Youth Sports Leagues/Organizations - Youth Soccer

Soccer is a great sport for children ages 4 and up to play. It not only teaches children to use teamwork when playing with fellow teammates but it also gets them to actively more around and get regular exercise. By being part of a team it helps them to develop personal skills that will last a lifetime.

Youth Soccer Leagues usually have several different age groups. Each age group focuses on a different stage of soccer lessons and soccer games.

The Under 6 age group is the first age group that a child will begin playing in. It consists of children ages four and five and consists of both boys and girls. This age group focuses on the basis areas of soccer.

• Field Positions - Mainly Offense, Defense, and Goalie
• Kicking and Passing the Ball
• Scoring and Blocking Goal Kicks

The practices and games are aimed towards teaching them the basic techniques of the game.

This age group consists of children age six and seven. This group also consists of both boys and girls.

The practices for this age group are more in depth than the Under 6 practices. This group is taught more about each position on the field and how to better work together as a team. The children in this age group are given more precise directions from the coaches which give them a better understanding of each players job on the field.

The games for these two age groups are usually "in house" games, meaning they play other teams of the same age group within the organization.

Our local soccer organization allows each child to score at least one goal per season. Goals are recorded by coaches but there are no winning and losing teams. The games are played for fun as a learning experience.

The Under 9 teams consist of children who are eight years old. The children are split up for the first time into an all girls team and an all boys team. These teams are also travel teams which means they begin to play games against other leagues of the same age group.

The practices for this age group really focus on the rules of the game along with learning to pass the ball and score goals while working as a team. Usually by this age group the children are assigned to certain positions on the field. The children also have a clearer perspective on each position and the job of each position on the field.

Under 11 Girls and Under 11 Boys

Under 13 Girls and Under 13 Boys

Under 15 Girls and Under 15 Boys

Each child playing soccer must have the proper equipment to keep them safe while out on the field.

The must have:

• Soccer Cleats
• Shin Guards
• Mouth Guards (optional)
• Soccer Ball (correct size for their age)

Many people do not realize that soccer is a contact sport and it does have safety risks. By having the proper equipment for your child you are helping to prevent them from suffering an injury out on the field.

I have been a proud soccer mom for seven years now. I have three children currently playing soccer. All three of them started playing at age four. My daughter, Mackenzie, is currently on the Under 13 Girls team, my son Gavin, is on the Under 9 Boys team, and my son Kamden just started playing this year and it on the Under 6 team.

The kids love playing soccer. It is fun to watch them practice and play in the games. It is also fun to watch how much they learn and improve from year to year. My daughter's team went undefeated through the regular season, playoffs, and championship games last year. They were the first Under 11 Girls team to go undefeated in our area. The girls on the team had a blast. They said the playoff games and the championship game were all so much fun! But for the parents it was a very stressful time which is funny because we weren't the ones playing in the games. But at the end we all got to relax after watching our girls win and seeing the joy and excitement in their faces. The years of practicing really paid off and they really showed off how much they learned when playing each game.

So if you are looking for a team sport for your child to play give soccer a chance. It is fun and rewarding for the children and the parents!