Mad River Youth Soccer League (MRYSL) is an educational and charitable organization. MRYSL activities include teaching soccer to youth from the age of 4 to under the age of 19 at all skill levels, educating coaches, educating parents about their role in youth sport, organizing games and practices, providing for the facilities to conduct team practices and games, organizing teams to play league games, training referees to referee games, conducting tournaments - (We sponsor a Division 1 & 3 Tournament), organizing training academies and workshops, and raising funds to conduct said activities.

MRYSL is associated with the US Soccer Federation and the California Youth Soccer Association.

MRYSL has a volunteer Board of Directors (BOD) overseeing the activities of its organization. BOD may hire employees or contract individuals to carry out specific functions such as Coach Education, Coaching teams and youth academies, Referee education, and Referee games; as well as labor intensive administrative roles such as registration, assigning referees to games, and field management. To keep expenses as low as possible, we try to use volunteers as much as we can.

MRYSL offers three levels of play that works off a pyramid for achieving educational goals: Recreational - Division 4, Developmental - Division 3, and Competitive - Division 1. For each the enjoyment of the game is the first priority.

Division 4 or Recreation soccer - everyone that signs up by the deadline is guaranteed a spot on a team and practices are usually held at a school playground. Because we are somewhat rural in the area that we serve and our coaches come from all over, we are unable form teams by schools. Recreational soccer's purpose is to provide the experience, so that a player may develop the skill to choose to tryout for the Developmental - Division 3 program.

MAD RIVER UNITED Division 3 developmental soccer is more competitive than recreational soccer, but the emphasis is on player development and specifically skill development over game outcome. Tryouts are held for these teams in the spring. (Not everyone will make a Division 3 team). We try and form multiple teams or age pure teams whenever possible. Soccer practices are held either in McKinleyville, Blue Lake, or Arcata - sometimes all three. We try to balance skill levels on these teams. These teams are not formed by neighborhoods or School Districts or the City in which you live. The purpose of Developmental soccer is to teach the finer aspects of the game in preparation of the youth athlete to have the option to pursue Competitive Soccer or High School Soccer.

Division 1 soccer is the most competitive level of play for the youth athlete we offer. Division 1 teams are competitive teams that represent our League. Tryouts are held in the spring and anyone, given that they are the right age and gender, can tryout for the appropriate Division 1 team. (Not everyone will make a Division 1 team). Practices are generally held in a place that accounts for the demographic make up of the team or coach's preference, as these teams may be made up of young athletes from throughout our league. The purpose of Competitive soccer is to provide the youth athlete the opportunity to prepare for College, Olympic Development or Professional Soccer.


MRYSL COACHING AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT MISSION STATEMENT

TO AID USSF, THE YOUTH AND AMATEUR DIVISIONS IN THEIR STATED AIMS, BY CREATING THE BEST POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUTH AND AMATEUR SOCCER PLAYER IN NORTHERN HUMBOLDT THROUGH:

Emphasizing that playing for-the-love-of-soccer should be made an enjoyable life long experience.

Encouraging the creation of age-appropriate league match environments.

Asking coaches to utilize appropriate teaching methods in practice (age-appropriate activities and games), whilst letting the game be the teacher.

Increasing the awareness of safety issues/adult behavior issues.

Facilitating participation in that level of competition that enables players to be challenged at their appropriate level...including the elite player.

Emphasizing player development over winning/losing, especially amongst younger players.

Hope to see you on the soccer field!