The Northfield Soccer Club has 3 soccer programs.  Your child’s birth year will determine whether they are eligible for In-House, Academy, or Traveling.

In-House

Our In-House program provides a non-traveling recreational soccer experience for our community’s youngest athletes.  By playing fun games and learning soccer’s most fundamental skills, players will fall in love with this beautiful game.  Under the guidance of our Director of In-House, volunteer parent-coaches lead this fun and welcoming environment.

• U4: born in 2021
• U5: born in 2020
• U6: born in 2019
• U7: born in 2018

U4 means that your child will be “under the age of 4” at 12:01am on January 1, 2025.  Grouping players by birth year corresponds to national and international standards for youth soccer.

Academy

Our Academy program helps players transition from the free-form style of soccer at In-House to our more structured Traveling program.  

All U8 players participate in our Pre-Academy, where they begin to explore the possibilities of playing competitive soccer in the future.  This is the first step in learning about the formal rules and tactics of organized soccer.  It is still largely recreational in nature, but the players will experience a more structured practice environment.  Our experienced team of coaches uses the basic form of a 5v5 game to teach players about positions and teamwork.

Following the Pre-Academy, we recommend players spend at least one year in the full Academy program (U9 or U10 age level).  Instead of focusing on basic individual skills, we use the format of a 7v7 game to teach these young players about positions, roles, formations, phases of play, and the essential rules of the game.  We also introduce basic tactical concepts so that players feel ready to play competitive soccer when they graduate from the Academy.

• U8 Pre-Academy: born in 2017
• U9 Academy: born in 2016
• U10 Academy: born in 2015

No prior soccer experience is necessary to participate in our Academy program.  If your child is just getting started with soccer and was born in 2014, you may register for the U10 Academy.  However, if your birthdate is 2013 or earlier, you must register for our Traveling program.

Traveling

Our Traveling program is the highest level of soccer available at the club.  Players will (likely) attend tryouts, get placed on a permanent single-gender roster, and receive coaching from a paid coach.  As part of a competitive league, you will play about half your games in Northfield and about half your games in other communities in southeast Minnesota.  Likely opponents include Rochester, Faribault, New Prague, New Ulm, Owatonna, Red Wing, and Mankato.

• U10: born in 2016 or 2015
• U11: born in 2014
• U12: born in 2013
• U14: born in 2012 or 2011
• U16: born in 2010 or 2009
• U18: born in 2008 or 2007

In some instances, the club may allow a child born in 2017 to play on a Traveling team.  For those born in 2015 and 2016, you may register for either Academy or Traveling.

Can my child register up or down a level?

For In-House and Academy, the answer is yes.  However, when you register, your child will be automatically placed in the age group that corresponds with his/her birthdate.  For players born in 2015 or 2016, you may choose between Academy and Traveling.  If you feel that your child should either play up or down an age group, please complete the registration for your birth year and include a written explanation for this request on the registration.  The Director will confirm whether this request was approved or declined.

For the Traveling program, the answer is no.  Players must play in their age group as designated by league rules.  On rare occasions, a player may guest play up an age group, but they will have a permanent roster spot in their age group.