Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Hillwood Soccer Club (HSC)?

The Hillwood Soccer Club is a non-profit, volunteer-run club which organizes soccer practices and games for children aged 5 through 18. It is one of 13 clubs affiliated with Seattle Youth Soccer Association. SYSA is affiliated with Washington State Youth Soccer Association. Our club boundaries are the western half of the city of Shoreline, WA and we do allow players from the greater area of Shoreline, north Seattle, & Edmonds to play.

Club Mission:

Hillwood Soccer Club is dedicated to providing a safe and positive experience where children can learn the game of soccer, sportsmanship, and teamwork. A child’s self-esteem, enjoyment, and knowledge of the game is more important than winning at the recreational level. Teams are usually formed on a neighborhood basis: with children who attend the same school or live in the same neighborhood. When possible this concept is continued as more players are added to a team. Boys and girls play on separate teams.

Who can play?

Children who are at least 5 years old and no more than 18 on July 31st are eligible to play.

How is registration done?

All registration is done online. Registration begins in May, so it can be completed before school is out for returning players, and runs through the middle of August for new players. Scholarships are available based on need; no child will be turned away due to inability to pay. New players will need to mail in a photocopy of their birth certificate. The HSC registrar will add new players to team rosters until all teams are full. Your assigned team manger will contact you to prepare for the start of the season. The Registrars will only contact you if there is a problem with your registration, or if you’ve been placed on the “Wait List”. Returning players who wish to switch teams (see below) should indicate their intentions in the comment area on the forms.

What is the registration fee for?

The registration fee goes to cover direct expenses: Jerseys for the Micro and Mod players, field rental, referee costs, SYSA dues, coaches training, equipment such as balls, nets, videos, both online and in-class training, player and club liability insurance, and administrative such as forms, copying, postage, web access, & storage unit rental.

Can my child be assigned to a team with his or her friends?

That depends. First, the friends have to be the same age; remember that teams are formed by the player’s age on July 31st. Second, there has to be room on the team. We limit team sizes in order to give all players a chance to play. Returning players have priority. If your child would like to be assigned to a particular team or to play with a friend, please indicate that on the registration form, and we’ll make every effort to work that out. Where possible, new teams are generally formed by looking at the home addresses and/or schools of the available players.

What about try-outs?

HSC does not have try-outs for recreational team assignments. Everyone who registers can play, assuming we have enough volunteer coaches. Seattle United is the combined Select program for the Seattle Youth Soccer Association. http://www.seattleunited.com/

Will my child be on the same team every year?

In general players are reassigned to the same teams each year. Exceptions would be: 1) If the player requests a change; 2) If the player is playing up a year and requests playing in their own age group; 3) If there are not enough players on the team and it is folded and either merged with another team or players are placed on other teams in the age group; 4) If the coach leaves without replacement the team may be divided among other teams.

How are the age limits figured?

Players’ ages are figured as of July 31st. A child who turns 12 on July 31st is considered a 12-year-old for that fall season, while one who turns 12 on August 1 is considered an 11-year-old because she is still 11 on July 31st. Players can request to play on teams of older players (“playing up”).

What are “Micro” and “Mod” soccer?

Teams U12 and younger are held to modified rules of soccer. “Mod” soccer usually applies to age groups U9 though U12 as these teams start to integrate with the city-wide league through SYSA. U8 and younger play in an in-house league and are usually referred to as “Micros.”

When is the soccer season?

Teams generally start to practice in August, based on the coach’s preference. Games start the weekend after Labor Day. Mod and Micro teams play an eight game season through October. U11 and above teams finish their season by playing in the City Tournament in December which ends before Christmas.

Game schedules for U10 and older teams are posted on the SYSA website. http://www.sysa.org/Schedules

Game schedules for U9 and younger are available through your team.

How can I help the team?

It is the work of volunteers that makes soccer available to our children. VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! Teams need coaches, especially the younger teams. You do not have to know anything about soccer to coach a Micro team, and many Club resources are available to help you get started. Each team also needs a manager and/or parent coordinator to do things like make phone calls, sign up parents to bring after-game treats, and arrange the team’s end-of-the-year event. Each team must also provide the name of a club volunteer and U9 and above teams must provide at least one name of a licensed referee to the SYSA referee pool. Families should plan to commit at least 2 hours of help during the season. Encourage your child to practice soccer whenever possible. Passing and dribbling alone or in small groups helps learn ball control skills and builds confidence needed during games.

How can I help Hillwood Soccer Club?

There are 15 to 20 volunteer roles that operate the whole soccer club – president, vice president, treasurer, registrars, coach’s and manager’s reps, SYSA reps, league and equipment coordinators, etc. There are still positions to be filled this year, and there will be positions to be filled at the end of this year. Many of these positions do not require knowledge of soccer or even much knowledge of Hillwood Soccer Club. They just need some time and organization. Please call for a list of roles and their duties and time commitments. We need your help.

Equipment

All players must supply their own and wear shin guards to protect their legs. Since we play on grass fields, it really helps to have a pair of soccer shoes with the appropriate kind of “soccer” cleats. These items can be found at reasonable prices at local sporting good stores or thrift stores. It also helps for each player to have an appropriate sized soccer ball, (U6-8 #3, U9-12 #4, U13+ #5), to bring to practice and to use at home. At the Micro/Mod level, a jersey is supplied as part of the registration. At U10 and higher levels, players buy a jersey from Hillwood Soccer Club to keep year after year. Full field teams require uniform shorts and socks as well. Typical uniform cost is about 25 to 50 dollars. Contact your team manager for specific prices on team uniforms.

Team Formation: Full guideline

• We will strictly adhere to policies of USYSA, rules of SYSA and HSC regulations.
• Returning players will stay on their existing teams unless it is necessary for the club to transfer players to satisfy our mission of providing an opportunity for all players to have a team.
• New players do not select their team.
• Coaches do not select players for their team except that a head coach and one assistant may choose to coach together and have their own kids on the team.
• Players registering before the deadline have priority for placement on a full team over late registrants even if the former is a new player and the latter is a returning player. HSC Regulation 1.5 will be followed.
• In forming new teams (e.g. U10) or merging teams (e.g. 3 U10 -> 2 U11) talent will be distributed evenly if an accurate assessment of talent is available from impartial observers otherwise players will be randomly allocated.
• Disputes will be resolved by the Registrar, President and Commissioner.

May I wear jewelry?

Jewelry of any kind is not allowed. (SYSA Competition Rule 2.8) If your player plans to have something pierced, please do not do it during the soccer season. Plan ahead and make sure they are able to remove the jewelry before the start of the Fall soccer season.

DOGS? Not Allowed, Sorry…

City and School District rules prohibit dogs at or on the fields at any time when soccer games or practices are held. Please just leave the happy puppies at home.