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.

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.

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/).