GCAA Rec Soccer Fall Registrations

2008 Fall Soccer Registrations are now open and end on July 19th, 2008. There will be absolutely no late registrations.

GCAA Rec Soccer has fully adopted the "small-sided" games rules as proposed by NCYSA (NC Youth Soccer Association) for this upcoming Fall season and forward. We believe these new rules and guidelines will make the soccer experience for your child more enjoyable and will help all of them to become better soccer players. We have also incorporated a few other changes for each league. For more details of all of the changes click on "Rec Soccer League" menu item on the left of the gcaasoccer.com website or click on "Printable Docs" for some more information about small-sided games. You may also visit the NCYSA website and review details of why small-sided games are a good idea and what is involved. The following are a few highlights including some of the bigger changes:

Highlights of U04 - U08

• Coed Teams
• Small-Sided Games (no goalies, 3v3 or 4v4)
• Focus on Player Development, not on wins and losses
• Coaches ref games
• No travel for games
• Registration Fees include uniform (t-shirt and socks)

Highlights of U10 - U16

• Boy and Girls on separate teams (single sex teams)
• Small-Sided Games (goalies, with 5 field players in U10, 7 field players in U12, "normal" 11v11 in U14 and up)
• Focus on Player Development, with introduction of healthy and friendly competition
• Paid non-partial referees for games
• Some travel may be required for some games (depends on number of teams)
• Separate $20 uniform fee (not inlcluded in Registration Fee)
• Uniform includes soccer jersey, shorts, socks, and appropriate size soccer ball for each child

We are encouraging everyone to register online. All registrations will be done via our website even during the walk-in registrations. At the walk-in registrations, we will have a very limited number of computers available to use to register your child to play using this same website. However, we expect these walk-in registrations to be quite busy and recommend that you at least register ahead of time if at all possible even if you opt for "Pay in Person" by cash or check. We would like to limit walk-in registrations to accept payment from those who opted to pay with cash or check or if we require a birth certificate for your child.

We are limiting the number of players based on the number of coaches who sign up. Registrations are on a first-come-first-serve basis. As more coaches sign up more player spots will open online. If you are interested in coaching, please volunteer using this same registration system. If you are a coach, your child is guaranteed the opportunity to play.

We look forward to a great Fall season!

Rec Soccer Important Dates:

• Registrations: online May 10th through July 19th
• Walk Registrations: July 12 (9 AM until Noon) and July 17th (6 PM until 9 PM)
• NCYSA Youth Module coaches classes: July 26 and July 27
• Player Draft (U10 and up) approximately August 9th
• Practices will begin approximately week of August 18th
• Games will be played approximately September 6th through November 1st (**see note below)
• Tournament or "Festival Weekend": uncertain if we will host a tournament in the Fall, most other organizations only do tournaments or festivals in the Spring and we may also adopst that format. If we do decide to have a Festival Weekend then dates will be posted later.
• Team Photos: date to be determined

** All teams within a league must have collected sponsorship money before that league's season can begin. Help your coach find a sponsor so that your season can begin on time!

We always need more business sponsors. Sponsorship money helps us keep registration costs down and allows more kids to participate. If you own a business, work for a business, or know of a business or organization that would like to help please let us know.

Go to www.gcaasoccer.com and click "Registrations" on the left to register your child for the 2008 Fall Soccer season.

Thanks,
GCAA Soccer Committee

 

Just a reminder...

We are half-way through the registration period. We have quite a few kids already signed up. Don't wait to sign your kids up... spaces available are based on the number of coaches who sign up.

So we also need coaches to sign up too!!!

Registrations end July 19th.

 

How many nights a week or weekend is this league for the AGE 6 kids
(DS will be in first grade)?

TIA, Kel

 

Basically all of the rec kids practice one night a week and then play games on Saturdays.

Practices usually start about 2 weeks before the first game, so for those 2 weeks the teams usually practice one night a week and then also on Saturday.

In the case that a game gets rained out, the makeup game could be made up during the week or on a Sunday for the U08 and below leagues (the older leagues only make up their games on Sundays... b/c those games required paid refs whereas the younger leagues are ref'ed by the coaches).

 

Every page I click on besides the link above is blank.

I am new to all of this.... I am looking for a very NON competitive team since this will be my children's first experience with team sports.

Can someone tell me what age it starts at? (our 3 year old wants to play!!) Would it be a good match for a 12 year old who has NEVER played soccer? He wants to get started but is embarrassed that everyone his age already is 'good'. He is not very athletic, but I want to encourage his desire to start!!

Help!

nvm.... it is working now! (thanks!)

 

So, according to this link Thing One who will be turning 4 on July 7th - would be in U6? And Thing Two, who will be turning 2 on June 20th could play in U4? This doesn't sound right to me.

 

GCAA has two age groups per age group. So the kids in the youngest age group, the U4's or "under 4 year olds", will turn 3 years old and 4 years old at some point during the season, which runs from (I think) August 1 to July 31st per NCYSA. I don't personally like the way it is done because especially in the younger age groups a year is a huge difference developmentally, in particular in the u6 and u8 age groups, where often the younger ones have a hard time getting the ball at all, much less doing something great with it. Hopefully their move to small sided games will help with this problem, since the whole point at this age in recreational soccer is fun, development, and participation...which is hard to do if you never have the ball.

 

Hey Cleo, from the way I just read it, yes, Thing One would be in U6, and it looks like Thing 2 is too young (need to be 3 by Aug 1)

 

I am more confused now.

It says

Aug 1 2004 - July 31 2006 U4
Aug 1 2002 - July 31 2004 U6

 

I am still so confused. I didn't want Thing One to play, I was just wowed that there would be a league for a 2YO. :lol:

 

I suppose, yes if one turned 3 on July 31 it would be a bit young!

I did sign my 3 year old up to play, he'll be 4 in December. This one is soooo energetic and LOVES anything related to sports!!! Lets put it this way, Grandpa, Hubby and my 3 YEAR old went and played 9 holes of golf yesterday!! He loves basketball, football, soccer...you name it. Honestly I think when it comes to signing little ones up for their first sports experience it needs to be up to the parents discretion/

 

To me, it looks like your child IS able to play, because his birthday falls in the very youngest age group...he/she will be turning 3 by the end of that soccer-year, in June. So would be a U4. That is how it is listed on GCAA's website as I am reading it. All of the kids in that age group are either turning 3 or turning 4 at some point during the year, to end at the end of July next summer. The age group covers 2 years.

 

OK. N/M Thing Two.


What about Thing One? 4 on July 7th. U6?

 

Yes, would be a U6 (Under 6 year old)...remember that the age group covers 2 years...so it is kids that at some point during the next soccer year (which runs from August 1-July 31, to end next summer) will be turning 5 years old and 6 years old. Yours will be one of the youngest.

 

I get it now. Yes, she would be the youngest - but probably the biggest. Think Amazon. :lol:


Thanks! That one is waitlisted, I think.

 

Cleo - If you'll be at the group Wednesday we can talk about it, mine has been in U6 for the last 3 seasons of soccer and just finished the spring season and was still one of the youngest! Yours would definitely be one of the youngest, so you might want to think about it. Although if she's big for her age she might be alright, mine isn't, he's small actually, and didn't enjoy it either, so he won't be going back. He's very shy and didn't enjoy the thought of other bigger kids coming at him at full force! He's going to try t-ball instead, we think it might be more his speed, and he seems to enjoy it in the backyard, so we'll see...

Speaking of which, I checked out GCAA website, but coudln't find anything on baseball registrations for the fall, does anyone know when they start? I thought they'd be going by now but I didn't see anything? I hope I didn't miss them! Both my boys are anxious to try a new sport...

 

If you want NON competitive have him play for the YMCA first. They are more gentle in their teaching.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ljk
Every page I click on besides the link above is blank.

I am new to all of this.... I am looking for a very NON competitive team since this will be my children's first experience with team sports.

Can someone tell me what age it starts at? (our 3 year old wants to play!!) Would it be a good match for a 12 year old who has NEVER played soccer? He wants to get started but is embarrassed that everyone his age already is 'good'. He is not very athletic, but I want to encourage his desire to start!!

Help!

nvm.... it is working now! (thanks!)

GASP... I'm shocked to see you send our customers away...

Sorry I have not responded to all of the questions... I have been away on a short vacation... probably my only one for the summer :-(

It looks like most of the other questions have been answered by some of the "Soccer Moms" in this group. (Thanks!!!)

Seriously though... the GCAA U10 and up leagues are slightly more competitive than the U08 and below leagues... although we are making efforts to reduce the focus on competition program-wide in our Rec leagues. We want the Rec leagues to be about "Player Development", recreation, teamwork, and simply having fun. If players and parents and coaches want a higher level of competition then they need to be participating in our Challenge leagues.

My suggestion would be to see if you could get your son to some of the local summer soccer camps. See how he does there. I know that FVAA (Fuquay-Varina has some things they are doing and they are also working with another local group and are doing a summer indoor league or camp or something... which tends to be a very short season and would end before our Fall season starts.) If your son has a desire to play... that's all he needs... I highly doubt any of the kids will be making fun of him... and he has no reason to be embarrassed... our Rec league has players at every skill level.

Jeff

 

Now now, you know I just tell it like it is :jester:...... I was thinking of the child when I said this. YMCA is indeed a very less aggressive form of soccer, which if the mother is concerned about injury or feelings he needs to try this first.

Let's face it ....GCAA is competitive ....even though they are moving to the more "instructional" style in rec the are "GO GETTERS." :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

 

I signed him up but it is waitlisted.... I am not worried about injuries etc, just that he would be in above his head for a first time ever. I dont want him considered a 'hindrence' to the team, but I want to foster any interest my boys have....

Do you think they will get a coach in time?

Little dude is signed up too!! At least he can start young! :lol::lol: