Mankato United Soccer Club

What ages can play soccer with Mankato United Soccer Club (MUSC)?
Ages 4-19.

How do I determine what age group my child can play in?
The easiest way is to use the MYSA Birthyear Guidelines at  http://mnyouthsoccer.org/leagues/birthyear.cfm  The "age" of a soccer player is determined on August 1 of each year, and your "age" holds throughout the academic year until the next summer.  For example, the youngest players for the MUSC are "U6" which stands for Under 6.  They have to be 4 or 5 to play U6. Also see the Age Group Calculator

What are the differences between Rec, Rec Plus, and Competitive levels of play?
Rec means “recreational”. This is for players in our U6 and U8 program. All games are played in Mankato and there are no tournaments. There are no tryouts and no players cut. Players rotate field positions and each player present plays at least 50% of the game except for reasons of illness, injury. Kids learn basic soccer concepts and skills, develop self-confidence, and have fun!

Rec Plus means “recreational plus”. This program is for players from U9 to U10. Half the games are played in Mankato and half are played in surrounding communities. There are no tryouts and no players cut. Players rotate field positions and each player present plays at least 50% of the game except for reasons of illness, injury,. The program teaches basic soccer concepts and skills, develops self-confidence, and emphasizes fair play, healthy competition, and fun.

Competitive is the highest level of play. This program accepts players from U9 to U19 through a tryout process. Half the games are played in Mankato and half are played in communities such as Owatonna, Rochester, and the Twin Cities. Competitive focuses on individual and team excellence, and provides opportunities for players to learn advanced soccer concepts and skills as well as teamwork, self-discipline, honesty, and self-confidence. Players must be willing to sacrifice and work together for the good of their team, and accept that they may receive unequal amounts of playing time based on their differing abilities to contribute to team needs.

When are the MUSC soccer seasons?
There are two separate seasons: Summer and Fall
The summer season typically has higher attendance and fields teams from U6 through U19. It runs from May to mid-July. In the fall, the club runs teams U6  through U14 and players older than U14 would play high school soccer.  The fall program is from early September to mid-October.

Who runs Mankato United Soccer Club ?
Parent volunteers (you). The MUSC is a non-profit volunteer-based community organization with a ber board and these elected board members hold a 3-year term.  Occasionally, there are open board positions, so please feel invited to get involved! There are many other ways in which you can volunteer to help the club grow and provide soccer to Mankato area families. That said, volunteer help is essential and t he club can only be as strong as the volunteers who give their time and abilities.

When are the games and practices?
The answer depends on the age, level of play, and which season.
The U6-U8 Rec summer program starts in late May and runs through June. Teams are single gender and meet on Friday and Sunday evenings. Each session includes warm-up, practice, and a small-sided game. All sessions take place in Mankato. The U6-U8 fall program is the same but runs from September to early October.

The U9-U10 summer Rec Plus program starts in late April with evening practices. Games are on weekends and some weeknights from mid-May through late June and take place in Mankato and other communities. The fall program for Rec Plus games are played on weekends.

The U9-U19 summer Competitive program starts with mid-April evening practices about twice per week. Games are on weeknights from mid-May through mid-July and take place in Mankato and other communities. Also, teams usually sign up for 2 or 3 weekend tournaments. The Competitive fall program is the same but runs from September to mid-October and is for U9-U14.

Who coaches the teams?
Normally it’s volunteer parents who are the coaches and sometimes we have college players help out. For younger teams, parents who first become involved may not have any soccer experience but successfully mature into good soccer coaches. Our club encourages that coaches become certified by attending coaching clinics along the way, but it is not mandatory. Please let us know if you are interested in coaching.  We provide extensive support and coaching training opportunities.

My child has signed up for soccer.  When will I hear something?
Each of the three playing levels has separate registration periods. Once teams are formed and coaches assigned, your first contact is normally from a coach or team manager. This will happen about one month prior to the beginning of league play. The coach will setup a parent/player team meeting and go over all questions.

What does my child need to bring to practice?
The player should come dressed in comfortable soccer clothes, wear shin guards and soccer socks that cover them.  Bring a water bottle. Bring a soccer ball (Size 3 for U6-U8; Size 4 for U9-U12; Size 5 for U13+). Soccer cleats are recommended for U9 and older players.  Tennis shoes are ok for the U6-U8 program. Soccer cleats are different from baseball cleats in that they do not have a central cleat in the front toe area.  If you have rubber baseball or multi-purpose shoes that have a central, front cleat, just cut it off.  No metal cleats are allowed.

Are there special rules for the younger kids or do they play the regular game?
As part of the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) rules, we play "small-sided games" on smaller fields in our younger age divisions.  There are some other simplifying rules as well.  You can see all of them on the http://mnyouthsoccer.org/admin/rules_manual.pdf but here are the highlights:

Do I have to fundraise?
No, families are not required to participate in fund-raisers as part of their obligation to play soccer. However, the club occasionally has one-day fund-raising events (e.g., hot dog stands) run by parents and players willing to donate their time. Proceeds go to help keep registration costs down and pay for field maintenance and referee costs. As with any non-profit group, you get out of it what you put into it. Again, volunteer help is essential and the club can only be as strong as the volunteers who give their time and abilities.

Are there any tournaments?
Rec U5/6 does not play in tournaments.

U8 and up have a tournament on a mid-June Saturday held in Mankato. It’s called the Riverbend SoccerFest and is for U8 - U14 teams. Nearby tournaments are listed at the http://mnyouthsoccer.org/tourneys/sanctioned.cfm web site if teams want to enter more.

Competitive teams make the decision whether to play in extra tournaments on their own.  Teams are responsible for their own entry fees except that MUSC will reimburse up to set amount for one event.