Mass Youth Soccer

Final Score Magazine

Where Every Experience Tells a Story

MISSION

VISION

To serve, educate, and provide safe soccer play for all. Lead, inspire & unite soccer communities to create environments that support development, encourage dreams and foster belonging.

MASSYOUTHSOCCE R FUN GROWTH

INTERGRITY

MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH MORE THAN: 327 member organizations and leagues

146,000 players

25,000 coaches, administrators, and volunteers

ODP COACH Q&A

WITH COACH JOSEPH DINCECCO

1. What inspired you to start coaching, and how did you become involved with the Olympic Development Program?

I was inspired to start coaching because I wanted to provide others with a similar experience that I received I am a Massachusetts native and played in the Olympic Development Program when I was 13 and 14 years old. I enjoyed having teammates from across the state and I still keep in touch with some of them as well as former coaches from the program.

2. What is your coaching philosophy, and how do you apply it when working with players in the ODP?

My coaching philosophy continues to evolve each season I try to create a practice environment that challenges players while still having fun My goal is to provide an experience where the players want to keep improving in their soccer and prepare them for higher levels

3. Can you share a memorable moment from your time coaching in the ODP?

I coached the 2007/2008 Boys team last year. It was fun to see that group interact together. For the 2007s it was their final year of ODP. I enjoyed watching them finish their ODP experience with strong on-field performances at the tournament in Lancaster, PA.

4. What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about coaching in the ODP?

The most rewarding aspect is building relationships with the players and their families. The most challenging aspect is having to make team selections for the ODP tournament.

5. How do you stay connected with and support your players beyond their time in the ODP?

I offer to serve as a reference for any of the players seeking to play college soccer

A new initiative being introduced in Spring 2025 to support better playing environments, set behavioral expectations for all participants and spectators, and reduce incidents of misconduct is the pre-game sportsmanship announcement and handshake line.

Like professional games, the team handshake line will take place prior to the game, this will be preceded by a representative of the home team reading the sportsmanship statement. The Pre-Game Sportsmanship Announcement is required to be read at all Mass Youth Soccer Sanctioned games beginning with games taking place the weekend of March 29 , 2025. th

SafeSport is a comprehensive program of policies, procedures, and processes created to help participants detect and report abuse and misconduct, respond to it, and prevent future occurrences through education and training.

The United States Congress (federal law) and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), U.S. Soccer and Mass Youth Soccer Policy.

SafeSport Abuse Prevention Training (Yearly Requirement) - There are very few exceptions on who must complete SafeSport Abuse Prevention training, click HERE for to review those exceptions.

U.S. Center for SafeSport Reporting Requirements – There are no exceptions to this other than being the victim of abuse. Adult Participants are Mandated Reporters of Child Abuse and are also required to report all Sexual Misconduct, Prohibited Conduct, and Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) violations as outlined in the U.S. Center for SafeSport 2024 Code and MAAPP. Additional important policy information is also found in the MA Youth Soccer Athlete and Participant Safety Policy

For More Information, please review the Mass Youth Soccer Reporting Abuse and Misconduct web page. or contact the Mass Youth Soccer Director of Safeguarding at mrelic@mayouthsoccer.org. CLICK HERE TO REPORT A CONCERN.

TOWN SELECT LEAGUE (TSL), WHO ARE WE & HOW CAN THE TSL BENEFIT YOUR CHILD & ENHANCE THEIR LOVE OF THE GAME?

As youth soccer players prepare for their practices and games each w question going through their mind often is ‘Will I have fun today’? Exp and a sense of belonging in a positive learning environment where normalized as part of the development process, can be critical to the sus the child’s participation in the sport of soccer

The Massachusetts Youth Soccer Town Select League provides such an for players in offering a non-standing, competitive league for playe Players from several Massachusetts communities who wish to also play f town team, can participate in a modified ‘club like’ experience wit commitment & travel at an affordable cost. Joy of the game, commitm development, and the value of being a great teammate, are the program We pride ourselves in encouraging our players, families, coaches, experience a league which supports the process of player developm pressure of a game result. We do support a winning mentality a participants to play to win, however the result rarely defines the individual growth we seek

The TSL is also an appealing choice for children who are multi-sport athletes. For those participants who desire to play in a league or sport outside of their local town soccer program and have limited time to commit to additional practices and games each week, our program enables children to do both With TSL, we practice on Friday evening with one game every other Sunday with very few exceptions We choose our practice and game days with the intention of not interfering with the town schedule so that children can stay connected locally as well as extend their playing experience regionally Our program is designed to work in cooperation and not in conflict with the local town programs We also work with the children who wish to participate in other sports as well

For players who want to learn more and be part of a team and have the opportunity to play with like skilled players from different towns within their region, TSL may be a perfect fit for your child. Participants who have graduated from our program have formed lasting relationships with their teammates Now, when they see their new friends on the opposite side of the field on different days or even different sports, it becomes a friendly competition and a fun experience

The licensed coaches within our program believe in the importance of our mission, vision and values and work to support player development and holistic growth Coaches meet our standard of coaching competencies and are compliant with all required certifications necessary to keep players safe on the field Working together, our coaches are challenged with creating a competitive game-like training environment while still maintaining a positive and fun atmosphere for all

While the TSL is currently offered to players in and around the BAYS, Essex, MAYS, Middlesex, & CMYSL Leagues, it is our goal to continue to expand and connect our program with as many towns as possible around the state. As we head into our tryout season in May and early June, we invite you to view our TSL Website to learn more about our program as well as the dates/locations/times/ages of our tryouts. Tryouts are free.

NEW IN 2025-2026 will be the implementation of our 5 v 5 league for U9 players where players will train and play in a more simplified environment while gaining a greater understanding of the foundational fundamentals of the game.

We look forward to seeing you this spring. Whether you are a returning or a future player in TSL your participation will enhance our effort to continue to grow the game and support further development for all

Please click on our TSL Homepage for more information –Remember to scroll down for our upcoming TSL Tryout Dates and for the Tryout Registration Link

FOR A GREAT SEASON, LEARN TO LISTEN TO PAIN

“No pain, no gain” Really?

This sports cliché encourages athletes to keep pushing themselves even when their bodies say stop.

Sure, an athlete’s legs may burn as they race down the field to block an opponent. This is normal in soccer and not a problem — as long as the feeling goes away quickly But pain that lingers for hours or into the next day is a warning of possible injury.

All too often, the injuries we treat in the Sports Medicine Division at Boston Children’s Hospital start out as pain that the player pushed through, hoping it would go away but instead got worse.

When to pay attention to pain

Athletes with any of the following types of pain should be seen by their doctor or a sports medicine specialist:

Pain accompanied by swelling, limping, or a drop in performance

Pain that lasts for hours or days

Pain that does not get better with rest or gets worse over time

Pain triggered by daily activities like walking or climbing stairs

Read more about why ignoring pain is bad for athletes.

DISTRICTS DISTRICTS

Districts is designed to be a development opportunity for players affiliated with Massachusetts Youth Soccer over the summer.

The goal of the program is to provide a pressure free, yet competitive soccer environment. No standings will be kept during the season.

The 2025 season will kick off on Sunday, July 6th, with season games now on Saturdays (July 12th, 19th, and 26th) with the season-ending District event on the weekend of August 2nd and 3rd to be held at SBLI Fields At Progin Park.

The state is divided into seven districts for the Districts program. To see the district for your town, click here.

In the event a team in a player’s age group and gender is not formed in the player’s district, the player may elect to play in the appropriate age group and gender in a neighboring district.

There is NO fee to tryout. The program fee is applied once a roster spot has been offered and accepted. Additional details will be in the confirmation email.

RESPECTTHECALL POLICY 531-9

Effective March 1, 2025 U.S. Soccer has updated its Referee Abuse Prevention Policy (Policy 531-9) with the goal to make youth and amateur matches safer, more fun, and more empowering for everyone involved.

Policy 531-9 now includes a category of misconduct titled “Gross Misconduct” which includes insulting, belittling, insinuating, or taunting behavior that undermines the authority of the referee. Additional mandatory minimum penalties for misconduct towards referees have been established. Of note is the addition of a minor multiplier, which triples sanctions for incidents of misconduct towards minor (under age 18) referees.

Mass Youth Soccer’s Board of Directors has also approved a Spectator Misconduct Towards Referees Policy, which extends the same minimum penalties in US Soccer Policy 531-9 to spectators at all Mass Youth Soccer sanctioned events.

Referee abuse will not be tolerated.

COACH EDUCATION WEEK

7 Courses Offered 840 mins of Instruction 197 coaches

The Coach fo Community sessions are designed to equ local soccer leaders with t necessary coaching education resources These essions a hance p nvironm boos articipa es, and i tention players coach