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Recreation Soccer

Recreation Soccer

GLASTONBURY HARTWELL SOCCER CLUB


RECREATION PROGRAMS
SPRING 2025 registration is STILL OPEN for:

Preschool (3-5 years old)
Girls U12 (5th-6th grade)
Girls U15 (7th-8th grade)

We offer a fun-filled season of intramural soccer.
All Glastonbury children are welcome to play in our Recreation League.

Click the appropriate link for more information:

Program Specific Information about:

 

Click link for information on Pre-K
(4 and 5 year olds)

Eligible Pre-k players are at least 3 years, 9 months old at the beginning of the season.
For the Spring 2025 season, pre-K players must be born on or before July 01, 2021.
This program is for children not yet in Kindergarten.

- GENERAL INFORMATION -

(see the sections below for division-specific information)
Kindergarten through U15 (14 Years old)

WHAT TO EXPECT:
Teams will be created in early April 2025 with notification to players occurring late April 2025. You will receive an email indicating what team your child has been assigned to. Teams will be formed on a first come first serve basis. Please make sure your email is accurate when registering a player.

Please note: team placement announcements can be delayed while we look to fill all our coaching positions.

SEASON:
Practices & games should begin in late-April and the season is expected to end on June 7, 2025. The start and end times are based on weather and field availability. A full schedule will be sent out at the beginning of the season.

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT:
Seasonal fees are:

  • $130 per child for the K-U15 grade programs*.
  • $100 per child in pre-K and high school (if any) rec programs.

*Kindergarten - U15 divisions get an Early Bird special rate of $105 if payment is received before February 1, 2025.

Our seasonal fee covers per player town fees and league fees charged to GHSC, specialized training for the coaches, specialized clinics for some age groups, updates to town fields/equipment, coaching equipment, and team uniforms. Payment is required at time of registration. Unpaid registrations will be deleted. Please note that additional credit card service fees are charged by Demosphere per transaction during checkout.

MULTI-CHILD DISCOUNT (3 or more). Please note if you have multiple players (3 or more) in Hartwell Rec & Travel Programs there is a multi-player discount for 3 or more players within the same family. Please click here to send us an email letting us know if the fees do not reflect the proper discount.

REFUNDS AS FOLLOWS:
All refund requests MUST be sent in writing to registrar@glastonburysoccer.org.

  • 100% refund if withdrawal is on or before March 1, 2025.
  • 50% refund if withdrawal is on or before March 15, 2025.
  • No refunds after March 31, 2025.

CANCELLATION FEE:
All refunds and withdrawals are subject to a cancellation fee, which is applied against the refund. The cancellation fee is 10% of the total registration fee paid per player, which will be withheld from the refund. The cancellation fee covers the cost of the credit card transaction fees that the Club pays to the vendor on every transaction.

Examples:

  • If a family paid $105 to register a recreation player, but later withdrew the player, the cancellation fee of 10% on $105 is $10.00. The family would receive a refund of $95.00.
  • If a family paid $695 to register a travel and a recreation player ($130 to register a recreation player and $475 to register a travel player), but later withdrew the recreation player, the cancellation fee of 10% on $130 is $13. The family would receive a refund of $117.

REQUESTS:
Player, coaches and practice night requests are not guaranteed. Hartwell will do it's best to accommodate request during registration, but again, it's not guaranteed. We appreciate your support and understanding in this area as we coordinate well over 1,000 players a season and we possible can't meet everyone's personal requests.

QUESTIONS:
Any further questions regarding the Glastonbury Hartwell Recreation Program can be emailed to RecDir@glastonburysoccer.org.

See below for division specific information.
 

- DIVISION SPECIFIC INFORMATION -
 

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Teams in K and 1st Grade play small-sided games of 3 v 3 soccer with pop-up nets. Games are self-officiated by the coaches. 

Coaching focus is on individual player development, primarily on footskills, dribbling, passing and shooting technique. Boys and girls play on separate teams. No referees, no throw-ins, no goal keepers. No players are allowed to head the ball. During games, the coaches loosely officiate where appropriate, but primarily focus on instruction and guidance for both teams. T-shirt uniforms are included in the registration cost. All players should bring a SIZE 3 soccer ball to every practice and game.

Shin guards are required at all ages.  Soccer cleats are strongly encouraged for play.

PLAYER TIME COMMITMENT:

Practice: One day per week for 1 hour, usually at 5:00 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Games: At least one game each weekend, generally on Saturdays anywhere from 9 am to 3pm.

INTERTOWN PLAY:
These age groups do not participate in intertown play.

 

RECREATION
2nd GRADE
Note: Older 2nd graders born in 2016 may either play in the 2nd grade Rec division, in the U10 Rec division (below), or tryout for U9 Travel Teams

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Goal keepers are introduced at this level. Teams play small sided games of 5 v 5 (including the goal keeper) with age appropriate goals. Games are self officiated by the coaches.

Coaching focus is still individual player development, continuing with footskills, dribbling, passing and shooting technique. Coaches will also introduce formations and team concepts, and passing to maintain team possession. In 2nd grade play there is still no offsides, and games are played without officials. The coaches officiate and guide their own games. Boys and girls play on separate teams. Keepers may not punt the ball and no player may head the ball at this age. T-shirt uniforms are included in the registration cost. All players should bring a SIZE 3 soccer ball to every practice and game.

Shin guards are required at all ages.  Soccer cleats are strongly encouraged for play.

PLAYER TIME COMMITMENT:

Practice: One day per week for 1 hour & 15min, usually at 5:00 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Games: At least one game each weekend, generally on Saturdays anywhere from 9 am to 3 pm.

INTERTOWN PLAY:
This age group does not participate in intertown play.


 

NOTICE REGARDING CHANGE TO RECREATION AGE DIVISIONS
3rd grade and above

Note: For Fall 2024, older 2nd graders born in 2016 will have the choice to either play in the 2nd grade Rec division, the U10 Rec division, or tryout for a U9 Travel Team.

For many years, our age divisions in Recreation Soccer were based on the child's grade in school. As enrollment numbers in the older age groups became an issue in Glastonbury and surrounding towns, the neighboring towns in our area partnered together to offer games in an informal intertown rec league. Glastonbury maintained a school grade-based division, but the other towns mirrored the birth year-based parameters from travel league divisions.

As our Rec teams traveled to other towns to play intertown games, we found ourselves often mismatched in ages due to the school grade divisions versus age based divisions.   In February 2024, the Board of Directors approved a change to the Recreation Program age divisions.  This change went into effect for the Fall 2024 season and applied to 3rd graders and above. Kindergarten through 2nd grade remained the same. This change should also better transition players moving from Rec to Travel to remain in the correct age group for that transition.

Children born in 2016 or earlier would be eligible to play in the newly configured age divisions for the Spring 2025 season.


 

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Referees, the buildout line and an adjusted offsides rule are introduced at this age group. Teams play games in 7 v 7 formation (including the goal keeper). Games are officiated by referees. 

A focus on more complex team concepts like positioning and offsides is introduced at this level. Boys and girls play on separate teams. Keepers may not punt the ball and no player may head the ball at this age. T-shirt uniforms are included in the registration cost. All players should bring a SIZE 4 soccer ball to every practice and game.

Shin guards are required at all ages.  Soccer cleats are strongly encouraged for play.

PLAYER TIME COMMITMENT:

Practice: One day per week for 1 hour & 15min, usually at 5:30 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Games: At least one game each weekend, generally on Saturdays anywhere from 9 am to 3 pm.

INTERTOWN PLAY:
Depending on registration enrollment and number of teams, Glastonbury Hartwell soccer could partner with neighboring towns like Newington, New Britain, Manchester, Hartford, etc., to fill out a game schedule. This would mean that occasional travel to a neighboring town less than 25 minutes away would be necessary. We do our best to limit the travel required, but with decreased enrollment, our teams need the intertown play option in order to keep the games interesting with multiple opponents. This age group has seen a recent boost in enrollment numbers and may not need the intertown play option. But if so, players/families should expect 1 or 2 away games, if any.

 

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Teams play games with 9 v 9 formations (including the goal keeper). Games are officiated by referees.The fields and goals are larger that the 7v7 play, and certain playing rules are tailored to the skill levels of this age group.

Coaches introduce and will focus on tactical developmental concepts, versus solely technical. No players are allowed to head the ball. Boys and girls play on separate teams. T-shirt uniforms are included in the registration cost. All players should bring a SIZE 4 soccer ball to each practice and games.

Shin guards are required at all ages.  Soccer cleats are strongly encouraged for play.

PLAYER TIME COMMITMENT:

Practice: One day per week for 90 minutes, usually at 5:30 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Games: At least one game each weekend, generally on Saturdays anywhere from 9 am to 3 pm. 

INTERTOWN PLAY:

Depending on registration enrollment and number of teams, Glastonbury Hartwell Soccer normally partners with neighboring towns like Newington, New Britain, Manchester, Hartford, etc., to fill out a game schedule. This would mean that occasional travel to a neighboring town less than 25 minutes away would be necessary. We do our best to limit the travel required, but with decreased enrollment, our teams need the intertown play option in order to keep the games interesting with multiple opponents. In recent years, this age group has depended on intertown play, so players/families should expect around 2-3 away games in a neighboring town.

 

 

PROGRAM DETAILS:
Teams play games with full field dimensions and full 11 v 11 formation. Games are officiated by referees. Boys and girls play on separate teams. T-shirt uniforms are included in the registration cost. All players should bring a SIZE 5 soccer ball to every practice and game.

Shin guards are required at all ages.  Soccer cleats are strongly encouraged for play.

PLAYER TIME COMMITMENT:

Practice: One day per week for 90 minutes, usually at 5:30 PM on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

Games: At least one game each weekend, generally on Saturdays anywhere from 9 am to 3 pm.

INTERTOWN PLAY:
Depending on registration enrollment and number of teams, Glastonbury Hartwell Soccer normally partners with neighboring towns like Newington, New Britain, Manchester, Hartford, etc., to fill out a game schedule. This would mean that occasional travel to a neighboring town less than 25 minutes away would be necessary. We do our best to limit the travel required, but with decreased enrollment, our teams need the intertown play option in order to keep the games interesting with multiple opponents. This age group has typically depended on intertown play, so players/families should expect around 2-4 away games in a neighboring town.

 

 

QUESTIONS:
Any further questions regarding the Glastonbury Hartwell Recreation Program can be emailed to RecDir@glastonburysoccer.org.