Being a Trialist (U11+)

What are trialists?

Trialists are players that are “loaned” by one team to play on a team of higher age or Tier. West Zone strongly encourages the use of trialists because it benefits the player, his or her team, the receiving team, and our program.

West Zone coaches do not “own” their players and are responsible for advancing each player’s ability. Occasionally, when teams are short-handed or want to try out promising players from other teams, they may ask for players from other teams (younger age group or lower tier). This is done on a game-by-game basis, to a maximum of five league games per season.

If asked to be a trialist, consider it a compliment that would allow your child a great opportunity to play at a more demanding or competitive skill level.

To see the EMSA rules regarding trialists, go to page 19 under the heading “Guest players — Trialists.”