Monday, May 28, 2018 update: Tryout times and field assignments have been changed. Check tryout schedules for updates.
Are you interested in joining the NASA Tophat Academy Girls or Junior Academy Girls at one of our Cobb County locations (Metro North Park in southeast Cobb or United Quest Park in northeast Cobb)? If so, this page has information about the Academy and Junior Academy programs and the tryout process.
If you’re interested in joining the Academy or Junior Academy program at the NTH Buckhead location, click this link for more information.
Weather updates: In case of storms or heavy rain, check the NTH RainedOut web site or NTH field status hot-line: 770-220-4089.
Weather updates: In case of storms or heavy rain, check the Quick links
- About the Academy
- Tryout schedules
- Registering for tryouts
- Tryout notes
- Tryout questions
- Player invitations
- Summer schedule
- other frequently asked questions
- Information for families who move into the area after tryouts
Spring 2018 season update
The NASA Tophat (NTH) Academy Girls programs will soon be graduating players into older age groups. So we’ll be looking for girls to fill these newly-opened Academy spots for the 2018-2019 soccer year. Girls are eligible for the various Academy programs based on their birth years as follows:
NTH-Tophat North Academy Girls Groups (2018-2019)
| Academy Program | Eligible Birth Years (2018-2019 soccer year) | Coach | E-mail address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Academy (U7 / U8) web site link | 2011, 2012 | Ward Swain | ward(dot)swain(at)nasa-ga(dot)org |
| U9 Academy | 2010 | Kimmie O'Connor | nasacoachkimmie(at)gmail(dot)com |
| U10 Academy | 2009 | Trey Daniel | trey(dot)daniel(at)nasa-ga(dot)org |
| U11 Academy | 2008 | Trey Daniel | trey(dot)daniel(at)nasa-ga(dot)org |
| U12 Academy | 2007 | Ashley Stinson | ashley(dot)stinson(at)nasa-ga(dot)org |
The NTH Academy staff identifies qualified players in four phases:
- Scouting: We evaluate players during training sessions and games with their NTH recreational teams.
- Guest nights: We invite Academy prospects to come to our Academy guest night training sessions in the spring. You’ll get to practice with the Academy players, meet the Academy coaches, and see what the Academy is all about. Just wear your usual practice gear, bring your soccer ball and water, and join us for some soccer fun!
- Post-season pre-tryout camp: We host a pre-tryout camp in May between the end of the spring season and the start of tryouts. Sessions are similar to our spring guest nights, but are available to all age appropriate players, whether they currently play at NASA Tophat or another soccer club.
- Tryouts: We conduct open tryouts in late May / early June.
If we think a player is a strong candidate, we’ll invite her to join the Academy. There is no obligation to join, however. If the level of commitment isn’t right for your daughter or family, the NTH recreational program is available as another option. It includes U8, U10 and U12 leagues, and participation doesn’t require a tryout.
Tryout schedules
Tryouts for the 2018-2019 Academy Girls and Junior Academy Girls programs start Tuesday, May 29, 2018 and run 3 days. Updated schedules are posted below. (Updated Monday @ 6 PM.) You can click / select a park name to display a map, directions and field layouts.
NTH-Tophat North Academy 2018 tryout schedule
| Academy Program | Day / Date | Time | Park | Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Academy (U7 / U8) 2011-2012 birth years web site link | Tuesday, May 29 Wednesday, May 30 Thursday, May 31 | 4:00-5:30 4:00-5:30 4:00-5:30 | Terrell Mill Terrell Mill Terrell Mill | soccer field soccer field soccer field |
| U9 Academy 2010 birth year | Tuesday, May 29 Wednesday, May 30 Thursday, May 31 | 5:30-7:00 5:30-7:00 5:30-7:00 | Terrell Mill Terrell Mill Terrell Mill | soccer field soccer field soccer field |
| U10 Academy 2009 birth year | Tuesday, May 29 Wednesday, May 30 Thursday, May 31 | 5:30-7:00 5:30-7:00 5:30-7:00 | Terrell Mill Terrell Mill Terrell Mill | soccer field soccer field soccer field |
| U11 Academy 2008 birth year | Tuesday, May 29 Wednesday, May 30 Thursday, May 31 | 7:00-8:30 7:00-8:30 7:00-8:30 | Terrell Mill Terrell Mill Terrell Mill | soccer field soccer field soccer field |
| U12 Academy 2007 birth year | Tuesday, May 29 Wednesday, May 30 Thursday, May 31 | 7:00-8:30 7:00-8:30 7:00-8:30 | Terrell Mill Terrell Mill Terrell Mill | soccer field soccer field soccer field |
Update history:
- Monday, May 28 @ 6 PM: Girls Academy and Junior Academy tryouts moved to Terrell Mill Park (artificial turf). Start times for Junior Academy Girls switched to 4 PM.
Tryout notes
Who may attend?
- Tryouts are open to all age-appropriate girls, whether they currently play at NTH, another soccer organization, or are new to soccer. Link: soccer age chart. There is no fee required to try out.
Which session(s) to attend:
- We ask players to attend any two of the tryout sessions. (They are welcome to attend all sessions.) When you register your daughter for tryouts, you can specify your preferred NTH park (your home park). If your daughter attends tryouts at a different NTH park and is invited to join the Academy, she’s being invited for her home park; you’re only switching parks for tryout sessions, not the actual soccer season. Link: NTH locations
What if my daughter only attends one session?
- In some cases, coaches can determine if a player is a good fit for the Academy after a single tryout session. In other cases, coaches may request the player to attend a second or third session. (Some players have a case of nerves and aren’t their real selves during the first session.) You can check with coaches after your daughter’s tryout session for a status update.
Schedule conflict?
- If your daughter is interested in the Academy, but isn’t able to attend tryouts, check with the appropriate coach (see coaches contact list) for information about arranging an evaluation.
Register in advance:
- On-line registration: All returning and prospective Academy players should register on-line for tryouts, even if they are unable to attend. On-line tryout registration goes live May 1, 2018.
- On-line registration is free and helps streamline the tryout check-in process. (Players can register at the fields, but it’s much quicker to do it on-line ahead of time.) You only need to register once, even if your daughter plans to attend multiple sessions.
- Current NTH players (Academy or recreational): You can register on-line using your existing NTH account. New to NASA Tophat? You will need to create a website account. Link: home screen for login or to create a new account. Once you’ve logged in, select My Account, and then select available programs. Scroll down the list of available programs and select the appropriate age Academy tryouts program, either 2018/2019 Under 8 Junior Academy Tryouts (girls born 2011 or 2012) or 2018/2019 Academy Tryouts (girls born in 2007-2010), and then select Continue.
- The next screen will have questions about financial aid, t-shirt size and park preference(s). Enter your answers, and then select Continue. You may also see a screen about volunteer roles. Enter your preference(s), and then select Continue. You’ll see the registration summary page. Select Continue. You may be prompted about an NTH Capital Campaign donation. This is completely optional and has no effect on the tryout selection process. You’ll come to the Order Review & Submission page. Select Submit Order to complete the tryout registration process. You’ll see a confirmation page, and the system will follow-up with a confirmation e-mail. Best wishes to your daughter during tryouts!
Financial aid:
- NASA Tophat offers confidential, needs-based financial aid. Please submit applications before tryouts are complete. Link: financial aid application
What to wear / what to bring:
- Players should wear proper soccer attire, including shin guards covered by soccer socks. It’s OK to wear club practice shirts, but we discourage players from wearing club game-day uniforms.
- Bring a soccer ball (size 3 for Junior Academy; size 4 for U9 or older Academies) and water.
- If a player has long hair, she should wear a headband or something to keep her hair out of her eyes.
- Please leave jewelry at home.
Bring lots of water!
- It’s likely to be hot! Your daughter should start increasing fluid intake before tryouts, and drink plenty of water during and after tryouts. This will allow her body and mind to perform at a higher level for a longer period of time. Link: hydration tips
Check-in early:
- We recommend arriving 15-30 minutes early so your daughter has time to get checked in and warmed-up prior to the actual starting time. Check-in consists of verifying (or recording) player info on our tryout roster, marking a tryout number on the player’s leg or arm, plus distributing informational material about the NASA Tophat Academy program.
Tryout questions
What happens during tryouts?
- Players check in at a tent near the field and are assigned a tryout number. Coaches then gather the players for a brief intro and warm-up activities. After warm-up, we spend most of the session playing scrimmage games. We rotate players through multiple positions and multiple game formats (3v3 up to 9v9). We may also do running and agility evaluations.
What do the coaches look for in a player?
- We’re looking for girls who love to play.
- More specifically, we’re also looking for three characteristics:
- Awareness: knowing what’s happening on the field, and reacting quickly as game situations change
- Personality: desire, enthusiasm, creativity, competitiveness, self-motivation
- Athletic ability: coordination, balance, agility and quickness.
- Current technical skill is a bonus, but if a young player has the other attributes, we believe she can develop technical skill through focused training sessions and by playing with and against strong players in training and games.
For players:
- What can I do to make a good impression? Soccer is a game, not a job. You’ll learn, play your best and have the most fun if you follow three simple rules:
- Give your best effort.
- Be enthusiastic.
- Treat yourself and others with respect.
- There are two other things you can do to make a good impression:
- Be creative. When you get the ball, have a plan — dribble, turn, pass or shoot — don’t just kick it.
- Don’t get upset if you make a mistake. We all make mistakes! What matters is how you react after a mistake. Try to learn from it, and definitely keep trying your hardest!
For parents:
What can I do to help my daughter?
- Register for tryouts in advance. This will help speed check-in, which can be an awkward process for your daughter if she isn’t a tryout veteran.
- Make sure she eats healthy food and drinks plenty of water prior to tryouts. Links: Nesquick simple Game Day Eating guide / hydration tips
- Once the tryouts start, it’s her time to show her capabilities. Sit back and watch her and the other girls play! We ask that you not coach your daughter or otherwise try to participate. (It’s her tryout, not yours.)
- If your daughter does well, outstanding! If your daughter struggles and fails, this isn’t permanent. Handled properly, it’s a great opportunity for her to learn resilience and develop self-motivation.
Player invitations
After each tryout session, coaches will meet to decide which players we’ll invite to join next year’s NTH Academy. We’ll post these players’ tryout numbers on the NTH web site and / or each Academy age group’s own web site, and follow-up with in-person conversations, phone calls or e-mails.
- Junior Academy Girls invitations: Check our Junior Academy tryout results page after tryouts each night for updates.
- U9 and older Academy Girls invitations: Check the NTH Academy tryouts results page.
If we invite your daughter to join, please respond via phone or e-mail to the appropriate coach to let her/him know if you accept the invitation.
If we don’t invite your daughter to join, we strongly encourage her to continue playing! The NTH recreational program has leagues for players age 4-19, and participation doesn’t require a tryout. If she loves the game and sticks with it, she’ll always have a chance to achieve her goals. Players mature at different rates, and a player who isn’t invited this time around may blossom by this time next year.
Over the 17-year history of our Academy program, we’ve had many cases where a player wasn’t invited after her first tryout, but made it into the Academy the following year.
Summer 2018 schedule
- NTH offers Academy Acclimation Camps the week of June 4.
- The girls are then off to enjoy their summer break. We may have an occasional informal kick-around, but we won’t have any regularly scheduled team training. NTH offers summer training programs and camps for players who are interested in scheduled training. If the girls want to practice skills on their own, here’s a list of play at home activities.
- We start fall season prep with Academy Team Camp the week of August 6th.
- We start regular practices the week of August 13th following team camp.
- U9 and older Academy groups will play the NTH Girls Classic tournament in August. Junior Academy groups won’t play a pre-season tournament.
- Weekly Academy play starts the weekend after Labor Day. We usually receive our fall season game day schedule in late August.
Missed tryouts?
If your family moves into the area after tryouts, or if you have a vacation conflict with tryouts, you can still arrange to have your daughter evaluated for the NASA Tophat Academy. Please contact the age-appropriate coach listed above for more information. (Georgia Soccer rules prohibit in-season tryouts for players who are registered in an Academy program with another Georgia Soccer league.)