tryout information

tryout information

ALBION SC HAWAII TEAM FORMATION PROCESS 
ALBION SC Hawaii will be moving to academic year teams for 2026/2027 as mandated by US Soccer. The shift to school year teams will be adopted by all clubs and all leagues in which our teams participate. The only exception is for MLS Homegrown and ODP State teams.

Our goal is to maintain strong team environments while continuing to prioritize the development pathway for each player.

Our priority will be to ensure each player is placed in the most appropriate development environment, regardless of where they fall on the chart below.

Ages are now based on school year birthdates as outlined below:

TEAM FORMATION AND PLAYER EXCEPTIONS
In most cases, players will move together with classmates or teammates who fall within the same school-year grouping. 

In some situations, exceptions may be considered for players born after August 1 who may continue to play up an age group. When evaluating these situations, our staff may consider factors such as: (1) The player is consistently one of the highest-impact players in their current team environment (2) The player’s physical maturity allows them to compete effectively a year group up. (3) The player is academically placed a year ahead of their new age group cohort.

All placement decisions will be discussed internally among our Directors to ensure consistency across the program.

Regardless of any speculation regarding player movement or placement, no decisions have been finalized. All player placement decisions will be made following the completion of tryouts.

TRYOUT REGISTRATION INFORMATION
All players must register for tryouts through the ALBION Connect system. During registration, you will be asked to select your “home” location:

HNL – Ho‘opili, Hawaii Kai, townside
WND – Kailua, Kaneohe, windward
OGG – Maui-based players
Other – Outer Island players or others

Players cannot start registration or be added to a team unless they are first registered in the tryout system.

As part of our transition to a unified ALBION Connect platform, returning WND players will be required to create a new account during registration.  

WHAT TO EXPECT AT TRYOUTS
Tryouts are designed to provide a fair and comprehensive evaluation for all players. New players will be assessed to gauge their skill level relative to currently rostered players. Returning players will be evaluated within their new age groups to ensure appropriate placement for the upcoming season.

Players wishing to be considered for placement in an older age group (“playing up”) must attend their designated age group tryout. They may also attend the older age group session as a supplemental evaluation

TRYOUTS FAQ

Does my player need to attend tryouts even though they are already on a team? 
Yes. All players, including those currently on a team, are required to attend tryouts. It is important for coaches to evaluate returning players within their new team environment and age group. Tryouts also provide an opportunity to assess new players alongside returning players to ensure balanced and competitive team formation.

Should Oahu players attend tryouts at Ho’opili and Kailua?
As part of the integration of HSA into the ALBION SC Hawaiʻi family, we want to ensure all players and families are welcomed into a unified tryout environment.

We are encouraging WND families U7-U12 to attend tryouts at both locations for players.  

We are encouraging HNL families of all ages to attend tryouts at both locations.

Our current volunteer staff at the WND (Kailua) location will be supporting tryouts at our new HNL location and our current WND coaches will be on hand to begin the process of player evaluation across the club. 

This is an important first step in integrating players for club-wide identification, allowing coaches to become familiar with all players, and ensuring families feel connected and welcomed into our organization.

What if my player will not be able to attend tryouts?
Players who are unable to attend tryouts must still complete the Tryout Registration link and indicate that they will be absent.

Returning players will be considered for team placement based on previous evaluations. 

New players unable to attend tryouts in June should plan to attend a training session in August in order to be considered for placement.

Important: Notifying a coach, administrator, or team manager of an absence does not place a player into the evaluation pool. Only players registered within the official tryout system will be considered for team placement.

How will training work on Oahu for HNL and WND teams?
Teams will train at their “home” based location twice a week.

For teams within our EA and GA age groups (U13–U19), there will be an additional combined (pool) training session for all players in each age group. These once-a-week sessions will take place at Waipio and will be led by EA and GA coaching staff.

The combined training environment will serve as an ongoing evaluation opportunity for EA and GA team placement, as well as for tournament team selection.

Will there be a tryout for EA teams & GA Players?
Our EA and GA Talent ID will host U13-U19 players in a tryout environment designed to evaluate whether players are at the appropriate level to participate in league competition.  

EA and GA Talent ID is tentatively set for Saturday, 8/8.  

This event will allow coaches to assess and begin shaping the new EA team structures based on school year groupings.  

The Talent ID event will function as a training camp in preparation for our first league travel in August.

Female players will be evaluated for potential recommendation to the Reign Staff for GA placement, including participation in league play and showcase events. 

What is the tryout timeline? 
Every player that is new to our environment and trying out will hear from their age group staff via email within one week of the tryout date. For players that are invited back for an additional evaluation, they will have two further sessions as part of their evaluation process.  Call back evaluations will be in August.

Rosters spots for returning players will be offered within 3 days of tryouts.

When do we find out who our coach will be?
We recognize that coaching assignments are an important part of a family’s decision-making process. Based on projected age group numbers, we will make every effort to share the anticipated coaching staff prior to tryouts.

Please note that final coaching assignments may be adjusted following tryouts, depending on actual player numbers and team formation needs.

POINTS OF CONTACT