Recreation Soccer FAQ

Common Questions About The Recreation League

You've signed your child up for a fun season of soccer, now what happens?

Recreation League Information

The Rec League is an all inclusive soccer league open to any and all children, regardless of experience and ability. Many players are new to soccer! The Rec League is open to players in Johnston and Eastern Wake County and beyond. Practices and games take place in multiple locations in Archer Lodge, Clayton, Knightdale but the league includes participants from all over the Eastern Triangle area.

The Rec League is offered in the Fall and Spring. Registration for the Fall season begins in May and ends in early August. Registration for the Spring season begins in November and ends in March.

Games are played primarily on Saturdays in Archer Lodge, Clayton, Knightdale and Wendell (at schools and town fields). The locations for younger teams (4U-6U) will stay the same throughout the season. Practices are held throughout the week for (8U-19U) in Archer Lodge, Clayton and Knightdale at schools and town fields. NRFA works closely with the local towns and schools to secure field permits and space for teams to use.

The season is approximately 8 weeks long. Practices for the fall begin in September and the season ends in late October. Practices for the spring begin in mid-March and the season ends in early June.

Uniforms are required. Learn more here.

Team Information

NRFA creates Rec teams based on registrations one - two weeks before the season kicks off. Two weeks before the first game you can log into your TeamSnap account to see which team your child has been placed on.

If you register after the early deadline has passed your child may be on a waitlist and may not be placed onto a team until closer to the first game.

If your child’s team does not yet have a volunteer coach please know that NRFA staff are actively working to recruit someone to coach the team.

The league relies on volunteers to coach teams. We provide training, equipment and weekly support to coaches throughout the season. Soccer experience is not required! Many of our veteran recreation coaches were once in your shoes.

If your child’s team does not have a coach by the first game of the season we will provide a staff member to coach for opening weekend. Please note that your child will not have a practice before the first game.

You can see in your TeamSnap Household Account that your child’s team does have a coach but you have not heard from them…. now what?

Please note that coaches will email you using TeamSnap. Rec Coaches are instructed to reach out to their teams before the first practice to introduce themselves and provide information about the season. If your coach has not reached out it is likely that he or she is solidifying the weekly practice schedule and is waiting to email the team until confirmed.

There is a chance the TeamSnap email is going to your spam folder, so double check that. If you haven’t heard from your coach the week of the first practice you can reach out to NRFA to double check your contact info and our staff can confirm whether or not the coach has reached out.

THANK YOU! We love our volunteer coaches and want to ensure you have a great experience.  Please fill out the link here to volunteer- https://forms.gle/KyLQdu9Ttgoyi6X16

Once you volunteer to coach the Rec Staff will reach out to secure information from you (so we can run a background check) and ask about your availability and preference for practices. We try to accommodate location, day and time requests of our coaches to make it convenient for your schedule.

Once the practice schedule is solidified we will provide you with some equipment and your team roster. We will also host a pre-season coaches meeting and clinic to kick off the season!

NRFA aims for each child to participate in at least half of every game. Roster sizes fluctuate depending on coach availability but we try to limit the rosters to help with this goal.

Program Information

NRFA places an emphasis on skill development and competition with yourself as a player. Our goal in this program is for all of the players to become skilled ball handlers, with emphasis primarily on the use of the proper part of the foot, and to learn a bit about being aggressive on the field and going after the ball when others have it. Therefore, we implement what we refer to as the Player Development Program (PDP) for our 4U-6U age groups. This format is modeled after US Youth Soccer’s Academy Program.

Instead of each coach being assigned a few players and the age group divided into smaller, season-long teams, all players of each age group receive the same color jersey and are considered to be part of one larger team.

PRACTICE SESSIONS
The U4-U6 program will practice one day a week. On these days, players will rotate through a few skills activities, and then participate in a small-sided game.  Players are divided up randomly into appropriately sized groups. Each group will be split in half using colored pinnies, and play an actual game, going to goal.

Players will be rated by skill level and divided into groups of likeability. Competing against players of likeability creates appropriate resistance, increases touches on the ball and allows each player the opportunity to apply skills learned in a live game situation. Because players develop at different rates, they are continually assessed weekly throughout the season, and adjustments are made to group assignments as individual skill levels change.

The focus of 4U-6U is mainly on individual ball control. In this “My ball” stage of development, there is typically very little passing. The vast majority of activities will involve each player with his/her own ball.

Players will also learn how to dribble the ball closely. Sessions are co-ed. Teams will play 4v4, without a goalie, on a field size of about 30 yards x 25 yards with small goals.

Why No Goalkeeper?

  • Goalkeeping, as it relates to the adult version of soccer, requires a combination of motor skills, athletic talent and decision-making. A goalkeeper is not utilized in the U4-U8 small-sided game because:
  • Goalkeepers must be field players first. Prior to specializing as goalkeepers, children must learn the broad parameters of "play". This is difficult to do when they hide beneath the crossbar and between the posts.
  • Goalkeepers must possess field-playing skill. This is particularly true since the laws governing the 11-a-side game have been changed to prohibit the goalkeeper from using handling skills to receive balls passed by teammates.
  • Psychological maturity is necessary in order to function as a goalkeeper.
  • The peripheral vision and hand eye coordination at these ages are usually not developed to the point necessary to effectively play goalkeeper. According to The Official US Youth Soccer Coaching Manual,

"When to begin as a goalkeeper is a question asked by many coaches. The authors [Dr. Thomas Fleck, Dr. Ronald W. Quinn, Dr. David Carr, William Buren, Virgil Stringfield] believe that initiating goalkeeping in games prior to age nine is inappropriate. Children should be exposed to body movements that simulate what goalkeepers do, but to put them under the pressure of being a goalkeeper before they have developed some basic psychomotor and cognitive skills is inappropriate."

U7/U8 Player Development Program

NRFA’s U7/U8 Program is not focused on wins vs. losses, rather we place emphasis on player development. Therefore, we implement what we refer to as the Player Development Program (PDP) for our U7/U8 age groups.  Each team will be coached by a volunteer parent coach with guidance from the Recreation Director.  The teams will be selected at the start of the season and will be balanced by skill, so that all teams are evenly matched.  

PRACTICE SESSIONS

The U7/U8 program will practice one day a week. On these days, players will rotate through a few skills activities, and then participate in a small-sided game. Each group will be split in half using colored pinnies, and play an actual game, going to goal.

GAMES/SCRIMMAGES

On Game Day, teams will play one game against another team.  

Why No Goalkeeper?

Goalkeeping, as it relates to the adult version of soccer, requires a combination of motor skills, athletic talent and decision-making. A goalkeeper is not utilized in the U5-U8 small-sided game because:

  • Goalkeepers must be field players first. Prior to specializing as goalkeepers, children must learn the broad parameters of "play". This is difficult to do when they hide beneath the crossbar and between the posts.
  • Goalkeepers must possess field-playing skill. This is particularly true since the laws governing the 11-a-side game have been changed to prohibit the goalkeeper from using handling skills to receive balls passed by teammates.
  • Psychological maturity is necessary in order to function as a goalkeeper.
  • The peripheral vision and hand eye coordination at these ages are usually not developed to the point necessary to effectively play goalkeeper.

According to The Official US Youth Soccer Coaching Manual,

 "When to begin as a goalkeeper is a question asked by many coaches. The authors [Dr. Thomas Fleck, Dr. Ronald W. Quinn, Dr. David Carr, William Buren, Virgil Stringfield] believe that initiating goalkeeping in games prior to age nine is inappropriate. Children should be exposed to body movements that simulate what goalkeepers do, but to put them under the pressure of being a goalkeeper before they have developed some basic psychomotor and cognitive skills is inappropriate."

Small-Sided Games

JUSA follows the United States Youth Soccer Association’s recommendations for the use of small sided games (SSG) for U12 and below. The importance of this format of play in youth soccer development is evidenced in a study conducted by the German Football Association, in conjunction with Sports University of Cologne on 6-10 years old. Results of this study in their entirety can be viewed clicking here

Characteristics of Small-sided Games

More opportunities to play the ball. The fewer players on the field, the more possible times a player will come in contact with the ball. In fact, players will find they have no choice; the ball will quickly find them!

More opportunities to score. Many players in an 11v11 game are not inclined to seek the goal, because they are so far away or because of defensive restraints.

More opportunities to scheme. As we play we must constantly change and adapt to our surroundings. This challenge is the basis for tactics. How do we solve the puzzle?

More opportunities to coach. The small-sided game allows coaches a perfect opportunity to observe and analyze the individual and collective responses of players under quick game-like conditions. Are players comfortable with the ball? Are they confident in defense? How well do they adapt to the unexpect­ed? Do they recognize goal-scoring opportunities?

US Youth Soccer recommends small-sided games for U12 and below. More information about the importance of the small-sided game in youth soccer development can be found at: http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/coaches/SmallSidedGames/

U9-U10 Traditional Format

In this format, U11 players and above are assigned to a team and a coach for the duration of the season. Typically, there will be one training session a week with that team’s coach, and perhaps an assistant coach. Games are played on the weekend against other JUSA teams of matching age and gender, as well as with teams from the Carolina Recreation Alliance (CRA).

U9-U10

The U10 player demonstrates a greater degree of analytical thought, which enhances tactical understanding. Still, their performance during match play may be inconsistent. Much of their training should consist of small-sided games with various playing or field conditions placed upon the players.

Teams at this age are usually separated by gender.   Roster size is 11 – 16; when possible we try to make the teams smaller to ensure more playing time for each player. If we do not have a sufficient number of teams then some games may require short travel to play teams in other parts of Johnston and southern Wake County. 

Games are played 9 v 9 (8 field players and 1 goalie), on a field size of about 80 yards x 55 yards, with goals 18 feet x 6 feet. Our focus is still on player development, sportsmanship, and teamwork. We continue with our introduction of healthy competition; however, scores and official standings are not kept. Each game will have non-partial paid referee crew. Teams will remain intact from Fall to Spring unless balancing needs to take place at the discretion of the Recreation Director.  

U11-U12 Traditional Format

In this format, U11 players and above are assigned to a team and a coach for the duration of the season. Typically, there will be one training session a week with that team’s coach, and perhaps an assistant coach. Games are played on the weekend against other JUSA teams of matching age and gender, as well as with teams from the Carolina Recreation Alliance (CRA).

U11-U12

The U-12 player demonstrates a greater degree of analytical thought, which enhances tactical understanding. Still, their performance during match play may be inconsistent. Much of their training should consist of small-sided games with various playing or field conditions placed upon the players.

Teams at this age are usually separated by gender.   Roster size is 11 – 16; when possible we try to make the teams smaller to ensure more playing time for each player. If we do not have a sufficient number of teams then some games may require short travel to play teams in other parts of Johnston and southern Wake County. 

Games are played 9 v 9 (8 field players and 1 goalie), on a field size of about 80 yards x 55 yards, with goals 18 feet x 6 feet. Our focus is still on player development, sportsmanship, and teamwork. We continue with our introduction of healthy competition; however, scores and official standings are not kept. Each game will have non-partial paid referee crew. Teams will remain intact from Fall to Spring unless balancing needs to take place at the discretion of the Recreation Director.  

Registration

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Finances + Fees

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Uniforms

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Questions?

Contact Dawn DeSoto to learn more about the Recreation Level.

EMAIL REC DIRECTOR

Neuse River Futbol Alliance (NRFA)

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