Got a question about the WASA Eagles FC? 

Here are some frequently asked questions about our values and practices as a club and answers to those questions.  Information about tryouts and fees can be found by clicking the Tryouts tab.  If you have a question that is not answered here or in other sections of our web site, please send an e-mail to Jeff Dybdahl at dybby@juno.com.

What is unique about the WASA Eagles FC as a select soccer club?

1. It is likely that we are the only major club in central Ohio started by a parent.  Read more details of how and why the Eagles came to be by going to the Codes of Conduct page and scroll down to A Message from Jeff Dybdahl.  We are committed to giving players the best in training, coaching and competition, all in an environment that is parent and family friendly, with the attitude that the club exists to serve players and their parents, rather than the players and teams serving the purpose of building up the reputation of the club.  
2. We provide high level trainers who lead 8 training sessions in the fall and 8 in the spring who complement the instruction given by our coaches.  Most of these trainers are present or former professional players.  Besides the quality instruction given, these trainers act as role models and an inspiration to players to go after their soccer dreams.
3. Our size provides opportunities for players of various abilities to be well matched with an appropriate team, rather than one that is too diverse in its make up.  Multiple teams in age and gender groups also allow players to guest play in higher divisions or age groups.  Our new alliance with the Olentangy Classics beginning at U13 will provide new and better experiences for older players to keep moving toward their goals of being successful players in high school and college.  For more on Classics Eagles, go to www.classicseagles.com.    

Do you have professional coaches?

Anyone can define their coaches as professional.  So, yes our coaches are professional in that there is some form of compensation given to head coaches, but what truly makes our coaches professional is that our coaches have the competence to teach soccer and the character that provides a good role model for the players. 

Our coaches are licensed, they receive ongoing mentoring from various resources within the club and they are required to follow a Code of Conduct.  We expect our coaches to work on their game the same way players work on their game.  Every team has a coach who has a strong soccer playing background, and most have a coach with college soccer experience or beyond.

Our head coaches devote their attention to one team.  It is a very rare exception that a coach would coach two teams, and that usually occurs when one team is a spring only team.  

Every season our coaches are evaluated so we can be aware of any important issues that need to be addressed.

We believe that being a parent neither qualifies nor disqualifies a person from being a coach.  Some of our head coaches are parents.  This is because they are coaches with competence and character.  The coach of the Columbus Crew coached his sons in youth soccer.  The coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team has his son start for the team.  What we care about most is not parental status, but giving our teams excellent coaching.

What is the schedule for the year?

The fall season typically kicks off in early August with the optional but highly recommended team camp week, which is led by Rob Smith and a strong group of trainers.  Practice begins following team camp (although some teams provide optional experiences earlier in the summer).  From then through late October, or early November for older teams, there will be about 3-4 soccer activities per week including practices, training sessions and games. 

Winter indoor practice sessions and leagues are optional.

The spring season begins in March and goes through late May, or early June for older teams.  Again, there will be about 3-4 soccer activities per week during the spring season.

What leagues do teams play in and how much travel is there?      

U9 and 10 teams play in MOSSL, Mid Ohio Select Soccer League, and U11 and older teams play in MOSSL or Buckeye Premier League.  MOSSL games are played in the central Ohio area, and half of the typical 10 game season is played at home in the Westerville area.  Teams that play in Buckeye Premier League usually play 8 league games per season, at least half at home in the Columbus area, and some games could be played in Dayton or Cincinnati on weekends. 

How many tournaments do teams play in and where are the tournaments?

We do NOT believe that tournaments in the two games per day format are a positive influence in the development of soccer players.  In fact, playing in those kinds of tournaments can teach players bad habits as they try to survive the exhaustion of the schedule rather than playing with intensity throughout the game.  Therefore, we have a limited tournament schedule recommended by the coach that we ultimately leave to the team parents’ decision. 

The benefit we see for tournaments on a limited basis is the team building experience it provides along with the opportunity to play different teams. 

At U9 and 10 fees cover one invitational tournament and the league tournament each season.  At U11 and older, two invitational tournaments per season and the league or State Cup tournaments are covered.  If it seems appropriate for the team, parents can opt for more tournaments and pay the fees for those.  When teams play in more than one invitational tournament per season, parents frequently choose one in town and one out of town tournament.  Most teams that travel to tournaments choose tournaments that are within a three hour drive of Columbus.      

For more info, click here:  Tryouts & Directions