1. Should my child play Competitive soccer (Express) or Recreational soccer?

Competitive soccer (known as Club or Travel Soccer in some areas) is designed for the higher-skilled, more dedicated soccer player. Express Soccer Club's competitive teams have professional, licensed coaches and teams are formed through try-outs. The level of play is higher with the competitive teams, but the costs and time commitments are higher as well. The competitive teams participate in pre- and post-season tournaments (generally beginning in June) and their league season starts in mid-August. Kids who love soccer can begin playing competitive soccer at age 6 (U7’s). More children will try competitive soccer at 8 and 9. Children who begin playing at these age groups will find that their skills and abilities will advance very quickly. Making the switch from Rec to competitive gets more difficult with age.  While there is no optimum time to make the switch to competitive, children from ages 7 thru 10 will find the transition easier than older players.

In Recreational (Rec) soccer, no child is ever “cut” from a team. There are no try-outs and ALL children will play at least 50% of the time during the course of the season. The Rec games are usually played in or near Encinitas (we “game” with Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, and Cardiff in all but Micro, and the U14 and older teams will play throughout North County). The coaches are volunteers (generally parents) who have gone through a licensing program and have also been risk managed. The season lasts from mid-August (the beginning of practice) to the last weekend before Thanksgiving.

5. Can I get a refund?

Our refund policy is as follows:

• 75% refund if dropped before June 30.
• 50% refund if dropped between July 1 and July 31.
• No refunds will be issued if dropped after August 1.
• Please note that all refunds are less a $5 processing fee

This policy applies to all players.  Any exceptions must be approved by the Encinitas Express Executive Board. ALL refund requests must be made in writing and submitted to the Rec Administrator. Send written requests to:
 recreg@encinitasexpress.org
 

6. When will I hear from the coach?

The teams are formed during the summer. Practices begin mid-August with the start of the elementary school year. Coaches get their practice assignments around Aug 1 and will contact their players after that. Your child will be placed on a team unless we have notified you that they have been placed on a wait list. We hate wait lists. Please volunteer to coach.

7. When & where do the teams practice?

Teams practice once or twice a week for 60 to 90 minutes. Common practice days are M-W or T-Th, but we can creatively construct a practice schedule to suit any coach. The schedule is built around the coach's availability. Want to control your own fate? Coach a team. Normal start times are 3:30, 4:30 or 5:30 as our Rec practice fields lack lights. Park Dale Lane , Flora Vista , Olivenhain Pioneer, Ocean Knoll, Oak Crest, Encinitas Community Park, and Capri are our most used practice fields.

8. How are the teams formed?

Encinitas Rec soccer has always been built around a social component with teams based around schools, neighborhoods, and requests from coaches. As the players get older (middle school and above), we have fewer teams per age group and we have less flexibility when it comes to compiling rosters.

9. Can they play with their friends?

Coaches do get to request 3 to 5 players. Youth sports are one way that children meet others from other schools or grades. This may seem like a contradiction from answer 8 (above), but sometimes the number of players registered forces us to form teams using several schools. Luckily, we have enough players that we can honor the majority of 'friend requests’. In the end, we do our best, but requests are only one consideration when making rosters.

10. Can I specify on which team I want my child to play?

 The coaches are allowed to request three to five children each season. Parents may request a particular coach or team, but Encinitas Express cannot guarantee that such a request will be honored. We do our best to make it happen.  Requests made by late-registrants are almost impossible to fulfill.

15. Are the coaches trained?

All of the Express Rec coaches will have been trained and certified by the California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA). The current training consists of on-line education and our own field clinics. There is an emphasis on age-appropriate drills and games. Also, all coaches undergo risk management and will also have undergone a concussion seminar.

16. Are there co-ed teams?

We do not offer co-ed teams at this point, but it's possible that we could have one under special circumstances.

17. Is there post season play?

Yes! We host a recreational tournament, Encinitas Cup. There will also be a Winter World Cup 6 week recreational league that usually takes place in January - February.