When is Youth Soccer Season? Tips for Parents to Prepare Their Kids

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world—there are over 3.5 billion fans of the sport across the world.

It’s for a good reason, too. Soccer is one of the accessible sports available to youth across the globe. While it can be played on a fully outfitted field with top-tier nets, all that’s really required for soccer is a ball and some makeshift goalposts.

Is your child thinking about soccer as a sport to play? If so, you’ll want to know the best time to sign up.

So, when is youth soccer season?

Is Youth Soccer Seasonal?

In most states, youth soccer has no traditional season dates. Instead, there there are two seasons:

1. A fall season, which takes place from around September and runs through November
2. A spring season, which takes place from around February and runs through May

There’s typically a break through December and January for the holidays and over the summer time.

Not all seasons follow the same timeline, but this timeline is typical throughout the U.S. These seasons tend to apply to all youth soccer, no matter the age group. 

How Does Camp Prepare Kids for Soccer Season?

With most U.S. youth soccer seasons taking a break for the summer, you might be asking:

“How can I enroll my kids in soccer during the summer?”

The answer is simple: Summer soccer camp.

Soccer camps give kids the opportunity to keep up their soccer game during the off-season—in this case, the summertime. Not only is it a chance to make new friends, but also a chance to prepare for the upcoming season. 

For beginners, soccer camp allows kids to learn the rules and fundamentals of the game. Before heading to a tryout, kids at soccer camp have a stress and worry-free environment to learn the game with no pressure in the presence of their peers. 

Veterans of the game get the chance to hone their abilities—no matter their skill levels. Many camps, such as Future Stars, group campers of similar skill levels together to ensure they get the most out of their camp experience. 

With 1-to-1 attention from coaches, campers can prepare for soccer tryouts during the summer—and have fun throughout the process!

Tips For Parents 

Attending a summer soccer camp is a big step to take—for parents, too!

Here are three tips for parents looking to send their kids to summer soccer camp.

Seek Recommendations from Friends or Family

Consulting reviews of camps is a great place to start. However, if you have friends or family with experience with certain camps, that can be an excellent way to learn more in-depth information about summer soccer camps.

Evaluate the Coaches

Sending your child to summer soccer camp means that they’re in the hands of coaches and staff. You’ll want to evaluate these coaches beforehand to make sure it’s the right environment for your child!

One of the best ways to evaluate camp coaches is to attend an open house. Many camps have information about their coaches and staff readily available to parents, but attending an open house allows you to ask in-person questions to coaches about their experience. 

Keep it Fun!

Although things can get competitive with soccer, it’s meant to be a fun sport.

Keeping things fun and lighthearted can help your child enjoy soccer even more. Friendly competition is okay, but remind them that it’s all about having fun and trying your best. 

More Tips to Prepare for Soccer Tryouts

Playing soccer at summer camp is a fantastic way to prepare for the upcoming season. But it’s not the only thing your child can do to get ready!

Here are a few more tips to prepare for the big tryout; all can be done at camp and on your own!

Exercise

Soccer requires a lot of conditioning—the constant back-and-forth running on the pitch can take a lot out of even those with great conditioning.

Getting in 30 to 60 minutes of additional exercise daily is not only a good idea for life in general but also to ensure that your child can deliver their best possible performance at soccer tryouts.

Going for walks, runs, playing sports, or any other activity that involves exercise will do—even playing soccer itself! 

Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s hard to do your best at anything without practice. Not many people are complete naturals at sports—especially soccer. 

Soccer tryouts often include several skill-based drills that determine where everyone is at with their soccer ability. Who says you can’t try some of them at home? 

Getting these drills down will not only help your child impress coaches at tryouts but also help them with their soccer game overall. 

Arrive Early, if Possible

On the day of tryouts, we recommend showing up a little early—15 minutes or more, if possible.

Tryouts can be stressful. By arriving early, you gain control and confidence over at least one aspect of the tryout itself. 

On top of that, arriving early helps regain focus and clarity. Your child won’t be stressed about potentially arriving late or missing the tryout altogether!

Don’t Let Your Child Be Hard On Themselves!

We know that it’s important for your child to make the team. However, if they don’t make it, that’s okay! Remind them that there’s always next year—and potentially other teams they can try out for.

Tryouts can be challenging, which makes it even sweeter when they break through and make the team. 

Looking For the Best Summer Soccer Camp For Your Child?

Choosing the right soccer camp for your child is important. If you’re evaluating soccer camps, we have something that can help.

The Future Stars Camp Comparison Checklist lets you easily compare and contrast soccer camp costs, activities, dates, and locations.

Access the Camp Comparison Checklist today and find the best soccer camp for your child!