Maldenyouth soccer
Travel
Fall & SPRING, Grade 3-8
The deadline for a guaranteed spot in spring travel soccer is January 1. Registration after January 1 will only be possible if there is space on an appropriate team for you.
Malden Youth Soccer participates in the Middlesex Youth Soccer League for kids between grade 3-8's grade to provide competitive soccer options in the fall and spring seasons. Teams play half of their games in Malden, and the other half in other towns within Middlesex County.
The travel seasons season consist of 9-10 games each, mostly played on Saturdays. Fall runs between late August through early November. Spring runs from late March through June or July depending on post-season championship activity.
Travel teams practice on Malden fields 2-3 times per week.
Age Groups
Travel players, from grade 3 thru 8.
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Grade 3/4: 7v7, small field, 50 minutes
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Grade 5/6: 9v9, medium field, 60 minutes
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Grade 7/8: 11v11, full-sized field, 70 minutes
Divisions
Teams are categorized based on Grade, Gender, and Skill-level. Middlesex supports 5 skill-level "Divisions" within each Grade/Gender cohort with D1 being the highest-level. Players are categorized based on tryout performance, playing history, and coach recommendations. Player or parent request is secondary to these other factors.
FAQ’s
What equipment do I need?
All players must have the following equipment for games and practices
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Properly fitting soccer shin guards - IMPORTANT
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Water bottle
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Proper shoes. When outdoors, soccer cleats are highly recommended, especially at travel ages. Cleats from other sports are not permitted.
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Every player should have their own correctly sized ball. Grades 3-6 need size 4. Grades 7 and up need a size 5.
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Players will be provided with uniforms: Jersey, socks, and shorts for use only on game days. Players will need to dress properly for the weather with layers that can be worn under the uniforms.
What flexibility is there to move between age groups?
The rules are somewhat complicated, but it is sometimes possible to switch between designated age/grade groups. In most cases, it is best for players to stay with their group, but exceptions are permitted on a case-by-case basis. It is rarely permitted to allow players to “play down” in a lower age group. Players may “play up” one grade level depending on birth date, and only upon league approval which would consider skill and athletic ability.
What if I am ahead or behind in my school grade?
For the most part, players will be assigned to a team with their correct grade. Rules for playing outside of your grade are not straight-forward, so if you feel a need to request this, please contact registrar@maldenyouthsoccer.org.
How far do travel teams travel?
Travel teams practice twice a week on Malden fields and play a mixture of home and away games on Saturdays. Teams travel throughout Middlesex county, with the furthest games being in towns such as Lowell, Westford, Chelmsford, and Tewksbury. Expect a maximum of 2 games in these distant locations. Most games will be in Malden and surrounding towns.
What if I’m not ready to travel?
All 3rd and 4th graders may play travel soccer, regardless of experience! There is an a division for anyone who puts some effort into playing. If transportation is a concern, there is almost always a car-pooling solution once you have been assigned to a team.
What is the level of competition in travel soccer?
Each gender/age group has 5 divisions of skill levels in the league. Division 1 is the highest skill & competition level. Division 5 is appropriate for new or developing players who are still working on basic skills, game awareness, or athleticism. We do our best to place players with similarly skilled players, but there are a lot of considerations and imperfections with placement.
How are players placed on teams?
Players are placed on teams by the administrators of Malden Youth Soccer using a combination of skill level evaluation in tryouts, coach evaluations, team history, and player request. It is not possible to satisfy all criteria for every player, but we try to embrace the diversity that emerges from the imperfect process.
Who are the coaches?
All teams are coached by volunteer coaches from within our community... mostly parents who just enjoy spending time working with their kids and young friends. Coaches are required to complete annual background checks and child safety training. We also encouraged and support coaches to participate in periodic coach training sessions conducted by MYSA and/or Mass Youth Soccer. To inquire about coaching, contact travel@maldenyouthsoccer.org.
How can I get my child placed on a higher-skilled team?
Players should discuss their desire to "move up" with their coach and/or the Malden age directors to determine what the options are and what is required or expected of the player. This will mainly be accommodated between seasons, and players will need to complete their season before switching teams.
What is the practice schedule?
The practice schedule is defined by the coach and is constrained to field availability. We try to get at least 2 1.5 hour practice sessions per team each weeknight. In general, younger teams (grade 3-6) get an earlier time slot (e.g. starting at 5:30 or 6:00). Older teams (grade 5-8) might get some later times (e.g. 7:30 start). The schedule will not be known until 2-3 weeks before the season starts. For the most part, players cannot switch teams due to practice schedule conflicts, however some accomodate might be possible.