GCKA Rec Soccer Information

WELCOME TO GCKA RECREATIONAL SOCCER

Recreational soccer is designed to give every child an opportunity to participate in the game, regardless of ability.  It’s a great place to start a child that has never played soccer before, for a child that wants to play soccer for the fun of it without the competitive side to it, or for one who wishes to develop their skills before moving onto a more competitive league.

GCKA Recreational Soccer holds registration twice each year. Spring registration typically is November to January. Fall registration typically is early May to mid June.  

Recreational players range in age from 3 to 12 years of age and will play in the U5 through U12 age divisions, as long as the child is not in 7th grade. Players in 6th, 7th and 8th grade play in the Middle School Soccer Association. Players in grades 9 through 12 will play in the High School Soccer Associations.

The U6 through U12 fall and spring seasons each consist of 6-8 games. Practices begin two to three weeks prior to the first game of the season. Practices will be held twice a week for 45 to 60 minutes. Games are typically played on Saturday mornings between other GCKA recreational teams, though there may be some games on other days when necessary. Practice locations may vary per team. All games are played at Murfin Fields. 

Our U5 division is fairly new and has grown since its inception. Players practice once weekly to work on fundamentals, scrimmage and develop socialization skills.

Players in high school (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12) play in the High School Soccer Association (HSSA). HSSA is a competitive recreational league. Teams will have limited travel to surrounding central Ohio communities for away games. Home games are played at Murfin Fields. HSSA typically play one game a week on Sundays. Practices are typically held throughout the week.

Balancing talent levels is the primary goal when assembling teams in each division. We cannot honor all requests to be on a certain team or to be with a certain coach or player. The only exception is for siblings and children living in the same household where age and gender would place them in the same division, such requests must be made during registration. Other requests may be made during registration; however we make no guarantee that they will be honored and are at the discretion of the League Chair and/or Commissioner.

Volunteer coaches are the key to our league’s success, without them we would not be able to provide the programs that we do.  We are always looking for volunteers to coach as well as for many other things.  If you’d like to volunteer you must register online. All coaches must agree to undergo a background check and complete online classes that take about 2 hours total. Coaching discounts are available as the budget allows.