Team Formation

Leading into each season, Novato Youth Soccer Association endeavors to form fair, competitive teams with varying levels of player skill in all of our age group divisions.  With nearly 1200 recreation league players involved in our league, our volunteer staff forms teams using a blind draft process. Team assignments are zip-code-based and consider the school of attendance, but attending the same school does not guarantee that players will be placed on the same team. In an effort to build city-wide comradery and allow the players to meet new friends, teams will have more than one school assigned to them.

The rosters created by the blind draft process are final.  Special requests both prior to and after team formation for team placement or a specific coach will not be accommodated for any reason, including but not limited to requests for carpooling reasons, requests to have a player placed on a team with another player for social reasons, requests to be on a team with a different practice schedule or location, etc. 

Only the children of the two coaches assigned to a team are guaranteed placement on the same team.  There is a limit of two assigned volunteer coaching positions per team, such that a team can only have one head coach and one assistant coach; or two co-head coaches.

Any requests to have more than two coaches on a team, whether based on wanting additional help given work obligations such as business travel or to have a particular team manager or the like, will not be accommodated.

Siblings who are properly registered in their actual age division and who are in the same age division will be placed on the same team. 

In addition, in the event of extenuating circumstances (i.e. medical necessities) an emergency-based request affecting team placement may be made by submitting a written request for review on a case by case basis by the NYSA VP of Recreation. 

Team Practices

Our recreation league teams, Kindergarte - HS, practice twice a week, either on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Practices are one-hour long and take place during the following time slots:  4:00-5:00 pm, 5:00-6:00 pm or 6:00-7:00 pm.  Pre-K teams will practice 1 day per week.  All of our age groups practice during these times, including our youngest Pre-K, Kindergarten and First Grade.  All of the teams in any given age group practice at the same field(s), which are determined by the league.  The coach of the team will select the practice days and time slot, as well as the field if there are multiple options.  As previously noted, players are not allowed to change teams if the practice schedule of the team they are assigned to is not agreeable, for any reason.

2024 Recreation Fall Season

Pre-K

Practices and games begin the first week of September.  Teams will play games on Saturdays.  Teams typically have only one game per week.  Games are refereed by the coaches, with each team having only one coach-ref on the field.  Game scores are not recorded.  There are no playoffs for the Pre - K division.  All players receive a league medal for participation.  All medals will be distributed by the head coach, after the last game or at an end of season team party. 

Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade, Boys and Girls

Practices begin mid-August and games will begin the last weekend of August.  Teams will play games mostly on Saturdays, but on some Sundays as well, based on registration numbers and field availability.  Teams typically have only one game per week, and ten games during the course of the season.  Games are refereed by the coaches, with each team having only one coach-ref on the field.  Game scores are not recorded.  There are no playoffs for the Kindergarten through 2nd Grade teams.  All players receive a league medal for participation.  All medals will be distributed by the head coach, after the last game or at an end of season team party. 

3rd /4th Grade, Boys and Girls

Practices begin mid-August and games will begin the last weekend of August.  Teams will play games mostly on Saturdays, but on some Sundays as well, based on registration numbers and field availability.  Teams typically have only one game per week, and nine games during the course of the season.   Games are refereed by at least one certified referee.  There is an end of the season single-elimination tournament for our 3rd and 4th grade divisions. 

5th/6th, 7th/8th, 9th/10th, 11th/12th Grade, Boys and Girls

5th/6th grade teams and older up through High School teams will participate in the Marin Interleague Soccer Alliance (MISA).  MISA is a group of eight Marin recreation soccer clubs, and was formed to ensure that our Novato players had an opportunity to play fair and competitive soccer against teams throughout Marin.  Games are refereed by certified referees, and will played throughout Marin.  The schedule for all MISA games, as well as more info about the league and standings during the season, can be found on the MISA website:  www.misasoccer.org.  Please note that the schedule for MISA games is typically available several weeks after the NYSA recreation schedule is posted.

Volunteering

The Novato Youth Soccer Association is proudly made up of more than 200 volunteers to make each season better than the last.  From the over a dozen board members, to the 200 volunteer coaches, NYSA is an organization built from the generous productivity of countless individuals who not only love the game of soccer but who care about providing our children with the great opportunity to play.

It is with our volunteer help that NYSA continues to grow, and, as with all volunteer-run organizations, we need your support.  If you are interested in volunteering as a coach or assistant coach, or would like to become involved at a board level, please contact us at admin@novatosoccer.com  to learn more.