How are Tryouts structured?
Each tryout will consist of two designated evenings. The two sessions will last 90 minutes and will allow HFC Coaching directors and staff to evaluate boys in many different ways. Our Tryouts typically will look like so:
U10 - Night (1) 4v4 & 7v7, Night (2) Training session & 7v7
U11-U13 - Night (1) 4v4 & 7v7, Night (2) 9v9
U14-U19 - Night (1) 7v7 & 9v9, Night (2) 11v11
What if I tryout for the Competitive Program and am not placed in a team?
Player evaluations will be forwarded to the HFC Academy Program for 11U/12U OR HFC Intermediate Program for 13U - 15U. Players will then be contacted by the directors of those programs and may be asked to attend an Academy Evaluation OR HFC Intermediate tryout following the conclusion of Competitive tryouts. Some players will be offered positions in those programs based upon their performance in Competitive Program tryouts; however, participation in the Competitive Program tryouts does not guarantee a player a position in either the HFC Academy Program or HFC Intermediate Program.
When will I be notified?
Following the final tryout date, coaches will decide which players will be offered positions on which teams. Our staff meet internally following the second night of tryouts and make decisions in reference to what we witnessed across both evenings. Team invites will be sent within 24 hours of completion of the tryout unless otherwise notified by the HFC Boys Competitive Directors of Coaching. Depending on player acceptances, team invites could be sent up to 7 days after the last tryout in their age group.
How long do I have before I need to accept an offered position? What if I am uncertain?
In many age groups we have more players trying out than we have roster spots to offer. We ask that a player/family accept or decline their team invite within 48 hours by using the online link. This allows us to quickly communicate with players/families who have been waitlisted. If a position is not accepted within 48 hours, it may be offered to another player. If you plan to accept your team invite BUT there is a reason you are unable to accept within the 48 hour window, please email BOTH HFC Boys Competitive Directors of Coaching letting them know the reason.
What if I can't attend all the days of tryouts?
If players are not able to attend all days of tryouts, coaches will have limited time to evaluate them for a position. If coaches feel that further evaluation is required before making a decision, players may be invited back for another tryout or even asked to train with a team for a couple of sessions prior to deciding if a roster position will be offered.
How are teams in the older boys (15U - 19U) age groups selected?
In the U15-U19 age groups for the boys only the ECNL & ECNL RL teams are active in the fall season. Most players in these age groups are trying out in May for teams that will not begin their team activities until at least December. We do this tryout in order to better prepare (coaching assignments, practice space, etc.) for the following spring by having a good idea of what teams will form.
We believe that development will occur over the course of the 5 months between the May tryout and the end of the high school season in late October/early November. It is important that players are given the best opportunity to be placed commensurate to their ability on a HFC team. When we reconvene in November we re-evaluate all of our players who have accepted their team invites in May, along with any players who wish to be evaluated again or for the first time at our November Supplemental Tryout.
If a player accepts their team invite from the May tryout they are GUARANTEED a spot on the HFC team they have been offered a team invite to join for the following spring season. If a player declines their team invite from the May tryout and attends the November tryout there is no guarantee that player will be placed on the same team OR IN THE AGE GROUP AT ALL. Team invites that are offered after the May tryouts can be altered in the November Supplemental Tryout. We understand that development varies for every single player, therefore, another evaluation in November will dictate final team placements for the Spring season. It is also true that no movement across teams may happen depending on how we feel the age group has developed over the last 5 months since the May tryout.