The Micro Soccer Program is the part of the Recreation League that is geared towards players who are in grades K through 3. Created back in 1997, Micro Soccer focuses on the early development of the player as well as those who volunteer to coach by using smaller fields with fewer players per team so that every child who does play has an opportunity to participate much more than if they played on larger fields with a greater number of players at the same time. There are four divisions in the Micro Soccer Program and each one is based on a single school grade. For more information on each division, simply click on the link found to the left of this article.

Little Kickers
Micro-Soccer for 4 year olds

EUSA has received a number of messages from parents of children who are 4 years old asking if there are any plans to offer a Micro-Soccer program for their children.  There are a number of special issues that EUSA would have to take into consideration before officially offering such a program.  However, some of the basic issues that would be faced are:

Limited Field Space
EUSA does not own any of the fields that it uses for games and practice sessions.  We are permitted use of these facilities by the Township of Edison and the Middlesex County Parks Department.  Currently, every session in the MS/K and MS/1 division is 90 minutes long and they have staggered start times that are 45 minutes apart.  There were 8 sessions in Fall 2006.  We expect to have an average of 8 to 9 sessions each season based on the previous enrollment statistics.  The maximum number of sessions that could be held is 10 during the Spring seasons and 9 during the Fall (due to diminishing amounts of daylight). 

Limited availability of Professional Trainers
While the use of professional trainers is relatively new to the Micro-Soccer Program, they have been used for almost 10 years by the Rec League on Saturdays.  EUSA must equally serve all of its programs and therefore cannot take away a service that has been part of one program for such a long time in order to give it to another program.  The needs of all programs and divisions must be taken into consideration before officially offering a program for 4 year old players.

Parents as Team Coach Volunteers
In looking at a number of programs from around the state, the current feeling is that such young children require a bit more attention to properly manage.  As such, EUSA would most likely require that the parents of any 4 year old participating in EUSA’s programs serve as Team Coaches.  Team Coaches in the youngest age groups are not expected to have any prior experience in coaching.  Team Coaches work with professional trainers that EUSA hires to teach the players.  Using a manual designed for use with the youngest players, the Team Coach learns the game at the same time the children do in a relaxed setting.

"Playing up"
Playing up is the term used when a child is participating in a group that is older than the child in question.  EUSA does not currently allow players in the Rec League and Micro-Soccer Program to play up.  However, in the case of 4 year old players, EUSA would allow such as long as the parents realize that the player will have to remain in the same division for two years as opposed to one year for those children who are age & grade appropriate.

Are you interested?
For those of you who have children who will be 4 years old during the Spring season (April thru June) or Fall season (September thru November), please email EUSA at micro and give us your information.  Again, please bear in mind that you will have to participate as a Team Coach.