Somerville Youth Soccer is offering soccer programs this fall for children aged 2 to Grade 8. Registration for our Fall 2020 season available here.

A $30 late registration fee will apply to registrations submitted after Sunday, August 31.

If your family pre-registered for the Fall 2020 season but now wishes to withdraw, please notify us by email at registrar@somervillesoccer.us BY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26 AT THE LATEST.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be a number of changes to our standard program format and policies. Here are the specifics for each age:

Toddler (2T/3T)
Format: Weekly sessions using marked-off zones for each player and their masked chaperone (please see chaperone policy below), who will help the player with the activity and help ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols
 
Days/times/locations: Wednesday evenings at Triangle Field or Saturday mornings at Hodgkins Park & Lincoln Park
 
Season dates: Tuesday, September 8 to Saturday, November 1
 
Chaperone policy: Only one adult chaperone (parent/guardian or caregiver) per player; chaperones must wear mask and maintain physical distancing at all times
 
Modifications: Group sizes will be reduced in order to make these sessions more manageable.

Pre-K/K
Format: One team event each week, consisting of training followed by an intrasquad scrimmage
 
Days/times/locations: Weeknights or Saturday mornings at Triangle Field
 
Season dates: Tuesday, September 8 to Saturday, November 1
 
Chaperone policy: Only one adult chaperone (parent/guardian or caregiver) per player; chaperones must wear mask and maintain physical distancing at all times
 
Modifications: Players will need to maintain physical distancing when not actively engaged in a training drill or scrimmage.

Grades 1 & 2
Format: One weeknight training session with intrasquad scrimmages and one Saturday 4v4 game each week against another SYS team
 
Days/times/locations: Weeknight training sessions at various fields; Saturday morning games at various fields
 
Season dates: Tuesday, September 8 to Saturday, November 1

Chaperone policy: Only one adult chaperone (parent/guardian or caregiver) per player; chaperones must wear mask and maintain physical distancing at all times
 
Modifications: No throw-ins will be allowed. Instead, we will restart with kick-ins when the ball goes out of play along the sidelines. Only goalkeepers wearing gloves will be allowed to touch the ball with their hands, and each goalkeeper must use their own goalkeeping gloves. (These will be given out to any player wishing to try the position.)

Grades 3+
Format: Two weeknight training sessions with a team rostered by skill level, and one Saturday game (7v7, 9v9, or 11v11, depending on the age) involving other Somerville Youth Soccer teams, between temporary, balanced squads created each week for competitive games.
 
Home fields: Capuano Field (B3/G3/B4/G4), Lincoln Park/Trum Field (B56/G56), Dilboy Stadium (B78/G78)
 
Season dates: Monday, August 24 (preseason) to Saturday, November 8

Chaperone policy: Only one adult chaperone (parent/guardian or caregiver) per player; chaperones must wear mask and maintain physical distancing at all times
 
Modifications: No heading of the ball will be allowed at any age. No shoulder-to-shoulder contact will be allowed. No throw-ins will be allowed; instead, we will restart with kick-ins when the ball goes out of play along the sidelines. Only goalkeepers wearing gloves will be allowed to touch the ball with their hands, and each goalkeeper must use their own goalkeeping gloves. (Gloves will be given to any player wishing to try the position.)

Mask policy
A recent change in state and local guidance reverses previous recommendations against youth soccer players wearing masks during exertional phases of play. As a result, Somerville Youth Soccer now requires that players wear masks at all times during SYS activities, except when taking PPE breaks, which will be regularly scheduled. Players should bring a minimum of two clean, dry masks to all soccer activities.
 
These PPE breaks must be conducted at least 10 feet away from other participants. A wet or saturated mask must be replaced with a clean, dry mask, and the soiled mask must be stored properly in the player's belongings. The player must sanitize their hands before returning to action.
 
Somerville Youth Soccer has partnered with Challenger Teamwear to manufacture earloop masks designed for athletic use. These masks will be available for purchase in packs of three in our Challenger Teamwear store. 
 
We strongly encourage players to wear moisture-wicking synthetic fabric masks like these that are suitable for athletic use. 
 
Masks made from natural fibers and disposable paper masks quickly become saturated with sweat and respiratory droplets, creating potentially unsafe situations and requiring frequent changing. 
 
Please note: N95 and medical grade masks are NOT recommended for exercise.
 
All coaches and player chaperones must wear masks at all times.

General COVID-19 policies

• In addition to the sanitizer stations at athletic facilities, each player should bring their own personal supply of hand sanitizer and keep this with their belongings.
• Coaches will have a COVID kit containing sanitizing spray, paper towels, and disposable masks.
• Coaches will be responsible for all on-field compliance with COVID protocols.
• Each team will need to have a Family COVID Coordinator who will be responsible for all off-field (spectator) compliance with COVID protocols.
• Players and coaches should be free of any COVID-19 symptoms for at least 14 days before participating in any soccer activities.
• Parents/guardians/caregivers should check their player’s temperature prior to attending soccer activities.
• Families and volunteers returning from travel out of state must follow the state policy, meaning that returning from a state not on the list of COVID-19 lower-risk states necessitates a 14-day quarantine.
• Spectators must wear masks and physically distance.
• No food is allowed at fields, including team snacks.

No sharing of any equipment, including water bottles, soccer balls, goalkeeping equipment, and vests/pinnies/bibs will be permitted.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to review Mass Youth Soccer’s Return to Soccer Activities Guidelines for more details on the measures in place to keep their children and community as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friendly games
If a sufficient number of families on a Travel-age team (Grades 3+) is interested, the coach(es) of that team may arrange a friendly game against a team from a nearby town, provided that town's Average Daily Case Rate is 8 or fewer cases per 100,000 in the latest weekly report from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Families will not be pressured by the coach or other families to participate in these friendlies.

Phase II rollback
In the event of a return to Phase II of the state's re-opening plan, only non-contact soccer training will be allowed as per state guidelines. This will mean no games or intrasquad scrimmages during any return to Phase II. 

Refund policy
If a family requests a refund before their player has participated in a training session, intrasquad scrimmage, or game we will provide a full refund of registration fees except for $17 (the amount we pay to Mass Youth Soccer to register the player with US Youth Soccer). In the event the Fall 2020 season is completely canceled (no soccer activities allowed) prior to October 1, we will offer a 50% refund to any family that requests one.

Questions?
Please see the Fall 2020 Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions are answered there. Should you have any questions not answered by that FAQ, please contact SYS Registrar Dominic Lachowicz at registrar@somervillesoccer.us.