Fall 2024-Spring 2025 Seasonal Year
Competitive Travel Soccer programs follow a progressive developmental model to align player age, skill-level, and game understanding with rules and game structures which allows children to grow into the game.

Competitive Travel Soccer in the United States uses a Birth Year model. Players are assigned to age-groups based on their birth year, not grade level.
Find out where your player falls in the birth year model by visiting the US Club Soccer Birth Year Matrix

Below are the age-group programs offered by Lakeland Jr. Soccer
Age Groups & Team Structure

• U7/U8- 4v4 Introductory Travel Soccer*
• U9-U10 Games are 7v7 (6 field players + goalie). Special rules apply. Developmental Soccer
• U11-U12 Games are 9v9 (8 field players + goalie). Special rules apply. Developmental Soccer
• U13 Games are 11v11 (10 field players+ goalie). Standard Rules apply. Size 4 ball is still used.
• U14+ Games are 11v11 (10 field players + goalie). Standard rules apply.

U7/U8- 4v4 is our introductory travel soccer program. Starting in the fall of 2024 U7/U8 players will be assigned to teams of 4-8 players. Teams will participate in a 10 game season, 5-home games, 5-away games. Games are played on a smaller field without refs, 4v4 with no Goalkeepers. This program is for younger players who are interested in trying a travel soccer program. There is a larger commitment than recreational soccer as players are expected to attend all games and 1-weekly practice with a volunteer coach. This age group does not have Red Bulls trainers assigned for team training. Player jerseys are included in the cost of this program and numbers are assigned by the club. Players use a size 3 ball, cleats and shinguards are required.

Developmental
U9-U10 (7v7)
Players at this age begin their travel soccer journey. Players are assigned to age-appropriate and skill level based teams. Players at this age group have weekly training sessions with a Red Bulls Trainer and a weekly session with a volunteer coach. Teams play a 10 game season, 5-home, 5-away.  Players pay for their uniform (kit) approximately $115 which includes 1- Home Jersey (White), 1-Away Jersey (Red), 1 Practice Jersey (Gray), 1 pair Black Shorts, 1 pair Black socks. Players use a size 4 ball, cleats and shinguards are required. Players select their own jersey number which they should keep throughout their playing career with Lakeland Jr. Soccer.

Developmental
U11-U12 (9v9)
Players at this age move to the next level of Developmental soccer with 9v9. Punting by the Goalkeeper is introduced at this level. Players at this age group have weekly training sessions with a Red Bulls Trainer and a weekly session with a volunteer coach. Players can begin intentionally using their heads to play the ball at the U12 age group. The field size becomes larger to accommodate 9v9 play. Teams play a 10 game season, 5-home, 5-away.  Players pay for their uniform (kit) approximately $115 which includes 1- Home Jersey (White), 1-Away Jersey (Red), 1 Practice Jersey (Gray), 1 pair Black Shorts, 1 pair Black socks. Players use a size 4 ball, cleats and shinguards are required. 

Developmental
U13 (11v11) 
This age group is the final developmental stage of competitive travel soccer. Players at this age group have weekly training sessions with a Red Bulls Trainer and a weekly session with a volunteer coach. This age group uses a standard size field and all standard rules apply except the age group continues to use the Size 4 ball (starting Fall 2024). Teams play a 10 game season, 5-home, 5-away.  Players pay for their uniform (kit) approximately $115 which includes 1- Home Jersey (White), 1-Away Jersey (Red), 1 Practice Jersey (Gray), 1 pair Black Shorts, 1 pair Black socks. Players use a size 4 ball, cleats and shinguards are required. 

U14+ (11v11)
These age groups begin using a size 5 ball and all standard rules apply. Teams play a 10 game season, 5-home, 5-away. 
U14 teams play fall & spring seasons. Players at this age group have weekly training sessions with a Red Bulls Trainer and a weekly session with a volunteer coach. Players pay for their uniform (kit) approximately $115 which includes 1- Home Jersey (White), 1-Away Jersey (Red), 1 Practice Jersey (Gray), 1 pair Black Shorts, 1 pair Black socks.
U15 teams play fall only. Teams at this age group do not have Red Bulls training. Teams may practice once or twice per week with a volunteer coach.
D2/D1 For Spring only our High School players can join two divisions: D2 (U15 & U16 Players) or D1 (U17, U18, U19 players).
Players in the D2 or D1 age groups do not have Red Bulls training. Teams may practice once or twice per week with a volunteer coach.
Players in the D2 & D1 age groups do not purchase full uniform kits. They purchase Reversible jerseys (approximately $21) with numbers assigned by the club.

Seasons

• Fall – Practices begin during the summer, typically in late July/early August, but may vary by team. Games begin in September and end in mid November.
• Winter
  • Lakeland Jr. Soccer provides 5 weeks of team based indoor training for age groups U9-U14, Held Mid-February through late March.
  • U7/U8 players are eligible for indoor clinics hosted by Wanaque Recreation and led by Lakeland Jr. Volunteer coaches and volunteer players from our older teams. There is an additional cost for this program. Visit the Wanaque Recreation website in November to Register.
• Spring – Outdoor practices begin when nature lets us get outside (mid-March). Games begin in April and end in late June.