Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between travel soccer, club soccer, and association soccer?

Different communities use the terms “club”, “association” and “travel” to differentiate between casual and competitive play. However, there is no universally agreed upon definition of the terms soccer association, soccer club and travel soccer. In some communities, the term “travel” or “club” soccer is used to denote more competitive play with coach-selected teams. Other communities have soccer clubs that host both competitive travel leagues as well as recreational and/or in-house leagues with random team selection, equal play me and social team assignment policies.

If this is a club, then what does “club soccer” in St. Anthony mean?

As it pertains to St. Anthony, “club” refers to an organization that allows kids to play travel soccer year round. We will have fall, winter and spring programming. Most teams will likely continue at the current level of competition, while some teams may consider a more elite level of competition.

Some soccer clubs in Minnesota are for-profit, and some are non-profit. Some clubs are intense and hyper-competitive, some are not. Some clubs require full-year commitments, some don’t. Clubs across Minnesota have all different cultures and different styles.

The St. Anthony Village Soccer Club is a non-profit organization. The members of the board that have voting privileges are volunteers and are not compensated. The Board believes strongly in doing what we can to keep costs as reasonable as possible for our soccer-playing families.

The Board wants families’ experience with the St. Anthony Village Soccer Club to be indistinguishable from the current traveling soccer program, except with more options for local play and more streamlined fall and winter options for those that choose to participate in these seasons.

What do "evaluations" mean - are these tryouts?

Great question. The purpose of evaluations is to place kids on teams. We feel strongly that all kids that want to play should play. What it does mean is that we may form different levels of teams if an age group has more kids than we can roster on one team. Hosting evaluations give us the ability to adjust teams based on skill level so that individual kids and teams are best positioned for success, growth, and fun. This is the same process that travel soccer in St Anthony has used for years.

What will you be looking for at evaluations?

We will be looking at athleticism, focus, and foot/ball skills. The date of evaluations is August 6th. Expect to be there about 1-2 hours. We will divide by age group. Please note that all kids (even if you’re not playing this fall or are playing for the High School team) should all attend evaluatons, as we will be using the evaluations for the winter and spring seasons as well.

Will current teams be kept together year-over-year?

Yes, we will attempt to keep teams together as much as teams have been kept together in the current travel soccer program. Please know that we cannot guarantee this 100%, similar to the current program. Placing players at the appropriate level of skill and competitiveness leads to the best experience for everyone.

Will all kids get equal playing time?

This will be determined by the coach, the skill level of the players, and the level of competitiveness that each team is competing at. Generally speaking, as players approach high school and as teams increase the level that they’re competing at, playing me becomes more merit-based and situational.

Will this change impact what fields we practice and play on?

Our goal is to work with St. Anthony Community Services to continue using the St. Anthony fields, including Central Park, Wilshire Park and Emerald Park. And like fall soccer, we may also consider the use of Sandcastle in Roseville or Lions Park in New Brighton, especially in Fall when football is extensively using the St. Anthony fields. In the winter, we will look into gym space and turf rental options for practice.

What are the anticipated costs? And what does this cover?

Costs/registration fees will be charged by season (e.g. fall, winter, and spring). As this is the first year, we will be covering shirts in the registration fee for fall soccer. Costs will cover a predetermined number of tournaments for the fall season. More info for the winter/spring to come.

Our goal is to provide a club that can accommodate all and to set a registration fee that encompasses almost all expected payments (league fees, tournaments, field space, etc).

What will travel look like with this new club?

We are looking at tournaments within the Twin Cities metro area for the fall season. Winter/spring play will be based on what each team chooses to do (tournament only vs league play) and what each team would prefer (stay in the metro area, consider Duluth or WI options).

Any travel farther than these options is quite unlikely unless a specific team is highly elite and competitive and going to regional/national tournaments.

What about uniforms?

We will be providing home and away jerseys with fall registration. Players will provide their own black shorts and 2 pairs of socks.

Our goal is to have full uniforms for the spring season.

What does "year-round" soccer mean? What if my kid plays another sport?

Year-round play is not required – each player and family can decide which seasons they choose to participate in each year! Our goal is to provide soccer programming throughout the year. Fall will be a short 7-8 week season, typically Sept and Oct. Winter is typically December-March and is likely more training-based (1 -2 practices a week, perhaps an indoor tournament). Spring will be the same as our current program, April-mid July. While participating in multiple seasons is highly encouraged, it is not mandatory.

We warmly welcome multi-sport athletes. This is why winter soccer is typically a slower season, with less of a time commitment. Teams with players in other sports can adjust schedules (perhaps do practices on off days/times) to accommodate players as best they can.