When is registration?

Please see our registration page. In general, registration for the fall season usually begins the preceding spring and ends in July; registration for the winter program usually begins in late October or November and ends in December or January; and registration for the spring competitive season begins in January and ends in February. There is no spring recreational program for 2024.

What is included in the registration fee?

For all players, registration fees go to the costs of paying for fields, game equipment, player passes, referees, insurance, and other associated club costs. A team and individual photo is included in the fall season registration costs. Fall recreational players receive a uniform (jersey, shorts, socks) and a ball. Competitive players will have to buy their own uniform and most comp teams also have additional team fees for tournaments and other costs. All players must supply their own shin guards and cleats. We aim to keep registration fees low, which means we rely heavily on donations and sponsorships. If you are in a position to do so, please consider donating to the club or sponsoring a team.

Do you offer refunds?

For the Fall Recreational program, refunds are available if requested prior to the original registration deadline to register for that season or program. Once the original registration deadline has passed, there is a no-refund policy (note that in certain circumstances players may be allowed to register past an original deadline if space remains but parents/guardians should not expect that to be the case and the no-refunds policy is based on the original registration deadline).

For all other events (Winter/Spring/Summer programs), there is a no-refund policy due to the short registration period.  

Is there financial aid available for the club’s registration fees?

The club does have financial aid for registration fees and aims to make organized soccer as affordable as possible, although we cannot guarantee that every person who applies for financial aid will receive it. To apply for financial aid, submit this form.

My child was placed on a team that has an inconvenient practice for me. Can I get a refund?

No. Refunds are only processed prior to a program or season’s original registration deadline (see above) and teams and practice locations are finalized after that registration deadline. We do our best to accommodate requests, but unfortunately, not all practice times or locations may be honored.

Can I request a practice location, coach, or teammates for a recreational player?

As a club, we strive to set up fun, engaging recreational teams that are convenient for parents and guardians. That is not always easy, however, especially when one school or geographic area has many coaches or no coaches volunteering. While you may request for a player to be with a friend, preferred coach, and/or practice near your child’s school, there is no guarantee that all or any of these requests will be able to be fulfilled. The absolute best way to have some control over a rec player’s schedule and practice location is to coach the player’s teams and to sign up early. We work with our coaches to ensure that the practice schedule (dates/times/locations) work with their schedule. For the Fall 2023 recreational program, the plan is to have teams made as registration occurs so registering early is a good idea.

My child is interested in competitive fall soccer, are they committed to playing in the spring as well?

No, players do not have to commit for a full year to play competitive soccer at our club, although many competitive players do choose to play in the spring as well. If your player chooses not to play competitive soccer in the spring with our club, that is fine, but league rules will likely prevent the player from playing competitive soccer in the spring with a different club.

How often are practices?

Recreational teams usually practice once a week.

Competitive teams usually practice twice a week.

I’m interested in volunteering to coach a recreational team but have little or no soccer experience. Is that okay?

Yes! Absolutely! You do not need soccer experience to volunteer as a recreational coach. The club has resources to help you succeed even if you lack soccer and/or coaching experience. The club also has a play-based philosophy which is more fun and less technical than other approaches. Please contact our rec coordinator for more information.

How do I make a donation or sponsor a team?

If you would like to sponsor a rec team for the upcoming fall season you can do so here. If you have questions about donations or sponsorships, please email our Operations Manager.

How long is the fall season?

Practices for the fall recreational season often begin in late August. Games for the fall recreational season often start the weekend after Labor Day and end the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Practices for the fall competitive season often begin in early to mid August. Games for the fall competitive season often begin in late August or early September and end in November or early December.

Where are games?

U6 recreational teams usually play at B40 Middle School. All other recreational teams usually play at Harvey West Park.

Competitive teams usually play their home games at Depot Park or B40 Middle School and play their away games in a variety of places, which depends on the league the team is in. At the higher levels of competition, increased travel is expected.

I’ve signed my child up for the recreational fall program, when will I hear who is on the team and when practices are?

The club uses TeamSnap as a website/app to organize and communicate within a team. Once the teams have been formed, you will receive that information via TeamSnap and/or email. The team’s head coach should also email with you with the practice and game schedule and/or it should be updated within TeamSnap.

My child has advanced soccer skills. Can I sign them up for an older age group?

Players may play in older age groups (playing up). If a child is in the competitive program and wants to play up, we recommend that they try out for the older team and the team of their birth year in case they do not make the older team. If a child is in the recreational program, we recommend that they either try out for a competitive team or play with their age group, but exceptions can be made in certain circumstances. Contact our rec coordinator in such a situation.

My child is new to soccer. Can I sign them up for a younger age group?

No. Players may not play down in a younger age group. Our recreational program, even for the older age groups, is for all soccer ability and experience levels.

My child is interested in the competitive program. What should they expect during try outs?

Try outs vary depending on the number of players trying out and the age group, but generally try outs include small-sided games, larger scrimmages, and maybe some drills or skill work. The coaches try to keep the try outs fun so the kids have a good time and the coaches have a chance to evaluate the players’ experience with soccer, skill level, and attitude.

My child made a competitive team. What now?

After your child has been offered and accepted a spot on a competitive team, they will be sent a link to register for the team. Each player in the competitive program is responsible for obtaining their own uniforms (set of shorts, home and away jersey, and socks). The uniforms are ordered via soccer.com and a link to order your uniform should be sent to you shortly after your child accepts a spot on a comp team. You’ll also have to fill out some paperwork to register with Nor Cal Premier soccer or whichever league/organization that your child’s team is playing in (this process usually requires the child’s birth certificate and a recent photo). This paperwork should be sent to you by your head coach or the registrar. Once the uniform has been ordered and the paperwork is complete, your child will be ready to practice and play with the team once the season begins.

My child played rec soccer in the fall but is interested in playing comp soccer in the spring; is that possible?

Some comp coaches will add players who played rec in the fall to their spring comp rosters. If you’re interested, reach out to the comp coach of your child’s age group or email the comp teams coordinator.

I would like to apply for one of the open positions on the Board of Directors. How do I do that?

Please email our president and vice president through our Board of Directors page.

Does the Club ever need new referees?

Yes! Santa Cruz City Youth Soccer is always in search of new referees as there is a shortage of referees locally, regionally, and nationally. If you are interested in being a referee for our games, please email our referee coordinator.

As a parent/guardian, should I talk to the refs at a game?

Other than thanking a ref after a game has concluded, parents/guardians should not communicate with refs. Please let the coaches communicate with refs. Parents/guardians may cheer and clap during games. Parents/guardians should not boo, taunt, jeer, or try to coach during games. Let the refs ref the game, let the coaches coach the game, and let the players play the game.

There’s a photo of my child on the club website or one of the club’s social media accounts that I would like taken down. Is that possible?

Absolutely. If you want a photo of your child taken down from the club website, email the person currently making edits to the website. If you want a photo of your child taken down from one of the club’s social media accounts, email the social media coordinator. We will work to remove the photo as quickly as practicable, but it may not be instantaneous.

What age range does the club serve?

For the fall recreational program, we usually have coed U6 teams and boys and girls teams for U8, U10, U12, and U15. For the fall competitive program, we usually have boys and girls teams from U9 - U19 based on player demand and coach availability. Other programs may be more limited depending on field space, player demand, and coach availability.

I read all of this and still have a question. Now what?

If you have read this entire page and still have a question, you may email the appropriate board member via our Board of Directors page. Please be mindful that we are run by volunteers and we may not get back to you immediately. Thanks for understanding.