Crush FC (MRSC)

Frequently Asked Questions

Logistics:

Monday, May 4th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Tuesday, May 5th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Saturday, May 9th, 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Saturday, May 9th, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Monday, May 11th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Tuesday, May 12th, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

How many tryout sessions must my child attend?
At least one full tryout session is required, though attendance for at least 2 sessions may result in better evaluations.

When are team decisions made?
Crush expects to issue team invitations on May 9^th for Academy players, and by May 14^th for Club players.

When does the season begin?
Practices begin early August and the season will run for ~12 weeks each season (spring season begins early Feb for year-round teams)

Is there a team camp and if so, what is involved?
Players are highly encouraged to attend the team camp at the beginning of August (Aug 7-9). This camp will focus on laying the technical and tactical foundation to be built upon each week, and most importantly begin team building to establish a culture that blends individuals into a cohesive unit.

How many practices and games each week?
Two 1.5-hour team training sessions per week, plus the expected 1 hour of training outside of practice (see expectations below). Academy teams generally have 1 game per week, and Club teams may have 1-2 games per week.

What days are practices and games?
Practices are Mon/Wed, Mon/Thurs or Tues/Thurs depending on the team (Club teams generally at the evening time slot, i.e. 6:30-8pm). Academy and Club games are played predominantly on Saturdays or Sunday afternoons. Club games may include travel to places such as Columbia, SC.

Costs:

What is included in the cost of the program?
CRUSH FC custom sublimated uniform kit (Home/Away Jerseys, Shorts, Socks, 2 training shirts), league fees, association fees, field fees, referee fees, coaches' pay, 2 tournament entries (1 tournament entry for Club fall only teams), 5 CRUSH FC small group trainings each season, team camp, and club service project.

Are there any additional costs?
Coaches' travel expenses for any out-of-town tournaments will be billed separately (TBD, likely $75-100), and you will have the ability to purchase an optional team backpack or additional CRUSH FC gear. Some teams may ask for a social fee contribution to aid in regular team bonding events. Invitational State cups/tournaments are not included in Club fees and would result in additional tournament and travel fees if teams qualify and attend.

Do you have financial assistance available?
We don’t want cost to be a barrier. We will do our best to work with families to provide needs-based assistance when possible.

Expectations:

How does academy/club soccer differ from rec?
Due to tryouts and commitment level, your child should be on a team with a smaller range of skill level and overall higher commitment/desire to learn vs a Rec soccer team, which should lead to more quality training sessions and ability to progress faster.
Coaches: while Crush seeks to equip coaches even at the Rec level, Academy & Cub coaches have experience playing at a high level (i.e. college) and/or have proven experience coaching at a higher level. We also select coaches who are equipped and committed to develop players in character in addition to skill.

What are the expectations of players and families?
Players are expected to attend at least 80% of practices and games. We expect players to be on time, equipped, and engaged at practice, and to do at least one hour of technical training per week apart from the 2 scheduled practices.
Players and families are expected to communicate ahead of time when practices or games must be missed, and to be respectful of coaches, refs, and other players. All families are required to sign a Parent Code of Conduct and we ask that you carefully consider the commitments outlined therein. While we don’t expect perfection, we do expect to hold each other accountable to a higher standard.

Why is an extra hour of training required each week instead of a 3^rd practice?
Crush firmly believes that players and families should have time for each other and/or other activities in life. That said, other clubs practice 3x/week and we want to remain competitive. To balance these 2 desires, we ask players to do 1 hour of technical training on their own each week. We believe this offers flexibility as well as the opportunity for players to take ownership of their own development.
To streamline this on-your-own training, a set number of small group technical trainings are included in the academy/club fees (5 for fall, 5 for spring). The remaining individual training can be done at home using the drills from these trainings or using other resources (such as the “Techne” app which we highly recommend), or families will have the option to purchase additional small group trainings at a discounted price if desired.

Can my child participate in other sports or activities at the same time?
Yes, as long as Crush can remain a primary commitment! This means being able to fulfill the 80% time commitment above and being proactive with communication when conflicts arise. If you will be juggling other activities which would require consistently missing Crush practices or games, the academy & club program would not be a good fit for you at this time.

How much playing time will my child get in games?
As long as players are meeting the time commitment and remain engaged, it is our goal for all players to play at least 50% of each game.

Why CRUSH?

What is unique about Crush?
We are a faith-based club that promotes collaboration among coaches, players, and families. Our purpose and mission is to honor the Lord with all that we do--to teach and have fun, to pursue our best, and to share His light within a performance-based community on how to do higher level soccer "A Better Way". Devotions, team huddles, and mentorship on and off the field are the core virtues that are extremely important to us. We focus on mentorship and skill development over scoreboard results, though we still aim to be competitive and excellent in all that we do.

How does Crush differ from other clubs?
In addition to the unique differences mentioned above, logistically Crush offers a shorter season (7 months instead of 10, and a 3.5-month fall only option for certain club teams which is not available elsewhere) to allow kids to participate in other activities.
Crush also holds only 2 practices per week (compared to 3 in other clubs) for several reasons: to give more flexibility of schedule and better allow for family rhythms, and to instill accountability and discipline for players pursuing a third “session” of technical practice on their own. Also, we want to avoid player burnout –- more kids (especially girls) are leaving soccer in high school than ever before. We want to enable kids to play at a high level of soccer while maintaining a level of joy and balance.