Q. What is North Caldwell FC?
A. North Caldwell FC, also known as NCFC, is a travel soccer club established in the Fall 2021 travel soccer season. North Caldwell FC is a member club in New Jersey Youth Soccer, the statewide governing body, and currently plays in the Morris County Youth Soccer Association. We are a private, non-profit corporation, with an IRS 501(c)(3) designation, formed by several parents in North Caldwell in 2021 to provide a travel soccer club opportunity solely for kids who live in North Caldwell. Currently, there is a seven member board of trustees and the membership of the organization consists of the parents of the kids who are rostered players each season. The board meets regularly (usually every month during the season and every other month in between seasons). You are always welcome to attend our regular meetings, which are done in-person with a video appearance option.
Q. Is North Caldwell FC owned/operated by the Borough of North Caldwell
A. No, but we do have a wonderful relationship with the hard working Recreation Department in North Caldwell and we thank them tremendously for their support when we launched this club and as it grows.
Q. How do I make sure I don't miss any updates about the club?
A. Monitor the website, www.ncfcsoccer.com, and create a free account on the website. That way, we will include you in our email blasts when we have news/information to distribute.
Q: Is my child eligible to try out/play for NCFC?
A: Yes, if your child: (1) resides in North Caldwell; and (2) his/her birth year makes him/her eligible. Tryouts and roster selection are generally conducted in April for the rosters for the fall season that begins in September (practice begins in mid/late August).
Q. What training program do you offer?
A. The club has engaged the trainers from Sticks N' Kicks in Fairfield, New Jersey for its teams. Sticks N' Kicks is owned and operated by Rob Grosso, Varsity Boys Soccer Coach as West Essex High School.
Q. What is the program cost?
A. Each season we evaluate and set the costs of the program. For the Fall 2023/2024 season, the cost will be $500/player for the fall season plus uniform costs (home and away uniforms - last season those were $204). Winter training and the spring season are each optional and each are a separate fees (discussed below). Uniforms are billed to parents at cost (i.e., we don't make any money on them) and the program cost is set to match the actual costs of the club, which generally consists of required fees to participate in travel soccer in New Jersey. Those include New Jersey Youth Soccer registration fees per player (which includes insurance and the club's website), trainers for each team, the travel league's registration fee per team, referee fees for each team for each game, tournament fees, and the Borough of North Caldwell's seasonal field usage fee per player. The club is a non-profit organization run solely by volunteers who are residents of North Caldwell. So while we do expect fees to go up for the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 season, we aim to just enough to cover costs of the program.
Q. If my child makes the team, what commitment is required?
A. Players offered a roster position on an NCFC team must commit to the fall travel soccer season, which runs from mid/late August (when practice begins) through mid-November. The club will generally play eight games (normally Sundays) over ten weeks from September through mid-November, as well as two practices per week. There are also tournaments during the season that each team/coach decides whether to enter.
The club offers (but does not require) winter training, which consists of a weekly, weeknight training at an indoor facility. The fee for winter training last season was $250/player for 10 sessions. We expect that to remain the same for this coming winter.
The club offers (but does not require) a spring season. For those kids who opt to play spring soccer, the fee is $500 for the spring 2024 season. The roster for the spring season is the same roster as the fall season roster. If the players/coaches of the team want to play the spring season, they can do so. The decision to play the spring season each year will be made over the winter once the coach determines whether the roster for the spring season exists.
Q. If my child makes the team, is he or she required to play in the North Caldwell Recreation Department fall soccer season?
A. Kids who are in the 1st through 4th grade who make the NCFC travel soccer team are also required to register and play in the North Caldwell Recreation Department fall soccer league, subject to exception granted by the travel team's coach on a case-by-case basis based upon exceptional circumstances. We do coordinate with the recreation department on practices and games so you will never have a game conflict and for practice, typically the travel players of NCFC are not required to attend recreation soccer practices (although many opt to do so because more soccer is good!)
Q: In what division/age group should I register my child for tryouts, and can my child "play up"?
A. You should register your child for the division applicable to his or her birth year. Do NOT register your child up a level for tryouts. For example, if your child is born in 2012, and the division that season is U11, you would register your child for the U11 tryout. ALL kids will be evaluated at tryouts for their birth year division and for one division up. So if your child is a U11 candidate, he or she will be evaluated for both the U11 and U12 rosters. If the coaches believe, based upon your child's skill level, he or she should play up one division, that opportunity will be provided.
Q. Do you allow parents to coach?
A. YES! We are a parent-driven organization and, while we have head coach paid professional trainers for our teams, we believe that our young soccer stars benefit from parental involvement with the club on game day and in practice. So if you are looking to be involved with your child's team, make sure when you register for tryouts you also register to be considered as a manager or assistant coach (coaching requires a license under NJYS rules, which we can assist you in obtaining). If you have any further questions about this, just email us at [email protected] and we will connect with you.