Benfica USA/SJSC > Our Teams

TEAM PROGRAMS Our Team programs are for players who desire qualified coaching, a high level of competition, and an atmosphere that allows them to reach their potential and achieve their individual goals in the game. Players who participate in this level of Competitive soccer will need to be prepared to make a significant commitment to soccer training and competition. Open tryouts are held in mid-June. Teams are formed in late June/early July. If space remains, additional tryouts can be arranged. Program runs from late August through early June. Click Here For TRYOUT information Training Schedules Spring Training Schedules 2013 Announcements Memorial Day Tournaments Team coaches will choose a suitable tournament for teams to enter during the Memorial Day weekend. Mass Youth Soccer has established Player Priority Guidelines, http://www.mayouthsoccer.org/about/Player_priority_guidelines.aspx : Note Memorial Day Tournaments are given priority to the clubs and Columbus Day Tournaments to the town teams. Following our club policy, we don’t interfere during Columbus Day and we ask full cooperation for Memorial Day. Please be sensitive to all your teams’ families as your team admin and coach are searching for a suitable Memorial Day Tournament to enter your team into. Region 1 League Congratulations to our BU14, BU16 and BU17 teams for being accepted into the Region 1 NorthEast league. Also accepted was our BU13 team but due to lack of teams to form a Northern Division we have decided not to participate in the Colonial Division since travel distances were much longer. www.region1.com Spring Leagues Our partnership with Seacoast United has given us the opportunity and choice to place our teams in different leagues to enhance the development of our players. Starting the 2013 spring season some teams will continue to play in MAPLE, while others will play in the New England Premiership league. Lengthy discussions with our coaches and Technical Staff and careful considerations and reasons went behind the decisions in which league each of our teams will participate. Your coaches will expand further in which league your team will be playing in the spring Spring Pre-Season Tournaments Spring 2013 Pre-Season Tournaments: U15-U18 Boys : SUSC Spring Showcase : March 2-3, 2013 U15-U18 Girls : SUSC Spring Showcase : March 9-10, 2013 U11-U14 Girls : Premier Invitational : March 16-17, 2013 U11-U14 Boys : Premier Invitational : March 23-24, 2013 U10 Boys and Girls : Premier Tune-Up Games : Dates TBA At our last coaches’ meeting, all the coaches and Technical Staff agree that it’s beneficial for our teams to participate in a pre-season tournament for preparation and to showcase our older players to college coaches. Our partnership with Seacoast has provided us with this opportunity and Benfica will commit all our teams to the tournaments, per above schedule. "In House" College Showcase Day January 26, 2013 at Breakaway Sports World-Dracut Our top participant will be Manfred Schellscheidt: Former Seton Hall men’s coach, BU14 National Team coach, Region 1 ODP Head Coach, USA Olympic Coach and USA Men’s National Team Coach. Manfred will probably lead some sessions as well as other coaches if it does not conflict with NCAA rules and regulations. We have confirmed participation from Seton Hall-men’s & women’s; American University-men’s & women’s (if a new coach is in place by then); Princeton University-men’s & women’s; UMass/Lowell-men’s & women’s; Lesley College-men’s & women’s; Emerson College-men’s & women’s; Ana Maria College-men’s & women’s; Dean’s College-men’s & women’s; Philips Academy coaches and many more are in the process of confirming. Dr. Dina Gentile, our own Technical Advisor and Clinician, will have a 15-20 minute Q&A session prior to each team’s start. Please arrive early and prepared to ask questions. To help you prepare, please read the article Dina has written on the subject, http://www.korrio.com/parenting-lifestyle/college-decision-time-for-athletes/ and included in our January newsletter. This is unique opportunity for our players and a first in any club offerings. All the coaches will be focusing and watching our players without having to shuffle back and forth to different fields and catch hundreds of kids playing. Our players might not make a good fit for their program or our players might not have any interest in the colleges at hand. However their input could prove to be valuable to other college coaches in their extensive network circles. For example, coach Schellscheidt is well known and respected in the soccer communities and his opinion carries a lot of weight. If he says, “this young man/woman will make a great fit into your program”, it’s like a done deal for any college coach. Your coaches and team admins will be putting together a player’s profile packet to be handed out to the college coaches. Please assist in their efforts. Parents and players of the younger teams are invited to drop in at anytime. Team trainings on YouTube Connect with us on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/BenficaUSAChannel
Facilities Breakaway Sports World, 67 Tennis Plaza Rd, Dracut, MA 01826 Gage Field, 450 Beacon Street, Lowell GLTS, 57 River Rd, Andover, MA 01810 Ipswich River Park, 10 Central St, North Reading Innovation Academy Charter School, 72 Tyng Rd, Tyngsborough, MA 01879 Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium (LMS), 240 Osgood St, Lawrence. Maguire, 150 Chestnut Street, North Reading, MA 01864 Marshall Middle School, 15 Floyd St, Billerica. Murphy Field, 130 Mill Rd, Chelmsford North Reading High School, 189 Park St, North Reading Pine Manor College, 400 Heath St, Chestnut Hill, MA Solomon Schechter day school, 125 Wells Ave, Newton Tyngsboro Sports Center, 18 Progress Ave, Tyngsgboro. Uniforms Uniform Kit NEW : Families must purchase Uniforms through Eurosport (soccer.com) this year. Club Store: http://www.soccer.com/teamGateway.php?club_id=16804302 Use the Links on the left of the page to search for your personalized page within your age group. *SHORTS* - we have a large stock of red Equipo uniform shorts , in sizes YM, YL and AS. Please enquire about buying them through us, before you order them from Eurosport! *New players* - will need to purchase red uniform shorts, red uniform jersey, white uniform jersey, red training jacket, red socks, training t-shirts. Optional but desirable: Black training pants and backpack. *Returning players* - please note the red training jacket is now a required item for players. You may also purchase new uniform/training items as needed through Eurosport. Last years uniform can still be worn. *Goalkeepers* - the Club Goalkeeper jersey is optional but desirable. *Spirit wear* - is also available - for Players and Families - Jackets for cold and wet weather, fleece pullovers, hoodies, polos, etc. *Personalization of items -* The training jackets and backpacks can be embroidered with names for free. Choose the "customize" option to enter details. Uniform jerseys will be personalized with your last name and assigned number. *Eurosport customer service* is excellent - Give them a call with any questions about your order and personalization needs. Our Club's equipment manager is Bob Teperow, bobtep99@comcast.net . Uniform numbers are assigned by the registrars. Training T-Shirts: Players must wear the practice shirts, either red or white, to every practice.	Get Involved Would you like to get more involved in the Club? We are always looking for enthusiastic and supportive people to help out. Can you help keep your team Organized? or Help Direct Fun field trips and events? Help with securing Fields? With Advertising Campaigns? By taking Photos? Share your skills and help build a strong Club for all our Families! Click on the Volunteer tab below to get started, and/or contact Admin@BenficaUSA.org Communications COMMUNICATION All player's families have an online account with us at this website. When you log in, you can: Check enrollment, check payments made, pay by Visa or Mastercard, update email addresses, mailing addresses, emergency info and more. Please keep your email address and phone numbers up to date in your account. REQUIRED PAPERWORK Color Photo of players face emailed to registrar@benficausa.org Copy of Birth Certificate Final page of the Player/Parent Agreement signed and dated. Payment Plan The 2012-2013 Payment Plan: $450 deposit when accepting a spot on roster. The balance to be paid in monthly installments on August 1, September 1, October 1 and November 1. Accounts must be paid in full by Mid-November. Checks should be payable to Benfica USA, and mailed to Elena Luongo 15 Valley Rd North Reading MA 01864 Login to your online account to see payments made and balance outstanding. Click on "Make Payments" to pay an installment by credit card.
Development Path for Players Goalkeepers Some of our goalkeepers after a practice.... They were muddier than they look here! Portugal 2010 Our Team Members who traveled to Portugal during Spring 2010. They played games against Portuguese youth teams, and enjoyed sightseeing, local restaurants and friendships.