What is the mission of the Wilson Junior Soccer Club?

The mission of Wilson Junior Soccer Club is to promote, foster, and perpetuate an interest in the game of soccer among the participants in the WJSC, developing the skills and values of good sportsmanship. To accomplish this mission, WJSC shall: (i) provide supervised and organized soccer activities for the participants in the WJSC, (ii) provide guidance and promote the health, social, athletic and character development of the participating youth, and (iii) instill a spirit of sportsmanship and fair play among all participants, coaches and players.

How is the club managed?

The Club is managed by an elected board of directors pursuant to the Bylaws of WJSC and board elections are held every December.  Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, the officers of the WJSC shall be elected by the Members as provided in these bylaws, and each officer shall hold office for a term of one year and until a successor is selected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal.

Who coaches the teams?

Coaches are selected by the Director of Coaching, Program Coordinators and by the WJSC board.  All coaches are volunteers. If you are interested in coaching, please be sure to indicate your interest during registration. WJSC, RBJSL, & EPYSA have various resources to help aspiring coaches.

What is the difference between "Recreational" and "Travel" teams?

Recreational teams are comprised of players born during and after 2015 and would be designated for the U6 and the U8 age groups.  These players participate in WJSC’s developmental program and play games against other WJSC players.

Travel teams are comprised of players who participate in the U9 and above age groups, born during 2014 and prior, and compete primarily in the Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League, or other regional leagues and designated tournaments.  

What teams will my child's team play?

For players in the U6 and U8 age groups, your child’s team will play against other WJSC players within the given age group.  

For players who are on “Travel Teams” (U9 and above), they will play against other teams from other youth soccer clubs who participate in the RBJSL or a registered league where teams are placed. Examples of other youth soccer clubs who play in the RBJSL include, but are not limited to: Conrad Weiser, Exeter, Governor Mifflin, Wyomissing, Oley, Fleetwood and Tulpehocken.  The WJSC Board reserves the right to register teams in other leagues within the region.

When and where will my child have practices and games?

Depending on the age group, practices will be held on weeknights with scheduled games on either Saturday or Sunday.  It will be the coach’s discretion as to what night practices will be scheduled for and it will be the participating league’s discretion for the game schedule.  

How does my child get placed on a team?

For U9 and above age groups, player evaluations will be held in late May/early June to determine competitive playing levels for team formation and league competition.  WJSC Board has hired a third-party evaluator to conduct player evaluations and provide the board with recommendations.  For U6 and U8 players, the program coordinators along with the WJSC Board will make every attempt to form teams based on the number of registered players and limit each team to 10 players so that each player receives a fair amount of playing time.  

Do all the players get equal playing time?

It is the expectation of the WJSC Board that each coach will make every attempt to provide equal playing time to all participating players.  

What are the expectations of the parents?

WJSC expects positive encouragement for your player and their teammates. The board and our volunteer coaches will work hard to help your players grow as individuals and as part of a team. We will do our best to communicate promptly with you regarding all things soccer, and we ask that you do the same.  

What do my registration costs cover?

Registration costs are applied by the club in order to pay for operating and playing expenses, such as, but not limited to: Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League registration costs (or other leagues that are utilized by teams), Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer registration costs, US Youth Soccer dues, field costs, referee fees, equipment costs and insurance.  

Can my child play on the same team as his/her friend?

For the Travel teams, results from the evaluations will be the primary determinant of the team selection.  For the U6 and U8 programs, the teams will be formed on a random basis.  We will try to accommodate requests based on need due to time preferences or family needs, but there is no guarantee.

How far will we have to travel for games?

Most of the WJSC Travel teams play in the Reading-Berks Junior Soccer League and games could be up to 1 hour away in travel time but the majority are within a 15 to 30 minute drive from Wilson’s Cacoosing Field Complex.  For teams that play outside of RBJSL, travel may be more than 60 minutes depending on location.  
 

What if my child is injured while playing?
Your child’s health and safety is our FIRST priority. Our coaches will communicate with the parents regarding any injuries they are aware of or suspect.  Each of our coaches are required to participate in concussion awareness training before the season begins.  Each coach is instructed to remove a player from play if an injury is sustained.  Should a diagnosed concussion occur, we will ask that a medical clearance is provided by a physician before your child is able to participate in practices or games.  

When does registration open/close?

The registration period will be opened in late May and close in late July. The official dates will be posted on our webpage, and communicated through various media.  WJSC must submit teams to RBJSL and other leagues by mid-July.  

Are we expected to participate in tournaments?

We highly encourage all WJSC travel teams participate in the Wilson Junior Soccer Club’s Fall Classic tournament held during Columbus Day weekend in October. This tournament is available to WJSC teams at NO COST.  We further encourage coaches and parents to discuss participation in the various other tournaments held by other local clubs throughout the year.

Are there other opportunities to improve outside the season?

WJSC offers programs year round. In addition to our Fall and Spring playing seasons, WJSC also offers Winter and Summer Training Sessions. These sessions run once a week and focus on skill improvement. WJSC also endorses Wilson High School Youth Camp, a week long soccer day camp.

What are evaluations? Why is my child being ranked so young?

Evaluations are an independent examination of our players on “Travel Teams” for placement. Travel teams are designed to place players and teams with similar skill levels in competition. While we understand concerns about “ranking” of the players so young, it is done merely to give all players the best chance to succeed and grow. All evaluation results are confidential.