Please note: Freshmen tryoutsarescheduled to accommodate Freshmen Orientation. The schedule for the remainder of the week will be communicated by coaches; expect tryouts to continue through Friday 8/21
The CHS Director of Athletics, Sjocquelyn Winstead, is holding a meeting Wednesday, August 12, at 6pm in the CHS Cafe to welcome CHS Boys Soccer’s new Head Coach. Student-athletes and parents are encouraged to attend.
Coach will share the vision for the program, team expectations, season goals, as well as tryout and practice schedules.
Coach Muirhead has confirmed that freshman tryouts on Monday 8/17 and Tuesday 8/18 will be held from 12pm – 2pm on Ritzer Field (the field right next to the High School). Freshmen can attend orientation in the morning and then head over to the field for tryouts.
Schedule: Tryouts begin Monday, August 17. Times and locations are not yet finalized. We will send an update once the schedule is confirmed.
Freshmen will attend a 2 hour session on Monday 8/17, Tuesday 8/18, and Wednesday 8/19.
Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will have double sessions on Monday 8/17, and Wednesday 8/19, and a single session on Tuesday 8/18.
A 2 mile timed run will be held one of the mornings.
Click each category for detailed information
Important Ways to Prepare
Strength training. This is important and often a huge differentiator.
Run a lot. Varsity players should be targeting a 2 mile time of 12-13 minutes.
Play. Play as much as you can. Play with older kids. Play with better kids.
Tryout Evaluation Elements of Focus
The ability to dribble in tight spaces and at speed with BOTH feet
The ability to shoot with accuracy inside the 18 with BOTH feet
The ability to shoot with power outside the 18 with BOTH feet
The ability to play a 10-15 yard pass accurately with BOTH feet
The ability to play a cross from the wing, with BOTH feet
Dribbling skills
First touch and control in general
Movement without the ball
Maturity
Speed, endurance, strength
Being a good teammate
Ongoing Summer Opportunities (Summer Camp, etc)
These are entirely optional but also a great way for players and coaches to get to know each other and prepare for the fall.
Friday night 11v11 sessions held by the coaching staff (currently scheduled for 6-8pm at Underhill but subject to change).
Pickup sessions organized by the seniors (if your child is not on the GroupMe, please let us know so we can pass along their contact information to the upperclassmen running the GroupMe).
Coaches’ Preseason Camp 8/10-8/13. Details and registration here. This opportunity is available to all players, and attendance at camp does not impact a player’s chance to make the team. If cost is a concern, please reach out to any of the Boosters or to Coach Muirhead.
The coaches no-contact period this summer is 7/25-8/2.
Below you’ll find important information and registration details for optional summer programming available to all players planning to try out for a team in the fall.
Mark your calendars for tryouts which begin 8/17/2026
MONTCLAIR SUMMER LEAGUE – The 8v8 Montclair Summer League runs for 6 weeks at Montclair State University and is open to players in grades 10-12 for 2026-27. You do not have to be present for all games to participate; each player will select a maximum of 3 games to attend. Specific details regarding games and schedule will follow for registered players. Please note the breakdown below:
• Upperclassmen & Returning Varsity Players: Monday evenings, 6/8 – 7/13 • Underclassmen: Tuesday evenings, 6/9 – 7/14 • Cost per player: $50. If cost is a concern, please reach out to rherwaldt@gmail.com
SOCCER SUMMER CAMP – Coach Muirhead’s Summer Camp is a great opportunity for players grades 9-12 to sharpen their skills, build chemistry with teammates, and prepare for the season ahead. Camp will run from 8/10-8/13 at CHS. More details on dates, times, and registration can be found at the link below.
Monday 8/18 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)
Tuesday 8/19 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)
Wednesday 8/20 8:00am at Underhill Track for 2 mile run; final evaluation 9:00-11:00am at Ritzer
Wear sneakers for the two mile run on the track. Music is allowed and GPS tracking/timing devices are encouraged to track pace/time. Walk or bike down to CHS for the final tryout session.
Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors
Monday 8/18 7:00 – 9:00am, at Underhill; 2:00-4:30pm at Underhill
Tuesday 8/19 2:00 – 4:30pm, at Underhill
Wednesday 8/20 7:00 – 9:00am at Underhill; 2:00 – 4:30pm at Underhill
Seniors will start with a 2 mile run (wear sneakers) while juniors and sophomores will participate in field evaluations. After seniors run, juniors will do the 2 mile, with seniors and sophomores on the field, ending with a sophomore run.
Parent Meeting
There will be a parent meeting (location TBD–either Ritzer or Underhill) Friday, August 22 at 6pm.
Preseason & Start of the Season
Players must be present for the first three days of tryouts (and, if they make the team) the next three days of practices in order to be eligible for scrimmages on Monday 8/25 and Tuesday 8/26 (NJSIAA rule states a player must have six days of practice and a day of rest before competing in competition against another school).
Our season begins on Thursday 8/28 with games for JV and varsity; there will be practice for all teams on Friday 8/29.
For the freshman team, no practice will be held on Saturday, 8/30, or Sunday 8/31. They will practice Monday morning, 9/1, as their next game is Tuesday 9/2.
The varsity team will have their first ever Media Day, Saturday 8/23 from 10:45am-11:30am in the CHS Main Gym. Practice will be Sunday 8/24.
Varsity and JV will practice multiple days over Labor Day Weekend since their second game of the season is on Tuesday 9/2.
Game Schedules
To see scrimmage and game schedules for all three teams, go to the CHS page on the Super Essex Conference website (sec conference.org). At the home page, click ‘Columbia High School’ at the right, which should take you to the calendar. Please note that the schedule is subject to change, so check often for the latest information.
Historically games have started after Labor Day–but not this year. For the first time in many years, games will start before the Labor Day holiday: August 28 vs. Seton Hall Prep.
As a reminder, tryouts start the week of August 18. Tryouts typically end with a parent meeting (August 22). We will update once we have more specifics.
Freshman tryouts will be at 2:30pm on 8/18 and 8/19on Ritzer Field directly following orientation. Participants should bring everything they need for tryouts to orientation with them and they’ll be met by coaching staff on the field when orientation concludes each day.
We’re waiting for confirmation on times for varsity and JV tryouts the week of 8/18, and will update as soon as possible.
