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Overview

With approximately two-thirds of the NCYSA membership being registered Recreation players, Recreation is the foundation of youth soccer in our state. Every player, parent, team official, coach, and club official matters in creating the right environment. We want to play a major role in developing the next generation of players and leaders within North Carolina.

NC Youth Soccer Association (NCYSA) defines a recreation team as one: that does not use tryouts, invitations, recruiting or any like process to roster players selectively to any team on the basis of talent or ability. The system utilized for rostering the players must be a fair and balanced distribution of playing talent among all teams participating.

North Carolina Youth Soccer Association strives to promote an emphasis on PARTICIPATION, not COMPETITION. Help children understand this is the “Game for All Kids.”

The Seashore Soccer League's Recreation Program is one of the biggest soccer programs on the Crystal Coast with more than 1,200 players annually . Our Recreation Program serves families from Carteret, Onslow, and Craven Counties. Practices and matches are played in the Fall and Spring. 


Player Registration

Players must register with Seashore Soccer League through our online registration portal and cleared by our Certified Registrar. All registered players receive supplemental insurance coverage.


What is Recreation Soccer?

The word "Recreation" defined:  

An activity that diverts or amuses, stimulates, refreshes and recreates; activity that renews your health and spirits by enjoyment and relaxation.

Some common perceptions of recreational soccer are:

  • Made up of players assigned to team in a random manner without regard to the ability of the players – as opposed to “select” or "classic" soccer where the players are selected to be on a team through some sort of tryout or selection process.
  • “Not competitive”
  • “Lower intensity” for training and practices.
  • “Less travel”, fewer games
  • “Less skilled” players.
  • “Less experienced” coaches.
  • Beginning players
  • Annual or bi-annual shuffling of players to new teams
  • Many more perceptions.

Recreational soccer is defined in the common mind by what it is not and not what it is. A similar situation exists in the definition of amateur versus professional athletes. The word is borrowed from the common definitions in the English language quoted above but vastly stretched in each application.

The corrected definition of the word "Recreation Soccer":

Recreational soccer: Is that soccer program that is primarily devoted to the enjoyment and development of soccer players without the emphasis on travel or high level competition. The purpose of recreational soccer is to provide an opportunity for the participants to have fun, learn the sport and develop life skills including a life-long love of the game.

  • Recreational Player – a player who is randomly assigned to a team without regard to his/her abilities and skills. 
  • Recreational Team – teams formed randomly to play soccer.
  • Recreational League – leagues composed of teams formed in a random manner.

Philosophy

It is well known that a child’s learning abilities varies with age. Thus, Seashore Soccer League focuses on age-appropriate training, an important process in both the development of the player, as well as the team. Furthermore, Seashore Soccer League emphasizes each recreation player must participate an equal amount of time during the course of a full game.

At each age group, we want players to learn and focus on core skills that will help them develop and prepare them for the next step. Each player should understand the core skills and be prepared to learn new ones when they move up an age group.

U6/U8- Core Skills

  • Learn basics of the game ( using your feet to move the ball, not hands, etc.)
  • Learn to dribble the ball
  • Small field/ no goalkeeper

U10- Core Skills

  • Introduction to different positions (forwards, midfielders, defensive back)
  • Playing with a goalkeeper
  • Bigger field
  • Passing the ball to teammates

U12- Core Skills

  • Introduction to offside
  • Learning formations
  • Better passing
  • Bigger field

U15- Core Skills

  • Bigger field
  • Can use your head
  • Develop on field awareness and thinking
  • Define their roles and positions

What is developed?

  • Skill that is realistic in relationship to the game of soccer
  • Motor ability: balance, agility and coordination
  • Perception: insight and awareness
  • Vision
  • Problem solving: choices and decisions
  • Physical fitness
  • Psychological domain: fun and enjoyable
  • Learning by discovering, trial and error: playing!

Division Information

Age Group Maximum Roster Format Minutes/Half Halftime Ball Sizes
Juniors N/A Player Pool Training 3
U6 10 (Split-Team) 3v3 5 Minute Qtrs 1 Min Qtrs/ 3 min Half 3
U8 10 (Split-Team) 4v4 10 Minute Qtrs 2 Min Qtrs/5 Min Half 3
U10 12 7v7 25 Minute Half 5 Minutes* 4
U12 16 9v9 30 Minutes Half 5 Minutes* 4
U15 18 11v11 35 Minute Half 5 Minutes* 5
U18 18 11v11 45 Minute Half 5 Minutes* 5

Training, Matches, Camps and Clinics

Fall (Mid-August thru Mid-October) and Spring (Mid-March thru Mid-April)

Fall and Spring are the primary seasons for the program, each running approximately 2 months. 

Teams play matches primarily on Wednesday evenings against other local SYRP teams. There will be approximately (8-10) scheduled games. In addition to the regular season, we provide an end-of-season 10U tournament within Seashore Soccer at no cost.


Locations

SYRP teams are based on players' birth year and region. Players should register in the region that is most convenient for them.

  • North or Ft. Benjamin: Hwy 70 (typically West of Morehead City)
  • South or Western Park: Hwy 24 (typically Cape Carteret, Swansboro)
  • Central or Swinson/Rotary: Morehead City
  • Eastern or Freedom Park:  Beaufort

Additional Resources