TRAVEL PROGRAM

The McLean Youth Soccer professional technical staff is led by Technical Director John Harkes along with the technical leadership listed below. Please read more about our technical staff on their bio page.

Travel Program Contacts

Contact	Position	Email
John Harkes	Technical Advisor	john.harkes@mcleansoccer.org
Clyde Watson	Girls Technical Director	clyde.watson@mcleansoccer.org
Omid Namazi	Boys Technical Director	omid.namazi@mcleansoccer.org
John Szaro	Goalkeeper Director	john.szaro@mcleansoccer.org
Marcia Sikes	Director of Operations	marcia.sikes@mcleansoccer.org
Alex Pinto	Age Group Manager U9-U12 Boys	alex.pinto@mcleansoccer.org
Todd West	Age Group Manager U13-U19 Boys	todd.west@mcleansoccer.org
Michael Newhall	Age Group Manager U9-U12 Girls	michael.newhall@mcleansoccer.org
TBA	Age Group Manager U13-U19 Girls

The McLean Youth Soccer (MYS) travel program consists of Team Training, Individual Training Opportunities, and League and Tournament Play as well as other on and off field developmental events including college information sessions, specialized fitness training and special technical clinics.

Players try out each year to be considered for a team. Once selected, the player commits to one seasonal year (August - July) of participation with the team.

McLean Youth Soccer offers a range of teams for players based on level of play and commitment. Players should carefully review information about a team prior to trying out.

Team Training & Player Expectations: Travel teams in MYS typically train 2-3 times/week throughout the fall and spring seasons. Higher-level teams may train year-round with more frequency.

League and Tournament Games: McLean Youth Soccer travel teams participate in a number of leagues. Placement in these leagues is determined by the technical staff and reflects the team's level of play and level of commitment.

• ECNL: The Elite Clubs National League is the highest level of youth soccer competition available for boys and girls, ages 13-19. Travel and time commitments are extensive. MYS has a pathway for players to participate in this league through the partnered club Fairfax Virginia Union.
• ECNL RL: The ECNL Regional League is operated and managed by Virginia Premier Soccer League (VPSL).This league facilitates more club connectivity between levels of play and provides a path for more players within each Member Club to reach their fullest potential.
• NCSL: The National Capital Soccer League is the primary travel league for the DC Metropolitan area. Most age groups have 4-6 different divisions catering towards the varying needs of travel level teams.
• There are other competitions/leagues that some teams may enter based on level of play and commitment, such as EDP.

The recommended number of tournaments will be determined by age and ability level. The head coach will inform the team as to the approximate number of tournaments they will participate in throughout each season. The Technical Director (TD), Girls and Boys Technical Directors, and Age Group Managers (AGMs) will determine which tournaments the club will participate in. The objective will be to have all of MYS teams attend the same tournaments if practical. As a general guide U9-U12 teams participate in 4-6 tournaments per year. U13-U19 teams participate in 4-8 tournaments per year.

Attendance at all team games and tournaments is mandatory. Discuss any/all conflicts that arise with your coach that may prevent a player from participating.

Coach Assignments: Please refer to this assignment chart for details.

International Opportunities: McLean Youth Soccer provides opportunities for teams to travel internationally over spring break and summer for the U13 and U16 age groups. These are excellent opportunities to expand the player's cultural and developmental horizons. Please visit the International Travel page for more details, including news and photos from recent trips.