Travel Teams
(Grades 4-12)

Overview

Jamaica Plain Youth Soccer offers boys and girls in Grades 4 through 12 the opportunity to play for a Travel Team that participates in the Boston Area Youth Soccer (BAYS) league. Travel Teams normally practice twice a week and play weekend games against teams from other towns in the Greater Boston area. Teams play in both the Fall and Spring Seasons.

Travel teams are a more significant commitment than our in-house programs. We expect that players will be able to make at least 80% of practices and games.  This is not a hard-and-fast rule (we're not disenrolling anyone for missing practices or games) but a guideline for families who are signing up. If you are still interested in playing but know you cannot make that level of commitment, please contact us before the season starts so we can work with you and ensure placement on a team where that can be accommodated.

JP Youth Soccer normally conducts a Player Assessment for rising 4th through 8th graders at the end of the Spring Season to help build and balance the travel teams for the upcoming Fall and Spring Seasons, and to make sure all players have an opportunity to play at a level where they are appropriately challenged. This is not a try-out; all players who register by the deadline are guaranteed a spot on a travel team if they so desire. Teams will be placed in divisions that are more or less competitive based on the skill and development level of the players.  All rising 4-8th graders who plan to play the next year are highly encouraged to participate in the Assessment. For more information see the Player Assessment Schedule and FAQs.

Travel Team Age Divisions 

4th Grade Travel (U10)

4th graders have the option to participate in Campeones (intramural JP program) or play on a Travel Team. 4th graders should play Travel if they are looking for a more competitive game experience and the opportunity to play teams from other towns around Greater Boston. 4th graders should play in the Campeones League if they prefer a less competitive game experience where they will not have to travel outside of JP for matches.

The U10 Travel Program promotes technical skill development and a healthy competitive atmosphere under the supervision of professional and volunteer coaches, with games that are geared toward the skill and experience of the player. Practices are normally twice a week from 6:00-7:15pm at English High School, with games in the BAYS league on Saturdays. 

4th Grade teams play 7v7 games on a small field (~40×60 yds) with a size 4 ball, and with some rules modified to better work for players at this level of development (no heading, no offside rule, and certain restrictions on goal kicks and goalkeeper play). The BAYS league is divided into boys and girls divisions. Girls' teams typically play games on Saturday morning. Boys' teams will typically play on Saturday afternoon.

5th and 6th Grade Travel (U11/U12)

5th and 6th grade players play on travel teams that participate in the BAYS league. Practices are normally two evenings a week from 6:00 to7:30 at one of the JPYS fields, with games on Saturdays at Pagel Field. Girls teams typically play games in the morning. Boys teams will typically play in the afternoon.

Depending on registration numbers, U12 teams may be divided into separate 5th and 6th grade teams, but frequently some 5th and 6th graders will play together on the same teams, grouped by their soccer development level rather than their grade.  5th and 6th Grade teams play 9v9 games on a smaller than standard field (~50×70 yds), with a size 4 ball, and most normal soccer rules with only minor modifications to accommodate players at this level of development (heading is not allowed, but the offside rule is enforced along with all other Laws of the Game). The BAYS league is divided into boys and girls divisions.

7th and 8th Grade Travel (U14)

7th and 8th grade players play on travel teams that participate in the BAYS league. Practices are normally two evenings a week sometime between 6:00 and 8:30pm, with games on Saturdays. 7th and 8th Grade teams play 11v11 on a full-sized field, with a regulation size 5 ball, following all normal Laws of the Game (including allowing heading). The BAYS league is divided into boys and girls divisions.

9th-12th Grade Travel (U16/18/19)

High School aged players play on travel teams that participate in the BAYS league. Practices are normally one to two evenings a week, with games on Sundays.

Fall Season:  BAYS offers only a grade 9-12 7v7 (U18) league; JPYS normally fields one or more teams in this league for players who are interested in playing outside of their school teams.

Spring Season: BAYS offers three HS divisions:

JPYS will field teams in one or more of these divisions based on registration numbers and interest. We occasionally work with neighboring Boston programs (South End Soccer and Parkway in West Roxbury in particular) to field combined-program teams if one or more of the programs does not have enough players in a given age/gender division to field a team.

Eligibility for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 Soccer Year

Travel Match Rules

Travel games are played according to the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game, except where specifically modified by the BAYS league.  The relevant links are here:

International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game

BAYS Rules for Soccer Competition

BAYS Modifications to the Laws of the Game 

Equipment and Uniforms

All travel teams play their matches in the JP travel uniform: Emerald green jersey with a white number on the back and the small, white JPYS logo on the front; black shorts; and black socks. Players must wear the JPYS uniform during matches.  Players may be asked to change, or may be prohibited from playing, if any piece of their uniform (even just shorts or socks) does not match the standard. New uniforms can be purchased through the registration website when registering for the next season.

Players' equipment must always include:

Players should generally not bring their own ball to practice. JPYS provides balls for practice and (especially with younger players) having their own ball around can be a distraction if it is being used by someone else.

Travel Season Timelines

Travel team registration deadlines occur earlier than Academy or Campeones registration deadlines because of the need to assess players and register teams with the league. It is very important to register for Travel Teams by the deadline so we have a realistic idea of how many teams we are going to field--this affects the amount of field space and equipment we need, the number of volunteer coaches, and affects the optimal team size to make sure players get the maximum amount of playing time in games.  If you register your child after the travel team deadline, they may be placed on a wait list until a spot becomes available.

The league year is made up of two seasons, starting in Fall and running through Spring.  Here are the approximate season timelines for Grades 4-8 travel. (The Grade 9-12 timelines run about a month later than these due to school programs and a shorter season.)  Note that registration for one season normally starts before the previous season is over:

Fall Season

Spring Season

JPYS does not organize or sponsor any Winter or Summer programs or clinics.