SKILLS ASSESSMENT

Skills Assessment is used to help us try to create evenly balanced teams.   It’s more fun for players when teams are of, or close to, equal ability.  Prior to each season, new (and some returning) participants in the Under 7, Under 8, Under 10, Under 12 and Under 14 age groups must participate in a 15-minute mandatory Skills Assessment in order to complete registration.  The mandatory skills assessment will be held on a Saturday morning usually a week or two after the Final Registration date.  The Skills Assessment date will be published on the Registration page and calendar.  Due to the short timeline to build the teams, there are no make-up dates.  

There is no skills assessment for the U5 and U6 participants.  Age and gender are taken into consideration during team building as well as parents’ and coaches’ skills assessment.

While creating evenly balanced teams is not an exact science, our goal is to try to create a more enjoyable experience for the participants.  

Mandatory Skills Assessment:  
In order to complete registration and be placed on a team, skills assessment is mandatory for:

  • All new U7, U8, U10, U12 and U14 participants.  
  • Returning participants who are advancing to the U7 age group.
  • Returning participants registering for the U7-U14 age groups who missed a season (i.e. did not participate last season).
  • Returning U7-U14 participants who did not participate in games when the skills assessment was performed last season. (Skills assessment is performed at the end of the season during games–the date is not communicated to coaches or parents.).
  • All children requesting to play up to any U7-U14 age groups.

The Skills Assessment date for the upcoming season will be published on the Registration page.  Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information.

AGE DIVISION CHART

Skills Assessment Sessions:  
You may sign up for a Skills Assessment session during any Registration opportunity.  Sessions are conducted by age group so the session times will vary based on your child’s age group.  Skills Assessment is conducted on a Saturday morning usually a week or two after the Final Registration date.  WSA has a tight schedule to organize the league and there is no make-up date for children who are unable to participate on the designated Skills Assessment date for the season.  The team building process begins immediately following the completion of skills assessment.  WSA cannot conduct Skills Assessment for one individual and there must be a minimum of six children per session. 

At registration, you will be required to print your child’s name and your phone number on a signup sheet at the Skills Assessment station.  You will be given a Registration Handout which contains details and a space provided for you to write the skills assessment date and time to serve as a reminder of your child(ren)’s session time(s).  If you misplace the Handout, you may verify your child’s session time via the Skills Assessment Schedule link which will become active the Friday prior to skills assessment. 

On Skills Assessment day, PARTICIPANTS MUST ARRIVE AT THE CHECK IN DESK 10 MINUTES PRIOR to the scheduled skills assessment time where an equipment and safety check will be performed before a pinney can be issued and a warm up will begin.    

SKILLS ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE

The above link will become active when the skills assessment list is published (usually by noon Friday prior to Skills Assessment).

MANDATORY EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SKILLS ASSESSMENT:  

Skills assessment sessions are only 15 minutes.  Participants must arrive at the check-in desk 10 minutes prior to the session START time WEARING the following:

  1. EVERY youth soccer player is REQUIRED to wear shin guards for leg protection from accidental kicks. You can purchase shin guards in the sports department of most local major retail department stores.  Shin guards must be: 

    ·         Covered entirely by the player’s socks.  
    ·         Made of a suitable material (rubber, plastic, or similar substances).
    ·         Worn to provide a reasonable degree of protection.

  2. Outdoor soccer cleats are mandatory.  The studs on the bottom of the cleats help players make quick twists and turns and provide traction, especially during wet conditions.  Children canNOT wear football, baseball cleats or any other style of shoe where the cleats protrude out from the sides or front. 

  3. No watches, necklaces, sunglasses, earrings or other jewelry, including fitness trackers, shall be worn during soccer activities.  Hard casts are not allowed.  

  4. Participants should bring water and their own ball to warm up 10 minutes prior to the session start time.  
    U7 and U8 participants–size 3 ball
    U10 & U12 participants–size 4 ball
    U14 participants–size 5 ball

Participants who do not arrive at the check-in desk 10 minutes prior to the session time wearing the mandatory safety equipment will not be permitted to participate.   No exceptions!  

The above safety requirements are mandates from the Florida Youth Soccer Association and US Youth Soccer.