The Sun City Strikers Premier Soccer Club is a year ‘round premier soccer program. We hold tryouts each year to form teams for girls and boys ages 10-18, and we roster up to 18 players per team for 11 vs. 11 competitions.

  

When do we play?   

 

Summer:     

Teams usually attend two to four summer tournaments, depending on their age.

 

Fall:         

The fall leagues begin the weekend following Labor Day and end prior to Thanksgiving.

 

U11 and U12 boys and girls teams: Player Development League (PDL) Fall League

U13 and U14 boys and girls; U15 boy’s teams: Player Development League (PDL) Fall League

U15 through U18 girl’s teams: 

U16 and U17 boy’s teams: 

 

Winter: 

U11, U12, U13 and U14 girl’s teams:

U11, U12, U13 and U14 boy’s teams:

U15 through U18 girl’s teams: 

U15 through U17 boy’s teams: 

 

Spring:     

The spring leagues are played from late January through early May.            

 

U11 and U12 boys and girls teams: 

U13 and U14 boy’s and girl’s U15 girl’s teams: PDL Spring League

U16, U17 and U18 girl’s teams: PDL Spring League

U15 through U17 boy’s teams:  

 

U12, U13 and U14 boys and girls; U15, U16, U17 and U18 girl’s teams: Compete in the WYS State Cup Tournaments held April/May. At the conclusion of those tournaments, tryouts are held for this team; plus the U11 and U12 boys and girls teams, in May. Practices for these teams begin soon after tryouts.

 

What is the difference between Recreational, Select and Premier Soccer?

 

Premier: 

Describes teams competing in the highest-level leagues offered by the Washington Youth Soccer (WYS). Today, the State’s top leagues are referred to as the Player Development League (PDL) for U11 through U15 teams and the Washington Youth Soccer (WYS) Premier League for U16 through U18 teams. The Sun City Strikers Premier Soccer Club teams compete in the WSYL premier level of competition for teams ages U16 through U18. Striker teams from U11 through U15 compete in the PDL. 

 

Premier soccer is a full year commitment with the guidance of professional, licensed, paid coaches. Striker’s is extremely proud of its coaching staff, which is committed to “giving back” to our community their love of and passion for the game of soccer. All are former high school and college soccer players and coaches with a wide range of knowledge, licenses and experiences. Some are former college All American players, Olympic Development Program (ODP) players and coaches. 

 

Players practice 2-3 times per week for 1 to 2 hours each, play in 2-5 tournaments per year and travel state-wide. It is an expectation that when playing premier soccer, you will consider it a sport that you are committed to giving your best.

 

Select:

 Considered more competitive, holds no tryouts and competes in the District 6 league which features teams in Eastern Washington locations. 


 

Recreational:

 Competes on a local level only. 
In Yakima, recreational soccer teams are organized by the YYSA.

 

What does the “U” in the age description mean? 


 

Teams in the state of Washington compete based on the player’s age, not their grade in school. The “U” means “under” and the player’s age must be under the number on August 1st. If a player was born on July 30, 1996, they would try out for a U-14 team in 2009. If a player was born on August 1, 1996, they would try out for a U-13 team in 2009.

 

How much travel is involved with Premier soccer?

 

For Striker’s teams U11 and above, league travel is determined by the location of teams securing a spot in the various PDL and WYS divisions. The typical league schedule is based on travel partners and will have a team traveling to the west side of the state three times during the season. That being said, the PDL is a developing league and situations can change from one season to another as it grows. Summer travel will usually consist of a minimum of two out of town tournaments for teams U13 and above (perhaps one for our younger teams), which run Friday through Sunday.

 

Can my child still play other sports?

 

Yes! The vast majority of our players at the younger age groups participate in multiple sports. We expect our players to make a full commitment to the schedule of games and training that has been established, and most importantly, to their teammates. Our program is designed to assist players striving to improve at the game we love. If players choose not to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to them then progress will be restricted. While we understand that soccer is not the most important thing in life, we also recognize that as players get older, they will begin to gravitate toward one sport or another. As an example, some are able to strike a balance between soccer and basketball and remain competitive at both. Our job is to encourage talent when we see it, to make you aware of the opportunities available to those that could go far within this game. The only sport which is a direct conflict with premier soccer is boy’s high school football. Usually, this problem takes care of itself as few players compete in both. However, this is one case where a player may have to choose one or the other due to direct scheduling conflicts in the fall.

 

 

What do players experience at Tryouts? 


The Sun City Strikers Premier Soccer Club is committed to forming as many competitive teams as possible at every age level. It is our goal to grow the Club membership while remaining competitive. We encourage all interested players to experience the Striker’s tryout process, as long as you are willing to make the necessary commitment to the Club upon your selection.

 

Players should arrive for tryouts 15 to 20 minutes early to have ample time to check in. Tryout registration forms must be turned in and players will be given an assigned number to wear. They will be identified by their number during the tryout sessions.

 

We suggest a family member accompany each player at tryouts. Parents will gather at the first tryout session for an informational meeting.

 

Tryouts will see players go through a warm up, small sided activities and larger sided games. Every effort is made to make sure each player is seen in a competitive environment. Evaluators include Striker’s coaches and/or the Technical Director along with other qualified coaches from our community. Selected players will receive a phone call from their coach inviting them to join a Striker’s team and asking for acceptance. Results will be posted on the Striker’s website. The posting date will be announced at the conclusion of the tryout, but we strive for three days after the tryouts conclude.

 

 

 

What is the Club’s philosophy regarding playing time?

 

The club will commit to you a spot on the roster, the rest is up to you. A player is selected because we believe they can add value to the team, while reaping benefits from being a part of the group. Our club places an extreme importance on the time spent in the training/practice environment. This is where players and coaches will spend the majority of their time with the club. A player adds value by making the team better in training first, games second. The player reaps benefits by being in a better training environment. This is what must be of utmost importance to players, coaches and parents.

 

Our club is based on player development, which comes from training, instruction and competition. The majority of instruction and competition comes within the training environment…the game is the reward! The amount of game contributions a player is able to make to the team will be based on many factors, with the main factor being what the player makes of the training opportunities provided to them. In other words, “how” they do at training, how often they do it, and their attitude in doing so.

 

There are a few situations where results are paramount, the State Cup tournament is one of them. During this time, it is possible that players may not play due to the circumstances dictated by the game and the results of the tournament. Playing time decisions will always be based on the best interest of the team in mind: evaluating training habits, individual abilities, attitude, prior contributions, and strength of opponent, among other factors.

 

Again, it is important that our players, parents and coaches remember that the most critical part of the development process takes place during training/practice time. While competition is one component, paying club dues does not mean paying for a specific amount of playing time. We understand that every player wants to play. As former players ourselves, we also know how much satisfaction comes from knowing that you have earned it!

 

Where are the practices held?

 

Team training locations will vary from time to time depending on the time of year. Most of the training sessions are held at the Perry Soccer Complex, Yakima, WA. as opportunities or situations arise.

 

How expensive is Striker’s soccer? 

 

Premier soccer is more expensive than recreational and select programs because our players train and play year round with a high quality coaching staff that must meet standards set forth by the Club Director. The Club Dues are $___ to cover the coaches salary, insurance, coaching education, membership expenses, equipment, and administrative expenses. Over the course of the year, each Striker’s player will participate in 60 to 70 team practices (1½-2 hours long), plus tournament and league games - an incredible value for high caliber, experienced coaching.

 

A $___ registration fee is collected for membership in the Sun City Strikers Premier Soccer Club. Uniforms average $200 to $250 depending on what each player elects to purchase. Last, team expenses are collected throughout the year to cover costs for tournament registrations (average of $25 per family, per tournament) and travel expenses/per diem for coach’s travel outside of Yakima.

 

Is financial aid available?

 

The Club has a limited amount of need-based financial aid available. Parents may apply for financial aid, which will cover all or part of the Club dues for an individual player. Applications for financial aid must be submitted in writing to the Club within one week after tryout results are posted for your child’s age group.   Please visit the “Forms” section of this website for more information and to print the application form. 

 

Players and their families may also seek financial sponsorships from individuals or businesses through the Striker’s Player Sponsorship program. Any donations you seek and obtain will count toward YOUR Club Dues. 

 

Who makes the decisions? Do parents have a say in the decisions?

 

The Technical Director is in charge of carrying out the mission and purpose of the Club. All decisions relating to the direction of the Club are the responsibility of the Technical Director. The Director is held accountable by the Striker’s Board of Directors; volunteer members and non-members who are elected by the parents of the Club. The Club values the input of all members.

 

Decisions made about league schedules – from tryout dates to championship tournaments – are determined based on scheduling decisions made by the Washington Youth Soccer Association. Changes that occur in WYS scheduling over the course of a year may impact Striker’s schedules. Every effort is made to communicate schedules as far in advance as possible. The Striker’s organization is filled with busy members, and we recognize the need for families to plan ahead.