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 Technical Leadership Contacts

Contact	Position	Email
John Harkes	Technical Director	john.harkes@mcleansoccer.org
Omid Namazi	Boys Technical Director	omid.namazi@mcleansoccer.org
John Szaro	Goalkeeper Director	john.szaro@mcleansoccer.org
Alex Pinto	Age Group Manager U9-U12 Boys	alex.pinto@mcleansoccer.org
Michael Newhall	Age Group Manager U9-U12 Girls	michael.newhall@mcleansoccer.org
Farzad Mahmoupour	Age Group Manager U13-U19 Girls	farzad.mahmoudpour@mcleansoccer.org

The McLean Youth Soccer (MYS) travel program consists of team training, 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.

• MLS Next New Competition Tier: This is the highest level of competition available for MYS U13-U19 boys.
• Girls Academy: This league offers the highest level of competition available for our U13-U19 girls.
• National Academy League (NAL): This is the league the second level (Green) U13-U19 boys teams participate in.
• Girls Academy Aspire: This is the league the second level (Green) U13-U19 girls teams participate in.
• The National Capital Soccer League (NCSL): All U9-U12 and U13-U19 White/Gold MYS teams participate in this league. NCSL is a  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 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 and 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 players to travel internationally. 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.