Our Rec Centers, Offices, and Pools will be closed November 11 in honor of Veterans Day.
Burton Wells Pickleball Courts are reserved November 16 & 17 for charity tournament.
Bluffton Pool will be closed until February 1, 2025.
Youth Fall Soccer
Frequently Answered Questions
1. What equipment will my child need?
We provide the soccer balls, game jerseys, socks, and shorts.
You provide the practice clothes, practice socks, shin guards and shoes.
Cleats are suggested but not required (Soccer Cleats only, no American Football Cleats).
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2. How old does my child have to be?
September 1 of the current year is the age control date.
Your child must turn at least 4 years old by September 1, 2022. A child who turns 4 on September 2 is not eligible. Please do not ask for exceptions to be made.
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Your child cannot be over the age of 16 as of September 1, 2022. A child that turns 17 on September 2, 2022, is okay.
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3. Do I have to be a resident of Beaufort County?
No. Residency in Beaufort County is not a requirement.
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4. When will I know which team my child is on?​
Typically, you'll know within a few weeks after registration closes. A lottery draft places experienced and inexperienced players evenly throughout the leagues to build fair teams. Coaches, however, will always be able to coach their child's team. This draft is based on the results of evaluations.
Children being placed in divisions that are ages 7 and up are strongly encouraged to attend these evaluations to be placed correctly on a team. You will receive notification by email from our staff. Look for an email from an address ending with "@bcgov.net". Evaluations are not tryouts. No one will be declined from joining a team based on performance at these evaluations. We normally have two evaluation dates you may choose from.
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5. Where will practices and games be held?
Bluffton-area participants - Practices and games are almost always at Buckwalter Recreation Center. It is possible some games may be played in Beaufort.
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Beaufort-area participants - Practices and games are almost always at Burton Wells Recreation Center or Courson Tate. It is possible some games may be played in Bluffton.​
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6. When are practices?​
Practices tend to start in late August. Practice Schedules are located here when they are ready for distribution. You will need to know your coach's last name. Exact times and days of practices are based on the volunteer coaches' availability. Our volunteer coaches choose their own practice schedule with the assistance of our staff. There are generally two (2), 1-hour practices per week. The practice schedule times, locations, and days are determined during the draft process. Practices are never scheduled on Sundays.
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7. When are games?​
Games typically begin around mid-September. Game Schedules are located here when they are ready for distribution. You will need to know your child's coach's last name. The season typically ends around late October. Schedules are created by the Parks & Recreation Staff. The game times and locations are determined by a number of factors including age division, number of participants, and field availability. On average, games will last about an hour and be played twice a week. Practice will be limited to once a week once games start. Games are never scheduled on Sundays.
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8. Can I have my child placed on a team of my choice?
We do NOT guarantee any special requests for participant team placement. The purpose of recreational youth sports is to give children the experience of playing on teams with varying skill-levels and personalities. Volunteer Coaches have no authority to add players to their roster.
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9. When and where is registration?
Registration is online. Create an account on RecDesk and follow the prompts if you've never registered before.
Registration for Fall Soccer always begins June and ends the first Friday of August.
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10. What happens if I'm late registering?
Late registration for Fall Soccer ends one week after regular registration ends and is accompanied by an additional $20 late fee. Registrations received after the Late Registration Period are subject to approval or denial by management via our waitlist.
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11. What happens if I'm super-late registering?
We accept waitlist submissions for the purpose of making all teams equal in size throughout leagues but many waitlist names never get placed on a team. Waitlist submissions are accepted until our registration page on RecDesk no longer lists it as an option. Once the option has been removed from RecDesk, Waitlist Submissions WILL NOT be accepted by phone, messaging, or email unless an EXTREME reason is given. Again, Volunteer Coaches have no authority in adding players to their roster.
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12. How can I avoid missing the Registration Period?
We send reminder emails to our subscribers. You can receive these by signing up on the form located on our homepage. These emails will say they are from Beaufort County. We also post numerous reminders of registration on our Facebook page. Be sure to follow it and check it often.
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13. Where is my child's uniform? When do I get it?​
Uniforms are typically ready for volunteer coaches to pick up a week or two before games begin. Coaches are primarily responsible for the distribution of uniforms.
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14. What about pictures?​
Optional portraits are made available to you by a third-party photographer during the game season. This photographer schedules your child's portrait in cooperation with the coach and Parks and Recreation staff. Photography is normally scheduled the day of a game, so children are in uniform. Please allow the photographer 60 days from the date the photo was taken to send or deliver portraits.
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15. What about trophies?​
Trophies are awarded to all children who play in leagues under 8 years of age. Trophies are normally distributed by coaches on the day of the last game. Trophies are also awarded to the 1st and 2nd place teams in every 7+ age division.
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16. Will All-Stars selections be made?
All Star selections occur during the Fall Soccer Season. There are no All-Star selections for the Spring Season.
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17. How can I become a coach?
As you are registering your child on RecDesk, the system will ask if you are interested. Whether or not you are registering a child, coaching resources are on our Be A Coach page.
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18. How can I become a sponsor?
It's a simple process. Head over to our Be A Sponsor page
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19. How can I become an official?
Our officials make $20-$30 per hour. Look at our Be An Official page.
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20. How can I apply for my child to get a financial hardship sponsorship?
Financial hardship is not a good reason for your child to miss out. Head over to our Scholarships page for information.
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21. Where can I find my child's teams' standings?
We only keep standings for leagues that are 7+. See our Standings page.