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Traveling youth soccer provides children the opportunity to
develop a higher level of play and to compete against
players from around southern New Jersey. Hamilton
United is a member of the South Jersey Soccer
League (boys travel soccer) and the South Jersey Girls
Soccer League (girls travel soccer). Although traveling
youth soccer is significantly more competitive than
recreation league play, the foremost goal continues to be
for the children to enjoy themselves and have fun!!!
The travel soccer year begins on August 1 of the year of
play and ends the following year on July 31. There are two
travel soccer seasons, Fall Season and Spring Season.
League play for the Fall Season begins in early September
and ends in late November. League play for the Spring
Season begins in March and ends in late May. Children
participating in travel soccer are expected to play both
seasons because, by league rules, teams are strictly limited
in their ability during the soccer year to replace players.
Participating in travel soccer does not, however, limit a
child’s ability to play other sports as well — many travel
soccer players also participate in organized youth baseball,
softball, field hockey, street hockey, swimming and many
other sports and activities.
In each season (Fall and Spring), 10 games are played (5 at
home and 5 away). Home games are played at the Hamilton
Township soccer fields located on Hickory Street in Hamilton
Township. Away games are played in neighboring southern New
Jersey communities with a maximum drive time of
approximately one hour. Generally speaking, girls play on
Saturday afternoons and boys play on Sunday afternoons.
During each season, teams practice one or two evenings per
week for about an hour.
It is
very important for all players to attend practice. Practice
is the place where the children improve their soccer
skills. Also, soccer is a team sport and requires
all of the children to work together. If a child
continually misses practice, the child’s skill level will
probably not match the other team members, the child will
not be getting the full benefits of the program, and the
team’s play will suffer as well.
Travel soccer teams are organized by age groupings, for
example, U-8 (under 8 years old as of August 1 of the year
of play), U-9 (under 9 years old), U-10 (under 10 years old)
and so on. Only children who are at least 7 years old
as of July 31 of the year of play are travel soccer
eligible. For example, a child who will be 7 years old
as of July 31, is eligible to play on a U-8 travel team
for the August 1, – July 31 of the following. A
child who is 8 years old as of July 31, 2007 is eligible to
play on a U-9 travel team. Age brackets are set by
State rules, are strictly enforced, and Hamilton United has no
ability whatsoever to waive or modify the age brackets.
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