Soccer 101
Soccer 101
Introduction
The purpose of this page is to provide a high level, introductory overview of youth soccer in Ohio.
Different Types of Play
In the end, whether a player participates at a recreational level their entire career or decides to hop over to competitive play at some point all comes down to the individual, how quickly they decide to learn, and how comfortable they are in any given environment. There’s nothing that says ‘x’ player must play [rec or competitive] at ‘x’ point. Some players play recreationally until they are 15, then decide to play competitively. Others only ever play recreational. Still others begin playing competitively as soon as they can.
Recreational:
- More of a free learning, fun league environment focused on providing kids with 1-2 practices a week and a game on the weekends. A season typically runs 6-8 weeks.
- Some leagues hold an end-of-season tournament.
- Age varies, but can start as young as 3 and as old as high school students.
- Often teams are coed (boys and girls playing together).
- Typically volunteer/parent coached.
- Recreational leagues are usually in-house leagues, where teams play against other teams from the same league. Some leagues consist of various organizations or branches that will have cross play with each other (ex: Clermont Central or Miami Valley East).
- Cost is usually low, and often comes with a shirt or uniform.
- Sometimes referred to as ‘grassroots’, since participating in a recreational league is often the first experience a player has with the sport.
Competitive:
- Typically within a structured club environment.
- Can also be known as travel or select soccer.
- Focus is on getting better while playing the game they love and having fun.
- The number of teams per age group can vary by club. Some only have 1 team per age group….others have 4 or more. Some don’t have any teams in an age group.
- Competitive play often starts around the age of 8-9, with the idea that kids around that age come into a more competitive, structured environment hungry, willing to improve their skills and face players of a similar skill level.
- Teams are often made up of anywhere from 9 (at younger ages) to 24 (older ages) players.
- Athletes usually are offered a spot on a team after attending tryouts (typically May and June).
- Teams typically stay together for an entire seasonal year (Fall – Spring), or for multiple years.
- Often coached by licensed and/or experienced staff coaches. Sometimes these coaches also coach for a local high school or college.
- Usually 2-3 practices, sometimes more, per week with games on the weekend.
- Travel for games is common.
- Teams often participate in tournaments.
- Based on recommendations from a club Director of Coaching, or perhaps a coaches decision, teams may opt to participate in high level State-run tournaments such as State Cup or Presidents Cup.
- Winners of these tournaments earn the opportunity to play in a regional competition, and if they win that, earn a spot at the National Championships.
- Cost varies, but is higher than recreational. The additional costs go to expenses such as compensating coaches, field maintenance, field rental, referees, club staff compensation, scholarships, goals and supplies (nets, balls, pinnies, etc.) and more.
- Clubs often dress in branded gear with the club logo, and can be an additional cost.This could be a jersey from Nike, adidas, Puma, Joma, Under Armour, etc.
- Players are carded and rostered in order to verify with the league and State Association (that’s us) that they are of the eligible age. This may require an additional registration depending on how the club decides to do it.
- Players are not allowed to play down on younger teams. Players may play up.
- Players are carded to one team at any given time.
Seasons
A recreational or grassroots league typically offers a fall and spring season. You register for each separately. On rare occasions, they will offer a summer league.
It is more common for recreational leagues to offer or recommend summer camps for those interested.
A competitive season typically lasts from the end of August to the middle or end of June. Sometimes competitive leagues will break the season into fall and spring, but a competitive player’s card is valid for the entire seasonal year and the team often stays together for that long.
Any competitive player looking to join a different club during the seasonal year does so via a transfer.
Age Groups
The following is an age group chart to help you determine the age your child will play.
When determining the age group for a season, the year the season ends should be used for determining the birth year. Also note that the format “Age followed by and under” really means that age and younger. For example, 2013 birth year in the 2021-22 seasonal year would be listed as under-9s.
| Season | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | 2025-2026 | 2026-2027 | 2027-2028 | 2028-2029 | 2029-2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth Year | |||||||||
| 2025 | |||||||||
| 2024 | under-6s | ||||||||
| 2023 | under-6s | under-7s | |||||||
| 2022 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | ||||||
| 2021 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | |||||
| 2020 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | ||||
| 2019 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | |||
| 2018 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | ||
| 2017 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | |
| 2016 | under-6s | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s |
| 2015 | under-7s | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s |
| 2014 | under-8s | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s |
| 2013 | under-9s | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s |
| 2012 | under-10s | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s |
| 2011 | under-11s | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s |
| 2010 | under-12s | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s |
| 2009 | under-13s | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | |
| 2008 | under-14s | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | ||
| 2007 | under-15s | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | |||
| 2006 | under-16s | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | ||||
| 2005 | under-17s | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | |||||
| 2004 | under-18s | under-19s | under-20s | ||||||
| 2003 | under-19s | under-20s | |||||||
| 2002 | under-20s |
Soccer Structure/Pyramid
Recreational leagues can become members of a State Association, such as Ohio Soccer Association. We provide leagues with a host of expanding benefits.
Competitive leagues can also become members of a State Association, like us, and take advantage of all we have to offer.
Clubs can also be direct members of a State Association, such as Ohio Soccer Association. They can also participate in competitive leagues. Through the State Association, they receive the same benefits as recreational and competitive leagues, plus gain access to higher levels of competition such as Regional and National leagues and events.
Ohio Soccer Association is a member State Association of U.S. Soccer and US Youth Soccer.
US Youth Soccer is a national organization comprised of member State Associations. Member leagues and clubs of Ohio Soccer Association are default participants of USYS.
U.S. Soccer is the governing body of the sport in the United States, and a member of FIFA – the governing body of the sport globally.
To see a list of all Ohio Soccer Association members, please visit this page.
Soccer Starts at Home
A famous saying by the popular Tom Byer states “soccer starts at home.”
If a player wants to improve and dreams about playing professionally, parents can play a vital role in setting up their child for success. Encouraging your player to learn a new skill, practice (even if it’s by themselves) or go play with the neighborhood kids on a daily basis will help them develop necessary playing skills. Even something as simple as a ‘ball and a wall’ can help players develop a better touch and keep them sharp. Have fun with it!
Soccer is not just a physical game – speed of thought and decision making are extremely important.
The following are a few ideas and resources for parents to help ‘soccer start at home’. We hope to keep adding to this list. If you have any recommendations, email them to jgould@ohio-soccer.org.
Skill Drills | NYRB Academy (YouTube)
Successful Soccer Parenting Course (FREE)
There are several playlists of valuable skills that your player could watch and try to emulate.
Sideline Culture
Ohio Soccer Association strongly encourages spectators and coaches to let players play, let referees ref, and set an example for appropriate behavior and messaging during every game. Pressure from the sidelines is one of the leading causes of children/youth and referees leaving the game.
Instead, OSA encourages all sideline spectators to help build a positive, supporting environment by sharing appropriate messages – and whenever necessary, simply walking away when frustrated.
The truth is – there will be calls you don’t like or agree with. Both players and referees will make mistakes. Heckling them about it does very little other than discourage both of them and provide them reason to consider leaving the game.
What kind of work environment do you enjoy? It’s probably not one where people are yelling at you all the time.
Please join us in setting a positive example for all, and encourage others to do the same.
Our game has no place for disrespect!
Referees
Nationwide, there is a huge demand for referees and this is no different in Ohio. Refereeing can be a great first high school job for your local recreational league. The referee system provides a pathway from recreational soccer to participate in competitive, regional and even national competitions.
Many referees start off as players, or former players, of the game – but this is not necessarily required to begin. Not only do you often get to pick your schedule, but you meet new people and fellow referees as well.
There are two referee governing bodies in Ohio – Ohio North and Ohio South – and which one you affiliate with depends on where you live.
If you are interested in starting your journey as a referee, please visit one of the links below:
Find a Place to Play
If you’d like to find a recreational league or competitive club near you, please visit our Find A Place to Play page.
