Player Evaluations (Tryouts) News and Information

Many families are getting excited about the upcoming tryouts and we have been fielding some questions that we would like to address in this update…

  • Will I make a team?
  • What level should I play?
  • How do I decide?

To understand the player placement (tryout) process, you first must understand its objective. We seek to place players in the most developmentally-appropriate level of play so that they can compete successfully while being appropriately challenged to enhance their development.

Because athlete maturation varies greatly for kids between the ages of 10-17, the traditional tryout method of “weeding out” or simply cutting youth players is not an effective way to sustain long-term athletic success, even for high school aged players. For this reason, we prefer to observe and assess each player and then provide you with objective, informed guidance regarding the best environment for you to join next season. Proper player placement is a long-term sustainable solution that we support. As players' abilities and commitment levels change over time, we will provide playing options that match them in their “soccer journey”.

To answer the questions above, our goal is for every player to be placed on a team. Whether that is a Division III Recreational team, a Division II Select team, or a Division I Premier team depends on which level is developmentally-appropriate for him or her at this point in time. Current Gulf Coast players should not feel unnecessary pressure or anxiety about the evaluation process. We know our players and we evaluate them year-round. Like any training session, players should attend on-time, be prepared and focused on doing their best to learn, improve, and have fun. 

Once the team is formed, we will place the team in a league (and league bracket) that exposes its players to an appropriate level of competition. We also provide players opportunities to train up or down as needed and to use the club player pass to get exposure to older or higher levels of play that can benefit them.

GC Player Placement Goals and Objectives:

  • Assign players to teams that are developmentally appropriate for them
  • Match each player's technical, tactical, physical, and psychosocial abilities with a level of play that has demands consistent with their abilities and commitment
  • Focus on each individual to allow for movement between levels throughout the year, via “train-up”, “play-up”, and “club pass” options

NEW FOR 2019/2020

adidas Selected as the Uniform Supplier for Competitive: Gulf Coast has signed a 4-year uniform agreement with adidas and Soccer.com to provide uniforms for our competitive program. These uniforms will be on a 2-year cycle. Players or teams will have the option of purchasing adidas jackets and training pants, backpacks, and an assortment of adidas apparel, cleats, balls, etc. at a negotiated discount from Soccer.com. Follow this link to view the new uniforms! New adidas kits

Unlike other clubs, our required uniforms and apparel will not be marked up and used as a fundraiser. If it's for the players, our cost is your cost! A future email from Soccer.com will provide more details on the resources and benefits they provide. They should have our webpage and store online next week. 

New playing options for Division I Premier teams: Gulf Coast applied for and gained access to place teams in the US Club USC League in Houston. The USC League includes nearly all of the top competitive clubs in the Houston area, including Challenge Soccer Club, Albion Hurricanes, Sports Group 1, Dynamo/Dash YSC, and many others. 

What it Means: The USC League acceptance is exciting news for our Division I program and all players who seek higher levels of competition and wish to maintain the benefits of training close to home here at the GC Soccer Complex. With this new league opportunity, we will renew and intensify our efforts to expose more players and teams to higher levels of play. By being in the same league as Dynamo/Dash YSC we should have some home games if we play them, but we will continue to push for more. 

This does not affect Division II Select teams that will continue to play in the local Spindletop YSA League.

Read the USC League announcement HERE.

Learn more about Gulf Coast Division I Premier HERE.    

Coerver Performance Academy: Gulf Coast has been running a pilot Coerver Performance Academy program this spring. The Performance Academy is a 12-week ball mastery and skill building program that interested players can attend to supplement their normal training. The results have been fantastic and we are formalizing an agreement to make this a year-round offering. If you are not aware, you can witness these sessions on Friday evenings from 5:30-8:15 on field 4. The next 12-week Performance Academy program will begin July 1. You can learn more about the Coerver Performance Academy HERE.

At Gulf Coast, we are working hard every day to provide the best soccer experience available for players of all ages and abilities, and we offer the best-possible value compared with any club in SE Texas. In addition to the new offerings mentioned above, we continue to review and improve all aspects of our club to help all our members—players, coaches, referees, and parents—learn and grow in the game. In the months ahead, you can look forward to new resources to help our college-bound athletes, new coaching education and referee clinics, a new summer 3v3 season, improvements and expansions to our soccer complex, and much more.

There has never been a better time to be a soccer player at Gulf Coast, so register now and get ready for a great season ahead!

We look forward to seeing all interested players in the upcoming player evaluations (tryouts).

Please pre-register HERE.

Thank you,

Gulf Coast Youth Soccer Club

www.gcysc.com