If you do not have web access and need to register by mail, send a self addressed, stamped envelope to:
NGS Registrar, P.O. Box 610333, Newton, MA 02461 and request a paper form. Use of web registration is strongly encouraged.
If you still have questions after reading the explanations below, send email to: NGS registrar

Contents

1. 1 Programs
2. 2 Intramural Program
3. 3 Travel Program
4. 4 The Academy Program
5. 5 Grade 1
6. 6 Grades 2-3 intramural and Under 9 (U9) Travel Program
7. 7 Grade 4 Intramural and Under 10 (U10) Travel Program
8. 8 Grade 5-6 Intramural and Under 12 (U12) Travel ProgramU11 and U12 travel and Intramural teams play an 8-aside format.
9. 9 High School Program Travel (Click here for additional information about the High School programs)
10. 10 High School Program Intramural (Discontinued in favor of the BAYS Fall High School league.)
11. 11 Assessments
12. 12 Travel Team "Callbacks"
13. 13 Travel Team Player Selection Process
14. 14 Travel Team Notification
15. 15 Tournaments
    1. 15.1 MTOC
16. 16 Coach Selection Process
17. 17 Financial Assistance
18. 18 Contacting NGS 

Programs

We have over 1200 girls and 250 coaches participating in our programs. Newton Girls Soccer provides both Intramural and Travel programs. Players of the appropriate age may choose which program they wish to participate in.

 

Intramural Program

The IM program is offered to grades K through 12 in the Fall, and grades K through 9 Spring.

This program includes approximately ten games played in Newton. Girls are assigned to teams consisting of players with a wide range of skills in order to create balanced teams. When possible, at least two girls from each school are placed on a team. Intramural teams in grades 2 through 9 generally practice once per week. Note that in the intramural program girls must play with their school grade in grades one through four. Grades 5 & 6 are combined, as are grades 7 & 8.

In the Fall, there is a High School IM program on Sundays that does not require any weekday practices. 

Travel Program

The Travel program provides a more competitive alternative (for teams playing at higher levels), and placement on these teams is determined by each player's skill level. There is no "tryout" to make a team -- everyone gets on a team. Girls are placed on teams that range from division 1 (highly skilled, highly competitive) to division 4 (less skilled, more recreational). The primary determination for placement is the evaluation prepared by each girl's prior NGS coach, and secondarily by a girl's performance in assessment sessions held the prior Spring of each Fall season. (In the event that a girl is unable to attend an assessment session, placement will be based solely on the players last coach evaluation, and/or whatever other data is available to the travel committee. There are no "make up" assessment sessions.)

No matter what the divisional level, girls enjoy wearing the Newton travel uniform and representing NGS in spirited competition with teams from other communities. Travel teams play a ten game schedule with 5 home and 5 away games.  Games are typically Saturday mornings, but rescheduled games (due to, for example, rain outs) could be at other days and times.

Teams practice twice a week. Many teams attend tournaments, particularly on Memorial and Columbus Day weekends. Note that in the travel program girls must play within age groupings established by Mass Youth Soccer. Except for high schools, teams stay together for the fall and spring seasons. 

Playing in the travel program requires a commitment to attend two practices per week and all games, both home and away. If you and your daughter cannot make this commitment, please consider the lesser requirements of the intramural program. It is not fair to teammates and coaches to sign up for a team unless a player and her family can make the necessary commitment.

U10, U11, U12, and U14 teams are formed in the Fall and stay together through the Spring.  Registration for those age groups is for a Full year.  Sometimes there are spots available for newcomers in the Spring, but this is not guaranteed.

New for Fall 2011.  Read about it here: Academy Program.

Kindergarten Soccer

The Newton Girls Soccer Kindergarten soccer program provides a fun introduction to soccer for both players and parents. A professional soccer organization runs Saturday sessions that teach the basics of soccer and generally include a 3 v 3 scrimmage. There are no practices during the week. Players will be notified of their session time prior to the start of the season (in late August for the fall and late March for the Spring). Each session is 1 hour long. The sessions are led by professionals from Massachusetts Premier Soccer and are held on the same field used for the 1st grade program. Please see the online schedule for additional information on the location and timing for the spring and fall seasons.

Grade 1

Our first grade intramural program provides a fun introduction to soccer for both players and parents, which is similar to the Kindergarten program. A professional soccer organization runs Saturday sessions that teach the basics of soccer and generally include a 3 v 3 scrimmage. There are no practices during the week. Players will be notified of their session time (8:30AM, 10:00AM or 11:30AM) prior to the start of the season (in late August for the fall and late March for the Spring). Sessions are 1 hour and 15 minutes long. The sessions are led by professionals from Massachusetts Premier Soccer and will be held on the same field used for the Kindergarten program. Please see the online schedule for additional information on the location and timing for the spring and fall seasons.

 

Grades 2-3 intramural and Under 9 (U9) Travel Program

NGS also offers a Spring-only U9 travel program for 3rd graders.  Please see U9-travel for more information.

For fourth graders, NGS offers both a fourth grade intramural program and a U10 travel program (which is also available to some younger 5th graders born after July 31). These are both strong programs and parents are encouraged to select the program that works best for their child. Travel teams typically practice twice per week, and travel to at least five "away" games. Travel teams will often attend a full day, or even multi-day tournament on Columbus Day weekend (Fall season) or Memorial Day weekend (Spring season). Teams play competitively at the upper division levels and also at lower division levels. 

Grade 4 Intramural teams play on Saturdays, including a special soccer jamboree day. Teams practice once per week and play locally. The focus is on fun, recreational soccer. Travel teams are selected based on evaluation and tryout results. Intramural teams provide a better opportunity to be placed on a team with a friend or schoolmate. Both intramural and travel teams play 6-aside soccer. To supplement the coaching provided by parent volunteers, NGS offers a few sessions each season led by professionals from Massachusetts Premier SoccerAll girls who want to play on a Fall travel team may do so provided sufficient coaches and spots in the Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) league are available. Teams will stay together for the Fall and Spring, and players are expected to commit for the entire year. Teams play a ten game schedule that includes travel to five communities in the BAYS league. These communities range from those directly adjacent to Newton to communities approximately 45 minutes away. An annual tryout for these teams is held each Spring.

Girls are placed on travel teams on the basis of their tryout results and evaluation of their previous spring coaches. Girls interested in playing on a fall travel team (principally this year's third graders and younger fourth graders) must submit a registration form and should attend the tryout. Girls intending to play intramural soccer in the fall should not attend.

Girls who try out for fall travel teams will be notified of their team assignment in late June or early July.  Intramural players will be notified of their team assignment in late August (Fall season) and late March (Spring season).

Girls who did not play on a travel team in the fall and wish to play on a travel team in the spring should register for a spring travel team.  If an opening on a travel team is not available, players will be assigned to an intramural team.

Grade 5-6 Intramural and Under 12 (U12) Travel Program
U11 and U12 travel and Intramural teams play an 8-aside format.

Fifth and sixth graders have the option of playing in Grade 5-6 intramural program or playing in the U12 travel program. The Grade 5-6 intramural program is offered in both the fall and the spring. Any girl wishing to be on a travel team will be placed on a team if sufficient coaches are available. Younger 5th graders born after July 31 also have the option of playing in the U10 travel program (see above).

Grade 5-6 intramural teams play on Saturdays including a special soccer jamboree day. Teams practice once per week. The focus is on fun, recreational soccer. To supplement the coaching provided by parent volunteers, NGS offers a few sessions each season led by professionals from Massachusetts Premier Soccer.

The U12 travel program includes 5th and 6th graders. Most 5th grade girls are placed on U11 teams, but a few very strong U11 players might be placed on U12 teams with a mix of 5th and 6th graders. Teams typically practice twice per week.

The travel program offers teams from the highly competitive to recreational. U11 and U12 age Girls who wish to play in the travel program must submit a registration form and should attend the U12 assessments session to be held in the spring.

Grade 7-8 Intramural and Under 14 (U14) Travel Program
Seventh through eighth graders have the option of playing in the combined Grades 7-8 intramural program. Games are on Saturday afternoons with one practice per week. Girls are assigned to teams. 

Grade 7/8 intramural teams play on Saturdays, including a "mini" tournament. Teams practice once per week. The focus is on fun, recreational soccer. . To supplement the coaching provided by parent volunteers, NGS offers a few sessions each season led by professionals from Massachusetts Premier Soccer. 7/8 intramural teams usually play an 8 aside format.

The U14 travel program includes 7th and 8th graders and a few younger 9th graders. (There is no U13 travel program in BAYS anymore -- 7th graders play on U14 teams.) Teams typically practice twice per week. All teams play 11-aside soccer, and for most girls, this will be their first 11v11 soccer experience. It is strongly recommended that all girls attend an assessment session, which is held in the spring (schedule below)

High School Program Travel
(Click here for additional information about the High School programs)

In the Spring High School program, teams are selected to play 11-aside travel soccer within BAYS. Newton places teams at the U16 and U18 levels. Teams are placed in several divisions offering alternatives for both highly competitive and recreational players. Division 1 BAYS teams are made up of top varsity players from area high schools.  Teams typically practice once per week and additional training opportunities are available. 

High School Program Intramural (Discontinued in favor of the BAYS Fall High School league.)

Girls in the Fall High School program range from freshman and junior varsity high school players to girls who have traditionally enjoyed playing NGS recreational soccer. All teams in the high school program play 6-aside soccer on Sunday afternoons. Due to the busy schedules of high school athletes and the recreational nature of the program, there are no practices. Last year, we offered a league that included Newton, Needham and Brookline teams and played all games in Newton. Most high school freshmen enjoy playing with their high school friends rather than at the U14 level (if eligible), so it is recommended that younger freshmen (i.e., those born after July 31 and, therefore, eligible next fall to play either U14 or U16) carefully consider their selection of fall programs, and make an informed decision. Younger freshman who play in the U14 program in the fall must also do so in the spring.

Assessments

Assessments are only for Travel teams.

U10 through U14 assessment sessions are held each Spring, usually early to mid May, to place players for the following Fall and Spring seasons. The schedule is generally posted on the NGS calendar several weeks in advance. Assessments for the Spring U9 program are held in the Fall, and assessments for Spring High School teams are sometimes held in the Fall.

Travel players are placed on teams that range from division 1 (highly skilled, highly competitive) to division 4 (less skilled, more recreational). The primary determinant for which team a girl is placed on is the evaluation from her prior coach. The information gathered from the assessment session is secondary. We know that girls sometimes have a bad day, and an assessment result that is inconsistent with a girl's coach evaluation will be discounted in the selection process. There is no minimum bar that has to be met. All girls of the appropriate age who register for travel are placed on teams.

The assessment sessions for each age group is held on a single day. You may request a preferred Assessment Time when you register online. In the event that a girl is unable to attend an assessment session, placement will be based solely on the players last coach evaluation, and/or whatever other data is available to the travel committee. There are no "make up" assessment sessions.

Registered players will receive an email confirmation several days before the assessments sessions, including time and place of the assessment. In case of bad weather, check the NGS website, or call the fields hotline at to find out if assessments have been postponed.

Newton Girls Soccer goes to great lengths to ensure that every girl has the opportunity to try out for a team and to evaluate all players consistently. This process involves a degree of subjectivity, and because some girls inevitably are not placed on the team that they would like. The philosophy of NGS is that each girl deserves the chance to try out for and be placed on a team on an annual basis. Efforts are made to avoid "tracking" of girls and to recognize that a young girl's skills and motivations change over short periods of time.

Many years ago, assessments for the younger girls consisted of a set of skill stations. Recently, in keeping with a national trend, assessments have evolved into a series of small-sided soccer games. Each of these games is watched by a group of evaluators who are experienced soccer coaches or players and, when possible, are not directly connected or interested in the age group trying out. Also, the evaluators are not involved in selecting the actual teams within the age group, but are assigned to provide an impartial evaluation. These evaluations are coupled with the written evaluations of Spring coaches to be used during the player selection process. Coaches' evaluations from prior seasons are not used in this process, so that girls start each season with a "clean slate."

The age group coordinators organize the assessments in a way that will be fun and will lessen anxiety among the girls and their parents. Parents are asked to stay at a distance from the field and to refrain from cheering or making any comments. Any type of assessment involves some level of anxiety, and it is important to have the support of parents to keep things in perspective.

Travel Team "Callbacks"

Some age groups may have a "callback" tryout after the initial tryout date. Callbacks are a way of allowing coaches and coordinators to more closely observe a smaller group of players. Those girls about whom the coaches need more data are invited. An invitation to a callback does not necessarily mean that a player has made or not made a particular team.

Travel Team Player Selection Process

In June, after completion of the spring season, the NGS Travel Committee meets to select players for Fall/Spring travel teams. The first step is the selection of the coaches for the top one or two teams of each age group (see “Coach Selection Process”). Those top coaches then meet with an age group coordinator who is not involved in coaching in the age group, and an independent observer from the Committee, in order to select the players for the top one or two teams for that age group. The teams are formed in order, and having both coaches in attendance gives the group the maximum perspective on the player pool and the best chance at making the most appropriate placements. The role of the age group coordinator and independent observer is to assure that all placements are rational and proper given all the information available to the Committee on each player, to make sure that each girl is placed on a team appropriate to her skills.

As parents, the most important thing that you can do is to help to provide your daughter with a positive soccer experience. Support her if she chooses to try out for a team and support the team for which she is selected. Volunteer to coach or be the assistant coach or team manager. If you or your daughter is disappointed with the team selection, please know that these things tend to equalize over time. It is our goal, within the limits of our volunteer organization, to provide girls in Newton with the best soccer experience possible, whether they play travel or intramural on any one of our approximately 100 teams. Please contact the age group coordinator or travel chair (names available on the website) if you have questions or comments.

Travel Team Notification

Girls will be notified of their team selections during the summer. Coaches are asked to keep team selections confidential until all teams have been chosen. At that time, an email is sent to all girls notifying them of their team selection. The emails usually go out after the Newton public school schedule has concluded for the year. Spring high school team players will be notified of their assignment by their coaches in December or January.

Intramural and Travel Team Composition
One of the wonderful things about participating in Newton Girls Soccer is the opportunity to meet and play with girls from all over the city. Older girls who have played in the NGS program find that they know many girls throughout the city when they move to middle school and high school.

In the intramural program, every effort is made, whenever possible, to place at least two girls from the same school on each team. Requests for friends to play together are honored when possible. NGS specifically encourages teams composed of girls from different schools. NGS also believes that it is beneficial to expose girls to new and different coaching styles each season, and it does not serve girls well to request the same coach each season. Teams in the third grade and older are balanced as best as possible based on coaches’ evaluations from prior seasons.

Travel teams are not selected on the basis of keeping either friends or girls from the same school district on the same team. To do so would be unfair and inconsistent with the selection criteria. Unfortunately, requests to play with friends or neighbors cannot be accommodated.

If you are unhappy regarding your daughter's placement, or have any questions after she has received her placement, please call the grade/age group coordinator or the intramural/travel chairs for additional information.

Tournaments

Tournaments are an exciting part of the soccer experience. In the intramural program, we provide a tournament at the end of the season in grades three through six. These are "non results oriented" where the emphasis is on fun and everyone is a winner.

Travel teams typically play in tournaments on Columbus Day and Memorial Day, and occasionally on the weekends before or after the fall or spring seasons. This is determined on a team-by-team basis. No player is required to participate in a Columbus Day or Memorial Day tournament.

NGS sponsors the premier girls' soccer tournaments in New England over Columbus Day weekend. Many of the NGS teams in Divisions 1 and 2 participate in this tournament, and it is expected that all NGS teams invited to play will do so. For other teams, a variety of other tournaments are available, both locally and out of state. NGS believes each of these tournaments provides a very positive and enjoyable experience for the players, coaches and families.

MTOC

Travel teams playing in BAYS Division 1 or Division 2 (this is usually the first two teams in each age group) are eligible to qualify for MTOC -- the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions. This is essentially the state championship for town soccer teams, and is usually held the fourth weekend in June. In order to play in MTOC, a team must finish first (or sometimes second -- if a wildcard spot is available) in their BAYS section, and then win a series of playoff games against the winners of the other BAYS sections in their division. Newton teams have frequently participated in MTOC, and some years even won (our top U18 team won in 2006, and our top U12 team placed second that year). We hope that a girl placed on an MTOC eligible team would make every effort to ensure that she is available to attend MTOC in the event her team qualifies for the tournament.

Coach Selection Process

NGS encourages all parents to become involved in coaching, no matter what their soccer experience. Many opportunities are available to attend clinics, get helpful materials and obtain coaching licenses. Even the most experienced coaches in our system were coaching novices at one time, so don't be intimidated! We especially encourage women to get involved as role models for their daughters.

Parents who would like to volunteer to coach in the intramural program should so indicate on their daughter's registration form. These parents also must complete and return the Intramural Coaching Application form available on our website. No experience is required other than a desire to learn, a willingness to uphold the philosophy of the intramural program, and a commitment to creating a good experience for the players. Beginning Fall 2003, for the 2nd and 3rd grade levels, we will only accept coaches that have completed a minimum of 4-hours of MYSA training and obtained a least a “G” level license (equivalent training from other sources will be considered). In addition, coaches in the 4th through 9th grade should also have at least the "G" level coaching license. In the event that not enough coaching volunteers have completed this training, we will select coaches that commit to take the training during the first month of the season. Course schedules are posted on our website.

Those interested in coaching in the travel program starting in the Fall must complete the Travel Coaching Application form available on the website and return it no later than the mid-May of the preceding Spring (check the application forms on the coach page for the exact deadline). The travel committee of the NGS Board of Directors then meets to consider all coaching applications. The travel committee, which consists of approximately 15 members of the NGS Board, carefully considers each application to determine the level of training, experience, and effectiveness of each coach. Because of the level of interest in coaching, particularly for the higher level teams, there are often many more qualified candidates than there are positions available. This makes the travel committee's decisions difficult. The committee attempts to place coaches on a team that is generally consistent with the skill level of the coach's daughter. Consistent with this goal, coaches are not placed until tryout information is available. We often do not have a sufficient number of coaches for lower level teams, and may not be able to field teams if coaching volunteers are not available.

Financial Assistance

No girl is denied an opportunity to participate in Newton Girls Soccer due to financial need. Requests for fee waivers may be submitted by checking the appropriate box on the paper application form (those requesting a fee waiver should not use the online registration system), and sending an email or letter to the NGS President. All requests are confidential. Assistance is also available for travel uniform purchase, travel tournament costs, team fees, and for the Renegades/School of Excellence Program. In addition, NGS offers scholarships based on financial need to several summer soccer camps.

Contacting NGS 

There is a grade coordinator assigned to each intramural grade and an age group coordinator assigned to each travel age group. Because we are a large volunteer organization, we greatly appreciate your effort to try to direct your question to the appropriate person and to use e-mail if possible. Click here for NGS contact information.

(Archived Fall 2010 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2010Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2009 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2009 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2008 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2008 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2007 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2007 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2006 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2006 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2005 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2005 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2004 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2004 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2003 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2003 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2002 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2002 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Fall 2001 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)
(Archived Spring 2001 Travel & Intramural Program registration information)