Children between the ages of 4 and 12 are welcome to play in our In-Town soccer program. Eligible players must turn 4 before August 1 of the soccer year they are registering for and older children cannot be 12 before that date. The soccer year starts with the fall season and ends with the spring season. The In-Town program is competitive but non-results oriented, meaning scores from games are not recorded and there are no play-offs...it is intended to be instructional and FUN! If you are interested in a more results-oriented program, Travel soccer starts with a U10 league and offers an excellent transition from U8 In-Town. All players U10-U12 are welcome to try-out for our Travel teams - please see the Travel Program tab for more details.
The In-Town program is the same both fall and spring - 8 weeks of soccer each season. Players can opt to play either season or both. Games are played on Saturday with one Saturday off each season (Columbus Day weekend in the Fall and Memorial Day weekend in the Spring) so the total duration is 9 weeks but it is actually 8 weeks of scheduled soccer. The Haverhill Youth Soccer season follows the calendar set forth by the Essex County Youth Soccer Association (ECYSA).
Haverhill Youth Soccer follows the practice recommendation/guidelines of the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). U7 and younger essentially do one hour on Saturday with part of that one hour session being practice/instruction and other part being a game. U8 and older have a game on Saturday and typically one practice during the week. Practice and practice schedule depends on the coach. Our coaches are 100% volunteer but they are still encouraged to become licensed by attending classes/clinics to learn age-appropriate coaching skills.
The league provides t-shirts to each player, as well as an end of season trophy or medal (depending on age). Shin guards are mandatory but cleats are optional...if you buy cleats, make sure they are soccer cleats (not baseball/softball). Soccer socks (worn over the shin guards) are highly recommended as they hold the shin guards in place. A soccer ball is obviously good to have; Size 3 for U5-U8 and Size 4 for U10-U12. The coach will also have access to soccer balls and training equipment. Parents should bring plenty of fluids to the field for their child.
Teams and league age or gender scenarios will sometimes depend on the number of children we have registered in a particular age group (our U10 and U12 age groups are often an example of combined age group or mixed gender). It is very important to register your child on time, as there is a late fee imposed after a certain date, and often teams are full. Please refer to the registration page for more information.
Our goal is to have offer soccer to all age-appropriate children in Haverhill. Please see our mission statement for details.
Q: When does the In-Town Soccer program start?
A: There are two independent seasons for In-Town Soccer; Fall and Spring. The Fall season typically starts in early September and ends in early November with registration running from May to July. The Spring season typically starts in early April and ends in June with registration running from November to March. The Haverhill Youth Soccer season follows the calendar set forth by the Essex County Youth Soccer Association (ECYSA). The Spring 2013 season is expected to start Saturday, April 13, 2013 (pending weather and field conditions) and run through Saturday, June 8, 2013.
Q: What age group will my child be playing in?
A: The following outlines the age goups for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013
U5
Birth date between 8/1/2007 and 7/31/2008
U6
Birth date between 8/1/2006 – 7/31/2007
U7
Birth date between 8/1/2005 – 7/31/2006
U8
Birth date between 8/1/2004 – 7/31/2005
U10
Birth date between 8/1/2002 – 7/31/2004
U12
Birth date between 8/1/2000 – 7/31/2002
The following outlines the age goups for Fall 2013 and Spring 2014
U5
Birth date between 8/1/2008 and 7/31/2009
U6
Birth date between 8/1/2007 – 7/31/2008
U7
Birth date between 8/1/2006 – 7/31/2007
U8
Birth date between 8/1/2005 – 7/31/2006
U10
Birth date between 8/1/2003 – 7/31/2005
U12
Birth date between 8/1/2001 – 7/31/2003
Q: When are games played?
A: Games are played on Saturday with one Saturday off each season (Columbus Day weekend in the Fall and Memorial Day weekend in the Spring).
Q: What time are the games?
A: The In-Town schedule is released about one week prior to the first Saturday - the game times could be anywhere from 9 am to 4 pm on Saturday. As an example, the Fall 2012 In-Town Schedule is available by age group.
Q: Where are the games played?
A: The In-Town Soccer program's primary location is St. James School Field at 415 Primrose Street. It is expected that Spring 2013 In-Town will be played at St. James School Field. Although, every couple years, the city requests that we give the field at St. James a rest so they can provide some field maintenance...on those occasions, the In-Town Soccer program typically moves to Whittier Middle School.
Q: Will my child have a practice during the week?
A: Haverhill Youth Soccer follows the recommendation of the MA Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). U7 and younger essentially do one hour on Saturday with part of that one hour session being practice/instruction and other part being a game. U8 and older have a game on Saturday and typically one practice during the week. Practice and practice schedule depends on the coach. Haverhill Youth Soccer also tries to coordinate an academy style practice for U7/U8 one night a week during the season for no additional charge.
Q: My child played U5 (Under 5) this past Fall and now turned 5, why is he/she still in the U5 league in the Spring?
A: The soccer year runs Fall and then Spring based on your child's age on August 1 prior to the Fall season. So if he/she played U5 in the Fall - he/she would be U5 again in the Spring. The Haverhill Youth Soccer registration system (SportsPilot) only provides the appropriate options for you based on the child's age and the season.
Q: What equipment do I need for my child?
A: Shin guards are mandatory but cleats are optional. If you buy cleats, make sure they are soccer cleats (not baseball/softball). Soccer socks (worn over the shin guards) are highly recommended as they hold the shin guards in place. The league provides a t-shirt at the beginning of the season for games/practices. A soccer ball is obviously good to have; Size 3 for U5-U8 and Size 4 for U10-U12. The coach will also have access to soccer balls and training equipment.
Q: How will I receive information after registering?
A: Once registered, you will receive periodic email announcements from the league prior to the season. Haverhill Youth Soccer requests that the coach contact you once all coaches are assigned to teams, which typically happens 1 week prior to the first scheduled game.
Any additional questions - please contact the Registrar.