Evaluations for the 2025-2026 season are June 2-3 for girls and June 4-5 for boys at Liberty Park. Select and tournament team offers will be sent on June 13 after noon. If you have a conflict with one of the evaluation dates, please register for evaluations anyway and email us at mounthorebsoccer@gmail.com to let us know about the conflict.

If you have additional questions, please contact the club at mounthorebsoccer@gmail.com

Q.) What is select soccer (formerly known as competitive)?
A.) Quite simply, it means players are selected for teams via evaluations rather than assigned to teams as is done in recreational soccer. In Wisconsin, select soccer teams can be formed beginning at the U11 age group. For 2025-26, the Mount Horeb Soccer Club will create select teams at the middle school level. For 4th and 5th grade players, we will be creating equal teams for fall league and spring league. Additionally, we will create tournament teams in this age group who will play in three tournaments in the fall and/or spring.

Q.) Who should try out for a select or tournament soccer team?
A.) Kids who really love to play soccer and want to learn to play at a more advanced level are good candidates for select soccer. Select soccer is for the player who wants more technical instruction and who wants to be in a more competitive environment with other players who share the same goals.

Q.) How are teams selected? How many teams will be formed?
A.) Players for each team are selected by skill level based on independent evaluators and coaches’ feedback. The number of teams for any age group depends on how many players are trying out at each age group and the skill level of the players being evaluated.

Q.) What happens during evaluations?
A.) Exercises/drills are used to evaluate players based on individual skill level such as dribbling, passing/receiving, field awareness and finishing. Game play and understanding are evaluated through small sided games. Touch, athleticism, fitness, decision making, attitude, effort, and leadership are the characteristics that the coaching staff will look to evaluate players.

Q.) What if my child is sick or injured, or is not available during tryouts? What if my child can only make one day of evaluations?
A.) Please notify the club at mounthorebsoccer@gmail.com as soon as possible so that we can determine next steps. In the past, we've used the player's previous coach's knowledge and evaluation as a guide for team placement.

Q.) Is my son or daughter still going to be able to play with his or her friends and classmates?
A.) It is possible, however, the placement of individual players on specific teams depends solely on evaluation results. For the 4th and 5th grade players, they will play with classmates for their league season while playing with a select group of players for most of the tournaments.

Q.) Can my son or daughter play up in age?
A.) Yes, it is possible to play up depending on evaluation results. 

Q.) How much does it cost to play select soccer? How much does it cost to be on the tournament team?
A.) The cost to play competitive soccer on a Mount Horeb Soccer Club team was $450 for the 2024-25 season, plus coaching fees where applicable. These fees will stay the same for the 2025-26 season. 

For the tournament team, the fees will be similar and will not be more than $450 for both the tournament schedule and the league fees, but the cost is still TBD.

Q.) Who will be coaching my child?
A.)Ideally, we look for an experienced coach that is paid for the select teams at the U13 age and above age group, but we will use parent volunteers when the parent is a qualified coach. The U10 and below are volunteer parent coaches. Tournament teams will also likely be coached by parent volunteers. Overall, the coaching assignments will be decided after tryouts based on the number of teams and the team’s needs. 

Q.) How many practices are there per week?
A.) Typically two practices per week during fall and spring.

Q.) How many games will teams play per season?
A.) Each season (spring and fall) will usually consist of eight league games; one per week, usually Saturday or Sundays. Our teams will be playing against other Madison area teams.  In addition, the middle school select teams will plan on playing in 4 tournaments total during the year. The 4th-5th grade tournament teams will play 2 tournaments in the fall and 1 in the spring, plus 1 spring tournament with their league team.

Q.) Is it possible to play other sports/activities while participating in select soccer?
A.) Yes!! It is a popular myth that Mount Horeb Soccer Club players can not have multiple commitments or play several sports. We feel that well-rounded athletes can contribute significantly to our program. We will not discourage players from sampling what is out there. Players and parents should simply communicate with the coach ahead of time and work together to ensure a positive experience for all concerned.

Q.) Are returning players given preference during evaluations?
A.) No, returning players receive no preferential treatment during evaluations. All players start with the same blank slate and selection is based on the skills that a player demonstrates during the evaluation itself. All players are specifically requested to not wear any former club identifying clothing so as not to influence the selection process.

Q.) My son/daughter heard another player say they were guaranteed a spot on a roster?
A.) There are no guaranteed roster spots for any player regardless of what anyone tells you.

Q.) I heard that evaluations favor the offensive player rather than the defensive player. Is this true?
A.) Any selection process is imperfect at best. However, the MHSC club has certain ideals that it looks for when selecting players. The ability to receive a pass and make a pass within confined spaces is a skill applicable at any position. We also look for players who know and understand how to move off the ball when not in possession. While there are small goals set out on the evaluation surface, we do not evaluate for finishing ability or scoring prowess into these goals. They exist simply to give the players a direction to move.

Q.) Does MHSC offer financial assistance?
A.) Yes, we provide reduced fees to families that qualify. Please contact us at mounthorebsoccer@gmail.com for more information