ABOUT
Rye Youth Soccer is a not-for-profit organization that provides a comprehensive soccer experience for more than 1,200 boys and girls ranging from pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. Rye Youth Soccer is run by a Board of Directors and led by a Leadership Group that consists of four directors. As with most community sports organizations, Rye Youth Soccer is anchored by a large and loyal group of parents who volunteer as age group coordinators, head coaches, assistant coaches, and team managers.
Our player pyramid now consists of six stages, each of which is run by a Division Head Coach and several staff coaches. The Division Head is responsible for coaching several teams in the age division, developing and implementing an age-appropriate curriculum, mentoring the coaching team, and maintaining a pulse on the overall well-being of players within the age group. Staff coaches bring a wide range of playing and/or coaching experience to their roles within the age division. Volunteer parent coaches and managers also play a crucial role in training sessions and matches.
Pre-Foundational Stage (4U, 5U): Known as “Mini Garnets,” this program for pre-K players (4U, 5U) is run in conjunction with the Rye Recreation Department. Staffed by two of our most experienced and sought-after staff coaches—Chris Skelton and Adriano Torriani—Mini Garnets runs for 8 weeks in the fall, 5 weeks in the winter, and 8 weeks in the spring.
Foundational Stage (6U, 7U): At the 6U level, players are eligible to begin participating in our Saturday Intramural program. The program consists of 15-minute skills sessions followed by 4 v 4 small-sided games. Saturday sessions are run primarily by parent coaches with curricular guidance and supplemental coaching from our Intramural Coordinator Andrew Schuck and a team of RYS staff coaches. Our 7U players participate in both the parent-coach led Saturday sessions and RYS staff coach-led Monday training sessions coordinated by Director of Coaching Chris Skelton and a team of RYS staff coaches. Our 6U and 7U programs run for 7 weeks in the fall, 5 or 6 weeks in the winter, and 7 weeks in the spring.
Developmental "Small-Sided" Stage (8U, 9U, 10U): At the 8U level, all players participate in our Pre-Travel program. Featuring an innovative curriculum developed by Director of Coaching Chris Skelton, the Pre-Travel Program consists of Friday and Saturday sessions that are run by Chris, Girls' Director of Travel Erica Stewart, and their team of staff coaches.
Upon graduation from our 8U program, rising 9U players have two options. They can continue playing soccer primarily within Rye by playing one more year of Intramurals (the 8U/9U Pre-Travel program described above) or tryout for our 9U travel teams. The Travel Program runs for 10 weeks in the fall and spring and consists of a weekday training session, Saturday training session, and Sunday 7 v 7 match in the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL).
Developmental "9 v 9" Stage (11U, 12U): As players move on to the 11U and 12U levels, they are introduced to larger fields and a 9 v 9 format. Game length increases, and coaches begin to introduce tactical considerations to their players. Each team in this division participates in WYSL’s 10-week fall and spring seasons. The commitment involves a weekday training session, Saturday training session, and Sunday 9 v 9 match.
Competitive "11 v 11" Stage (13U, 14U): The 11 v 11 format is introduced to our 13U players, many of whom now also participate on middle school soccer teams. Game length continues to increase, and weekday and Saturday training sessions begin to involve additional tactical and physical training. Teams in this age division continue to compete in WYSL’s fall and spring seasons. At this stage, many of our 13U and 14U players also begin to work as junior referees at our 6U-8U programs on Saturday mornings.
Competitive "High School" Stage" (15U, JV, V): 15U teams continue to compete in full-length Fall and Spring seasons, while JV (16U) and Varsity (19U) teams compete in a November mini-season and full-length Spring season. Our 16U and 19U players also participate in a winter futsal program, and many play for their high school soccer teams. In 2021, RYS had more than 80 players competing on four teams at the 15U-19U levels. Many of these players also volunteer as counselors at RYS World Cup Summer Clinics and work as referees for our 6U-8U programs.
Our player pyramid now consists of six stages, each of which is run by a Division Head Coach and several staff coaches. The Division Head is responsible for coaching several teams in the age division, developing and implementing an age-appropriate curriculum, mentoring the coaching team, and maintaining a pulse on the overall well-being of players within the age group. Staff coaches bring a wide range of playing and/or coaching experience to their roles within the age division. Volunteer parent coaches and managers also play a crucial role in training sessions and matches.
Pre-Foundational Stage (4U, 5U): Known as “Mini Garnets,” this program for pre-K players (4U, 5U) is run in conjunction with the Rye Recreation Department. Staffed by two of our most experienced and sought-after staff coaches—Chris Skelton and Adriano Torriani—Mini Garnets runs for 8 weeks in the fall, 5 weeks in the winter, and 8 weeks in the spring.
Foundational Stage (6U, 7U): At the 6U level, players are eligible to begin participating in our Saturday Intramural program. The program consists of 15-minute skills sessions followed by 4 v 4 small-sided games. Saturday sessions are run primarily by parent coaches with curricular guidance and supplemental coaching from our Intramural Coordinator Andrew Schuck and a team of RYS staff coaches. Our 7U players participate in both the parent-coach led Saturday sessions and RYS staff coach-led Monday training sessions coordinated by Director of Coaching Chris Skelton and a team of RYS staff coaches. Our 6U and 7U programs run for 7 weeks in the fall, 5 or 6 weeks in the winter, and 7 weeks in the spring.
Developmental "Small-Sided" Stage (8U, 9U, 10U): At the 8U level, all players participate in our Pre-Travel program. Featuring an innovative curriculum developed by Director of Coaching Chris Skelton, the Pre-Travel Program consists of Friday and Saturday sessions that are run by Chris, Girls' Director of Travel Erica Stewart, and their team of staff coaches.
Upon graduation from our 8U program, rising 9U players have two options. They can continue playing soccer primarily within Rye by playing one more year of Intramurals (the 8U/9U Pre-Travel program described above) or tryout for our 9U travel teams. The Travel Program runs for 10 weeks in the fall and spring and consists of a weekday training session, Saturday training session, and Sunday 7 v 7 match in the Westchester Youth Soccer League (WYSL).
Developmental "9 v 9" Stage (11U, 12U): As players move on to the 11U and 12U levels, they are introduced to larger fields and a 9 v 9 format. Game length increases, and coaches begin to introduce tactical considerations to their players. Each team in this division participates in WYSL’s 10-week fall and spring seasons. The commitment involves a weekday training session, Saturday training session, and Sunday 9 v 9 match.
Competitive "11 v 11" Stage (13U, 14U): The 11 v 11 format is introduced to our 13U players, many of whom now also participate on middle school soccer teams. Game length continues to increase, and weekday and Saturday training sessions begin to involve additional tactical and physical training. Teams in this age division continue to compete in WYSL’s fall and spring seasons. At this stage, many of our 13U and 14U players also begin to work as junior referees at our 6U-8U programs on Saturday mornings.
Competitive "High School" Stage" (15U, JV, V): 15U teams continue to compete in full-length Fall and Spring seasons, while JV (16U) and Varsity (19U) teams compete in a November mini-season and full-length Spring season. Our 16U and 19U players also participate in a winter futsal program, and many play for their high school soccer teams. In 2021, RYS had more than 80 players competing on four teams at the 15U-19U levels. Many of these players also volunteer as counselors at RYS World Cup Summer Clinics and work as referees for our 6U-8U programs.
