusetts, we will shut down.
Please click on the Contact Us dropdown to contact a board member and volunteer.
Coaching
Coaching is one of the most rewarding duties in Waltham Youth Soccer. When you see a player that you have been working with on a single skill for some time, one day “get it” and they light up like a beacon in the night, it can bring chills of excitement to you! That’s when you realize that you DID make a difference in someone’s life. Teaching the sport of soccer to the youngest or oldest players in the league is a challenge, but does not go without recognition. It takes time, patience, training, and sometimes a little luck. Part of our goal is to provide good memories for our youth so that some day when they have families, and think back on their experience with WYS, they will sign their sons and daughters up to learn the sport that they love and watch them enjoy the experience that they had years before.
If you are interested in coaching, please e-mail the Coaching Development Coordinator on the Contact Us page.
Any questions and/or concerns you may have can be directed to the Waltham Youth Soccer Board Of Directors or leave a message on the WYS Hotline. 1-(781)-647-0388
