Club Resources

2026 Tryout Window

*Due to field & roster requirements in San Francisco, the R1 RAC has agreed to permit SF-based clubs to hold tryouts beginning May 2 (based on SF Rec and Park requirements) for U8-U19 age groups. This is for players currently registered in SF-based clubs only. Any non-SF club member (regardless of their residency) would need to wait until the R1 window opens to try out, or have written DOC approval (as per NorCal rules) to attend SF tryouts outside the wider R1 tryout window.

Winter Recreational Tryout Window
November 2025 – February 2026
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 Open Tryout Window shall occur within a period determined by the NorCal League Office. 
2. Each RAC may further define its 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. There is a period during which Clubs can hold open tryouts to add Players not currently registered with a competitive team in a NorCal Club (in any league). This ensures 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 must 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 Recruiting rules shall be strictly observed by all Adults as well as all official and unofficial team representatives. Unofficial team representatives include all Players’ parents.
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 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, 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 allow an Adult to coach a team that includes players they coached at a previous club for one 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 for not sanctioning 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. Recruiting a Player is not permitted unless the Player’s current Club Director of Coaching provides written permission before any initial contact is made. If a Player or their parent initiates contact with an Adult from another Club about transferring, that Adult—or their Club’s Director of Coaching—must notify the Player’s current Club Director of Coaching. 
9. When discussing the advantages of his/her Club with a Player or a Player’s parent, the Adult must 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 that 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 promotional or recruitment purposes 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. In accordance with US Club Soccer policy, Clubs will release Players who request their release from the Club.