Welcome to Hamden Soccer Association

New Age Groups

Beginning in the fall of 2026, all youth soccer players across Connecticut and the U.S. will switch to a new age grouping system. This change was instituted by USYS nationwide, and CJSA statewide.

In the past, players were assigned by birth YEAR. Now, players will be assigned by birth date, with August 1st being the cutoff for the age groupings. This applies to ALL soccer clubs and programs, not just Hamden Soccer Association.

The registration system will AUTOMATICALLY place your child
in the correct age group.

HSA Programs

Under 6 (U6): Registration Link

Our Under 6 (U6) program is a 7 or 8-week co-ed clinic every Saturday morning at 8:30 or 9:30 at West Woods Elementary. It is run by Everson Soccer Academy's certified, licensed coaches. This is an opportunity to introduce your kids to the great game of soccer and meet new kids and families from all across Hamden. The skills drills and games are fun and enjoyable. The Everson coaches maximize your kid's touches on the ball and provide a safe and fun atmosphere for all. Cleats are recommended, but not mandatory. Shin guards and a size 3 soccer ball are mandatory. If weather interferes on Saturday morning, we move the clinic indoors to the Everson Complex in Woodbridge, only 10 minutes from Hamden HS.

In-House (U8 & U10): Registration Link

Our Under 8 (U8) and Under 10 (U10) In-House recreational program is for soccer players of all levels of experience and skill. Practice is once a week and games are on Saturday mornings starting between 8:30 and 11am. All games are played in town (this is not a travel program). This program is for all levels of players, as it is meant to be a fun atmosphere for kids learning the game of soccer. The U8 program is run 5v5 with a smaller field, smaller goals, and no goalies. The U10 program is 7v7 on a medium-sized field and the first age group with goalies. U8 and U10 are designed for the kids to get a lot of playing time, a lot of touches on the ball, and to have a lot of fun. During the fall season, we provide an extra skills clinic on Friday nights, run by certified coaches from Everson Soccer Academy. Cleats, shin guards and a soccer ball are mandatory (size 3 for U8, size 4 for U10). The registration fee covers both the Fall and Spring seasons.

Academy Program (U9 & U10): Registration Link

Our Academy Program is for players that want 2 practices per week under the guidance of certified, licensed, paid coaches. The Academy program is setup to help prepare kids for the Travel Competitive program once they move up to the U11 level. The Academy teams play against other U9 & U10 Academy teams from surrounding towns, with one game per weekend, typically. Some games are hosted in Hamden, others require travel to neighboring towns for away games. Academy teams are selected after player evaluations are completed in the spring (May/June). The registration fees cover both the Fall & Spring Academy seasons.

Kids who play in the Academy Program have the option of also participating in our In-House program. They are not required to do both, but it is an option. Academy games will be scheduled so that they do not interfere with the In-House Saturday morning league games in Hamden and players can attend both games each weekend.

Travel Recreational (U11 - U15): Registration Link

Our Travel Rec program is an extension of the In-House recreational soccer program. Travel Rec is designed for players who just want a fun environment for playing soccer, developing their skills, and meeting other kids from around Hamden. All recreational players receive ~equal (approximately) game time no matter how often they are able to attend practices. So if you play multiple sports, are not able to commit fully to a competitive team, do not feel your skills are at the highest level, or just want to play and practice at a level that is less intense than the Travel Competitive division, this is the place for you. Coaching will be done by volunteer parents and the cost is half of the Travel Competitive program fee. Practices are usually held twice per week. One game per weekend against teams from surrounding towns within a half hour radius of Hamden. Cleats, shin guards and a soccer ball are mandatory (size 4 for U11-12, size 5 for U13-15). The registration fee covers both the Fall and Spring seasons.

Travel Competitive (U11 - U15): Registration Link

Our Travel Competitive program is for higher skilled players. To participate with a Travel Comp team you will need to go through an evaluation (tryouts). The top players will be invited to join the team. Teams are selected by and coached by our certified, licensed, paid coaching staff. We ask that you are willing to commit to the team for both the Fall and Spring. If you play another sport you need to inform the coaching staff and still be willing to attend the majority of practices and games. Playing time is not guaranteed. Teams practice twice per week. One or two games per weekend against teams from surrounding towns within a half hour radius of Hamden. The registration fee is for the full year covering both the Fall and Spring seasons. Tryouts and roster selections take place during the spring (May/June).

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Click Here

HSA Fall Season Dates:

The Fall season for In-House (U8 & U10) typically begins in early September just after the start of the school year. Practices begin in early September and games begin in mid-September. Coaches will email schedule details 1-2 weeks before practices begin.
The U6 Clinic Fall season begins in mid-September.
The Fall season for Travel Rec, Travel Comp, and Academy typically begins the second half of August. Practices begin mid-August or late August, and games begin in early or mid-September. Coaches will email schedule details 1-2 weeks before practices begin.
The Fall season ends in early November.

HSA Spring Season Dates:

The Spring season games for In-House (U8 & U10) begin the first weekend after Hamden Public Schools complete their Spring Break. Practices will begin shortly beforehand (1-2 weeks), at the discretion of each volunteer coach.
The U6 Clinic Spring season begins the first weekend after HPS Spring Break.
The Spring season games for Travel Rec, Travel Comp, and Academy typically begin in early or mid-April (the start date is set by CJSA). Practices begin in late March. There are some small fluctuations year-to-year based on the Easter Holiday and school Spring Breaks. Coaches will email schedule details 1-2 weeks before practices begin.
For all leagues and divisions, the Spring season ends in early June, about the same time the HPS school year is completed.

Registration Calendar & Waitlists:

For the U6 program, registration takes place twice per year. Families have the option of registering for fall first, and then spring later. Or, they can register for just the fall or just the spring.

For all other programs and age divisions, registration is setup to cover both the fall and spring seasons together, with just one registration process and one registration fee. So, the registration fee covers 2 seasons (fall & spring).

Registration opens many months before the seasons begin so that HSA volunteers have time to plan and organize for the season ahead. Registration for the fall season opens in May and closes July 31st. Registration for the spring season begins in the winter around the holiday break.

There are registration deadlines. Our goal is to allow every kid an opportunity to play. That said, we do need time to plan and organize (fields, coaches, refs, uniforms, equipment, game scheduling, practice scheduling, etc). Moreover, the CJSA state association has deadlines for us to register teams. As such, we cannot always accept players who attempt to register late.

Registration is setup so that once team rosters are full, families can still join the waitlist. If other players drop out, we can then add new players from the waitlist. If spots open up after the fall season, and there is room in the spring season, we can add players from the waitlist. Additionally, in some cases, depending on a variety of factors, if enough players join the waitlist, we may be able to create new teams. We encourage families to add their name to the waitlist so that we are better able to plan for additional teams, if possible.

Registration for Travel Competitive and Academy programs is invite-only, and based on tryouts and evaluations conducted during the spring (May/June) by our certified, licensed coaching staff. Players must register in April/May for tryouts during the spring before attending tryouts. Tryouts are free and open to everyone who first registers. More details about tryouts will be announced in April.