OUR PROGRAMS
PORTAGE YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION
FALL/SPRING SOCCER
PYSA offers 2 programs: In-house U6-U8 and Recreational U10-U14 Soccer based on the child’s birth year.
FAQs
The U.S. Soccer PLAY ON initiative is being launched with Phase I Grassroots Soccer Recommendation guide, a comprehensive model to allow soccer to operate under key safety plans and considerations, with additional guides to follow. These guides include a detailed approach to social distancing, screening, training, and interactions to ensure consistent and best practices are followed to promote the health and safety of all participants and fans. Visit our SAFE RETURN TO PLAY page for more details.
Registration and payment is only done through the Demosphere Platform. You will need to create an account and pay via credit card here: Demosphere Login. Once logged in you can update your household information, add another child, or even volunteer.
Your child will be placed on a team based on his/her birth year. Age groupings stay the same for a soccer year (fall of one year through spring of the next–like a school year). We always use the Spring Year – which is the second year – and deduct that from the birth year to determine the proper U Age Group. So in the 2020 fall – 2021 spring season, a child born in 2012, means he/she will be on a U9 team for both the fall and spring season. (2021-2012=9). It does not matter if he/she is born in January or in December. Placement is based on age and not by skill. Keep in mind a player can always play up a level, but usually never down. Here is the US Soccer chart for reference: Birth Year Chart. Or you can use the calculator below.
If you register and the U team for your child’s age is not showing and you see an option for waitlisting or you see registration for a U team above your child’s age group, that means the team for your child’s birth year is full. Per MAYSA and US soccer rules, only a certain number of players can suit up for a game. You can wait and see if someone drops out, or your child can play up a level if that option is available in your registration. Registration is first come first serve, no exceptions.
If your child signs up in Fall, your child will get a new jersey. If your child registers again for the Spring season the following year, he or she is to use the same jersey. If your child did not play in Fall but wants to play in Spring, we will get him/her a new jersey for the Spring season. Jersey’s are handed out at practice just prior to the first game.
Practice schedules are at the sole discretion of the Coaching Volunteers. As the season approaches, the coach will put together a practice schedule that can accommodate field availability with other teams and his her own personal schedule. This might be 2 or 3 times a week. Any questions on the scheduling of games and practice please contact your coach. Please remember these coaches are all volunteers and donate their time and knowledge to the organization.
For traveling teams, games are normally played on the weekends. If the weather in spring is snowy and rainy like it usually is, sometimes there are doubleheaders or back to back games on Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes games may need to be played on a weekday. Most coaches do not want to have games go past Memorial Day in the Spring and past October in the Fall, but may have to if weather does not cooperate.
The schedule for all the PYSA games is usually not published from MAYSA until the reconciliation period is over. This gives the coaches time to make sure there are no schedule conflicts and that fields are available. You can check to see if the schedule is published by navigating here: Demosphere PYSA Schedule. Select your team to see their schedule and roster information.
Some coaches will push the schedule through to the TeamNet app. Talk to your coach for this functionality.
Recreational Soccer
FOR PRACTICE: Your child will need to bring a water bottle or other forms of hydration, soccer cleats and shin guards. Your child will need SOCCER CLEATS (not football or baseball cleats), shin guards to protect the shins and ankles from kicks. Here is a recommended type of shin guard that protects both shins and ankles: Adidas X Youth Shin Guards
FOR GAMES: Your child will need to bring a water bottle or other forms of hydration, PYSA Jersey, black shorts, black socks, soccer cleats and shin guards. Your child will require straight black shorts and straight black soccer socks for the games. Soccer shorts typically are just above the knees in length. Here is a recommended pair of shorts to compare: Under Armour Boys’ Golazo 2.0 Soccer Short.
Practice balls are provided, however, we do recommend they have a ball to practice with at home and at the field before and after practice.
The spring season usually starts late March/Early April for practices and first game in mid-April. This is very dependant on the weather and field conditions. Games typically go to mid-June, but most coaches try not to go past Memorial Day.
The fall season games usually start early September and go through till mid-October. Practice usually starts mid to late August.
WYSA/MAYSA GAME FORMATS
Roster, field, ball, goal sizes for all age groups:
- U5 & U6
Players on field: 4 V 4 no goal keepers
Field: L (25‐35y) X W (15-25y)
Ball: Size 3
Goals: 4’ X 6’ (hockey goals or flag goals)
Roster: Up to 6 recommended for single field or 12 for side‐by‐side fields format.
Playing time: 4 quarters of 8 minutes each.
- U7 & U8
Players on field: 4 V 4 no goal keepers
Field: L (25‐35y) X W (15-25y)
Ball: Size 3
Goals: 4’ X 6’ (recommended) up to 6’ X 12’
Up to 6 recommended for single field or 12 for side‐by‐side fields format.
Playing time: 4 quarters of 8 minutes each.
- U9 & U10
Players on field: 7 V 7 including a goalkeeper
Field: L (55-65y) X W (35-45y)
Ball: Size 4
Goals: 6’ X 18’
Playing time: 2 halves of 25 minutes each
Roster: Up to 14
- U11 & U12
Players on field: 9 V 9 including a goalkeeper
Field: L (70-80y) X W (45-55y)
Goals: 7’ x 21’ are recommended, but 6’x18’ are acceptable
Ball: Size 4
Playing time: 2 halves of 30 minutes each
Roster: Up to 16
- U13 & U14
Numbers: 11 V 11 including a goalkeeper
Field: L (100-120y) X W(60-80y). 100-105y long x 60-65y wide recommended.
Goals: 8’ x 24’
Ball: Size 5
Playing time: 2 halves of 35 minutes each
Roster: 22 maximum; no more than 18 can “suit up” per game
- U15 & U16
Players on field: 11 V 11 including a goalkeeper
Field: L (100-120y) X W(60-80y). 105-110 long x 65-70 wide recommended.
Goals: 8’ x 24’
Ball: Size 5
Playing time: 2 halves of 40 minutes each
Roster: 22 maximum; no more than 18 can “suit up” per game
- U17 & U18
Player on field: 11 V 11 including a goalkeeper
Field: L (100-120y) X W(60-80y). 110-115 long x 70-80 wide recommended.
Goals: 8’ x 24’
Ball: Size 5
Playing time: 2 halves of 45 minutes each
Roster: 22 maximum; no more than 18 can “suit up” per game
Since Portage Youth Soccer is run by volunteers, we are always looking for parents to help promote and continue this popular sport for our Portage youth. You can volunteer to be a manager of a team, an assistant coach or even the main coach. Coaches normally consist of parents of children for their age group, so you stay with your child as you move up through the age groups. Background checks and certified courses will be required before coaching a team. You can signup when you register your child through Demosphere. Please keep in mind that the PYSA Organization is always looking for parents to help out on the board of directors. If interested please contact the current board president.
Some of our coaches use the TeamNet app to communicate with parents and to publish the game schedule. Here is the official description: TeamNet™ App is a sports communication app providing management and communication between Members and Events across all of your Teams within the TeamNet™ sports network. You can get it here for iPhones/iPads: or here for Android.
The New Grassroots Referee training course is a 16 hour course with half of the time spent online and the other half in the classroom. It is designed to provide entry level referee skills and information through classroom and field training for candidates. Emphasis is on preparing for Grassroots program participation – including recreational and competitive games. Field emphasis is on practice of specific procedures.
Participants must be at least 13 years old at the beginning of clinic to attend a New Grassroots Referee course. Individuals over the age of 18 will be required to complete the SafeSport certification and successfully pass a background check.
There are costs associated with becoming a referee – you should budget for approximately $100-$125. Referees can quickly earn that back after officiating their first few games. A course fee of approximately $25-$35 (depending on area) covers the costs associated with attending the course. A registration fee of $40 covers your registration with the United States Soccer Federation. You’ll also need a new uniform. Entry level starter uniform kits start around $37 (Source: http://officialsports.com/off-field-apparel/starter-kits/).
OUR PROGRAMS

Recreational: U9-U15: Boys, girls and coed teams. Games are scheduled and managed by Madison Area Youth Soccer Association (maysa.org). There are typically 8 games, 4-home and 4-away. Teams usually practice 2 to 3 times per week, as determined by the coaches and play games on weekends.
FALL SEASON
Registration is open 06/15/2020 – 07/29/2020
Early bird discount from 06/15/2020– 07/01/2020
U9/U10 $85
U11/U12 $110
U11-U14 $125

U6-U8: Coed teams. All practices/games are Portage vs. Portage teams and played at the Portage Fairgrounds. Teams meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 pm for 6 weeks to learn soccer skills and scrimmage other Portage teams.
U6/U8 – Registration TBD
Price for U6-U8 is $35