Recreational soccer, sometimes called rec soccer, is GBYSL’s community program for boys and girls ages 3–12. No tryouts and no experience needed. Sign up, and we place your child on a local team by zip code with a volunteer coach. All practices and games are in Reno/Sparks.
Here’s how a Recreational season works, from registration to the first game.
Enter your child’s birthday in the age group finder. Teams are grouped by birth date, not by school grade.
Registration is on BYGA, our sign-up website. Enter your zip code, your child’s date of birth, and your contact information carefully. That’s how we place your child on a team, and how the league and your coach will communicate with you.
Register for Spring 2027 →A few weeks before the season, your volunteer coach emails you the team’s practice day, time, and park. Practices start in early April.
Games run April 17 – June 5, mostly on Saturdays. Bring cleats, shin guards, and water. Your coach will pick up the team’s uniforms and hand them out before the season starts.
GBYSL runs two different leagues. If your child is new to soccer, Recreational is the right place to start.
Thinking about Select down the road? See how players move up →
Open now on BYGA. Deadline February 28. Seven games, April 17 – June 5.
Register Now →Schedules are posted on GotSport. The Spring 2027 schedule posts closer to the season; Fall 2026 results are here.
View Fall 2026 Schedule →Addresses and directions for Recreational game fields and practice parks.
Find a Recreational Field →Enter a birthday to see your child’s age group, team size, and game length.
Find Age Group →Refunds require registration insurance purchased at signup. Here’s how it works.
Read Recreational Policy →Every Recreational team is coached by a parent. Coach and referee setup steps are at the bottom of this page.
Volunteer Info →“U8” means “under 8.” Age groups are set by birth date using the US Soccer school-year cutoff (August 1 – July 31) for the 2026/27 soccer year.
| Age group | Born between | Game format | Game length | Ball |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U4 | Aug 1, 2022 – Jul 31, 2023 | 4v4, no goalkeeper | 4 × 5-min quarters | Size 3 |
| U5 | Aug 1, 2021 – Jul 31, 2022 | 4v4, no goalkeeper | 4 × 5-min quarters | Size 3 |
| U6 | Aug 1, 2020 – Jul 31, 2021 | 4v4, no goalkeeper | 4 × 8-min quarters | Size 3 |
| U7 | Aug 1, 2019 – Jul 31, 2020 | 5v5, no goalkeeper | 4 × 8-min quarters | Size 3 |
| U8 | Aug 1, 2018 – Jul 31, 2019 | 5v5, no goalkeeper | 4 × 10-min quarters | Size 3 |
| U9 | Aug 1, 2017 – Jul 31, 2018 | 7v7 with goalkeeper | 2 × 25-min halves | Size 4 |
| U10 | Aug 1, 2016 – Jul 31, 2017 | 7v7 with goalkeeper | 2 × 25-min halves | Size 4 |
| U11 | Aug 1, 2015 – Jul 31, 2016 | 9v9 with goalkeeper | 2 × 30-min halves | Size 4 |
| U12 | Aug 1, 2014 – Jul 31, 2015 | 9v9 with goalkeeper | 2 × 30-min halves | Size 4 |
U4–U7 teams are co-ed; U8 and up are boys or girls teams. Players may play one age group older; playing down an age group isn’t allowed. Players born before August 1, 2014 are too old for Recreational soccer. Those players are encouraged to join one of our member clubs or an independent competitive team, so they can continue in the GBYSL Select league. Field size, roster size, and more for each age: Recreational Standards Chart.
Seasons, team placement, game day, and how we ask families to behave on the sideline.
Recreational runs two seasons a year: Spring (April–June) and Fall (August–October). The fee covers field rentals (paid to Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County), player registration with US Club Soccer, a uniform, a team photo, and a medal.
Your coach picks the practice day and park, usually once or twice a week, starting at 5pm or later. The league schedules games, mostly on Saturdays, with some weeknight games for certain age groups and make-up games.
GBYSL has zero tolerance for verbal abuse of referees or players, by coaches or parents.
Quick answers to what new and returning families ask most.
Yes. Recreational is built for first-time players. There are no tryouts, and every registered player is placed on a team.
Recreational is GBYSL’s community program: register your child directly, volunteer parent coaches, local games. Select is a competitive league for club teams. See the side-by-side comparison.
$175 covers about 8–10 weeks of practice, 7 games, a uniform, a medal, and a team/individual photo. Late registrations are $225. Financial help is available.
They’re the two websites GBYSL uses, and each does a different job.
BYGA is for registration. It’s where you create a family account, register your child, pay the fee, add registration insurance, and sign up to volunteer as a coach. GBYSL uses it because it’s built for families: it handles payments and collects what we need to place your child on a team, like your zip code. Register on BYGA ↗
GotSport is for games. Game schedules, field assignments, and results are posted there, and you can view them without an account. GBYSL uses it because it’s the official system of US Club Soccer, our governing body: coaches and referees register in GotSport to complete their safety requirements, and referees are assigned to games through it. See the schedule on GotSport ↗
For most parents: register on BYGA, then check GotSport for your game times.
By the zip code you enter at registration. You can request a specific team or coach, and we’ll honor it when there’s room on the roster.
Coaches reach out once they’ve been assigned a practice field and time, usually a few weeks before the season. If games are less than two weeks away and you haven’t heard anything, contact the GBYSL office.
We recruit a parent volunteer for every team. If we can’t find one, we may bring in a coach from an affiliated club, move your child to a nearby team, or offer a refund. This is rare. Want to coach?
Recreational fees are refundable only if you bought registration insurance at signup and have a qualifying reason. See Refunds & Cancellation.
Call or text 775-825-4900 (office hours Monday–Thursday, 5–7pm in fall and spring; by appointment in winter and summer), or use the contact form. The office is at 5301 Longley Lane, Building A, Suite 5. Look for the GBYSL sign on our door.
Recreational games use simplified rules for younger players. Team size and game length by age are in the age group table.
See the full Recreational Standards Chart → Field and goal sizes, roster sizes, referees, and game locations for every age.
Our youngest players play inside AirPitch inflatable boundaries, the same small-sided system used by clubs like Manchester City and Arsenal. The walls keep the ball in play almost the entire game, so every child gets far more touches.
GBYSL follows U.S. Soccer Policy 531-9, Misconduct Toward Game Officials. Referees are protected from the moment they arrive at the field, parking lot included, until they leave.
Any deliberate physical action against a referee, such as hitting, pushing, kicking, or spitting.
Extreme, deliberate behavior without contact that causes serious harm, such as severe threats or cyberbullying.
Harassment, verbal attacks, taunting, or questioning a referee's integrity.
How GBYSL handles smoke and hot weather at games and practices.
This policy covers individual Recreational player registrations.
Recreational registration fees are not refundable unless you bought registration insurance during signup. With insurance, the base registration fee may be refunded through the second league game for documented medical conditions, long-term injuries, or significant family changes.
GBYSL helps cover registration fees for families who need it.
Coach and referee setup for the Recreational program. Parents, you can skip this unless you’re volunteering.
Every Recreational team is coached by a volunteer. Here’s how to get registered, certified, and ready for the season.
Every Recreational coach registers in GotSport to complete SafeSport training, a background check and annual certification before the season.
Practice fields open two to three weeks before the first game (weather and city/county permitting). To change a practice schedule, send us a practice request.
Need to reschedule a game? Coordinate with the opposing coach first, then send a reschedule request so we can arrange a new field and referees.
Uniforms, photos, and medals are released to a team representative only. Watch for an email when they’re ready for pickup.
Game rules, including the U9/U10 build-out line, are in Game Rules. Field, goal, and roster sizes for every age are in the Recreational Standards Chart.
GBYSL helps develop quality referees who apply the Laws of the Game to keep every match safe and fair, through instruction, assessment and mentoring. Refereeing Recreational games is a great first job for teens 13 and up.
Once your U.S. Soccer certification is complete, register as a GBYSL referee in GotSport so you can be assigned games.
Contact Jimmy Huynh, referee coordinator: send a message or call 775-825-4900 ext. 2. In-person help is by appointment only.
GBYSL office: 5301 Longley Lane, Suite A5, Reno, NV 89511.
| Age group | Center | AR | Dual | Single |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U8 | — | — | — | $25 |
| U9 | — | — | $33 | $46 |
| U10 | $35 | $30 | $40 | $54 |
| U11–U12 | $50 | $45 | $55 | $65 |
| U13–U14 | $55 | $50 | $65 | $80 |
| U15–U16 | $65 | $60 | $75 | $95 |
| U17–U19 | $75 | $65 | $85 | $120 |
The build-out line teaches younger teams to play the ball forward out of the back instead of punting it over midfield.
Register by February 28. The Spring season runs April 17 – June 5, with practices starting in early April.