Fall Soccer

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West Baton Rouge Parks and Recreation will have two options for our Fall Soccer Program; a Recreational League and Academy style training, which includes the Recreational League. No soccer experience is necessary to play; learn and have a great time playing in West Baton Rouge.

Registration is open through August 31st for the Recreational League.

Registration is open through August 6th for Academy Training.

Academy is for players seeking more advanced training beyond the normal recreational experience. Academy participants will be assigned to a recreational team as well.

Preseason Clinics at the WBR Soccer Complex

All clinics will begin from the Pavilion closest to the Port Allen football field.

Ages 4-7: Saturdays, August 9th & 16th – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

  • All participants should bring their own ball, shin guards, and water.
  • Parents may participate with their child, if they have their own ball.
  • Coaches are encouraged to attend and participate in this session.

Age 8 to 8th Grade: Saturdays, August 9th & 16th – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM

  • All participants should bring their own ball, shin guards, and water.
  • Coaches are encouraged to attend and participate in this session.

Key Dates

  • Academy training starts in August (details below)
  • Clinics for all – Saturday, August 9th and 16th.
  • Recreational Coaches Meeting – Tuesday, September 2nd.
  • Coaches Contact Players – By Sunday, September 7th.
  • Match Day 1 – Saturday, September 20th.
  • Match Day 8 (Last Day) – Saturday, November 8th.


Recreational League

Registration Details:

  • The recreational league is open to boys and girls ages 4 to 8th Grade.  Participants must be at least 4 years old by September 30, 2025.
  • We would love to open registration to all high schoolers to play 7v7, but we need adult volunteers to be present on gameday. To inquire about coaching, please email wbrsoccer@gmail.com with your full contact information and your child’s fall grade and birthdate. 
  • Cost is $50/child, which includes a uniform shirt, shorts, and socks.
  • Participants must provide shin guards of appropriate size and completely covered by socks.
  • For footwear, soccer cleats are recommended, especially for ages 8 & up.  Tennis shoes are ok.  Baseball cleats (or anything else with a toe cleat) are not permitted for soccer.
  • Registration is available online with a credit card. Click here.
  • Teams are generally organized by geography due to evening traffic. The preference you indicate is not a guarantee. If you want to guarantee where your child will practice, please consider coaching.
  • Divisions will be organized by age with a cut-off date of September 30th: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9, 10 & 11, 12-8th Grade.  All divisions will be co-ed unless we have the right numbers of players and coaches to make at least 4 boys teams and 4 girls teams for a given division.

Practices

  • Practice times and locations are determined by the volunteer coaches. Locations include Port Allen Soccer Complex, Addis’ Myhand Park, or Brusly's Alexander Park
  • Most teams will practice once a week
  • Shin guards must be worn under socks
  • Bring a water bottle
  • Coaches are provided with a few balls for the team, but it will be helpful if players bring their own ball for practice.
    • Ages 4-7: Size 3 ball
    • Ages 8-11: Size 4 ball
    • Ages 12 & up: Size 5 ball

Games

  • Games will be played on Saturday mornings (starting at 8:30 am and normally finishing by noon) at the West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex next to Port Allen High.
  • Coaches are encouraged to play each player at least 50% of each game.
  • Shin guards of appropriate size are required and must be completely covered by socks.
  • Jewelry and watches are not permitted.
  • For footwear, soccer cleats are recommended, especially for ages 8 & up.  Sneakers are ok.  Baseball cleats (or anything else with a toe cleat) are not permitted for soccer.
  • How many players per team?
    • 4-6 year-olds will play 4v4 with no goalkeeper.  About 8 players per team. 
    • 7 year-olds will play 5v5, including the goalkeeper.  About 9 players per team.
    • 8 & 9 year-olds will play 7v7, including the goalkeeper.  About 11 players per team.
    • 10 & up will play 7v7 to 11v11 based on available players.
  • Older divisions may play teams from neighboring areas.


Academy 

Academy training is open to boys and girls age 7 – 8th Grade who want additional training and games for the purposes of developing for future competitive play. Training will be directed by a licensed coach. Games outside of the academy training times will be rare.   All academy players will be assigned to a recreational team.

Registration Details:

  • Cost is $150/child, which includes two academy jerseys which must be worn at training.  This cost also includes recreational soccer.  Do not register for both!
  • Participants must be at least 7 years old by September 30, 2025.
  • Registration is available online with a credit card. Click here.

August Training

  • Begins Monday, August 4th.
  • Addis Myhand Park Training: 3 midweek opportunities per week, 5:45 – 7:15 PM (shorter for youngest cohort).
  • Port Allen Soccer Complex Training: Sunday 4:30 – 6:00 PM

September/October Training

  • Tactical Training: Sundays 4:30 – 6:00 PM – Port Allen Soccer Complex
  • Training Complete: Week of October 6th.

Coaching Curriculum

Program Director is John Alexander who has US Soccer’s Class E coaching license and additional Grassroots training. He has coached high school, middle school, indoor, and recreational soccer for the last 10 years. Other adult coaches may include those with coaching certification and/or referee license. There is a potential for assistance from youth who have previous competitive or academy training. 

Participant Expectations

  • Wear the proper jersey and appropriately sized shin guards under socks.  No jewelry.
  • All players will be in the same color; a scrimmage vest will be used as needed
  • Bring your own ball and water
  • Do your best to make each event and notify the program director of absences.

Please be flexible. This is the third-year academy training in WBR.  Compared to the first year, the training schedule is shifted to put more training in August and less after the recreational season begins.  For this year, we intend to add the opportunity to include 7 year-olds.


Other Notes

Where can we play next?

Indoor soccer is offered in St. Gabriel in the winter and summer through Premier Soccer Center.

Middle School Soccer (11v11) is offered through Baton Rouge Soccer Club, but teams are organized by schools and communities.   Parents of 5th-8th graders should look for more information in early October regarding this opportunity.  The goal is to have two boys’ teams and one girls’ team from WBR this winter.  This will be an extra cost.

I want to Coach!

To inquire about coaching, please email wbrsoccer@gmail.com with your full contact information and your child’s fall grade and birthdate. You will receive some information that will help build your confidence in helping your team enjoy soccer in our coaches' meeting and through GroupMe. Grassroots training is available through US Soccer and is highly encouraged.  Some of the benefits of coaching:

  • You get to choose your team’s practice location and time.
  • You get to help choose your roster.

If you coach two teams, it will be rare that the two teams will play at the same time.