TC United Frequently Asked Questions

Why play for TC United?

TC United is the only US Club competitive soccer program in Thurston County! We offer the most affordable competitive soccer experience in the area. Our teams compete at the select, premier, and national premier level. Some of our players also play for the Surf Academy or Elite Player Development (EPD) state teams. Under the guidance of our Director of Coaching, our licensed and certified coaches are committed to helping each player achieve their full potential.

What are the benefits of playing competitive soccer? 

The benefits are licensed coaching staff, higher level competition, more intensive skills development, longer seasons, more playing opportunities, more training sessions, and having teammates who share a common commitment for becoming high level soccer players. Players who strive to play on their junior high, high school or college soccer teams will benefit from the high quality soccer training they receive from playing competitive soccer. Most all of today’s high school varsity teams are comprised of players that play at a competitive level. Competitive soccer gives an aspiring player more opportunities to develop their skills at a young age so that they can reach their true potential.

What is the annual TC United club fee and what does it cover? 

We offer the most affordable competitive soccer program in the area - about half the cost of the nearest competitor. View the annual playing year fees. The TC United club fee pays for all costs associated with the delivery of the program, including: 

• Player registration and insurance fees.
• Salaries and stipends for coaching staff and administrative staff (including director and head coaches).
• Goalkeeper training.
• Technical training nights.
• Year-round team training and equipment (excluding uniforms).
• Cross-team training opportunities.
• Field rental fees for games and trainings.
• Referee and scheduling fees.
• Summer tournaments.
• State cup tournament.
• League entry fees.
• College preparation night.
• Coaching education.
• Administrative fees.
• Access to club sponsored events.

 Annual program fees are collected after tryouts and the player is selected and joins the team. Parents may opt to pay the fee in full or a payment plan is available to allow parents to break up the fee into installments. A portion of annual club charges can be defrayed with a financial aid grant for qualified and approved applicants. Financial aid applications are available on the document download section of our website. Please note that we do not have an automatic payment system, and monthly installment must be manually paid by account holders.

What age does my child have to be to play for TC United?

Competitive soccer typically begins at the U10 age group. TC United does not generally recommend that children “play up” except in circumstances where the coach or Director of Coaching identifies that a child is specifically capable of competing with players who are older. TC United follows the birth-year age chart provided by US Soccer. 

What is the commitment like?

Teams will train at minimum two times a week for most of the year. Coaches and players also have access to a Friday training day to work on individual team training or club wide skills training. From U10-U14 every team plays in a Fall league and Spring league. For U15+ (the high school ages) the boys play their competitive season in the Fall and the girls play their season in the Winter/Spring (with some games commencing in summer). Most teams will also participate in several tournaments each year (two in the Summer and one in the Winter/Spring). Tournaments and league may require travel and overnight stays in other cities, with older teams generally requiring to travel more than younger teams, and due consideration is always given to school and holiday schedules. The U10 Developmental WPL division plays every game at Starfire in Tukwila.

My child is playing for a different soccer club or association, can I still have him/her tryout for TC United?

Yes, any youth player of the correct age can tryout for TC United. If selected for a team, we will register him/her with the appropriate state and national associations and acquire any necessary player releases and player cards.

Can my child play for a recreational team while still playing for TC United?

Typically, players are encouraged to only play for their TC United team because of the consistent schedule of playing at the competitive level. Making sure players have periods of rest and recovery is also important to their player development. However, players may participate on their school soccer team. In addition, new TC United players may complete their Spring and Summer recreational league commitments after being selected to join a TC United team. 

As Summer registration deadlines for recreational typically coincide with tryouts, we advise registering for your Summer program as well as attending tryouts. If you make a TC United team you can withdraw your Summer recreational registration for a full refund.

How do the tryouts work?

Tryouts are conducted annually, over the course of two 1.5 hour sessions for each age group. All player candidates are asked to register and pick up a numbered bib. Tryouts consist of small sided games and large sided games observed by our coaching staff and guest evaluators. Our thorough evaluation process examines and scores an individual player's technique, decision making, physical ability, and social/psychological development. Players will be observed and scored based off the assigned training vest number. Returning players aren't given any special preference over new players at tryouts. Coaches and evaluators are not allowed to score their own child. If two teams are warranted, the ‘first’ team coach will have first choice to pick their roster, after which the ‘second’ team coach will have the second choice to pick the next group of players. Players may be informed of their team selections at the end of tryouts, or they may receive a phone call from the coach within a few days.

See more about our about our tryouts.

Does a player trying out for a TC United team have to attend all the tryout sessions for that age group?

We recommend that each new player trying out for a TC United team attend all tryout sessions if possible, unless specifically informed by the coach. Attending every session provides the best opportunity for the evaluators to see the players in action and make the best selections, and it also provides the player the opportunity to overcome any problems from a single day’s session. Players returning to a team under the same coach as the previous year should plan to attend all sessions. All players must go through a tryout process each year.

How many teams are selected?

TC United always plans on forming at least one team for each age group and gender. The strength of the player turnout at the tryouts dictates not only if an initial team will be formed, but if there will be enough qualified players to create a second squad. 

How many players make the team?

Our standing rule when forming teams is players on the field plus four. However, each team has different circumstances. This is why we give coaches and our Director of Coaching the final discretion when creating a roster. Coaches may choose to have fewer than the maximum number of players on their team rosters to provide more flexibility with playing time, or they may choose to have the maximum amount of players on their roster to prepare for potential absences during the year. 

Do all players get equal playing time?

 Although coaches will attempt to make sure that all players get a chance to play as much as possible in each game, playing time in competitive soccer will depend on game circumstances, the competitive situation, and player performance. Performance-based playing time includes individual effort, commitment, performance in training and games, and other factors determined by the coach. More balanced playing time typically occurs at the younger age groups. As the players mature, performance-based playing time becomes more of a factor within a competitive team environment. If players are concerned about their playing time, they should talk to their coach to find out what they can do to earn more playing time. It's important for players (and parents) to understand that our club believes in long-term player development. With consistent effort over time, an individual player can improve and give themselves an opportunity for more playing time. 

When does training start? How many practices per week?

Training starts soon after tryouts are completed and team rosters are set. Most teams practice two or three times a week, but this depends on the schedule and the team’s requirements. Players can also get additional training by practicing with other teams that are comparable in age or skill (be sure to get both coach's permission). 

Where are training sessions held?

TC United considers the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey as its primary practice facility, although we conduct summer trainings at Lakepointe Park. TC United utilizes soccer specific grass facilities for training. When grass fields are closed from November through March, we utilize turf fields at the RAC (soccer field and baseball infields) and local high school turf fields. 

How long is the season?

All TC United teams U10-U14 participate in a Fall league, which generally runs from early September to mid-December. The number of games will vary by league and level, but in most cases teams will play 10 to 14 games during the Fall League. These teams typically play in a shorter spring league (6-10 games) from February to April. Teams will also play in various summer tournaments in preparation for the fall season and in a post-season state tournament. 

NOTE: High School aged players (Boys and Girls U15+) will play their competitive soccer season opposite of their high school season. Boys will play for their TC United team in the fall league and join their high school team for Spring. Girls will play high school in the fall and join their TC United team for an early winter/spring league.

When are games played?

League games are usually played on Saturdays or Sundays during daylight hours (9AM to 6PM). Some games or scrimmages may be played on lighted fields after 6PM, but games will typically not be scheduled for late in the evening (kick off after 9pm). Some make-up games may be scheduled for weekday evenings. Summer tournament games typically follow this type of format: 1 Friday game, 1-2 Saturday games, and 1-2 Sunday games depending on advancement. 

Where are games played?

TC United typically plays its home games in Lacey, utilizing the Regional Athletic Complex as our main home field. Games could also be played at other local parks or schools in Thurston County. Depending on the league our team is participating in, away games will be played as close as Tacoma, SeaTac, and Tukwila and as far away as Vancouver, Yakima, the Tri-Cities, or Spokane. 

Tournament locations will vary in geographic location. Younger teams will be more likely to participate in local area tournaments, whereas older teams may travel across the state for higher level tournaments.

U10 games are played at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila and Ravensdale Park.

What does a typical annual schedule for a TC United team look like?

After tryouts in Spring, training will start in early June and summer will consist of training sessions and at least two tournaments that occur over the course of a weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun). There is typically one tournament in July and a final one in August before league starts. Fall League begins in September and can run as late as mid-December depending on the schedule, all games are generally scheduled to be played on Saturday's however there are several double header weekends with both Saturday and Sunday games as well as bye weekends with no play at all. Spring league typically runs from January to April and concludes with a tournament.

The high school aged girls (U15+) cease training with the club after playing initiating their season at the end of August. At that point players their high school teams through November with TC United training continuing in December and the WPL HS Girls League continuing from January-April.

The high school aged boys (U15+) will play with TC United through Fall League, and typically complete there entire TC United commitment by the beginning of December. Before joining their High School team, their may be opportunities for a shortened Winter Season or training sessions to keep the boys ready for HS Try outs.

Training is typically held on Monday and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-7pm (U10 to U12 teams) and 7-8:30pm (U13-U19 teams) with an additional training day on Friday's that is optional for coaches and players. Our summer session training will be at Lakepointe Park in Lacey. In the Fall and Winter we shift to the Regional Athletic Complex to utilize the artificial lights and synthetic turf. 

How far do TC United teams travel for games?

The amount of travel done by a TC United team can vary from season to season. Younger teams that play in the WPL Development league will play all of their games at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. Teams generally only travel around Franklin-Pierce, Issaquah-Eastside and the Seattle metro area. However, as the competition level increases so does the need for travel and it is possible teams may play anywhere in the state, although most games are typically played along the I-5 Corridor. Teams may travel further for summer tournaments (including out of state) depending on the coach's and parents’ decisions.

Are there "away" tournaments that would require staying overnight?

Yes, some tournaments may require overnight stays, especially for older teams. This is usually decided between the coach, Director of Coaching, and the parents for each team. Some teams may choose to travel and stay together, while others may prefer to arrange for individual travel plans. While tournament registration fees are typically included in your annual playing fees, teams will incur additional out-of-pocket expenses for away tournaments such as meals, lodging, transportation, etc. 

Do the teams play at different competitive levels?

Yes, TC United teams play at the premier (divisions 1-2) and select (divisions 3-6) competition levels of the Washington Premier League (WPL). The league competition level is determined by tournament results and previous league play. Teams who do well in league play can be "promoted" to higher divisions. Teams can also be "relegated" to lower level competition. The WPL is a competitive US Club Soccer league. The league is open to all clubs within Washington State and northern Idaho that are affiliated with US Club Soccer. 

What is the difference between the "Navy" and "White" TC United teams?

When the tryout process allows, TC United may form more than one team in the same age and gender division. The first team is designated as Navy, and the second team is designated as White. Navy and White are the club's primary uniform colors. The makeup and character of each team is at the discretion of the coaches and Director of Coaching based off of tryout evaluations. Teams generally train separately, but often coaches work together so that the needs of the players of the entire group are met. "White" teams play a full schedule of tournaments and train as often as their "Navy" team counterparts. The "White" teams are frequently very good and it is not unheard of for them to beat the "Navy" team in scrimmages. The club strives to provide equal training resources for all teams in an effort to help each and every player reach their potential.

Do I have to participate in fundraising?

There is no club requirement to participate in fundraising. However, fundraising is a necessary part of any volunteer organization. Fundraising and/or donations serves to reduce the cost of participation for all team members and enables a team to provide financial assistance when necessary. All parents and players are encouraged to participate in club or team fundraising activities. 

What participation is expected of parents?

TC United is run by volunteers, and each family is encouraged to volunteer at either the team or club level – or both! We prefer that our coaches concentrate on coaching and leave the organization and management of the team to the parents. There are a wide variety of volunteer positions available within each team such as assistant coach, team manager, volunteer or fundraising coordinator, and party planner. Club volunteers can assist with tryouts, college nights, or get involved with our committee or board. 

Can I donate to TC United for operating costs, tournament fees, or other expenses?

Yes, please contact our Program Coordinator at registrar@tcunited.org for details on how to contribute. TC United is a 501c3 non-profit organization, so all or part of your contribution may be tax deductible. Your employer might also have a charitable donation matching program which could allow you to increase your donation to TC United.

What is your relationship with Chinqually Booters Soccer Club?

TC United is the competitive program of our parent club Chinqually Booters Soccer Club. Chinqually offers recreational soccer and allows anyone to play from Super Mod (U4-U7), Mod (U8-U11) and Full Field (U12-U18). TC United does not have teams until U10 and requires a player be evaluated at a tryout before being asked to join. While TC United has its own bylaws and operating procedures, we fall under the governance of Chinqually Booters Soccer Club and its Board of Directors.

What is the difference between TC United and Chinqually?

Chinqually Booters Soccer Club is a recreational program only, which means that all players have the opportunity to participate – all they have to do is sign up! Players are usually randomly assigned to a team without regard to his/her abilities and skill level. While it’s preferred that players attend as many practices as possible, the commitment level is usually far less intense and minimum playing times are guaranteed.

TC United is the competitive program of Chinqually. The terms “Select,” “Premier,” and “Competitive” soccer are often used interchangeably, although there is a difference in the terms. Competitive is generally used to indicate that players must tryout and be chosen by the evaluators and coaching staff to make the roster for a team, unlike recreational soccer where everyone that signs up is guaranteed a spot on a team. The “Competitive” designation requires more commitment then recreational with 2-3 training sessions per week, 2-4 tournaments per year, state-wide travel, and a club expectation that soccer is your primary sport during its specific season. Our teams compete at the select, premier, and national premier competitive levels.

More Resources

Director of Coaching

About TC United