How long is the season?
The Spring Session runs from early April to the end of May. The Fall Session runs from early September to the end of October. Both sessions can be impacted by inclement weather conditions where games are cancelled and rescheduled.
Travel seasons tend to run a little differently (start earlier and end later) but these are the general timeframes of play.
How many games are there in a season?
For in-house soccer, each team gets 8 games per session.
Travel soccer is dependent upon the Age Group Coordinators (AGC) at PAWest that do all of the scheduling.
How much does it cost (in-house)?
The cost per player for in-house program is always subject to change (site last updated 7/2022). Currently it is $75 per session which does not include the uniform. The uniform is a reversible jersey ($23), purple socks ($9) and black shorts ($19). You will also need cleats, shin guards, and a size 3 soccer ball which you can usually get in a bundle from local retailers (i.e. Dick's). The club also sometimes has used stuff on hand for folks that need it (via the "trade in" program detailed below).
For information on cost of travel soccer, please reach out to our travel coordinator ([email protected]) for assistance.
When are games and practices?
For In-house Soccer, the games are on Saturday's usually in the morning or early afternoon at Larry Mills Community Park in Plum. Teams practice one night a week and the day/time is picked by the coach so you will find out what night after you are placed on a roster. If your child is participating in our U10 or co-ed recreation league, there are away games at other local community fields generally within 20 minutes of Plum.
Travel Soccer games are generally on Sunday afternoons at various locations with teams practicing twice a week on coach's nights of choice.
What happens if my practice night conflicts with another activity?
Due to the fact that coaches choose the practice nights, we really cannot guarantee this won't happen. If you know ahead of time what night is bad for you, then you can send a request to the coordinator of your age group and request them to consider this as they build the rosters (still no guarantees). If you get on a team that practices the same night as another activity, it's possible to switch your team around post-rosters being distributed, but this is at coordinator's discretion and again, not guaranteed. In other words, we do our best to resolve conflicts. In a worst case scenario, Plum Area Soccer can refund your registration fee according to our Refund Policy if there is no way to make it work out.
Can my son/daughter be placed on a specific team (coach or another player)?
The official answer is, we don't take requests at Plum Area Soccer. However, the coordinators do try to accommodate reasonable requests when they make sense (via email). The last thing we want is a stacked team that just goes out there any destroys everyone else. But in cases where you need to carpool with a friend/neighbor, then that makes sense and we do our best to build rosters accordingly.
How do I register?
Registration is all done online via this very website. Click on Register or Login at the top right of the page and you will be taken into our registration system.
What forms of payment are accepted?
All registrations are done online and we accept all major credit cards as supported by our hosting partner. For uniform orders, we accept PayPal (which is free to everyone) or you can purchase with cash/check/credit card at the fields (or by request). If you have a special case, you can reach out to our registrar at [email protected] who can assist with a different form of payment.
How/where do I purchase a uniform?
Uniforms are available for purchase on our website at store.plumsoccer.org (uniforms section). Orders are placed online and then picked up at times designated by the club (usually announced via email). You can also attend our uniform pick-up day before the season to check out sizes and place your order. If you place an order online and end up with the wrong size, you can always trade them in with the uniform coordinator for the correct size at any time.
We recognize that kids at this age are growing like crazy and therefore the club does a "trade-in" program for cleats (and sometimes other equipment) as a way to assist our members with this problem. If you have used but still usable cleats, drop them off at the shed for others to utilize rather than throwing them away. If you want to see if any "trade in" stuff is available in your size, stop by the shed and someone will point you to the area where the "trade-in" stuff is located.
How do I purchase Plum Soccer apparel that I've seen people wearing around the fields?
We generally do apparel sales at the fields at the beginning of each season. Be on the lookout for emails announcing additional apparel sales dates. In addition, we have an online partner store that is open year round and offers more brands, additional options, and customization.
How do I know if the fields are closed?
We use TeamSnap for all of our club notifications. If the fields are closed, or if there are any other important alerts/information to disclose, you will get an email and/or push notification from TeamSnap.
What program will my child play in?
The easiest and most effective way to find out this information is by logging in to our registration system, adding your child, and then checking what programs are available. Plum Area Soccer is affiliated with PAWest and US Youth Soccer therefore we follow their guidance on age groupings which is done by birth year. Visit their age group matrix page for information about the groupings.
I'm having trouble with TeamSnap, how do I get help?
For all assistance with TeamSnap regarding your Plum Soccer Teams, please reach out to our web director at [email protected]. If your issue relates to receiving your invite email, don't forget to check your junk or spam folder first.
When is picture day? How does that work?
The date for Picture Day is generally announced ahead of registration and is usually some Saturday morning before the mid-point of the season. Our in-house coordinator will send out a schedule in the week leading up to the event including the times for each team to arrive along with some important details. Your picture timeslot is usually 15-30 minutes before your scheduled game that day. The picture envelopes are distributed by coaches the week before, however, we always have extras at the fields. Even if you do not intend to get individual pictures, it's important to come for your team picture for your teammates benefit. If you have any questions about Picture Day, you can reach out to our in-house coordinator for assistance.
What is the ELKs Soccer Shoot?
The Elks Soccer Shoot program consists of two different contests that test different level skills at different ages. A "Five Goal Contest" consists of a series of five goals, decreasing in size from 48 inches to 17 inches. The age group that uses the goals in this contest are U-8 for ages 7 years old and younger. The contest is open to boys and girls who shoot separately. The U-8 contestants kick from 15 feet from the face of the goal.
The Grid Goal Contest consists of a full-size goal sectioned off so points can be scored when the ball is kicked into certain sections. The age groups that use this goal are U-10, for ages eight and nine, U-12, for ages ten and eleven, and U-14, for ages twelve and thirteen. The contest is open to both boys and girls and they shoot separately.
Winners at each contest are eligible to advance to the next of competition. The levels are Local Lodge, District, State, and Region. Winners at both the State and Region levels will have their scores sent to the national level to determine a National Champion in each of the age and gender groups.