The Kick Start program is held on Saturdays and Sundays at Leo Mullen field beginning in mid-July. The clinics are designed to build skills before practices begin in mid-August. Kick Start is included as part of your soccer registration. There is no additional cost to participate in the Kick Start program. New in 2006, the Kick Start program will be extended thru October for Micro Soccer and Div 6 teams. The extended program will be held during the weekdays and will replace a day of practice. The program will be supervised by Express coach Mas Yamazaki and is designed to ensure a higher level of training for both our newest players and newest Rec-level coaches.
Teams will have an assigned time and place for practice. Practices begin in mid-August with opening the Encinitas Unified School District. During the regular season practices are held twice a week at various location in Encinitas. Due to a lack of field space in the city, the League primarily uses neighborhood school fields for both practices and games. The league age range is from 5 to 17, with girls and boys playing in their own divisions. The teams are separated into age-appropriate divisions. In 2005, the ESL Recreational program fielded 87 teams with over 1100 children participating. We start with the Micro Soccer program for 5 and 6-year-olds. These games are played in a 4 v 4 format. Div 6 is for 7-year-olds (2nd Graders) and the game expands to 6 v 6. Div 5 (Under 10) is for 8 and 9-year-olds and the game transitions to 8 v. 8. Divisions 4 (under 12), 3 (under 14), and 2 (under 16) all play 11 v 11. All the players receive a complete uniform (including socks), plus an end-of-the-season trophy. Players will need to have soccer shoes, shin guards and a soccer ball (Size 3 for Micro Soccer and Div 6, Size 4 for Divisions 5 & 6, and Size 3 for Divisions 3, 2 & 1).
The season consists of 10 to 11 games with the season kicking off on the first Saturday after Labor Day. The season concludes on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. No scores or standings are kept in Rec soccer. Referees are provided for Divisions 6 thru 1 and parents referee the Micro Soccer games. We use parents to ref this division to provide an introduction to soccer and to teach the basic rules of the game. Games times increase with age. Micro Soccer games consist of two 20 minute halves. Div 5 and 6 play 25-minute halves, Div 4 plays 30-minutes halves, 35 minutes is the standard for Div 3, 40 minutes at Div 2 and Div 1 teams (we had three last year) play a full 90 minute game.
The post season offers a chance to participate in the Commissioner's Cup. ESL encourages its Div 6 thru 3 teams to play in what has become one of the biggest recreational soccer tournaments in the state. The Commissioner's Cup is held the first weekend of December, with most games played in the Encinitas and Carlsbad area. Each team is guaranteed at least three games. Teams from all over San Diego County participate. It is an exciting event for all participants.
Rec Soccer depends upon parents to volunteer to coach. With 80+ teams each season, we are always looking for new coaches. We provide training and clinics for all of our coaches. The training classes last from six to eight hours and provide age-appropriate drills and small-sided games for the coaches to use during the season. Classes are available during the summer. They are licensed and “risk managed” by the California Youth Soccer Association. Additionally, ESL hosts in-season coaching clinics where our volunteer coaches can gain increased training and improve their effectiveness. The time commitment is about 4 hours a week and practices are scheduled around the coach’s schedule. Coaches are what hold the league together. If interested in coaching an ESL team, please email the Rec Soccer Administrator.
All Stars has evolved over the years. Originally, it was a celebration of the end of the season where the better players from each team got a T-shirt and chance to play a scrimmage at Leo Mullen after the end of the season. The Encinitas Express coaches, our competitive soccer program, would come and evaluate the All Stars and invite some to join their teams or come to competitive tryouts. However, we began putting All Star teams together and sending them to the Mesa All Star tournament (the second weekend of December). With the idea of putting together the best possible teams, in 2005 we turned the All Stars into an open tryout. This change resulted in our teams winning one division of the All Star tournament and another three teams finishing 2nd.
Sponsors are needed for the Recreational Program. Businesses or parents can sponsor a team. As a $250 sponsor, your business will appear on the team's jerseys, you will receive a thank you note and a plaque with a team picture. Sponsorship monies are key to the ESL program remaining affordable to the families in our community. They are used to help defray costs of equipment, fields and provide scholarships. Our goal is to have at least 75% of our teams sponsored. CLICK HERE to sponsor a team or to find out more information.
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TEAMS
RECREATION PROGRAM COACHES