Philosophy

The travel teams are all about teamwork.  Our goal is to be competitive, and field the best teams to win, however it will not be at all costs.  Our first priority is for the team’s health and safety during the games and practices.  We will put players in the position(s) that are best suited for them based on individual ability and contribution to the team. Recognize, as a competitive team representing Long Valley, we will field the best team on any given day.  This experience must be fun and we, as a Team, have fun.

Expectations

·      Communication (Coach/Parent/Player) is key for all of us to have fun throughout the season.

·      Children selected for travel must be present at all practices and games. If a player is late or absent from a game or practice, the coaching staff may decide that the child sits that game and/or the following game.  Naturally there will be circumstances and reasons for missing a practice.  Playing time is not guaranteed.

·      No vacation time should be planned during the travel season.

·      Practices will be on days that do not conflict with any current scheduled recreation games. Once the Recreation season ends, practices can vary. 

·      Practices may be held from team formation in the winter until the end of July.   Games can vary.    Tournament play typically commences with Memorial Day Weekend and continues through until the end of July.    Practice games may be scheduled between coaches, usually from towns close by, and can be as early as April.  

·      Expect to have 2 practices a week and as many as 4 games after the rec season if overlapping tournaments exist.    If overlapping tournaments are not the case, you can expect to have as many as 2 to 3 games a weekend.   All of this depends upon which tournaments are entered and the number of tournaments entered; all at the discretion of the coach.

Eligibility:

The cost will vary slightly for each team. Fees cover the purchase of uniforms, balls, tournament fees and other miscellaneous fees associated with each team. LVBC does not subsidize this cost with money from our Rec league. The payment is due upon acceptance of the team and is subject to change. Reconciliation is done at the end of each travel season and if there is money owed it is the head coach’s responsibility to ensure refunds are paid back. If your child is chosen to play, a copy of their birth certificate will be required. 

Following are some of the costs that you can expect to have.   Again, this may vary depending upon how much or how little your coach elects to participate in.

• Winter indoor workouts   (~ $100 - $125/player) - ~ 6 sessions
• "Summer" Tournaments [late May - late July]   (~ $350/player) - ~ 25 games

Rates per player may vary depending upon the approach to the winter indoor workouts (i.e., whether or not it is by team or all participants at a particular age level) and/or number of players per team with respect to Summer tournament participation.

The coaching staff realizes participating on the travel team is a huge commitment by the parents, players, and coaches. We would like everyone to understand the commitment we are making with your child, and the commitment we would like to see in return.

Good luck to future participants and thanks in advance for your cooperation and understanding.