Ages? Fees? Games? Practice? Team Formation? Coaches and Volunteers? Program Focus? Eligibility? Registration? After Registration? What Do I Need?

1. Age Requirements: 

Our House programs use two-year combined age groupings.  Single sex for younger.  The older age groups are coed   PLEASE LOOK AT THE BIRTH YEAR AND NOT THE AGE YOU THINK YOUR CHILD FITS INTO.  There is a birth year matrix above in the rotating articles.  Our year starts in September and runs to the following July.  

Please note that these dates are strictly adhered to. No exceptions will be made and no one is allowed to play outside their birth year age group. A birth certificate may be requested of a new player

2. Fees: 

See Programs and Information article on front page.   Please register online with a credit card or complete all information online and send a check for the full amount to the address listed within 7 days to secure your place on a team.  Registration dates are announced and listed for each program in the Programs Article but, subject to change due to weather and field conditions.  

3. Games:

Eight games are played each session on Saturdays with an occasional Sunday at various fields throughout the Town of Amherst. Game times vary week-to-week anywhere between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Games are approximately 1 hour in length. Indoor Soccer games are 1 hour on Saturdays at an indoor location for 8 weeks also.

4. Practices:

Generally, one practice per week for outdoor programs at the time and location of the volunteer coach’s discretion. There are no practices for the indoor leagues.

5. Team Assignments:

Our volunteer coordinators do the best job they can to place the children on teams. Due to the complexity of this task, we cannot honor special requests for carpooling, friends or any other reason. If it is important for you to have several children together, volunteer to coach, as we allow a coach to request a couple children.  Siblings are kept together on a team within the same age division. We will, however, try to keep players who register in the Spring with teammates from the Fall Season.

6. Volunteer Coaches:

Please remember we can only have as many teams as we have volunteers to coach. The number of participants may be limited by the availability of coaches. REGISTER EARLY AND VOLUNTEER AT REGISTRATION.   Therefore, those who register on time, but were last to be received, unfortunately may not be able to participate in the season (in these cases, refunds will be made). We have equipment and a coaching director to assist you if you are not knowledgeable and we will have multiple parent volunteers per team if possible.

7. Focus of the Program:

The emphasis of the House Program is on development of basic soccer skills, social interaction, teamwork and most importantly, having fun! Previous knowledge of soccer is not necessary.  We have many children who start play at 8-9-10-11 and can still enjoy the sport and learn the basics.  All children MUST play at least 50% of every game.  Coaches should focus on basic skills and not winning or losing and must conform to our behavior requirements on the sideline.  Relentless positivity and encouragement and always avoid negative comments toward these inexperienced young players.  Most of the HOUSE players are doing it for the joy of playing and those that are more serious move on to travel.

8. Eligibility:

Amherst Soccer is open to anyone from any locale. 

9. Registration Process:

You can register online for any program with a credit card. We recommend that you do not wait for the mail to get us a check as the payment receipt date is used for acceptance and not when you complete the online profile.  If you choose to send a check to register, complete the process online and exit before using a credit card.  You must send a check to ASA, PO Box 264, 14231 to complete the process.

10. After Registration:

The closing date of registration for each program is listed on the web article Programs and Information.  We generally need a week or more to form teams, sometimes find more volunteers and prepare rosters and schedules.  The coaches are asked to contact their teams asap.  Practice days, times are location are chosen by the volunteer coach to allow them to fit their schedule.  We do not move players for inability to meet the team schedule, there are too many players to facilitate changes. Game days are always posted on the front page for upcoming programs and times vary from week to week on Saturdays and sometimes Sundays between 9am and 4pm.

Parents should also go back to the web page to look for team assignments and schedules on the front page which we will post as soon as ready.  No need to email us with questions on status.  You can also log into your account and you may see the team assignment next to your child’s name in the registration for that program.

11. What does my child need:

If you do not have the uniform kit, make sure you order it at the time of registration.  Colors and sizing info are on the web site.

The week before we start, you will be emailed with uniform pickup days and times

All players must wear shin guards under their soccer socks, should have soccer shoes (turf or cleats outdoors; flats or turf indoors) or sneakers, a water bottle, and their own ball and pump – ball should be inflated for each practice and game warmup.  #3 ball for 5-8, #4 ball for 10-12, #5 ball for 13+.  These ball sizes differ. 

The uniform includes a home and away jersey, shorts and socks. 

We recommend soccer shoes rather than sneakers for proper feel when striking the ball.  DICKS can help you choose the correct size shoe and shin guard and ball.