Club Resources

2024 Tryout Window

*Due to field & roster requirements in San Francisco, the R1 RAC has agreed to allow SF-based clubs to hold tryouts beginning May 4 (based on SF Rec and Park requirements) for U8-U19 age groups. This is for players currently registered in SF-based clubs and SF residents only.

Winter Recreational Tryout Window
November 2023 – February 2024
For non-competitive players only.

All tryout, transfer, and recruiting rules are found in Section 4 in our HANDBOOK:

4.1 – Open Tryout Window

1. The period when any Player, regardless of Club affiliation, may try out with any NorCal Club without requiring permission from their current Club DOC. The NorCal Tryout Window applies to all teams within all NorCal member Clubs.
2. The Open Tryout Window shall start the day after the last NorCal Spring League game date in May for a specific age group and remain open through the last weekend date of June. For example, if the last U9-U13 Spring league game date is May 9 and the last U14-U19 Spring league game date is May 16, then the U9-U13 Open Tryout Window would open May 10, and the U14-U19 Open Tryout Window would open on May 17.
3. Each RAC may further define its own window by adapting the dates within the Open Tryout Window. RACs may set tryout periods outside of the Open Tryout Window for Players currently registered with Clubs in their region ONLY if approved by the NorCal Board of Directors.

4.2 – Winter Recreational Tryout Window

1. Period for Clubs to hold open tryouts to add Players not currently registered with a competitive team in a NorCal Club (in any league). This is to ensure that Clubs can continue to provide a pathway from recreational soccer to competitive Club soccer at the end of a Player’s typical recreational season.
2. The Winter Recreational Tryout Window shall open on the first Monday of November and remain open through the first weekend of February.
3. Competitive Players currently registered in other NorCal Clubs are not permitted to attend a tryout at this time. The only time that this is permitted is during the Open Tryout Window. All marketing of a Club’s Winter Recreational Tryout should include language to reflect this.

4.3 – Spring Transfer Freeze

Any Player transferring between NorCal Clubs after April 1 will be ineligible to play in NorCal competitions for their new Club until the end of all games in the current Spring season.

4.4 – Recruiting

1. All NorCal rules pertaining to Recruiting shall be strictly observed by all Adults as well as all official and unofficial team representatives. Unofficial team representatives include all parents of Players.
2. Adults must never encourage Players or other Adults to violate NorCal recruitment, eligibility, or other rules and policies.
3. Adults shall not attempt to entice a team or Player to leave a Club to come to another Club.
4. It is unethical for a Team or groups of Players to be Recruited from one Club to another Club by an Adult working in the Team’s present Club, an Adult from another Club, or any Adult or representative from inside or outside the Club.
5. Inviting a Player to guest play without first submitting the proper US Club Guest Player Form shall be considered Recruiting.
6. It is unethical for a Player to be recruited from any outside program, including but not limited to PDP, IDP, ODP, High School, or the US Soccer Training Center, either by a Coach working for such program or any other Adult, Player, parent, or Official present at said event.
7. No Club will hire an Adult from another Club and, within one (1) year, allow this individual to work with any Players he or she Coached in his/her previous Club in the previous year without the written permission of their former Club. A Club’s lack of knowledge regarding an Adult’s previous association with another Club is not an excuse from sanction for violating this provision. Notwithstanding the foregoing, serving as a Director of Coaching, Age Group Coordinator, or another similar role shall not constitute Coaching for the purpose of this rule.
8. It is inappropriate to Recruit Player(s) unless the Director of Coaching of the Player’s current Club provides written permission in advance of the initial approach to the Player. If a Player or parent of a Player initiates contact with any Adults of another Club expressing intent to move to that Adult’s Club, it is the responsibility of that Adult or the Adult’s Director of Coaching to inform the Director of Coaching of the Player’s current Club.
9. When discussing the advantages of his/her Club with a Player or a Player’s parent, the Adult has an obligation to be forthright and refrain from making derogatory remarks regarding other Adults, Teams, and Clubs.
10. It is unethical for any Adult to make a statement to a prospective Player which cannot be fulfilled, illegal to promise any kind of compensation or inducement for play, and immoral to deliver the same.
11. It is unethical for Adults to attend Tryouts for other Clubs for the purpose of promotion or recruitment unless invited by the Club conducting the Tryout in writing or to have Players attend Tryouts at other Clubs to Recruit Players from the Club conducting the Tryout.
12. Clubs will not accept any Player from any other Club if that Player has outstanding fees with another Club. Unpaid fees shall include fees for services already rendered and shall not include, by way of illustration, fees for services not rendered, reimbursement for scholarships given, or penalties.
13. In accordance with US Club Soccer policy, Clubs will release Players who request their release from the Club.