Organizational Structure
- President
- Director of Coaching
- Vice President: Director of Travel 
- Competitive Committee 

Travel Team Coach Selection Process
Mariner Youth Soccer will recruit the most qualified coach at all levels. The Competitive Committee must approve all of the travel coaches. The head travel coach for each grade level for the GIRLS and BOYS teams will be named at the October board meeting. Depending on the number of applicants for these teams, it may be necessary to wait at a minimum one (1) month to finalize all head coaches. Coaching term for all teams will last for one year from October thru September. At any point during the respective time frames, MYS reserves the right to make a change in the head coach if circumstances dictate a change is necessary. There is NO requirement that the travel coach be a parent of a current player in the program or live in the township. ALL travel team head coaches must have completed at least one of the USSF grassroots coaching courses. (MYS will reimburse coaches for these courses)

The following criteria may be used to evaluate all coaching candidates:
- Travel coach application
-       Previous coaching experience
- Coaching diplomas or licenses
- Interview by MYS Competition Committee Member (likely the Director of Coaching)

Travel Assistant Coach(s) – appointed by grade level travel coach and approved by the Competition Committee

Program Goals
We recognize that participation in the Travel Program is an opportunity for players with advanced skills to compete against others with similar abilities. Travel teams will be assembled keeping each of the goals below in mind.

- To be a “feeder program” for the high schools in our townships
- To provide team instruction & development of fundamental soccer skills
- To teach principles of teamwork and sportsmanship
- To develop competitive teams through the framework of these principles

Travel Teams
Mariner Youth Soccer will sponsor teams based on the interest and participation level that may vary year to year. The number of teams sponsored shall be determined by the Competition Committee. MYS will attempt to sponsor no more than 3 separate boys and girls teams at every grade level beginning with 1st grade through one year post grad.

Team Selection and Tryouts
Tryout dates shall be posted and advertised no later than one month prior to the tryout dates (Including rain out dates). Prospective players shall fill out a tryout registration form online prior to the tryout date or on site the day(s) of tryouts. If certain grade levels have large numbers of players, MYS reserves the right to have a “call back” tryout. 

The teams shall be selected by a group of “evaluators” identified by the Competition Committee.  All evaluators should be independent of the age group, such as a member of the appropriate high school staff, a previous coach in the MYS program, current coach in the program, current board members, and others with appropriate soccer knowledge. Evaluators should not have kids in that age group. Coaches from previous years’ travel teams may be invited to attend travel tryouts to provide information, but will not be part of the official evaluation staff.

Grades 3 through PG – At these grade level teams will be selected as follows: The evaluators will rank the Players 1-20. The top 7, 9 or 11 players based on the evaluators’ rankings will automatically be on the D1 team. (The number of players chosen is based on the playing format ie. 7v7 or 9v9) The approved head coach for the D1 team will then have the opportunity to be involved in the selection process based on players who ranked in the Top 20. After the D1 team is set, the remaining players will participate on the D2 team(s). MYS can adjust the number of players per team based on participation levels in each grade level.  Final team placement is decided by the Competition Committee.

Players MUST participate on the team that they are selected to play on for that travel season and cannot move to another team (higher or lower). If a player chooses not to participate on the team they are selected for after tryouts, that player will not be allowed to participate in travel soccer for that year.

In the situation where a player is interested in participating in travel soccer after the teams have been selected (ie. because they have just moved into the townships), the Director of Coaching will establish a “special consideration tryout” for this player(s). If the player(s) is deemed to be qualified they will be added to the appropriate roster. In no situation will this event cause a current player to be removed from the roster. The roster would be expanded, not contracted. 

Guidelines for “Playing Up”
Mariner Youth Soccer recognizes that player development is best advanced by allowing players who have demonstrated a high competency for the game of soccer to compete at the highest possible level that can be made available. The Board of Directors recognizes that in certain rare instances, players may demonstrate skills that far exceed the current level that they are presently playing at. It is with this in mind that MYS will review requests to “play up” as they arise.

To request that a player be allowed to “play up”, a written request from the player’s parent or guardian must be submitted to the Director of Coaching.  The DOC will review the request and act in the best interest of the player’s development. The final decision with regards to a player(s) “playing up” will be decided by the Competition Committee. 

Please note the following:  Requests for placement out of grade division for matters of “convenience” (ie. sibling/friend placement, carpooling, etc.) will not be considered.