This program has been the foundation of the CYSA organization since its inception over 28 years ago and continues to be a program of fun and learning for our athletes and coaches.

Regardless of the rules of US Soccer, CYSA divides their teams up within the following age groups…TOPS (6-19yr olds with varying disabilities), Rugrats (2-3yr olds), U6coed (4-5yr olds), U8 boys (6-7yr olds), U8 girls (6-7yr olds), U11 boys (8-10yr olds), U11 girls (8-10yr olds), U14 boys (11-13yr olds), U14 girls (11-13yr olds), U19 coed (14-18yr. olds). CYSA also offers a Spring Rugrats program that is for 2-5 year old children during the months of April, May and June.

Due to the nature of multiple birth year groupings, no child is allowed to “play up” under any circumstance. Any CSP and CYSA Competitive player is welcome and encouraged to participate in our recreational program as most find it fun and rewarding.

Online Registration April to mid-June.
Late Registration mid-June to mid-July.
Session: August to mid-October.
Practices start second to last week of August.
League play starts the last Saturday of August.
Appreciation Day at end of session.

The travel soccer program starts in the Winter after the Recreational season and does not include the Fall season.

Teams will be divided into the following league age groupings: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16. If there is a desire by a dedicated parent/coach to form a U6 single sex or coed team, CYSA will allow this as a three-session program (two Winter sessions & a skills training in the Spring). For any U6 teams, cost will be determined by the Competitive Director, but must include uniform set as well.

Due to the nature of league double age groupings, no child is allowed to try out or “play up” under any circumstance.

No tryouts. All interested athletes will register and then will be placed on teams accordingly by the CYSA Board & Competitive Director.

Practices start early November.
League play starts in November.
No tournament budget included. The players are responsible for any tournament costs.

The CYSA board of directors and coaching staff have received a considerable amount of feedback from players and families. Demand for a more robust program is high and has existed for some time. CYSA has decided to expand the program to provide the players with a longer playing season. The competitive academy program will now include a Fall session, which will overlap with the recreational level soccer season.

The goal is to form single age group (by birth year) teams in order to allow the players to remain and grow together as a team year after year. Teams will be divided based on tryout ratings into the following league age groupings: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16. If there is a desire by a dedicated parent/coach to form a U6 single sex or coed team, CYSA will allow this as a three-session program (two Winter sessions & a skills training in the Spring). For any U6 teams, cost will be determined by the Competitive Director, but must include uniform set as well.

Due to the nature of league double age groupings, no child is allowed to try out or “play up” under any circumstance.

The CYSA board of directors and coaching staff strongly believe that there is significant value in the participation of all players in the recreational program. As such, the registration of a player within our competitive program includes free of charge placement on a team within the recreational program. This said, a player is not required and can opt out of participating in the recreational soccer level. Preference of the player will be captured at the time of registration for the competitive program.

Recreational program team placement to run concurrent with Competitive Program Fall session.
Tryouts in June.
Practices start mid-August.
League play starts in September.

Our RUGRATS program is a developmental program designed to introduce children between the ages of 2.5 and 3 years of age to soccer. This program is an opportunity for children, and their parents, to get involved in soccer and meet some new friends. It is similar in concept to traditional “story-hour”, “learn to swim” and “tiny-tot gymnastic” programs that are so popular. The parent or guardian and their child will meet one to two times per week for approximately 1 hour each day to learn the basics of soccer. With an emphasis on fun, our Instructor will use creative and interactive games to teach dribbling, passing, ball control, shooting and more to both the player and the parents.

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a national soccer program created to train young people with disabilities in a caring coaching environment. The program is carried out by volunteers at the local level, with financial support from US Soccer and the program's local youth soccer organization such as CYSA. Because only a handful or communities throughout Rhode Island offer TOPSoccer, we glady invite families from communities throughout Rhode Island to register for our program.TOPSoccer not only gives young athletes with disabilities an opportunity to play soccer, it also serves as a feeder program to recruit, assess and train players to participate in competitions offered by existing sports organizations for people with disabilities and mainstreams higher ability players on to regular youth soccer teams.

By providing a community-based training and team placement program for young people with disabilities, any boy or girl, age 5 to 18 who has a mental or physical disability will have the opportunity to learn and play soccer and become valued and successful members of CYSA and the US YOUTH SOCCER family.

TOPSoccer was designed not as a competitor to the programs run by other sports organizations for people with disabilities, but rather as a complementary program that works hand in hand with organizations like Special Olympics to expand the overall training and competition opportunities for young people with disabilities. TOPSoccer often works as a feeder program: recruiting, assessing, and training new soccer players who would benefit from opportunities sponsored by these sports organizations.

Many of the sports opportunities currently offered to young people with disabilities are school based. However, many parents of these young people would like their child to participate in the same community sports program as their non-disabled brothers and sisters - to wear the same club uniform, play at the same fields, go to the same awards banquets, and if appropriate, play on a non-disabled team. TOPSoccer can fill this need. TOPSoccer has also helped introduce the Unified Soccer Camp in many areas, a concept developed by Special Olympics. The Unified Soccer Camp brings together disabled and non-disabled soccer players in a positive and fun environment, hopefully breaking down social barriers through a common love of the game.

TOPSoccer consists of two vital components. The first is a field site where soccer players with disabilities can receive high-quality training to help develop their soccer skills. Training sessions could include activities such as scrimmages, small-sided games (3 v 3, 4 v 4) and tournaments. The second component is an ongoing player assessment process that places participants in the most appropriate playing situation, including placement on non-disabled, intramural and club teams, or involvement in programs established by other sports associations for people with disabilities (i.e., Special Olympics).

There is no cost for participants in CYSA's TOPSoccer program.