Who do I contact to volunteer as a coach or an assistant?

Email registrar@middletonsoccer.com or one of the age directors.

What are the rules of soccer?

FIFA is the governing world body of soccer.  Here is the official rules book.

Laws of Soccer as a PDF.

History of Soccer (Football).

What ages can play in Middleton Youth Soccer?

Children from 3  to 18 years old can play soccer on MYS teams.  Players are put into proper age groups like U-4, U-6, U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18.  The U stands for under the age as of August 1st.  

How are players assigned to age group?

Why is my child playing Under 10 when he/she is currently 8 years old?  It may seem confusing.  If you keep two things in mind, it really is quite simple.  Ages are set as of August 1^st and are set for both the coming Fall and following Spring.  For example, a child who will be 8 on June 15th is no longer under 8 on August 1^st.  This child will be assigned to U-10 (Under 10) for Fall and for Spring.  Age group assignments do not change between Fall and Spring.  U4 is an exception allowing new 3 year olds in the Spring.  Middleton Youth Soccer follows the Mass Youth Soccer rules for age assignments. 

When can a child play U-4?

Middleton Youth Soccer is one of the few towns in Massachusetts that offers a Under 4 soccer program.  A child must be 3 years old as of August 1st to play in the MYS Fall program.  For the Spring program a child needs to be 3 years as of April 1st. 

When and where do the kids play soccer?

MYS has an in-town program for age groups U-4, U-6, and U-8.  Currently the U-4 and U-6 play on Saturday mornings behind Howe Manning School from 9am to 12pm.  This is a coed program, and teams play other Middleton teams.  The U-8 program holds its practices and games at the Transfer Station on Field #2.  Games are Saturday morning and afternoons.  U-8 teams may have one or two practices during the weekday afternoons.

The older age groups, U-10 and above, compete in Essex County Youth Soccer Association divisions and travel to any one of the 30 towns in Essex County.  They generally practice twice on weekday afternoons.  Games are held on Saturdays for U-10 through U-14 and Sundays for U-16 and U-18. The Middleton home fields are Memorial Hall Field, the two Transfer Station Fields and East Street Field.  see map

All programs play eight Saturdays in the Fall and eight Saturdays in the Spring.  U-16 and U-18  play 6 to 8 games in the Spring on Sundays.

What are the fees?

The U-4, U-6 and U-8 pay $50 for each season if registered via the on-line system.  There is a small convenience fee added on by the third party registration system.  If a paper application is used a $10 surcharge is added.

The U-10, U-12 and U-14 pay $65 for each season.

The U-16 and U-18 pay $65 for each season.

What do the fees pay for?

For the travel teams -   40% -> Essex County Youth Soccer Association

                                   20% -> Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association

                                     5% -> registration (labor and supplies)

                                   20% -> equipment (balls, cones, goals, nets, ice bags)

                                   15% ->  Town of Middleton Use Fee

For the in-town teams - 25% -> Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association

                                    5% -> registration (labor and supplies)

                                   15% -> equipment (balls, cones, goals, ice bags)

                                   20% -> team t-shirts for U4, U6 & U8

                                   15% -> Jamboree and Trophies

                                   20% -> Town of Middleton Use Fee

For travel teams, Essex County organizes all divisions, schedules all the games with fields and referees, and pays the referees. 

Mass Youth Soccer carries supplemental insurance for all players, coaches,  assistant coaches and USSF referees.

Why is registration held so far in advance of the Spring or Fall season?

Since our teams compete in the ECYSA league, MYS is bound to the registration schedule of ECYSA.   500 teams compete in ECYSA on any given weekend.  So ECYSA has a big job registering  7500 players, dividing the teams into divisions and then working out the logistics of assigning 250 games and 125 referees to the available fields in 30 towns.

What is Late Registration?

Late registration begins the day after regular registration is over.   The fee doubles once late registration begins.   Late applicants may be placed on teams that are not yet full.  Late applicants are not guaranteed a place on a team.  MYS will do its best to place a player - but please keep in mind ECYSA places limits on the number of players that can be rostered on teams and ECYSA makes no exceptions.  

What size ball is correct?

Size 3 for U-4, U-6 and U-8.

Size 4 for U-10 and U-12.

Size 5 for U-14 and higher.

What equipment is needed for practice?

Shin Pads covered completely by socks

Soccer Cleats or Sneakers.   Baseball cleats are not allowed (cleat in center of toe).

No jewelry of any kind.  Medical bracelets must be taped down.

A soccer ball (its more fun when everyone has one).

Water bottle.

Does Middleton Youth Soccer participate in Indoor Soccer?

MYS does not currently sponsor indoor soccer teams.  However, many of our parents and coaches independently field teams at the Topsfield Arena and Soccer Etc. 

If you are interested in organizing an indoor team feel free to contact these local indoor facilities.  Topsfield Indoor Soccer is run out of the Topsfield Fair grounds. .  American Futbolito is an sanctioned US Futsal program held in Danvers.  Soccer Etc, 130 Sohier Road, Beverly can be reached at (978) 927-4422.

Do Middleton teams participate in tournaments?

There are two types of tournaments, championships and friendships.  If a travel team U-12 or higher wins its group in the Spring season, it is invited to the Pingree Tournament to vie for the ECYSA championship.  ECYSA does not have a championship tournament in the Fall.

Friendship tournaments are held over holiday weekends like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day.  Middleton coaches may sign their teams up for in-state, MA Youth Soccer sanctioned tournaments.  The coaches and parents are in charge of organizing their teams to compete in these tournaments.  Some of the popular friendship tournaments are The Danvers Invitational held over Memorial Day and the Essex County Small-sided Friendship held at the end of Spring seasons in West Peabody.

What League does Middleton Youth Soccer (MYS) belong to?

MYS is part of Essex County Youth Soccer Association.  Our travel teams travel to any of the 30 different towns that are part of ECYSA.  MYS is also affiliated with Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) which is a member of  US Youth Soccer Association and US Soccer.

Please note that MYS is Middleton Youth Soccer and MYSA is Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association. One letter makes a big difference.

What is MAPLE and MASC

MAPLE and MASC are  leagues of club teams as opposed to town teams.  Like ECYSA, MAPLE and MASC are affiliated with Massachusetts Youth Soccer (MYSA).   More info can be found on our links page.