Soccer for Teens & Pre-Teens
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Soccer for Teens & Pre-Teens
June 2012
I'm hoping to persuade my 16-yr old daughter to go to a sleepaway camp for a week or
two this summer. I'd like recommendations for a soccer camp that emphasizes the fun
of playing over preparing for scholarships, Olympic trials and the like. My
daughter has played for eight years, so she's not a beginner. If the camp included
the possibility of horseback riding, that would be a bonus. But primary goal (no
pun intended) is a fun, friendly healthy camp where she can play and learn new
skills.
Soccer Mom
My kids adore Two Rivers Soccer Camp! It's about a four hour drive from the East Bay,
north of Truckee.
http://www.tworiverssoccer.com/
They will be headed there soon for their fifth summer. There are regular one week
camps and then they have something called Soccer Plus which is two weeks and includes
extra activities (horseback riding is one of them). We haven't done Soccer Plus, so
can't comment on that part of it, but the camp is fantastic. The coaches and
counselors are all nice, helpful, encouraging folks. They come from all over the world
and many of the coaches have high level licenses. A lot of the kids are on competitive
teams at home, but all skill levels are welcome (my daughter has always played
recreational soccer, my son has played on both kinds of teams), no one is disparaged,
and everyone learns something.
Feel free to contact me if you want more information.
Lucy
Oct 2010
I am looking for some competitive soccer options in the
Lamorinda area for a U12 boy. The only one I can find is
Lamorinda soccer which has only one team per age group for
the whole area. From what I can tell these teams have been
together for a while and seem to be full. Any options
besides a recreational team????
Thanks for your suggestions
anon
There are 2 main ways kids play soccer in Lamorinda. One is
through Lamorinda Soccer Club, or LMSC. Website is:
http://www.lamorindasc.com/team_structure.htm The other is
OYA (Orinda Youth Association) soccer (Lafayette has their
own league as well)and Moraga kids play either with
Lafayette or Orinda as they do not have their own. Website:
http://www.cityoforinda.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={E2F1F509-52D6-4144-BBBD-97C8E67C909C} Basically OYA is for
the kids who enjoy it and want to have fun and improve, and
LMSC is for the kids who are more competitive and can play
at a pretty high level.
HTH!
anon
March 2008
My 12-year old daughter is interested in playing soccer and we were
wondering what people thought of the various possibilities in and
around Berkeley. There does not seem to have been much recent
discussion on the board and we were hoping to hear some up-to-date
opinions on the soccer scene for kids.
John
My 12-year-old daughter plays with the Mersey Soccer Club,
http://merseysoccer.com . They hold practices at King Middle School Field on
Hopkins in Berkeley. It's very convenient to always practice in the same place
(she used to be in another club and every season they had to switch practice
fields). Mersey's focus is on teaching good soccer skills to kids of all ages.
There are teams for boys and girls from under-6 to under-14. The club hires
soccer coaches instead of relying on parent volunteers. Typically the coaches
are young and enthusiastic, and most have many years of experience playing on
league, high school and college teams.
Practices start on Monday the 17th, with the first spring season games the
weekend of March 29th, so this is a good time to register. You can do it
directly from the website above. I know there are still spots open on many
Mersey teams for the spring. You do not have to have any experience to join.
A new girl just joined my daughter's team, and she has never played soccer
before.
Soccer is a great game, especially for middle school girls! :) Mersey soccer
mom
Your daughter would likely be eligible to play on an Under 14
team (U14) in the fall, depending on her birthday. Not sure
what age group she would be in if she were playing this
spring.
In Berkeley, many kids play on a team on the
Albany-Berkeley
Soccer Club (ABSC). http://www.abscsoccer.com/ The ABSC is
part of the Alameda-Contra Costa League and plays games with
teams from El Cerrito, Richmond and San Pablo. Another
Berkley team called Mersey also is in the league and plays
with these teams. I think Mersey costs a bit more to join, as
they have no parent coaches - the hire all the coaches. They
are online, too. Some kids also play for a team in the
Rockridge club to the south. That club is in a different
league (to the south)
There are currently 3 levels of play in the ABSC for the Under
12 and up girls (I think). Division 4 is the recreational
level. Division 3 is the first competitive level, and
Division 1 is the most competitive level. The league division
1 teams here are called the Mavericks (in case you hear folks
mentioning that name, you'll know what they are talking
about).
Div 4 sign ups are passed and those teams are beginning
practice this week. Call or email the ABSC or another club if
you'd like to see if she can still get on a spring team.
Div 3 tryouts for the fall season for girls just happened this
past weekend (3/15 & 16). Not sure how it works to get on
teams after the tryouts. Call and ask the clubs' registrars.
Sometimes kids change their minds between now and the fall and
space may open up.
Tryouts for the fall for Div 1 Mavericks happend two weekends
ago.
Some middle schools have teams. Cal has soccer summer camp
offered by the women's team, and has some short clinics from
time to time, too.
Soccer Mom
Nov 2007
My daughter's recreational soccer season just ended, but
she still wants to play! I've been searching desperately
for opportunities, but the only one I've found is an hour
and a half commute! Does any one know of opportunities
close to where we live? We live in Oakley, which is
between Brentwood and Antioch. We're east of Oakland.
Thank you!
My Daughter's team is currently playing at
The Bladium in
Alameda. It is fast-paced and a lot of fun. You can get
more information at www.bladium.com or just Google
''Bladium''. The fall season just started and will end at the
end of Jan. The winter season will start right after that.
Usually whole teams sign up together but your daughter might
be able to join a team that is already registered and needs
more players. You can contact Luis at Bladium for more info.
He is the person in charge of the soccer there. Please feel
free to contact me for more info.
Good luck,
Shawn
Nov 2007
My daughter did not make the cut for the soccer team at
BHS. She used to play (Albany-Berkeley and El Cerrito) but
at this point it has been years since she played. I do not
know why she suddenly wanted to play again, but my question
is: is there a team/league/etc. for kids who are not highly
skilled but want to play with others? Gone are the days of
intramural sports through the school, apparently. I see
adults getting together for fun every weekend in the parks.
Any suggestions?
what's a teen to do
My daughter was in the same boat yours is when she was a
freshman at BHS, and as you've found, there was no more
class IV (recreational) soccer through the Albany-Berkeley
club at that age. We switched to the Jack London league
(jlysl.org) and she joined a Rockridge team. She's now a
senior and has been on the same team the whole four years
and loves it. The level of playing varies, since there are
no tryouts, but it's fun and low-key. I've sometimes
wondered if BHS is big enough to support a few intramural
soccer teams, the way colleges do. That would make the
games and practices closer to home, but short of that, this
has been a good alternative and has kept her playing.
soccer mom
My condolences. You are right that high school teams and
the few older club teams tend to be competitive and
exclusionary-- partly because those still playing are self-
selected. Here are some other recreational soccer
possibilities to look into:
1. Spring Under-16 girls soccer team (Class 4) with Albany-
Berkeley Soccer Club (register in January).
2. City of Berkeley adult coed soccer league (may have
minimum age of 18 for women)
3. City College PE classes
4. Recreational pick-up games listed at
www.abscsoccer.com. There used to be an all-ages game
Sunday mornings at Catalfo, and another all-men game
Saturday and Sunday afternoons at San Pablo Park. My
husband travels an hour on weekends to an all-ages
friendly game he's played in for over 20 years. Perhaps
when the Gilman fields are finished, there can be a local
one.
5. San Francisco women's league.
good luck
April 2005
My daughter has been shy about commpetitive sports in the past
and has finnally agreed to try a soccer team. We were told
that the spring would be a good time to try to find a team but
upon reading past posting, and some of the clubs schedules, I
am starting to worry that I waited to long since the try-outs
passed already.(not that she would have agreed to a try-out.)
I am wondering if there are any teams that would take a
begginer this late in the game, maybe without making her try-
out. I have been told by her P.E. teacher that she is a gifted
athlete, though she is not very confident in her skills.
If anybody has any leads on a low key team in the
oakland/berkeley area I would greatly appreciate it.
Wants to be a soccer mom
You're a bit late for the spring but this is a prime time to
register for the fall. Jack London league registration (which
covers Rockridge/Montclair & sounds like what you want) can be
found at www.jlysl.org -- go there NOW!. There are no ''tryouts''
for class IV (what we call ''house'' or ''recreational'') teams and
that is where your daughter should start. There is plenty of
time for class III (e.g., Rockridge String) or class I (JLYSL
Bay Oaks) soccer if she proves to have the talent. Have fun the
first year.
You need to look for a club with ''Recreational'' level of soccer
(also known as Class IV). The recreational level accepts beginners
at all age levels, no try-outs! Although sign-ups for spring
already occurred in February, you can try Albany-Berkeley Soccer
Club (part of the Alameda-Contra Costa Youth Soccer League
(www.abscsoccer.com)(510-526-3912) to see if you can find a team.
The Jack London Youth Soccer League in Oakland also has
recreational teams. If it doesn't work for the spring, don't give
up; registration for fall recreational teams takes place in May.
Jody
Also recommended:
The Bladium in Alameda
March 2003
My 12 year old has been looking longingly at soccer teams, but
feeling that
she has completely missed the boat. She feels (and I am concerned
this
might be true) if she didn't start learning soccer as a 6 year
old, then
it's too late for her. She's really never played any soccer in
her
life. Are there any BEGINNING soccer classes for older kids?
Too late?
It is never too late to start soccer and I know of a wonderful
socer camp that handles beginners beautifully and really makes
them feel as if they are not at a loss compared to the more
experienced players (the ones who have been playing since they
were four)! Super Soccer does camps all over Northern
California. I know they are having one right now in Mountain
View, every Friday after school. He constantly has camps
running in various places, hopefully one is close to you. This
would be a great way for her to get involved. Phil Scicluna is
the coach. His number is 650-799-5854 and his email address is
supersoccerrocksATyahooDOTcom . Our whole family has trained with
him and we really enjoy it! I highly recommed it for all ages!
Good Luck!
Tamina
It is not too late for your daughter to start soccer and Spring
is an excellent time to start. The ''official'' soccer season is
fall, Spring soccer is more fun, less competitive and the
coaches work on skill building, team building and fun. You
didn't say where you live, but most of the area clubs do sponsor
Spring soccer. Last year my daughter's team had several new
players and by fall they were experienced confident players. I
would recommend calling your local club (The Alameda-Contra
Costa Soccer website has links to all the area clubs:
http://www.accysl.org) and call to find out how to register for
spring. It would be helpful if she has friends who already play
and see if she can play with them. There are usually spaces in
Spring as some of the girls who play during the fall play
softball in Spring. Good luck.
Hallie
I don't know about girls , but my son's soccer team (10-12 years
old this year) in the last 3 years has taken on at least one
player/year who had no previous experience. All have quickly
mastered the game and are among the team's most valuable
players.There are several things that could give your daughter a
head start for the fall. 1) See if the league plays spring
soccer and if a team is willing to add her for the season.
Spring soccer is much less competitive than fall, and would give
her a chance to try it out. 2) Sign her up for a spring or
summer soccer camp. There is a wide range of skills and ages at
most of those camps, and lots of basic skills are taught. (UC
rec department has camps, and your community's soccer league
could give you some leads as well.) 3) Just get her a ball and
let her try out the moves she sees when she watches the sport.
(of course my son destroyed our back-yard watering system
kicking goals...)
Cynthia
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