Registration for Fall 2008 Intramurals is Open!!

Registration for our Fall 2008 Intramural Season is open!

Before you register, read About Our Soccer Program where you can learn about our Age Groups, Playing Times, Costs, Field Location, etc. Then, you may either Register On-Line or Download a Registration Form (On-line registration is much easier for us to process!!)

If you choose online registration, after you complete the form, you will be given the option of mailing in a check or paying on-line. (If you wish to request a scholarship for your child, choose "mail in a check" and send an email to info@fairmountsoccer.org with your scholarship request. We like to have parents pay something if possible, but no child will be turned away because of inability to pay!).

We are very late in beginning registration this year as we were working on making some revisions in our Intramural Program. These changes in administration are in place, and we are looking forward to a season of lots of fun and good soccer. We have decentralized our Intramural Leadership structure, and before the Season, you will be contacted about ways that you can get involved in helping your child learn this great game and build the organization.

This season, we especially need your help in two areas. First, we need you to register as soon as possible so that we can have the right number of coaches, equipment, and fields ready come Labor Day. Second, we need you to tell your neighbors and friends about Fairmount Soccer so that we will have a full compliment of teams at every age group.

We kept registration fees the same this year to allow as many children to participate as possible, but because we expect some increased expenses this season as we transition and grow, we hope everybody who is able will consider making a Fair Share Contribution or even Sponsoring a Team. This money will go primarily towards our scholarship program and the use of Professional Trainers/Teachers for the children.

We love the game of soccer at FSA and feel our approach of emphasizing fun along with skill development and love of competitive sports for all children will lead to a new generation of life-long players of the Beautiful Game!

Thanks, and see you up at Edgely!!

Ludo Scheffer, President

The Fair Share Program is our way of asking families who can afford it to help us sustain and improve our soccer programs. Last year, 30% of our families supported us through the Fair Share Program. We cannot stress enough how important these funds are to our Program. In addition to helping us fund scholarships, this season we want to expand our use of paid trainers, fund more field maintenance, purchase more small Pugg Goals, continue rental of the storage container, and develop our Website to handle online registration and payment.

If you can contribute more than the Fair Share Program amount, please consider a contribution at the Sponsor or Benefactor level. The Benefactor/Sponsor form can be found on our sponsorship page.

Please help us spread the word about Fairmount Soccer to your friends and neighbors. Additional copies of registration forms are available on our registration page or by calling our phone line listed on our contact page.

To get on our mailing list to be informed of registration periods for upcoming seasons go to our Mail List page and fill out the form there.

1. Fairmount Soccer will provide free training in the appropriate courses for its coaches.
2. Parents shall be vigorously encouraged to attend a Fairmount Training Session to explain small-side play; how it works, why we're using them, what are the rules, and what is expected of Fairmount Soccer parents.

Our new Intramural structure will require more volunteers and parental participation which we think is very positive for the players. Please volunteer today to help your children.

The Fairmount Soccer Association is a youth soccer association for boys and girls, ages 5 through 16 primarily serving the Fairmount, Center City, West Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Society Hill, and Queen Village communities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (A player's age is determined as of August 1 of the current fall registration. For example, if a player turns 14 on August 15, the player is still considered to be 13 for soccer.)

The Association's mission includes teaching all the physical and mental skills required to thoroughly learn and participate in all aspects of soccer, promoting good sportsmanship and encouraging life long participation in the sport of soccer, as well as instilling self-confidence through participation and accomplishment, as a member of a soccer team. The Association runs an Intramural Division for children, ages 5 though 13 and a Traveling Division for children ages 10 through 16. The Traveling Division competes against teams throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.

The Fairmount Soccer Association is a Nonprofit, Tax Exempt association under IRS rule 501(c)(3). Membership in the Association is not restricted by virtue of race, creed, religion, national origin, ethnic group or sex. The Association is a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association and is affiliated with the United States Youth Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation.

Our Constitution and Bylaws; Rules and Regulations (101K) are always available for review by any member of the Association. To download a copy of them in Adobe Acrobat, pdf format just click on the link above. You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the file. To obtain the Adobe Acrobat Reader click here.

1. Because we want our young players to touch the ball more often and become more skillful with it!
2. Because we want our young players to make more, less-complicated decisions during the game!
3. Because we want our young players to be more physically efficient in the field space they are playing in!
4. Because we want our young players to have more individual teaching time with the coach! Fewer players on the field and fewer players on the team will guarantee this!
5. Because we want our young players to have more involved playing time in the game which gives them more opportunity to solve problems that only the game can present!
6. Because we want our young players to have more opportunities to play on both sides of the ball!
7. Because we want our young players to have more opportunities to score goals giving them more excitement!

These reasons will help promote the player's:

• Individual technical development
• Individual tactical development
• Understanding of how to reduce field size
• Importance and worthiness
• Critical decision making
• Understanding of attacking and defending
• Excitement for the game
• FUN environment of the game.*

* We have quoted Tom Goodman, Director of Coaching Education, US Youth Soccer, for much of the above explanation of "Small-Sided" soccer.