Two coaches watching a session of young players in orange and green bibs at Truist Point

Join the Core · 2027–28 season

Spring tryouts March – May 2027
Highest levels first
Evaluations all year
Recreation needs no tryout

Open tryouts. Every team. Every year.

We're not gatekeepers. Every competitive CCFC Youth team, from Juniors to MLS NEXT Homegrown, holds open tryouts every year, and so does Carolina Core FC's professional side. Our job is to find the level where your player will grow and put more soccer in front of them, not to take it away.

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No. 1 in the nation · U15 MLS NEXT Homegrown2,300+ playersOpen tryouts every yearETA Fridays4 academy players on pro rosters in 2026Six levels · U4 to U19Five complexes across the TriadOfficial youth club of Carolina Core FCNo. 1 in the nation · U15 MLS NEXT Homegrown2,300+ playersOpen tryouts every yearETA Fridays4 academy players on pro rosters in 2026Six levels · U4 to U19Five complexes across the TriadOfficial youth club of Carolina Core FC

Spring tryout season

Top down. No door closes early.

Official tryouts for the 2027–28 season run from early March through May 2027, starting with our highest levels and finishing with Classic and Juniors. Nobody has to guess their level in advance.

MLS NEXT Homegrown & Girls Academy
Early March. The top boys' and girls' platforms open the season.
MLS NEXT Academy Division & GA Aspire
Second-tier national platforms follow, so a player not placed above still has a door.
National 1 League & Pre-MLS / Pre-GA
N1 for U13–U19, the U11–U12 CDL tier and the U10 Pre-level teams.
Classic & Juniors
April – May. Statewide Classic and Juniors assessments close the season.

Exact dates for each level are published here and in PlayMetrics as soon as they are set. Between windows, request an evaluation below.

The ladder

First kick to first team.

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Six levels. One crest.

Start anywhere. Go anywhere.

Recreation needs no tryout. Every competitive level holds open tryouts each spring, so your player can move up as they grow.

A young player in a green bib grinning with his hands on his head as a first-team player walks past

U4 – U19 · No tryoutRecreation

Fun first. The open door for every child: movement, teamwork and love of the game.

A young player in a green bib taking the ball past a first-team player in front of the stand

U7 – U10Juniors

Small groups, licensed coaches and low-pressure seasonal assessments instead of cut-throat tryouts.

Two academy players in teal kit celebrating a goal with their arms around each other as a team-mate runs in

U11 – U19Classic & National 1

Competitive league soccer across the Triad, with NCYSA state competition ahead.

A young player in a light-blue bib on the ball at a Pre-GA training session, a teammate closing in behind

U10 – U12Pre-MLS & Pre-GA

The on-ramp to the academy platforms: academy-style training two years early.

One U13 Homegrown player in an orange CCFC kit makes a turn with the ball at Phillips Park

U13 – U19Girls Academy & MLS NEXT

North America's top national platforms. Ranked No. 1 in the nation at U15.

MLS NEXT →Girls Academy →

Four academy players in CCFC training kit standing together on the pitch outside the Go-Forth Elite Performance Center

Pro · MLS NEXT ProCarolina Core FC

Same crest. Same training ground. Four academy players on 2026 game-day rosters.

What to expect

How selection works.

Come try out for the level you wantNot just the one you think you'll make. Spring tryouts run top-down on purpose: a player who tries out for MLS NEXT or the Girls Academy and isn't placed still has every other level's tryout ahead of them.

Exact dates arrive here and in PlayMetricsAs soon as each level's dates are set they are published on this page and in PlayMetrics. Register for the tier's tryout event when its window opens.

Mid-season openings happenBetween spring windows, roster spots open across Juniors, Pre-MLS/GA, Classic and the national platforms. Request an evaluation and a director coordinates a training-session look.

If an age group is full, we say soYou hear right away, with the next tryout window, so you know what to expect.

Recreation needs no tryoutRegistration is open to every child.

Other MLS NEXT clubsEvaluations for players rostered with another MLS NEXT club are scheduled strictly in accordance with the MLS NEXT Player Movement Guidelines.

Any time of year

Request a player evaluation.

Submit your player's information and our coaching directors follow up within two business days to coordinate a training session. If the age group is currently full, we tell you right away and give you the next tryout window so you know what to expect.

Player’s first and last name *

Player Birth Year & Month *

Target Program / Tier *

Does your player currently play NCYSA soccer at another club? *

If yes, which club?

Position / Playing Experience

Parent / Guardian Name *

Parent Email Address *

Parent Phone Number *

Preferred Training Location

Additional Player Background / Availability

Notice for players rostered with another MLS NEXT club: evaluations are scheduled strictly in accordance with official MLS NEXT Player Movement Guidelines.

Direct program director contact

Which director covers your tier?

Find your player's age group below, then request an evaluation. The director for that tier follows up within two business days. Questions in the meantime go to the club office, info@ccfcyouth.com.

Jeff Bateson

Juniors (U7–U10) · Classic boys U13–U19

Parker Spesock

Pre-MLS (U10–U12 boys)

Jennifer Cristy

Pre-GA (U10–U12 girls)

Chris Glover

Classic boys U11–U12

Julia Addison

Classic girls U11–U19

Josh Windley

Girls Academy / GA Aspire · MLS NEXT Academy Division

David Upchurch

MLS NEXT Homegrown

Amber McCuiston

Recreation

Full staff directory →

Ready when you are

Find your player's level in 30 seconds.

Enter a birthdate. See every eligible program, what a week looks like, and the one next step to take today.

Find My Program Request an evaluation

Prefer to talk? 336-992-0089 · info@ccfcyouth.com