What is Class III?

Class III is the competitive, mid-level of play under the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA) guidelines. Class I is highest level of competitive play and Class IV is recreational (there is no Class II). Within the Jack London Youth Soccer League, Bay Oaks Soccer Club runs the Class I program. Other clubs, such as Rockridge, Montclair, and Piedmont, run Class IV recreational and Class III competitive programs. Class III provides a competitive level of soccer without the extensive travel and time commitments required for Class I.

 

What is Sting?

All Rockridge Soccer Club teams playing in Class III are Sting teams and are part of the Sting Program. Rockridge generally fields boys' teams and girls' teams from U10 through U19. All Sting teams are established through a competitive selection process. Tryouts for Sting teams are usually held in late February or early March.

 

What is the Sting Program?

The Rockridge Sting Program offers a balance of competitiveness, structure, and expectation, while keeping the main driver intact: having fun.

 

The Sting Program focuses on player development through a more intensive approach to player and coach training. The coaches are usually parents or other volunteers who have experience playing and coaching soccer. All Sting coaches carry an E-license or better and are dedicated to the philosophy of positive coaching and to teaching not just soccer skills and tactics, but also the important life skills of commitment, perseverance, and being part of a team. The Sting Program also provides professional training for both players and coaches throughout the year.

 

In 2010 Rockridge Soccer Club will provide professional training for its players and coaches through a partnership with the Bay Oaks Soccer Club.  In the spring, Sting teams may participate in "pool" or group training with the Bay Oaks teams of comparable age and gender.  In the summer, Sting players may attend a Bay Oaks one-week/half-day camp for an additional charge; some teams may participate as a group.  Our goalkeepers will be able to train with the Bay Oaks goalkeeper coach.  During the fall season, Bay Oaks will provide a dedicated professional trainer to each team for 12 sessions per team and will frequently communicate with that Bay Oaks trainer to shape the development of that team throughout the season.  Importantly, all Sting teams will be following the same developmental curriculum utilized in the Bay Oaks program providing structure to our teams' training over the course of many seasons.  Additionally, during the course of the year, Sting coaches will attend clinics run by the Bay Oaks club.

 

Should my child tryout for a Sting team?

If your child is naturally good at playing soccer and committed to learning the game at a competitive level, then the Sting Program may be right for him or her.

 

Projected Costs

• Player Registration Fee $280
• Team/Tournament Fee $150 (these fees will vary by team depending on the number of tournaments the team enters and whether the team attends indoor training sessions at ATS, formerly the Sutton Soccer Center)
• Uniforms $125 (full and partial scholarships are readily available upon request)
• Please note: The Sting financial commitment is substantially less than most other select or competitive soccer programs

 

Practices, Games and Tournaments

The fall is our primary season. It encompasses approximately ten weeks from Labor Day through mid-November. Official training begins the first week of August. Teams generally train twice per week during August and the fall season.

 

We expect all players to attend every regular game and tournament in the fall season. We have games on Saturdays and/or Sundays.

 

Tournaments are held over particular weekends with two games on Saturday and one or two games on Sunday. The league schedule is prepared so that the last weekends of September and October are reserved for tournaments. Teams may play in at least three tournaments in the fall season (August (Labor Day Weekend), September, and October); each coach decides the tournaments the team will attend. Some teams play in tournaments in August, December and January.

 

Some teams may have practices and/or games in the spring, others may have less formal gatherings for skill development and conditioning. A tentative schedule for the summer will be forthcoming.

 

If a player is unable to attend a practice or is anticipated to be late, the coaches expect advance notice.

 

We acknowledge that your player may have other interests and we will accept less than full participation in the winter and spring seasons. However, if your family cannot commit to full participation in the fall season and at least partial participation in the spring and summer training, you should not accept a spot on a Sting team.

 

General Information

The Sting Program, as compared to Class IV recreational soccer, requires a greater financial and time commitment from players and their families. Limited scholarships are available for some of the costs. For more information about the Sting Commitment, please review the Sting Commitment Form.

 

For more information, please e-mail the Rockridge Sting Class III coordinators, class3@rockridgesoccer.org.