About LTYA Soccer
LTYA Soccer is a recreational youth sports league that emphasizes participation over competition, and education over performance. We strive to ensure that all participants, regardless of skill level, have the opportunity to play and we expect managers, coaches, and parents to maintain a safe, positive, and nourishing environment.
Our soccer program's home site is the Field of Dreams in Bee Cave, Tx. We serve the Lakeway, Bee Cave, Spicewood and surrounding area but accept players from any community regardless of residence.
Our soccer program was organized in 1985 and falls under the charter of the Capitol Area Youth Soccer Association (CAYSA).
Our soccer program offers every child in Kindergarten through the 12th grade the opportunity to participate regardless of ability, disability, skill level, talent or financial need.
If you wish to learn more about LTYA Soccer or understand how you can help, please contact any member of our Soccer Board and/or Soccer Commissioners.
FAQ
General
| Q. |
What if my child has never played before? Will he/she be at a disadvantage? |
| A. |
We are a recreational league open to all who want to participate, regardless of experience or skill level. In the younger grades we have many kids playing for the first time. If they work hard at practice and on their own, they should feel right at home with the other players. In the older grades, your child may feel a little out of place at first, but our coaches will help him/her learn the game and will try to put them in positions to succeed. The most important thing you can do, as parents, is to be positive and encourage your child to practice their skills each day at home. |
| Q. |
Can my child "play up" in a grade above his/hers? |
| A. |
These requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, there must be agreement by the league commissioner, the grade coordinators of both affected grades, and the parents of the child. If you feel that your child should play up for some reason, you must contact the league commissioner before the first draft occurs (which will start during the week of October 15 this year). |
| Q. |
Why is LTYA sponsoring Competitive teams? Shouldn't all the kids be playing together at this age? |
| A. |
The sponsorship of Competitive teams was created in response to two primary factors. First, independent parents were already forming their own non-LTYA teams and taking them to tournaments. However, these parents struggled to get practice facilities and find experienced parents to coach the teams. Having LTYA sponsor these teams allowed us to secure practice space, provide insurance for the players, and to provide an experienced, paid coach for these teams. Second, many parents had a desire to have their children play at a higher level in preparation for 9th grade Soccer teams. As the only youth sports organization in the Lake Travis area, we saw this as an opportunity to help the advancement of youth Soccer in our community. |
Registration
| Q. |
What if my league shows "full" or "waitlisted"? |
| A. |
Soccer registration spots are usually in high demand. Program capacity is limited by available field space, as a result, it's common for our grades to fill to capacity. If that happens, we will still accept registrations through the end of our registration period. However, those registrations are put on a wait-list, pending a cancellation by another player. Occasionally, we will make additional teams if a grade has high demand. Players are called off of the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| Q. |
How do I sign up to be a coach of my child's team? |
| A. |
All of our recreational teams are coached by volunteer parents. Coaches can make or break the kids' experience. We try to select the best possible coaches from those who have a desire to coach. We usually have a high number of returning coaches who we select to coach again. However, each year, we select a few new coaches to fill vacant positions. Preferably, we seek coaches who have experience coaching youth sports or those who come recommended from fellow coaches and LTYA board members. If you desire to be a coach, indicate your preference during the registration process. If we have a vacancy, we will contact you during the week following registration. If you are not selected as a head coach, most coaches would love to have extra assistants to help with their teams. |
| Q. |
What if I want to volunteer for more than one position? |
| A. |
Parents may volunteer for more than one position. It is common for parents to volunteer in more than one age group if they have more than one child participating in the league. We would prefer that age group coordinators NOT coach in the age group which they are managing, and even encourage coordinators to manage an age group without their child(ren). |
| Q. |
Can I request for my child to be on the team of a particular player or coach? |
| A. |
The only players automatically placed on a team are the child(ren) of the head coach. |
| Q. |
Will my child be on the same team he/she was on last year? |
| A. |
Generally, the answer is "no." During registration, we ask parents if they would like their child to be on the same team as last year. Parents are able to request that their child not be on the same team, but experience a different coach and team. We will honor these requests to try a different team. |
| Q. |
How do I register my child for a Competitive team? |
| A. |
LTYA Soccer sponsors Competitive teams at the U9 and above levels. If you are interested in having your child try out for a Competitive Team, you must first register him/her for their age division in the Recreational League. If your child is selected to participate on the Competitive team, your Recreational dues will be credited towards your Competitive Team registration. Additional information on the Competitive program can be found on the Select Soccer page. |
| Q. |
What is the registration fee used for? |
| A. |
The biggest expense for Soccer is the fee we pay to maintain the fields. In addition to facilities, the registration fees pay for uniforms, referees for each game (most divisions), insurance, maintenance items, equipment, and end-of-season trophies. |
| Q. |
We changed our minds. Can we get a refund of our registration fees? |
| A. |
Please refer to our Refund Policy. |
| Q. |
I don't live in the Lake Travis Independent School District. Can I still register my child? |
| A. |
Yes! We welcome children from all areas of Austin. While you may have to drive further to bring your child to practices and games, we think we have one of the best youth Soccer leagues around. We would be happy to have you participate in our league. |
Practices
| Q. |
Where are practices held? |
| A. |
Depending on the age group, some practices will be held at the Lake Travis ISD Elementary School facilities and others at the Field of Dreams. |
| Q. |
How many practices are there each week? |
| A. |
Generally, each team will have one weeknight practice per week. Occasionally, a conflict from the school causes a practice to be cancelled. It is the responsibility of the coach to find an open time to reschedule the practice, if he/she desires. Practices are not held during any school holidays. |
| Q. |
How long are practices? |
| A. |
Practice for one hour during the week. |
| Q. |
What should my child bring to practice? |
| A. |
Ultimately, this is up to the coach of each team. However, as a general rule, players should come dressed in Soccer clothes. Each player should bring their own soccer ball (which is the correct size for the grade he or she is in). Extra items such as backpacks, electronics, watches, and coats should be left at home, if possible. These items tend to get left behind after practice. |
| Q. |
What if my child can only practice on a certain night? |
| A. |
This is a difficult issue. We are extremely limited on facility space and, as a result, not able to be overly flexible with practice times. We present player conflicts to the coaches and try to accommodate the requests. However, sometimes it is just not possible. If we cannot accommodate the request, we will be forced to refund your money (subject to LTYA refund policy) and remove your child from the league. Anything you can do to free up more practice availability for your child is appreciated. |
Games
| Q. |
Where are games played? |
| A. |
Depending on the age group, some games will be held at the Lake Travis ISD Elementary School facilities and others at the Field of Dreams. |
| Q. |
How many games are there each week? |
| A. |
Teams will play one game per week. Except for the possible exception of tournament games, games will be played on Friday Evenings, Saturdays or Sunday afternoons. Occasionally, a team may have a "BYE" and not play a game that weekend. |
| Q. |
How long are games? |
| A. |
Games typically shouldn't last more than anhour forall age groups U5 thru U10. U11/12 last around an hour and fifteen minutes. U13/4 and U15/16 last about an hour and a half. |
| Q. |
What should my child bring to games? |
| A. |
Players need to come to games dressed in their game jerseys, shorts, socks and shin guards. Players generally do not need to bring their own soccer balls to games. Extra items such as backpacks, electronics, watches, and coats should be left at home, if possible. These items tend to get left behind after games. |
| Q. |
Will we play over the holidays? |
| A. |
No. Anytime the school district closes the schools for holidays, the LTISD Elementary School facilities are not available for use. |