The Issue:
Carle Place has a proud soccer tradition. Many of our girls have grown up playing through the Carle Place Soccer Club, with a number of them competing together for five years or more. They have invested countless hours practicing, developing their skills, and learning to play as a team. 
Over the past several seasons, the middle school girls' program has been extremely successful. In many games, however, the competitive imbalance has become so pronounced that our players are asked to pull back, stop scoring, and reduce the intensity of their play out of respect for the opposing team. 
We support good sportsmanship. No one wants another group of student-athletes to feel humiliated. But when our players must routinely play below their ability, the current environment is no longer giving some of them the challenge they need to continue developing. 
Our concern is not that the team is winning. Our concern is that the imbalance has reached a point where players are regularly asked not to play to their full ability. We teach athletes to compete for every ball, recognize opportunities, make quick decisions, play with intensity, and maintain strong habits from the opening whistle to the final one. Repeatedly asking them to turn those instincts off can work against their development and create habits that do not prepare them for stronger competition. 

A Missing Step in the Developmental Pathway:
Carle Place currently does not offer a JV girls' soccer team. That leaves a significant gap between middle school and varsity for players who may be ready for a greater challenge but are not yet placed on the varsity roster. 
This season, two 7th-grade players were given the opportunity to play varsity. We support those players and believe their selections were well deserved. Their success also raises a positive question: how many other eligible middle-school players may be ready for a higher level of competition? 
A broader and transparent evaluation process would allow the coaching staff to assess the available talent fairly. With another strong group entering 7th grade next year, we believe the district should evaluate whether participation and competitive ability can support three levels of girls' soccer: 
- Varsity 
- Junior Varsity 
- Middle School 
If participation is not sufficient to sustain all three levels, we ask the district to prioritize offering both varsity and JV teams at a minimum. Based on the talent pool currently available and the players entering the program, a two-level varsity and JV structure would still provide a more appropriate competitive pathway than the current varsity and middle school structure alone. 

What We Are Asking: 
Create an open and transparent evaluation process each season for eligible middle-school girls interested in competing at the JV or varsity level, consistent with district rules and applicable NYSPHSAA requirements, including the Athletic Placement Process where appropriate. 
Evaluate the feasibility of establishing a JV girls' soccer team beginning next season, considering participation, player readiness, scheduling, staffing, facilities, costs, and district requirements. If participation cannot support varsity, JV, and middle school teams, prioritize offering varsity and JV at a minimum so the available talent has an appropriate developmental pathway. 

Why This Benefits the Entire Program: 
- Fair opportunity. Eligible players would have the chance to demonstrate their abilities. An evaluation does not guarantee a roster spot; it provides an opportunity to earn one. 
- Appropriate competition. Players who are ready for a stronger challenge could compete at a level that better supports their development. 
- Room for developing players. Middle school soccer could remain an important environment for newer and developing players to learn the game, gain confidence, and grow at an appropriate pace. 
- A stronger varsity pipeline. A middle school-to-JV-to-varsity structure would create a clearer progression and build depth for the varsity program. --- Long-term program growth. A JV team could strengthen girls' soccer in Carle Place for today's players and the generations that follow. 
 
Our Request to the District: 
We love this community and its soccer tradition. Our goal is not to criticize the coaches, diminish this year's selections, or guarantee placement for any individual player. Our goal is to create more opportunity and ensure that players can compete in an environment suited to their development. 
We respectfully ask the Carle Place Athletic Department, Superintendent, and Board of Education to formally evaluate the creation of a JV girls' soccer team for next season and establish a transparent process through which eligible middle-school players can be considered for higher-level play. If participation is not sufficient to sustain three teams, we ask the district to offer varsity and JV at a minimum, reflecting the talent pool available and preserving an appropriate competitive pathway. 
We welcome the opportunity to work constructively with district leadership to discuss participation numbers, eligibility, the Athletic Placement Process, staffing, scheduling, facilities, costs, and the practical steps needed to determine whether this program can be established.