Youth Soccer League

Registration for the 2023 Spring season is now CLOSED. 

2023 Spring Season Information:

Lincolnton Parks and Recreation offers an instructional soccer league for boys & girls ages 2.5 - 14 that stresses the fundamental skills of the sport and teamwork. We strive to provide all children with a fun and positive team experience without the pressure to win or excel as an individual.

AGE DIVISIONS:

• U4 Coed | 2 years 6 months - 3 years 11 months
• U6 Boys | 4 years - 5 years 11 months
• U6 Girls | 4 years - 5 years 11 months
• U8 Boys | 6 years - 7 years 11 months
• U8 Girls | 6 years - 7 years 11 months
• U11 Boys | 8 years - 10 years 11 months
• U11 Girls | 8 years - 10 years 11 months
• U14 Boys | 11 years - 13 years 11 months
• U14 Girls | 11 years - 13 years 11 months

Based on player's age as of 08/01/2022.

Please note: Some split-age divisions (boys/girls) may be combined into one coed division if too few of players are registered for a division.

SEASON SCHEDULE (subject to change):

• Registration Period | 01/01/2023 - 02/10/2023
• Late Registration Period | 02/11/2023 - 02/15/2023
  • A $10 late registration fee will be applied automatically at checkout during this time
• Pre-Season Evaluation Sessions | Mon, 02/20/2023 & Tue, 02/21/2023
  • For more information on evaluation requirements, session times, and location, please see the "EVALUATIONS" section below
• Coaches' Meetings | 02/27/2023 - 03/03/2023
  • Meetings are for team coaches only - Parents and players will not attend coaches' meetings - More information on coaches' meetings will be sent out to coaches directly
• Team Placement Notifications | 03/06/2023 - 03/12/2023
  • Coaches will begin contacting the parents of players to notify them of their team placements and practice schedules - Any parents that have not heard from a coach by 03/12/2023 should call the Parks & Recreation Department office (704-735-2671) on 03/13/2023 for assistance
• First Practices Begin | Week of 03/13/2023
• First Games Begin | Sat, 03/25/2023
  • Games and practices will not be scheduled 04/07/2023 - 04/14/2023
• End-of-Season Tournament | 05/13/2023 - 05/25/2023
  • The End-of-Season Tournament is for the U8, U11, and U14 age divisions only - The last day of games for the U4 and U6 age divisions will be Sat, 05/13/2023

EVALUATIONS: 

Pre-season evaluations are simply an assessment of player skill level and abilities in 4 areas: passing, shooting, dribbling, and speed. We use evaluation performance to help ensure that teams are drafted evenly - they are NOT a tryout. Regardless of skill level, each player will still be drafted to a team. 

We require all new players in the U8, U11, and U14 age divisions to attend ONE evaluation session (there are two dates for parents to choose from). Players in the U4 or U6 age divisions and those who played in our league during the Spring 2022 and/or Fall 2022 seasons will not need to attend an evaluation session. Evaluations will be held:

• Monday, February 20^th
  • 6:00p | U8
  • 7:00p | U11
  • 8:00p | U14
• Tuesday, February 21^st
  • 6:00p | U8
  • 7:00p | U11
  • 8:00p | U14

PLAYERS MUST ATTEND THE TIME SLOT FOR THEIR AGE DIVISION ONLY. Evaluations will last approximately 45 minutes. Both days of evaluation sessions will be held at the softball fields at Betty G Ross Park (800 Madison St, Lincolnton, NC). Players should wear cleats or athletic shoes, and wear comfortable/athletic clothing. Players do not need to bring their own ball or wear shin guards (shin guards will be required once regular practices begin). 

PRACTICES/GAMES:

Practices and games are held at Highland Drive Park (2770 Highland Dr, Lincolnton, NC 28092). It is possible that some practices may be held at City Park (1000 N Aspen St, Lincolnton, NC 28092), depending on field space. Weekly practice schedules will vary for each age division, but teams will generally practice 1-2 times per week for 1-2 hours. Game schedules will also vary. Practices and games could be scheduled on weekdays (Mon-Fri) from 5:15p-8:30p or on Saturdays from 9a-7p (most games will be played on Saturdays). Sunday afternoons may be used for make-up games and practices. Practice and game schedules will be determined once teams have been drafted and coaches are assigned to their teams. If there are certain days/times the player will not be able to attend practices or games, please provide that information when prompted on the registration form. 

Due to springtime weather, practice and game schedules are subject to change. In the event of any cancelations/delays, coaches and parents will be contacted as soon as a decision is made (most decisions regarding weekday activities will be announced that same day by 3:00p). We will do our best to reschedule any canceled games/practices, but we are not able to guarantee that all missed games/practices will be able to be rescheduled.

COST:

• Registration Fee | $55.00
• City Limits Resident DISCOUNT | $15.00
• Late Registration Fee | $10.00

Please note: The City Limits Resident Discount will be applied automatically during checkout. 

The registration fee covers the cost of the uniform (shirt, shorts, and socks), which will be given to each player by their coach.

REGISTRATION:

Registration will be accepted online and in-person. Online registration is card only and can be submitted on our CivicRec/Rec1 page. If you need assistance with online registration, please CALL our office at (704-735-2671) during regular office hours (Mon-Fri, 9a-5p). In-person registration is cash or check only and can be submitted at the Parks & Recreation Department office (located at the Lentz Recreation Center - 800 Madison St, Lincolnton, NC 28092) during our regular office hours (Mon-Fri, 9a-5p).  

If you have any special requests (same team placement requests, coach requests, etc.), please list those on the registration form when prompted. We are not able to guarantee that any/all requests will be met, but we will TRY to take those into consideration when deciding team placement. We will only be able to guarantee that siblings in the same age division will be placed on the same team and that members of a coach's immediate family will be placed on their team - as long as this information is requested in the "Special Requests" section of the registration form!

VOLUNTEER COACHING:

We rely solely on volunteers to serve as coaches for our youth sports teams. We're always in need of head coaches and assistant coaches - however, head coaches will receive a $10 account credit at the end of the season for future use. Prior experience is not required, and we are able to provide practice plans for each age division and assistance with rules of play upon request. We also build the practice and game schedules around the head coach's availability (as much as feasibly possible). We do require that each coach (head and assistant) complete a Volunteer Youth Sports Coach Application once per year, which does include a background check. If you are interested in becoming a coach, please contact the soccer program coordinator, Miles Smith, by phone (704-735-2671) or email ( msmith@lincolntonnc.org).