CYSA Travel Assessments(ARRIVE EARLY to your SESSION)

Small Sided Keep Away (unbalanced – i.e. 6 v 3, 7 v 3, 5 v 2, etc.)

1. Offense (1 to 10 rating – 10 being the best)

• Technical, tactical & physical in addition to offensive play will all be evaluated here as part of this category (see below for definitions that align with MYSA evaluation Criteria)

2. Defense (1 to 10 rating – 10 being the best)

• Tactical & physical in addition to defensive play will all be evaluated here as part of this category (see below for definitions that align with MYSA evaluation Criteria)

Overview - Philosophy

CYSA utilizes independent, neutral and knowledgeable evaluators to provide an unbiased assessment of our players.  The process is geared to provide the fairest opportunity for all players to make a team that best fits their ability and skill level.  Coaches do not pick their own teams.  Coaches are assigned after all players are placed on teams.

CYSA has player assessments one time per year in May and these assessments are used to place players in the following fall season.  Assessments are done in May to not conflict with Chelmsford baseball and softball playoffs and to be able to easily get neutral evaluators. 

As part of the assessment, players will go to multiple stations participating in small sided keep-away and one full field game.  Every player will be assessed by every evaluator.

Assessment scores and prior season coach evaluations are used to place players with an emphasis on the assessment results.  Coach evaluations and assessment scores are compared for alignment and any discrepancies get analyzed and resolved.

CYSA takes pride in providing a fair and unbiased assessment of all players to ensure everyone gets placed on teams that match their skill level.  CYSA believes that for players to develop they need to be placed with other players of similar skill.  In addition, a young player’s ability is dynamic and changes very fast.  As a result, CYSA must adapt to these changes to ensure that each year players get placed on the appropriate teams based on their current skill level.  Placement on the same team from year to year is not guaranteed.  Placement for the upcoming season will be based on the most recent assessment results and coach evaluation.

Mass Youth Soccer Player Evaluation Criteria

We look at the following categories when evaluating players:

1. Technical Skills – a player’s comfort level with the ball

• Dribbling, receiving, passing, heading, shooting, tackling (getting the ball back from the opponent or regaining possession of the ball).

2. Tactical Decision Making – the decisions that a player makes

• When, where, why, & how to dribble, receive, pass, head, shoot and tackle the ball.
• What to do when our team has possession of the ball
• What to do when our team does not -have possession of the ball.

3. Physical Abilities – Speed, Quickness, Strength, Agility, Balance, Aggressiveness

4. Offensive Ability – helps to keep possession of the ball for the team

• Loves to have the ball at their feet
• Comfortable with the ball
• Finds a way to move the ball forward toward the opponent’s goal
• Finds a way to score goals
• Positional awareness (positioned to support teammates who have the ball)

5. Defensive Ability – helps win the ball back from the opponents

• Recovers to a defensive position after his/her team losses possession of the ball
• Good tackler of the ball
• Show restraint/patience when outnumbered by attackers
• Applies immediate pressure to opponent to win the ball back when appropriate
• Communicates with other players on the team