***NOTE*** PROGRAM is for ENFIELD RESIDENTS Only. Due to the overwhelming response to our Learn2Play program, new players need to be Enfield Residents. If you were previously an Enfield resident and your child or their sibling participated in Learn2Play or one of your children participates in our Recreational, Academy, or Competitive program, you may be eligible to be grandfathered in. However, any new players need to be Enfield residents. We apologize for the fact that we can no longer accept out-of-town players. If you have previously participated in our Learn2Play program and are not an Enfield resident, please email our Registrar at [email protected] to discuss. We understand not all towns have a free program for younger kids; some surrounding towns have similar programs that may charge a fee. Check to see if other surrounding towns can accept your child; this will depend on the program availability and may have similar residency rules.

Thank you very much for all your support.

ESA Executive Board.

Boys and Girls born between 1/1/2020 and 12/31/2021

Shin guards, socks, cleats/sneakers, a size 3 soccer ball, and a water bottle. ESA will issue the ESA Program Shirt at the first session.

Learn2Play is an instructional developmental program. The children will learn basic introductory skills and knowledge in a fun, safe, and positive environment. Learn2Play is a FREE program made possible by our generous sponsors from the Enfield region. The spring Learn2Play season begins in early April and concludes in mid-June. For the fall, the Learn2Play season begins in early September and concludes in mid-November. Learn2Play sessions take place on Saturday mornings. The program runs for 8 Saturdays each season. There are no sessions in the spring during Memorial Day Weekend or during the fall during Columbus Day Weekend.

US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational sports program for children and adults with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities offered only through local US Youth Soccer-affiliated soccer clubs. TOPSoccer provides people with diverse abilities an opportunity to play soccer in a structured environment that is safe, fun, supportive, and inclusive.

ESA will facilitate a 6 week TOPSoccer program this spring to take place on Friday nights in Enfield. This program is free of charge for participants.

Program dates will be announced closer to the start of the season.

General Information and Frequently Asked Questions

6U – Players born in 2019. Also, players with previous soccer experience born in 2020

7U – Players born in 2018.

8U – Players born in 2017.

10U – Players born in 2015 & 2016.

12U – Players born in 2013 & 2014.

15U – Players born in 2010, 2011, & 2012.

The goal for 6U, 7U, 8U, 10U, and 12U is to have at least 4 teams within each division. Age groups may have to be altered based on final registration numbers. Divisions will be gender-specific or co-ed. All games and practices will be in Enfield.

New 15U age group: The goal for 15U is to form a separate girls' team and a separate boys' team. Teams will be entered into a regional league that competes with teams from other towns. All practices are in Enfield, and roughly half of the games are in Enfield.

6U, 7U, 8U – Uniform (provided by ESA), shin guards, cleats, socks, size 3 soccer ball, water bottle.

10U, 12U - Uniform (provided by ESA), shin guards, cleats, socks, size 4 soccer ball, water bottle.

15U - Uniform (provided by ESA), shin guards, cleats, socks, size 5 soccer ball, water bottle.

The registration fee is $90 for the season. Included with the registration fee, each player will receive a full uniform (jersey, shorts, socks).  The deadline for the spring season is Mach 15th. The deadline for the fall season is August 15th. Registrations after the deadlines incur late fees.

Our programs are already offered at a discounted price due to the many generous sponsors in the Enfield area that help subsidize the costs. Some surrounding town soccer organizations within Connecticut charge around $200 a season for their recreational programs and $300 for their academy/competitive/high school programs. We do want to help, though. If a family has 3 or more children enrolled in our recreational/academy/competitive/high school programs, we will refund $30 back to the family. We wish we could do more, but it's the best we can do with our current fee structure. For the $30 refund, a request must be made to our Registrar via email at [email protected]. The refund will be applied after the full registration fee has been received.

A lot of preparation and planning goes into planning a successful season. We rely on several individuals who work year-round. It includes purchasing uniforms, equipment, supplies, insurance, etc., for our players and coaches well in advance of the season and bulk. Our late fees are used to motivate parents to register timely, as it is difficult to create teams and recruit additional coaches when players are not registered by the deadline. Players that are registered late incur a late fee and also run the risk of not being placed on a team. We do our best to place all players on to teams, but if you register late and there is no room on any teams, your child will be placed on a waitlist. For late registrations we are also unable to take any special requests. We encourage everyone to register early as it helps us better organize the league.

All of our recreational coaches are volunteers. Parents are encouraged to help coach. You should see the option to regsiter as a Head Coach, Assistant Coach or Team Manager during your child's registration, if you wish to volunteer, please register there and we will send you additional information after you register. Remember, Without volunteer coaches there is no program. Prior to the season there will be a coaching meeting to help parents become more comfortable on the field. Our coaching directors also provide curriculum and instruction specific to the age group being coached. It’s never been easier to be a recreational coach!!! Coaches that volunteer get to pick their team’s practice day. You can become a coach by registering online with your child or by emailing our Recreational Director, Matt Stahl at [email protected]. Please consider becoming a coach for your child's team this season. It will truly be a rewarding experience for both you and your child.

You can request a certain coach, but please understand this is not something that we can guarantee. You should see an option to enter this information during registration. We have some coaches that have been coaching for a lot of seasons and are often requested. If we get 20 requests for a certain coach but there are only 10 roster spots for the team, the math doesn’t always work. Please use this form Recreational Requests to submit any specific coach requests. This is the only form we will be using to take special requests.

For the spring the recreational season begins in early April and concludes in mid-June. For the fall the recreational season begins in early September and concludes in mid November.

Recreational teams practice once per week in the evenings. Most recreational teams practice either on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. We do have some teams that practice on Mondays and Fridays, but it’s usually not a lot of teams. Volunteer coaches get to pick their practice day. The only way to 100% guarantee your practice day would be to volunteer to coach your child’s team.

Specific nights may be requested during registration, however we can’t always guarantee a specific practice request. After you register and as we get closer to the season you will be prompted with an email from our recreational director for any special requests to be considered. It is always best if you can provide 2 or 3 different days for practice availability. If you'd like to request a specific practice day please use this form Recreational Requests to submit your request, this is the only form we will be using for special requests.

Games are typically played on Saturdays, but there are some games that also occur on Sundays. Our recreational seasonal jamboree occurs on a Sunday. Weather permitting we try and schedule each team for at least 9 games during a season. All games for the 6U thru 12U age groups are in Enfield. For the 15U age group, home games are in Enfield and away games are played in surrounding Connecticut Towns within the regional league.

At the recreational level, winning is NOT a priority. It’s more about players participating in a fun activity, getting some exercise, interacting socially, and most importantly having an enjoyable experience. It is our goal for every player to get at least 50% playing time during games.

If a sibling’s DOB falls within the same age group and meets all eligibility requirements for the division, we will group siblings together on the same team. A request to play with a friend is considered but is sometimes difficult to accommodate. After you register and as we get closer to the season you will be prompted with an email from our recreational director for any special requests to be considered.

We have a coaches meeting that typically takes place at least a week before the season. Coaches receive their rosters at that time. Players will then be contacted within a few days of that meeting.