Rec Soccer – Peters Township Soccer Association

REC SOCCER OVERVIEW

The PTSA is proud to support one of the largest In-House Recreational Soccer leagues in Western PA. It is proud to be a foundation of a highly successful High School Soccer program that has witnessed several WPIAL and State Champions over the past several years. The Recreational Soccer Season is broken up into two separate mini-seasons, Fall and Spring, and offers soccer for various age groups ranging from around age 4 (birthyear dependent) through age 15. Your registration covers both sessions but it is possible to register for the Spring session only. See our in-house rules document for field sizes and special rules.

Registration

NOTE: You must be a Peters Township resident to register

The registration window for the yearly registration is typically open June 15th -August 15th.

The registration window for "spring only" players is typically open from January 1st - March 1st.

U5/U6 Coed (Grasshopper) Soccer

Grasshopper soccer is for our youngest players, ages 6 and under.

Do you accept beginning soccer players?

Absolutely! PTSA offers recreational soccer for all ages of players, with or without experience playing. Players entering preschool through high school play the programs we offer.

How old does my child need to be to play soccer?

Players are placed on teams based on their birth year. Please refer to our age chart to see where your child will fit in.

How do I register my child?

Our online registration system is safe and secure, and your information is kept completely confidential. We encourage all families to use the online Demosphere registration system; it is the most efficient way of registering your child for our program. The payment system allows payment by credit or debit cards. The registration system is available on our website, look for the registration option. If you have difficulty, please email registrar@ptsoccer.org.

How do I request a buddy and/or coach?

When you are registering your child, you can make a friend or coach request. The commissioner can view your information. We work hard to honor the requests, but there are roster size limits. Requests are honored on a first-come, first-serve basis.

What does my registration fee cover?

Registration fees pay for field equipment, including goal nets, balls and cones, player insurance, referees, medical supplies, administration costs, computer program fees, and our registration fees to PA West Soccer.

The members of the Peters Township Soccer Association Board, Age Group Commissioners, and your Team Coach are volunteers and are not paid for their time.

How many players are on a team?

The maximum roster size for grasshopper teams is 8 (3 v 3, no goalie - sometimes 4 v 4).

Playing Up/Down

PTSA policy DOES NOT allow players to play UP to an older age group.

PTSA DOES allow players to play DOWN when supporting documentation is provided by the child’s physician. Play-down requests can be submitted to registrar@ptsoccer.org for review.

When are games and practices?

The 8-game season begins in early September (for Fall) and early April (for Spring) and will run for approximately 8 weeks each season. General information is listed below. Team details are set by the volunteer coach.

Teams will consist of 8 players depending on the number of volunteer coaches.

Games will take place on Saturday mornings/afternoons at Rees Park, Elm Grove, or Venetia and are 40 mins in length.

Team practices will be held once a week for 40 mins. The day and time is determined by the coach for each team. Please remember that the coach is volunteering his/her time to do this.
The coach for each team will contact players with the day and time of practices. A game schedule will be provided for the 8-week season.

My child cannot attend the team practice. Can he/she switch to another team?

Once a child has been placed on a team roster, players are guaranteed to play with that team. A request to transfer to a different team with can be made in writing with the reasons for the request. Requests can be sent to grasshopper@ptsoccer.org and will be honored as roster space allows.

What player equipment does my child need?

Shin guards, soccer socks, soccer ball (size 3), and soccer cleats. Players cannot wear baseball or football cleats for soccer practice or games. Please remember to put the child’s name on his/her soccer ball and water bottle.

What about uniforms?

Players are required to wear black shorts and reversible red/white jerseys to games. The jersey can be purchased at the Peters Township Peterswood Park Turf Soccer Complex at the Concession Stand.

Where do the coaches come from?

PTSA relies on parent volunteers to coach all teams. Your team coach is a volunteer and is not paid for his/her time.

All volunteer coaches register to coach. Their registration undergoes a background check, and they receive a clearance to volunteer in our Club. The background check is completed before he/she is assigned to a team roster.

I want to help but I don’t know anything about soccer!

Soccer experience is not required. If you want to be involved with your child’s team, we provide each coach with the tools necessary to excel. Coaches will be provided with a detailed plan for each practice session. All we need is a parent who wants to learn. Your child will always remember that you coached their team!!

When will I hear about my child’s team?

We encourage our coaches to contact you shortly after the teams have been released to him/her by the commissioner. This can be as late as 1 week before the season starts. We appreciate your patience as recruiting volunteers can be difficult (you can make this easier by volunteering). Most coaches use e-mail to contact players, but you may also receive a phone call.

Teams will be created even if a coach has not volunteered for that team. It is the responsibility of each team to supply a coach. In the event no one volunteers, there may not be a spot for your child to play.

Am I too late to sign up?

Late fees will be assessed in mid-August for the Fall registration period. To avoid the late fee, we recommend registering early. We cannot guarantee that there will be a spot available for registrations after the registration period has closed.

We have a new puppy that just loves people. Can we bring our pet to the soccer games?

Dogs and all pets are not allowed on the field during the soccer season. Please keep your pet home during soccer season. There is too much going on, and pet animals can be unpredictable. Even if a game is played at a public park that allows pets on leashes, we recommend you keep your dog at home for the safety of the animal and other attendees.

Team Photos

The PTSA provides soccer pictures during the Spring season. Information will be provided at that time.