Burlington Youth Soccer Programs

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Our Programs The Burlington Youth Soccer Association provides instructional programs in soccer starting at age 5 and progresses to participation in a competitive travel league structure from the under-9 year old age group up through under-18 for both boys and girls. Our programs run twice a year - in the fall, starting in September for 8 weeks and again in the spring, starting in April for 10 weeks.

U6 Program

(under 6 years old - typically kindergarten age)

The U6 (formerly "Grasshopper") Program is provided for boys and girls who are at least 5 years old and includes 6-year-olds still in Kindergarten. This program meets once a week on Saturday afternoons for about 1 hour and is intended to present the basic skills required to play soccer, in a non-competitive environment. The program is strictly instructional and the children are not assigned to any formal team.
U8 Program

(under 8 years old - typically 1st and 2nd grades)

The U8 (formerly "Clinic") program is provided for boys and girls who are at least 6 years old, but younger than 8 years old by September 1st (this is usually 1st and 2nd grade children). This program meets once a week on Saturday afternoons for about 1 1/2 hours. The program is also instructional in nature, but also starts to provide small-sided (i.e. 4 to 6 players per team) games. The children are assigned to teams at the start of each season and the time each week is spent with a practice session, teaching basic individual skills and introduces team tactics, and "game" against one of the other Clinic teams. There is no league structure and scores/standings are not kept.
Under 9/10 year old Travel Teams

(typically 3rd and 4th grades)

Once children are at least 8 years old by September 1st, but younger than 10 years old by August 1st (usually 3rd and 4th grades), they are placed on an Under-9 or Under-10 travel team. During the Fall season, children who are haven't turned 9 years old by September 1st are placed on teams of strictly the same age and participate in an informal league that includes Burlington and another local town or two (currently Bedford). The under-9 teams will practice twice a week (usually early evening) and will play a game on Saturdays. The teams in this age group play with 6 players on the field for each team on a small field with small goals. During the Spring season, these teams will participate in the Middlesex League.

For children who are at least 9 years old, but younger than 10 years old by August 1st will be placed on Under-10 travel teams that will participate in the Middlesex League for both the Fall and Spring seasons. These teams will also practice twice a week and play games on Saturdays, both in Burlington and at the various cities/towns in the league.

Under 12 year old Travel Teams

(typically 5th and 6th grades)

Children who are at least 10 years old by September 1st, but younger than 12 by August 1st (usually 5th and 6th grades) will participate on Under-12 travel teams in the Fall and Spring. These teams play 8 players per team. The teams practice twice a week and play games on Saturdays in the Middlesex league. The teams in this age group are formed from a draft held by the assigned coaches (using results of evaluations that are conducted in late spring - prior to the Fall season). Because the Middlesex league includes 4 competitive divisions, BYSA forms teams to be able to compete in the appropriate division (i.e. Team 1 in this age group is formed to be stronger than Team 2, and so on). Once the teams are formed, the coach will determine which division in the league to be placed in (Division 1 is the stronger, Division 4 is the weakest). Between the Fall and Spring seasons there can be player movements between the teams so that a player is placed in an environment that is appropriate for their abilities. Teams can also move between divisions of the Middlesex League if it was determined that the division they were in during the Fall season was inappropriate (either too easy or too difficult). At the end of the Spring season the Middlesex League holds a tournament (The Middlesex League Commissioners Cup) for the top teams in all divisions. Additionally, the top team in Divisions 1 and 2 can participate in a state wide tournament (called the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions - MTOC).
Under 14 year old Travel Teams

(typically 7th and 8th grades)

Children who are at least 12 years old by September 1st, but younger than 14 by August 1st (usually 7th and 8th grades) will participate on Under-14 travel teams in the Fall and Spring. These teams operate in exactly the same manner as the Under-12 teams, but with 11 players on a side.
Under 16/18 year old Travel Teams (high school grades) Teenagers who are at least 14 years old by September 1st, but younger than 18 by August 1st will participate on Under-16 or Under-18 travel teams only during the Spring season. Teams in these age groups are only formed if there are enough players registered. These teams will usually practice once a week and will play games in the Middlesex league on Sunday afternoons.
Contact Us Burlington Youth Soccer Association

P.O. Box 213
Burlington, MA 01803
(781) 229-5733


Home Teams Schedules Fields Calendar Programs Info. Board Links
Our Programs The Burlington Youth Soccer Association provides instructional programs in soccer starting at age 5 and progresses to participation in a competitive travel league structure from the under-9 year old age group up through under-18 for both boys and girls. Our programs run twice a year - in the fall, starting in September for 8 weeks and again in the spring, starting in April for 10 weeks.
U6 Program (under 6 years old - typically kindergarten age) The U6 (formerly "Grasshopper") Program is provided for boys and girls who are at least 5 years old and includes 6-year-olds still in Kindergarten. This program meets once a week on Saturday afternoons for about 1 hour and is intended to present the basic skills required to play soccer, in a non-competitive environment. The program is strictly instructional and the children are not assigned to any formal team. U8 Program (under 8 years old - typically 1st and 2nd grades) The U8 (formerly "Clinic") program is provided for boys and girls who are at least 6 years old, but younger than 8 years old by September 1st (this is usually 1st and 2nd grade children). This program meets once a week on Saturday afternoons for about 1 1/2 hours. The program is also instructional in nature, but also starts to provide small-sided (i.e. 4 to 6 players per team) games. The children are assigned to teams at the start of each season and the time each week is spent with a practice session, teaching basic individual skills and introduces team tactics, and "game" against one of the other Clinic teams. There is no league structure and scores/standings are not kept. Under 9/10 year old Travel Teams (typically 3rd and 4th grades) Once children are at least 8 years old by September 1st, but younger than 10 years old by August 1st (usually 3rd and 4th grades), they are placed on an Under-9 or Under-10 travel team. During the Fall season, children who are haven't turned 9 years old by September 1st are placed on teams of strictly the same age and participate in an informal league that includes Burlington and another local town or two (currently Bedford). The under-9 teams will practice twice a week (usually early evening) and will play a game on Saturdays. The teams in this age group play with 6 players on the field for each team on a small field with small goals. During the Spring season, these teams will participate in the Middlesex League. For children who are at least 9 years old, but younger than 10 years old by August 1st will be placed on Under-10 travel teams that will participate in the Middlesex League for both the Fall and Spring seasons. These teams will also practice twice a week and play games on Saturdays, both in Burlington and at the various cities/towns in the league.	Under 12 year old Travel Teams (typically 5th and 6th grades) Children who are at least 10 years old by September 1st, but younger than 12 by August 1st (usually 5th and 6th grades) will participate on Under-12 travel teams in the Fall and Spring. These teams play 8 players per team. The teams practice twice a week and play games on Saturdays in the Middlesex league. The teams in this age group are formed from a draft held by the assigned coaches (using results of evaluations that are conducted in late spring - prior to the Fall season). Because the Middlesex league includes 4 competitive divisions, BYSA forms teams to be able to compete in the appropriate division (i.e. Team 1 in this age group is formed to be stronger than Team 2, and so on). Once the teams are formed, the coach will determine which division in the league to be placed in (Division 1 is the stronger, Division 4 is the weakest). Between the Fall and Spring seasons there can be player movements between the teams so that a player is placed in an environment that is appropriate for their abilities. Teams can also move between divisions of the Middlesex League if it was determined that the division they were in during the Fall season was inappropriate (either too easy or too difficult). At the end of the Spring season the Middlesex League holds a tournament (The Middlesex League Commissioners Cup) for the top teams in all divisions. Additionally, the top team in Divisions 1 and 2 can participate in a state wide tournament (called the Massachusetts Tournament of Champions - MTOC). Under 14 year old Travel Teams (typically 7th and 8th grades) Children who are at least 12 years old by September 1st, but younger than 14 by August 1st (usually 7th and 8th grades) will participate on Under-14 travel teams in the Fall and Spring. These teams operate in exactly the same manner as the Under-12 teams, but with 11 players on a side. Under 16/18 year old Travel Teams (high school grades) Teenagers who are at least 14 years old by September 1st, but younger than 18 by August 1st will participate on Under-16 or Under-18 travel teams only during the Spring season. Teams in these age groups are only formed if there are enough players registered. These teams will usually practice once a week and will play games in the Middlesex league on Sunday afternoons. Contact Us Burlington Youth Soccer Association P.O. Box 213 Burlington, MA 01803 (781) 229-5733