GSSA’s Youth Recreational Soccer Program
Grapevine Southlake Soccer Association (GSSA) offers recreational soccer programs designed for children of all experience levels. Whether your child is just starting out or looking to continue their soccer journey, our age-based programs provide a welcoming environment that emphasizes skill-building, sportsmanship, and fun.
Players are grouped by age according to the North Texas Soccer Age Chart. Our youth rec league supports players from age 3 (U4) through age 18 (U19), with age-appropriate formats, field sizes, and team structures.
Programs by Age Group
Mini-Jogo (U4–U5)
Our youngest players start with Mini-Jogo, a co-ed program that introduces children to the game in a fun, low-pressure environment. Sessions are held Saturday mornings and include 30 minutes of skills followed by 30 minutes of gameplay. No weekday practices are held for this age group.
Interleague Play (U6–U8)
Children in the U6, U7, and U8 age groups play within GSSA’s internal inter-league system. These teams practice once per week (day and time determined by the team) and play weekly games against other GSSA teams. This format helps players ease into structured gameplay while continuing to build foundational skills.
Northern Mid-Cities Soccer League (U9–U19)
Players in the U9 through U19 divisions participate in the Northern Mid-Cities Soccer League (NMCSL), a regional league that includes nearby partner associations. Teams practice once per week and play one game per week, either home or away, depending on the schedule. This league allows players to develop in a competitive but still recreational setting.
Schedules & Seasons
Games are primarily played on Saturdays, although some games may be scheduled on Sundays or weeknights depending on field availability and weather. Teams in U6 through U19 schedule one weekly practice, typically held Tuesday through Friday between 6:00 and 9:00 PM, based on coach availability.
Each season includes a minimum of 8 scheduled games (weather permitting). The fall season runs from late August through early November, and the spring season runs from late February through early May. Registration for each season opens at the end of the previous season and is completed online through our registration portal.
Game Day: Saturday's
Season Information
Seasons are a minimum of 8 games with fall running late August through early November and spring running late February through early May.
Player FAQ
Recreational soccer is about having fun and trying something new. Many of our players are new to the sport and we do our best to place new players together by school area and/or with buddies. GSSA also offers free Monday Night Skills during the season to help new players develop.
No problem. GSSA recreational soccer players must play at minimum 50% of the game per North Texas Youth Soccer rules.
Yes, players who do not live in Grapevine or Southlake are welcome to play in our league. Keep in mind that players can only be registered with one league per season.
Contact the GSSA Office with details of your child’s special needs. We will do our best to accommodate their needs if possible. Please keep in mind that we must protect the needs of all of our players, but some of our most inspirational players have had special needs.
Players new to GSSA with need to provide a copy of a valid birth certificate.
Team FAQ
Team formation is at the discretion of the Age Group Commissioner (AGC). The AGCs use the following rules of thumb in team formation:
- Previous Team Assignment
- Coach Availability
- School Attended
- Open positions available on team
- Player Experience
- Player Requests
Please note that requesting a particular buddy, coach or team WILL NOT guarantee placement on a team.
Please see our team formation policy on the GSSA Policies page for more detailed information.
No. It is GSSA’s current policy to keep teams together as much as possible.
GSSA Recreational coaches are volunteers. It is one of the most rewarding types of volunteerism you can perform. You don’t have to know anything about soccer to start coaching, all you need is a love of kids and a passion for sports. GSSA provides lots of training opportunities. Check out our Coaches page for more details and to register for the current season.
Every youth player (U4-U19) in the GSSA league is required to purchase a uniform kit consisting of matching jersey, shorts and socks. The price of this kit is not included the registration fee each season. See our Uniforms and Equipment page for more info.
GSSA will not accept teams from other soccer leagues intact unless special extreme circumstances apply. Players coming from other leagues will be placed in the general player pool and assigned to teams based on need and availability.
Age Group Commissioners work on forming teams and assigning coaches the month before the season starts. Coaches meet for an orientation 1-2 weeks before opening day. You should hear from your coach at or around that time.They will then give you practice times, uniforms, schedules, etc.
Our available practice fields include Meadowmere and Oak Grove Parks in Grapevine and Bob Jones Park in Southlake. Once assigned to a team, coaches can select a field location as well as a day and time for practice. This is typically on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening between the hours of 6 and 9 pm. If a player can’t make practice, they can attend Monday Night Skills instead.
League FAQ
- Regular Registration – $120
- Late Registration/Wait List – $150
Each age group is set up in different formats. Please see the list below.
U4-U8 – Games are played in a 4 vs 4 format with no goal keepers. Teams consist of a maximum of 8 players so everyone gets plenty of game time play. No scores are kept. Parents are encouraged to enthusiastically support their player.
U9-U10 – Games are played in a 7 vs 7 format with with goal keepers.
U11-U12 – Games are played in a 9 vs 9 format with with goal keepers.
U13+ – Games are played in a 11 vs 11 format with with goal keepers.
Registration Fees Cover the Costs for:
- Registration with North Texas Youth Soccer which sanctions our players for league play and provides medical insurance for each player
- Field Usage Fees
- Participation awards – medals for U4-U8 and trophies for division winners in U9 and above
- Costs of administration
Northern Mid-Cities Soccer League (NMCSL) is a group of local recreational soccer associations that have made arrangements for inter-league play. See the NMCSL website for detailed information.
GSSA participates in NMCSL for several reasons:
- NMCSL gives GSSA access to a larger pool of teams allowing for the possibility of better matching teams within a division based on skill level.
- Certain age group may not have enough teams to form a single league, therefore GSSA can combine with NMCSL to form age pure leagues rather than forcing multiple age groups to combine.
Recreational teams will be scheduled to play at least 8 games. Weather and special circumstances may affect the length of the season, due to limitations on field use.
1. Refund requests received during the regular registration period may be granted with a $25 fee deduction.
2. Refund requests received during the late registration period may be granted with a $50 fee deducted.
3. Refund requests received after registration closes will not be honored, except in specific circumstances. Specific circumstances include but not limited to:
- Injury
- Medical condition
Questions About GSSA?
If you have any questions, please check out our FAQ page to learn more. If we don’t answer your question there, please contact us using the button below.
Office hours are M-W-F 10am to 3pm. Appointments are preferred.
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