Alexandria Soccer Association

ASA offers two leagues: recreation and travel. The recreation league stresses teaching and participation. Any child may play, regardless of experience, and many of our youngest players have had no experience at all. Most ASA players are Alexandria City residents, but non-city residents are welcome to register also. (An additional $25.00 non-resident fee is assessed to non-resident players each season.)

The recreation league (rec league) consists of two seasons: Spring and Fall. Spring is ASA’s primary registration season. Most players register for the "Full Year" (two seasons of play) in the Spring of that year, but some players opt to register for Spring season only. The entire team usually stays together from Spring to Fall, depending on whether the coach continues or not. Some teams have stayed together from U5 through U19!

Fall is ASA’s secondary registration season, and at that time players register for "Fall Only". The following Spring, these Fall Only players usually register for the "Full Year", as described above.

2. Where do Recreation League teams play?

Games: For each season, each age-group is assigned a specific game field within the City of Alexandria. Each scheduled game is played at that assigned field, although start times may vary from game to game. Games are scheduled for Saturday mornings with first games starting at 9:00 AM and the following games starting through mid-day. Rescheduled make-up games are scheduled for Sunday afternoons with first games starting at noon. Game times are arranged by the age-group coordinators, and during the seasons most teams will have varied start times each Saturday. Games usually last about an hour.

Practices: All rec coaches are volunteers and are typically parents or guardians of a player on that team. Coaches have the opportunity to choose their practice field location and times of practice through a practice field coordinator. Practice fields are located across the City of Alexandria, often on school grounds, and are assigned to ASA each season by Alexandria’s Department of Parks and Recreation. As ASA tries to group players on teams near where they live, practice fields are often within easy driving distance of home. Teams usually practice for 1 hour two times per week, although U5’s often practice only once per week. ASA encourages parents and guardians of our young players to be present throughout each practice.

3. How long is the season?

Practices for the fall season begin in mid-September, with the first of 8 games scheduled for the end of September and the last game scheduled for early November.

Practices for the spring season begin in early to mid-March, with the first of 8 games scheduled for the end of March to early April, and the last game scheduled for mid-May. In the spring season our youngest age-group of U5’s play a shortened season of 7 games in order to give them an extra week of practice.

Click here and scroll down for the Fall 2010 calendar.

4. How are teams formed?

ASA makes every attempt to form teams by neighborhood. That is why we ask to know the closest Alexandria City Public School school, whether your child attends it or not. Depending on how many players register, different neighborhoods will have different numbers of teams. Age-group coordinators work hard to place children as close as possible to their home neighborhoods. Coordinators also match volunteer parent-coaches with their neighborhood, and always place the coach’s child on that team.

5. What about playing time?

One of our goals is for each child to participate in at least half of every game. That is why we limit the size of teams.

6. How much does it cost to register?

Player fees for Full Year 2010 are as follows:

Fall Only 2010 Registration Fees

Description

Fee

U5-U12:

$75.00 OR

U14-U19:

$85.00

City of Alexandria non-resident fee:

(Zipcodes other than 22301, 22302, 22304, 22305, 22311, 22312, 22313 and 22314 must pay this fee)

$25.00

Late fee (applications submitted after 9/09/2010 deadline):

$25.00

City-Mandated Youth Sport Participant Fee $10.00

Please note that if you wish to register for the Spring season only during the full year registration period, the half-year fee registration fee is $75.00 for U5-U12, and $85.00 for U14-U19. The City-Mandated Youth Sport Participant is $10.00 for one-season. The Non-resident fee is $25.00 for one-season.

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7. Does my child need a uniform or other equipment, and if so what are the fees?

Yes. A uniform is required to play in any U5-U12 ASA game. You may order and pay for your uniform items along with your registration fees. You may also register by the deadline, and then later visit the ASA office during regular office hours to choose and pay for your uniform items. Either way you will have to come to the office to claim your uniform items, and you may exchange sizes at any time as long as the item has not been worn or washed. The office is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:15 am to 12:15. It is closed to the public on Mondays and Fridays. Each season the office is also open for three nights from 6:00-8:00 pm during the last week of registration. If you are unable to visit the office during any of these times, please call us and we can make other arrangements for uniform pickup.

The set of red and blue tee shirts is only available for purchase through ASA. You may purchase the other uniform items elsewhere, but we offer them for sale in the office for your convenience. All players should have a soccer ball to bring to practices. Coaches will supply the game ball for the team.

U13/14-U19 teams organize their own uniform purchases. For any age group, shin guards are mandatory at practice and games.

Description Fee

SHIRTS (U5-U12):

(Set of 2 tees: red and blue)
$ 15.00

SHORTS (black): $ 10.00

SOCKS (black): $ 5.00

SHIN GUARDS: $ 5.00

BALL: $12.00

Ball sizes: U5-U7 Size 3; U8-U11/U12 Size 4; U13/14-U19 Size 5

ASA Car Magnet: $5.00

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8. What does U5 or U6 or "U"any other number" mean?

The "U" designation refers to an age-group. For example, for Spring 2010, U5 refers to those players born on or between August 1, 2004 and July 31, 2005. Each Spring a new age group of U5’s is added, making up ASA’s youngest players. Each Fall these newest U5 age-group players advance to U6, but their age-group dates will remain the same (born on or between 8/1/04 and 7/31/05) as they were for the previous Spring season. Likewise, in the Fall the U6-U11 age-groups advance to U7-U12, but their age-group dates remain the same as they were for the previous Spring season.

See item 16 below for an explanation of what happens when co-ed U6 teams advance to all-boy or all-girl U7 teams.

In Fall the previous Spring’s U12 age-group usually advances to the Suburban Friendship League and is designated U13 or U14. The SFL is still part of ASA’s recreation league, but gives players the opportunity to be matched against SFL teams from nearby areas such as Arlington and Falls Church. Half of the season’s games are played within Alexandria, and half in nearby areas. Teams are larger, field size is larger, rules may change somewhat, but our SFL players thrive with the changes. SFL comprises the U13/14 age-groups up through U19.

For a complete list of all current age-groups and their coordinators (click here).

9. Are there any age restrictions?

Recreation league age-groups are structured by date of birth, not by grade in school. For a complete list of all current age-groups and their coordinators, refer to the link in answer 8.

10. Can I request my child be placed on a specific team or with specific friends?

Please do not request new players to be placed on specific teams or with specific friends. Every attempt is made by our age-group coordinators to form teams by neighborhood, and each neighborhood may have multiple teams, but specific team placement can not be guaranteed for anyone. Team placement also depends upon coach availability. Each coach chooses his or her own practice time and place.

11. How can I help my child’s team?

Each team needs a coach and an assistant coach. A parent usually volunteers as a team manager to schedule snacks, orange slices and take charge of the end-of-season party. Coaches have the opportunity to choose their practice field location and times of practice through a practice field coordinator each season.

If you are interested in volunteering as coach or assistant coach of your child’s team, you may do so on-line as you register your player. Each coach and assistant coach must submit a completed "Kid Safe form" to the ASA office prior to the start of that season. This document is used to run a background check in accordance with regulations from ASA’s guiding group, the Virginia Youth Soccer Association (VYSA). You can complete the Kidsafe form on-line as you volunteer, or the ASA office can email this form to coaches. The forms will also be available at the Coaches Meetings in both spring and fall seasons. No coach or assistant coach may attend a practice or game without first submitting a completed Kid Safe form to the ASA office.

Coaches of each age-group work with an age-group coordinator, who is also a volunteer and usually a parent or guardian of a player in that age-group. The age-group coordinator places players on teams, places coaches with teams and sets up the game schedule.

12. How do I register?

There are three ways to register:

1. On-line at www.alexandria-soccer.com with a Master Card or Visa. Click on the Registration Link. On-line registration is available starting 8/24/2010 and ends 9/09/2010. To complete your on-line registration, birth certificates must be sent (and received in the office by 9/09/2010) by email, fax or mailed to ASA, PO Box 25996, Alexandria, VA 22313.

2. By mail with a check or money order. Print form and instructions from the website at www.alexandria-soccer.com. Mail-in registration is available starting 8/24/2010. Mail to ASA, PO Box 25996, Alexandria, VA 22313.

3. In person with cash, check or money order. Print forms at home or come to the office and fill them out there. The office opens 8/24/2010 for regular hours of 9:15am to 12:15 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The office will also be open from 6:00pm-8:00pm on 9/07/10, 9/08/10 and 9/09/10. The office is closed to the public on Mondays and Fridays.

13. What is the deadline for registration?

The deadline for a Complete Fall Only Year 2010 registration is SEPTEMBER 09, 2010.

"Complete" registrations include the registration form, birth certificate and payment. Whether mailed, delivered or filled out on-line, the "complete" registration must be received in the office (not post-marked) by 9/09/10. Any registration not "complete" by 9/09/10 will be considered a Late Registration.

Late Registrations will only be accepted in-person (with an additional $25 late fee). Late registrants will be placed on a team only if there is a need for additional players in an age-group. Your fees will be returned if there is no space available on any team in your age-group.

14. What is the policy on refunds?

ASA will only make refunds before the first game of the season.

15. Does ASA offer financial aid?

Financial aid is available for both registration and uniform fees. (Financial aid is not available for the City Field Fee.) Our aid program is based on the same criteria as the Alexandria City Public School Lunch Program. A copy of your enrollment in the lunch program is required for aid consideration.

16. When do teams change from being co-ed teams to being all boy or all girl teams?

In the Fall of each year, the U6 Spring co-ed teams advance to U7Boy or U7Girl teams. As each U6 co-ed team separates into same sex teams, there is a need for new coaches. If your female child’s U6 team coach was the parent of a boy on the team, (got that??), then the girls on that U6 team will either need a new coach to stay together, or will be separated and placed on other U7Girl teams. Conversely, if your male child’s U6 team coach was the parent of a girl on the team, then the boys on that U6 team will either need a new coach to stay together, or will be separated and placed on other U7Boy teams. Either way, the Fall season for new U7 teams is a time of opportunity for parents to volunteer to coach.