2019 U8/U9 Travel Soccer Information

There has been many questions about the difference and eligibility of U8 players for CESC Travel Soccer.   Essentially, it is the children’s age only.    Kids who are classified as U8 for Fall 2019 Soccer in SoccerMaine bylaws must be 7 Prior to August 1st, 2019.   Our CESC board requires that those kids eligible must also be in at least second grade.  No first graders participate in CESC.   U8 kids are placed on U9 teams in SoccerMaine.   SoccerMaine does not run a U8 only travel league.   A U8 child should expect to participate on a U9 team in a full travel soccer season which will include 2 practices a week (one led by GPS), 6 League games (3 away/3 home),  2-6 Friendlies as arranged by coaches, the Columbus Day weekend Tournament, and a year end Festival after the Columbus Day tournament.   

SoccerMaine also has a bylaw stating that U9 teams must have at least 50% U9 aged kids on them.  In 2018 CESC experienced a huge bubble of U8 age kids.  As a result it was impossible to comply with the SoccerMaine bylaws.  Not wanting to drop a large group or to have tryouts and cuts at such a young age the CESC board then formed a one season only in house U8 league to accommodate this large group.  Currently it is not CESC’s intent to run an additional league each year and for the expectation to be for kids to participate in the SoccerMaine U9 league.