Overview

North Reading Youth Soccer ("NRYS") participates in ECYSA, the Essex County Youth Soccer Association. ECYSA is one of several regional leagues across Massachusetts that provide "travel" soccer, allowing teams from different towns to play one another.  

ECYSA teams are organized by age groups depending on a player's date of birth. In the fall season, NRYS has teams that compete in the following age groups:  Grade 4,  Grade 5/6, Grade 7/8. In the spring, teams compete in all the same age groups as well as Grade 9/10, and Grade 11/12. Within each age group, players are placed on teams based on a variety of factors including player performance at tryouts and player evaluations by coaches from the previous season(s).

The Fall ECYSA season runs from September to November. The Spring ECYSA season runs from April to June.  Games are played on Saturdays for Grade 4 - Grade 7/8 age groups.  Half of the games are played in North Reading and the other half are played in nearby towns. The longest travel for an away game will be 45 minutes, but most away games will only be 15 to 30 minutes away. In addition to the weekly games, teams generally practice two times per week at a field in North Reading. In the fall, teams can compete in a tournament over Columbus Day Weekend and, in the spring, teams can compete in a tournament over Memorial Day Weekend.

In the Grade 4 age group, teams compete in 7v7 soccer and team rosters have between 10 to 13 players. In the Grade 5/6 age groups, teams compete in 9v9 soccer and team rosters have between 12 to 14 players. In the Grade 7/8 - Grade 11/12 age groups, teams compete in 11v11 soccer and team rosters have between 16 to 20 players. 

Tryouts

Travel team tryouts for North Reading Youth Soccer are held once a year in the spring for the Grade 4 - Grade 7/8 age groups.  Spring tryouts are typically scheduled in early June. Once these dates are confirmed, information will be posted on this website and the tryout information will be sent out to all families. In order to participate in tryouts, players need to officially register for the upcoming season on the NRYS website.

Once registered, your child will receive a tryout time.  You will receive notice of this tryout time approximately 1 week prior to the tryout date. 

Due to the large number of players involved, NRYS does not offer make-up tryouts. If your child has an unavoidable conflict, please speak with your current coach and Travel Director.

Age Breakdown (Fall 2019 - Spring 2020)